The humble PS5 face plate, designed to help your console stand out or fit more stylishly in your home setup, is reduced - with options like the ever-popular Midnight Black down to just $39 - a discount of 28%.
Aside from that sleek Black variant, you can grab the Cobalt Blue face plate for $44, down from $59. One for the Sonic the Hedgehog fans, perhaps.
Looking for something striking? One of the red variants, specifically Volcanic Red, is discounted to $44, too.
More subtle is Chroma Pearl. At first glance, it looks like the standard white color, but look a tad closer, and you’ll see a subtle pearlescent touch in the light.
As a reminder, these face plates are for the Slim PS5 model, so they won’t work on launch PS5 systems, which is a shame.
There are other options that aren’t discounted, too. Remix Green looks like you could use it to avoid a hazard on the road, while Techno Red is how we imagine former WWE superstar Kane sets up his PS5.
Finally, Rhythm Blue offers a similar two-tone look, but with a softer blue than the Cobalt version mentioned earlier.
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.
2026 has already seen surges in the cost of RAM and GPUs. Unfortunately, this also affects the price of gaming PCs. Obviously this isn't an ideal time to be buying a new PC, but fortunately, there are still good deals to be found. If you're looking for a future-proof system, an RTX 5080 PC is powerful enough to set you up for 4K gaming for years to come.
The Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 gaming PC has dropped to as low as $2,229.99 with free delivery after a $600 instant discount. This is currently one of the least expensive RTX 5080 prebuilts you'll be able to get right now. Most other RTX 5080 prebuilts are currently priced at $2,500 and up.
Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 Gaming PC for $2,230
The $2,130 system is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 265F CPU, GeForce RTX 5080 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265F is a 20-core processor with a max turbo frequency of 5.3GHz. It's cooled by a 240mm all-in-one liquid cooling system. The 1,000W power supply gives you headroom for upgrades down the road.
The GeForce RTX 5080 GPU will run any game in 4K
Performance-wise, the RTX 5080 is no slouch. It's one of the fastest cards on the market, bested only by the $2,000 RTX 5090 and the discontinued $1,600 RTX 4090. This is a phenomenal card for playing the latest, most demanding games in 4K resolution at high settings and ray tracing enabled. The recent DLSS 4.5 update has further optimized multi-frame gen and upscaling so you can push really high framerates even in 4K. More games are supporting this feature, including Doom: The Dark Ages, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Borderlands 4, Stellar Blade, and Battlefield 6. Check out our Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 FE review for our hands-on impressions.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The original Final Fantasy VII is getting a makeover on Steam. No, not the remake. I mean the actual, original game.
Announced last month and released today, this updated version of Final Fantasy VII comes with a handful of new features as seen on the storefront. According to an official post, this new version of the old game will include a 3x speed mode, the ability to turn off random encounters, a "battle enhancement" mode that will max out Limit gauge and let players recover HP/MP during battles, and an autosave feature.
The new version of the game will replace the 2013 edition on the Steam store, and the 2013 edition will no longer be available to buy. However, those who already own the 2013 version will receive the new version free of charge, and will still have access to the 2013 version in their libraries simultaneously with this new version. Critically, though, save files are not compatible between the two versions, so you will have to start a new game to enjoy the re-release.
This update effectively brings the game up to parity with the other modern console ports of Final Fantasy 7. For years, the 2013 edition on Steam had been behind the times, effectively just an old (and often buggy) PC port.
It's still worth checking out the original Final Fantasy VII if you missed it back in the day, or even if you just want a walk down memory lane ahead of the conclusion to the Final Fantasy VII Remake Trilogy. It's been teased that we're getting "more updates than ever before" on the trilogy this year, leading fans to hope that the announcement of Part 3 is imminent. Meanwhile, Part 2, Rebirth, is coming to Switch 2 and Xbox later this year. FF7 for everyone!
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
While the latest Silent Hill movie hasn't made waves at the box office, it’s fair to be curious about what one of best horror games of all time could look like on film. At the very least, there's some entertainment value to bickering with the screen about whatever adaptation decisions you do or don't support.
If you weren’t willing to trek out to the theaters for it, Return to Silent Hill is already available to rent or buy through VOD services like Prime Video.
Return to Silent Hill Lands on Digital
Return to Silent Hill initially released to the lowest domestic box office opening in the franchise's history. It has since grossed over $5 million in the U.S., while the international box office has pushed it to a total gross of over $42 million. According to Variety, the film was produced on a budget of $23 million before marketing costs.
The latest Silent Hill movie has landed on digital platforms almost exactly four weeks after its release in theaters, a relatively quick turnaround. The film’s digital pricing at the time of writing is also more reasonable than most other digital releases we’ve seen this year, with the full purchase listed at $19.99 and renting available for just $9.99.
While IGN’s review acknowledges that “those craving a truly great psychological horror experience are better off booting up a version of Silent Hill 2,” I respect any fan (or potential fan) getting a little curious. The film retains the game’s core premise of James Sunderland ‘returning’ to Silent Hill in pursuit of his wife, Mary. Most of the game’s core characters also appear, though with some particularly interesting casting and flashback decisions. All to say, there’s a mix of faithfulness and revisionism in this particular adaptation.
One strength of the film, at least according to our review, is the craftsmanship that went into recreating Silent Hill's atmosphere, aided by the return of Akira Yamaoka as the film's composer. Director Christophe Gans has more recently claimed that he was forced to edit the movie down to under two hours, with hopes of one day releasing his full Director’s Cut.
Otherwise, the Silent Hill franchise has certainly ramped up over the past couple of years with Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 Remake as well as Konami’s most recent release, Silent Hill f. Another new game, Silent Hill Townfall, is slated for release sometime in 2026.
Streaming and Physical Release Details
Return to Silent Hill will be released in 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD on March 27, with all editions now up for preorder. The film was distributed by Cineverse, which itself hosts a free ad-supported streaming service that has a particular focus on niche horror movies. It’s unclear whether Return to Silent Hill will eventually be available through that service, or whether Cineverse will pursue streaming licensing elsewhere.
Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who, when she isn't following streaming news, spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.
PlayStation Direct’s sale continues today, and with it comes tons of unbelievably great discounts on PS5 games. Other retailers are also hopping on the PS5 game deals, too. Other discounts worth checking out today include $28 off Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Amazon Exclusive Edition for Nintendo Switch, a free game code included with an already-on-sale Samsung gaming monitor, some cheap, high-quality pens, and more. Check out all the top deals below:
TL;DR - The Best Deals Today
$28 Off Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Amazon Exclusive Edition for Nintendo Switch
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Amazon Exclusive Edition for Nintendo Switch is only $31.99 when you clip the coupon, down $28 from the list price. This action-packed racing game, full of familiar faces, doesn’t stick to the track. You’ll be flying through the sky, the sea, space, and even time, and you can design your own vehicle to tackle every one of these unique twists and turns. In our review of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Jada Griffin found the game “fires on all cylinders with a fantastic roster, excellent courses, and a lengthy list of customization options.”
Free Game with Discounted 27" Samsung G5 OLED Gaming Monitor
Amazon discounted the 27" Samsung G5 OLED gaming monitor to the lowest price ever. It’s $200 off list price at $349.99, making it one of the least expensive OLED monitors you can buy. But to sweeten the deal even further, this already awesome deal also comes with a free game code for Resident Evil Requiem.
With this QHD display, you’ll get a quantum-dot OLED panel with deep blacks, near-infinite contrast, and a wide color gamut for a stunning picture. The near-instantaneous response times, 180Hz refresh rate, and Nvidia G-Sync support solidify the Samsung G5 OLED as a top-tier gaming monitor.
PlayStation Direct PS5 Video Game and Accessory Deals
PlayStation Direct launched an awesome sale on PS5 games and accessories. Notable discounts include God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West - Complete Edition, Death Stranding 2, and more. And while not from PS Direct, Astro Bot, Monster Hunter Wilds, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, and Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound are on sale at Amazon, or you can score Ghost of Tsushima - Director's Cut, The Last of US Part 1/Part 2, and Gran Turismo 7 for $30 from Best Buy.
Plenty of accessories are also discounted. The Death Stranding 2 - DualSense Controller is only $64, down $20, while some of the best PS5 faceplates are on sale to add a bit more flash to your console. You can even grab the PlayStation VR 2 for $100 off, matching Black Friday savings, and making for one killer deal on one of the top VR headsets.
55% Off Uniball One Retractable Gel Pen 8-Pack
Uniball One Retractable Gel Pens are unbelievably cheap right now, normally priced at $12.99, this colorful 8-pack is only $5.79 on Amazon. That’s the lowest price ever. I kid you not, I have four of these exact pens sitting on my desk at this very moment. Let me tell you, the colors are vibrant, and as someone who prefers a paper calendar and physically writing things down, they actually help to bring some semblance of organization to my life. They remind me of those massive packs of gel pens I used to play with as a kid, but they work way better.
Lowest Price Ever on the Super7 ULTIMATES! Toho Godzilla Figure
Super7, the toy design company behind many of the top high-end, vintage-inspired figures, has its 7-inch ULTIMATES! Gray scale Toho Godzilla discounted by nearly 20% on Amazon. This Godzilla '89 Thirsty for Blood Figure features an interchangeable head and claws to match iconic moments from the comic. It features some incredible detail, sure to entice any King of the Monsters fans.
Save $350 on Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 RTX 5070 Ti Laptop
If you’re after an awesome gaming laptop that doesn’t break the bank, Best Buy has a deal on the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 RTX 5070 Ti. It’s just $1,549.99, for $350 in savings. With a stunning 16-inch 240Hz OLED display and RTX 5070 Ti graphics, games will look stunning. Everything runs great, too, thanks to the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, a 1TB SSD, along with the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti GPU.
The Toxic Avenger Collector’s Edition Steelbook Hits Low Price
The Toxic Avenger follows a down-on-his-luck janitor who speaks out against unsafe workplace practices, only to be thrown into a toxic waste pool. He emerges as an unlikely superhero ready to take down corruption. With a unique story based on the original 1984 cult classic film and an impressive cast including Peter Dinklage, Kevin Bacon, and Elijah Wood, the Collector’s Edition 4K UHD + Blu-ray Steelbook is a fun addition to any physical media collection. This film is only $21.60 when you clip the coupon for some serious savings.
$60 Off a PlayStation Plus Premium Subscription
It’s not just games and accessories that PlayStation has discounted. In celebration of the Lunar New Year, a 12-month PlayStation Plus Premium Subscription is just $99.99, down from $159.99. Everything from online multiplayer and cloud streaming to the Sony Pictures catalog, exclusive discounts, and more comes with this subscription. However, this deal is only available for new PS Plus subscribers or those upgrading to the Premium tier.
Pokémon Mega Evolution - Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box
Get the Pokémon Mega Evolution - Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box for $119.99 on Amazon. Admittedly, this isn’t the best deal, but it's right around the current market price and shipped/sold by Amazon for added peace of mind. Plus, it’s actually in stock. Most other retailers require exclusive memberships, with the majority of the boxes selling out within minutes. With the Trainer Box, you get 9 Ascended Heroes booster packs, a full-art foil promo card featuring N’s Zekrom, 65 card sleeves, 40 Energy cards, 6 damage-counter dice, a competition-legal coin-flip die, a plastic coin, a collector’s box, and a player's guide.
$30 Off Super Mario Odyssey for Switch
Believe it or not, Super Mario Odyssey, which was released way back in 2017, is still Nintendo’s most recent 3D Mario platformer. Luckily, 9 years in, it still holds up, and it has received a rare $30 discount on a physical copy of the Switch title at Best Buy. This awesome adventure game follows Mario and the shape-shifting Cappy. Even earning a “Masterpiece” score during our review. There’s also a free performance upgrade for Switch 2 to make gameplay even more enjoyable.
MTG: Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box Back Down to Low Price
The Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box is back down to its lowest price ever on Amazon. For just $124.98, you’ll get 30 Play Booster packs, making each about $4.16, which is a solid deal. Each pack even guarantees a foil. This is a really fun set that features creatures throwing spells; a nice departure from the most recent Universes Beyond Sets featuring Avatar, Spider-Man, and Final Fantasy.
MTG x Universes Beyond Preorders
If you’re interested in the upcoming Universes Beyond sets, MTG x TMNT and MTG x Marvel Super Heroes, these preorders are worth grabbing below. The TMNT Booster Box got a nice discount ahead of the release next Friday. Amazon even has a nice preorder price guarantee. Whether the price goes up or down, you’re paying the lowest amount.
Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima has teamed up with PC gaming hardware maker Asus to release a Kojima Productions-themed take on the ROG Flow Z13 gaming tablet. The new model is called the ROG Flow Z13-KJP, and it features high-end specs encased in a Ludens-inspired outer shell. You can preorder the gaming tablet at the Asus Store. It costs $3,699 and begins shipping on March 3, a couple of weeks before Death Stranding 2's PC release.
Preorder Asus ROG Flow Z13-KJP
Ludens, for those unaware, is the futuristic astronaut mascot of Kojima Productions. The tablet’s shell is black and gold, designed to look like Ludens’ suit. It also comes with a white carrying case with a similarly futuristic design. The case says “For Ludens who dare” and “Extra-vehicular creative activity device” on its side. It also includes a detachable keyboard that’s decked out in the same style and color scheme, as well as a 200W adapter adorned with the Ludens skull.
As for the tablet itself, it’s a fantastic piece of gaming tech. In our review of the non-Kojima edition, veteran tech reviewer Chris Coke gave it a 9/10, calling it, “the gaming tablet evolved.” It’s a 2.75lb tablet with a 13.4” display that packs a 16-core AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, up to 50 TOPS NPU power, and RDNA 3.5 graphics. You can find the full specs on the product listing page.
Our review sums it up like this: “The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a fantastic 2-in-1 laptop-tablet for a particular kind of user, those who want that versatility with the best performance possible for productivity and gaming in this form factor – talk about multifaceted. It’s an exciting glimpse at what laptops may offer in the future, too. If this form factor isn’t important to you, you'll be better served looking into full-on laptops with a dedicated GPU for gaming and are likely to spend less in the process. If you're willing to trade a higher cost for portability and versatility, however, it's an impressive achievement that sets a new standard for integrated graphics.”
Or Buy the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 on Sale
If you want this gaming tablet but can live without the Kojima imagery, you can save some cash. Amazon has it in stock now for $2,799.
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.
When I talk to people about Disney Parks, I always tell them the true Disney Magic isn't found in the attractions, fireworks, or shows, but in the incredible Cast Members (aka employees) who bring them all to life. This is why I was so excited and honored to be invited to the Cast Member-exclusive event at Walt Disney World known as Goofy's Mystery Tour, which is a night filled with trivia, puzzles, challenges, camaraderie, and so much more that celebrates the amazing people who have dedicated their lives to making sure every guest has a dream-come-true vacation.
This after-hours event at Animal Kingdom has been running at Walt Disney World for over 30 years and was inspired by a similar one at Disneyland known as Minnie's Moonlit Madness. During this fun-filled evening that always takes on a special theme - this year's was Goofy's Mystiki Tour - 300 teams of four compete for bragging rights and a pretty cool plaque, but this was so much more than just a game.
"I think for me it's mainly about getting to reconnect with my friends," Claire Embil from Walt Disney World Communications told me. "We don't always get to work with each other anymore, but this gives us a chance to come back together, and it kind of levels all of us out and gives us a reset as well. Whether you are in the parks, a resort, an office, backstage, or on stage, we all get to compete as one team together.
"The other really exciting thing is that we're invited to bring one of our family or friends with us as a fourth teammate, and I got to bring my Mom. That's my favorite thing about this event, which is by Cast Members and for Cast Members, but it's also for the people that made magic for us in our lives, and for me, that's my Mom."
I can very much relate to this because the reason I was invited to this event and that I'm writing this article right now is because of my Mom, who is my biggest supporter and has always been there for me. So, hearing Claire share that story was so meaningful and gave the whole night a different perspective for me. Speaking of Claire's mom, I also had the chance to speak to her, and her answers were just as moving.
Claire's Mom, Janet, lives in Chicago, but she's traveled down for the last three years to compete with her daughter, whom she lovingly called "one of the most magical Cast Members."
"I don't think I ever could have imagined that I'd be standing here today when I first brought Claire to Walt Disney World when she was four," Janet said. "I remember the day when we were leaving, and I have this picture of her with such a sad face because she had to go home, and I never thought one day she'd be working here. It's just so fun to get to see her and all the Cast Members that she's met along the way be celebrated like this. I think that you so often see Cast Members make magic for other people, and this is a chance for the company to make magic for them and say thank you and that this night is for you."
And what a night it was! You could literally feel the competitive spirit on display during Goofy's Mystiki Tour, and I especially loved those teams that dressed the part, including one quartet who dressed up as the birds from Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. That level of spirit was needed, as these challenges were tough.
Let's start with the questions. There were 75 multiple choice questions that the teams had to solve, and they really test the knowledge of even the most seasoned Disney fan. You can check out some of the actual questions below, and feel free to scroll all the way to the bottom to check if you got them right!
After the quiz round, the rest of the night is all about puzzles. I've included a slideshow below that gives you an idea of what the puzzles were for Goofy's Mystiki Tour, but they were so much more than just brain teasers.
These puzzles required the teams to go out into Animal Kingdom to find clues and report them to Cast Member volunteers, who were all fantastic. My favorite of the bunch were the crew at the Kakamora Konundrum challenge, who were dressed as those adorable yet deadly coconut pirates from Moana. They just played the part so perfectly and had such a blast screaming "KAKAMORA" at every Cast Member that walked by.
As for the challenge, there were Kakamora (both played by humans and toys) that had flags raised certain ways. Teams had to use a semaphore flag signaling system to decipher a hidden message, and it was fun watching the teams and volunteers interacting and just having the best time.
The night culminated in a grand finale, and yes it was obviously attended by Goofy in a special outfit for this event, and the winners were awarded a special plaque that they'll be able to proudly display in their respective offices, declaring to the world they are the champions of this beloved event for at least one year.
The night was also hosted in part by Walt Disney World Ambassadors Phelicia Blake and Kylee Withers, and I was able to speak to them about Goofy's Mystery Tour and why this night means so much to Cast Members.
"This event in particular is just a great example of how we do everything uniquely Disney," Blake shared with me. "Everything that we do puts love into everything, and especially events like this, our teams want to make sure that these Cast Members feel the love that we always strive to give back to our guests. So this is really much a big thank you to our Cast Members for all that they do every day.
"And it's such a great thing that it's been running for over 30 years here at Walt Disney World, and our teams take in all the feedback and use that to make it even better year after year. It's all formulated in a way that is in the best interest of our wonderful cast."
"As Cast Members, we love Disney just as much as our guests do," Withers added. "But what makes Cast Members different is that they want to share their love of Disney with other people. It takes a very special person to be a Cast Member, a kind of person who says 'I love Disney, I want to share that magic of Disney with you, and I want to help you create magical memories here that will last a lifetime.' So, next time you see a Cast Member, thank them and know that they are the reason that you are able to have incredible memories here at Disney."
To end this feature, I want to talk a little more about these Cast Members, because that's really what Goofy's Mystery Tour is about. We see their smiling faces and heroic deeds that make our visits to Disney Parks that much better, but they are people just like us that have good days and bad days. After all, a job is a job and it's not always magical. However, moments like this remind them why they are doing what they do and I think that is supremely important.
"I feel like one of the coolest parts of Goofy's Mystery Tour is that we put our phones away," Claire said. "This is three hours of just straight connection; working your brain, working hard, laughing, joking, and being together. It's definitely serious and intense, but it's probably my favorite Disney Cast event all year."
"Everybody is always looking out for each other and looking for the best for each other," Claire's teammate Alyssa said. "So, that is what I absolutely love about the culture here, and having that positive energy in the workplace with events like this, it's so easy to transfer that to guests."
"I have a friend who was a Cast Member many years ago, and she has competed in Goofy's Mystery Tour for multiple years," Withers recalled. "While she may be gone from Disney, her team continues to invite her back to compete here and she always makes her way back down to Florida. That really is a testament to the bonds that you build here at Disney."
I have so many more stories from the night that I'll hold close to my heart, and this experience has given me an even deeper appreciation for the Cast Members and all they do to make our Disney vacations unforgettable.
It was a powerful reminder that the littlest gestures can change someone's world for the better. Be it an extravagant after hours event at Walt Disney World or a parent sharing a core memory with their daughter or even a small thank you from a guest to a Cast Member after they went to infinity and beyond what they needed to do because they actually do care.
Goofy's Mystery Tour was such an incredible experience for so many reasons, and I can't wait to get back to a Disney Park so I can pay it forward again and tell even more Cast Members how grateful I am for everything they do.
Sony Film CEO Tom Rothman has confirmed the company has plans to reboot Sony's broader Spider-Man Universe after a series of high-profile flops in films like Kraven, Madame Web, and Morbius.
This comes from a conversation with Matt Belloni on The Town, in which Rothman answered a series of questions with fairly short, yes or no responses. When asked, "is the larger Spider-verse dead?" he said "No." He then confirmed Sony would go back to those films "at some point." And also affirmed it would be a "fresh reboot" with "new people." Rothman did not provide any further details.
Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) has struggled ever since it first kicked off in 2018 with Venom. Though Venom and its follow-ups, Let There Be Carnage (2021) and The Last Dance (2024) did quite well at the box office, all three were critically panned and generally received poorly by wider audiences as well. Even worse was Morbius (2022), which was regarded as such a poor movie it became a meme, and which was followed by similar box office disasters in Madame Web (2024) and Kraven the Hunter (2024). At the time, outgoing Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra described Kraven the Hunter as “probably the worst launch we had in the seven-and-a-half years” since he first stepped into his role. He also blamed all the SSU failures on the press, for criticizing them.
As for what this reboot will entail, Rothman is keeping that under his mask for now, though whatever it is will likely take some time to spin up. At least we still have regular ol' Spider-Man, who will be in theaters July 31 for Brand New Day.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures have tapped Deadpool actor Ed Skrein to play Baldur in the upcoming Prime Video God of War show.
Just as fans thought casting was starting to wind down, the studios reappeared today to confirm yet another addition to the cast of its live-action TV adaptation. It’s an update that will see the star playing the primary antagonist of God of War (2018), promising to bring one of the most powerful characters in the video game franchise’s Norse universe to screens when the show eventually premieres.
Comic book movie fans may best recognize Skrein as the 2016 Deadpool movie’s villain, Ajax, but he’s appeared in a number of other big-budget projects in the decade since then, too. Audiences can also catch him in Alita: Battle Angel, Midway, or even a few episodes of Game of Thrones, but more recently, he’s played parts in both of Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon movies as well as 2025’s Jurassic World: Rebirth.
Baldur, who was originally played by Lost veteran Jeremy Davies, made his God of War debut as a relentless and near-invincible foe for Kratos and Atreus to deal with throughout the events of the 2018 installment. He’s another one of Odin’s powerful sons, and he also happens to be tied to some of the biggest action set pieces the series has seen so far. The show has already confirmed more than a few major players from its God of War Ragnarok sequel will also appear in the show, so it’s unclear how large Baldur’s role will be in the show.
“Baldur may be the youngest son of Odin, but he’s his father’s most dangerous weapon,” an official description for Baldur says. “Charismatic, unpredictable and armed with a razor-sharp tongue, Baldur lives by his own rules. As a boy, Baldur was cursed; this curse denied him the ability to feel pleasure and physical sensation. This fuels an insatiable anger and bloodlust in Baldur, who favors a brawling fighting style that blends his immense power with the raw impact of his fists. Above all else, he longs for an opponent that can truly match his prowess in battle. An opponent that can finally make him feel something.”
With Baldur’s actor now locked in, most of the biggest names from the God of War Norse saga have found their actors. One face we haven’t seen yet, however, is Freya, but considering her close ties to Skrein’s character, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her show up in the live-action adaptation sooner rather than later.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
Hasbro shareholders who filed a lawsuit last month against the company, alleging its management was overprinting Magic: The Gathering Cards, breaching its fiduciary duty, and deceiving consumers, have decided to drop the suit.
A notice of voluntary dismissal filed last week (and spotted by Rhode Island Current) shows Joseph Crocono and Ultain McGlone dropping the case without prejudice, suggesting they may attempt to file again at a later date. There are no further details in the notice as to the reason the lawsuit was dropped.
The lawsuit, filed in January, alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, waste of corporate assets, gross mismanagement, abuse of control, and violations of the Exchange Act on the part of Hasbro management. Its primary claim revolved around the idea that leadership was steering the company poorly by overprinting card sets, thereby devaluing the existing ones and putting the company on track to financial ruin. In particular, it named the culprit as Universes Beyond and Secret Lair, alleging that the company was teeing up the crossover sets to release any time the other segments of its business were struggling and the company needed cash to make up for the shortfall.
And indeed, Hasbro subsidiary Wizards of the Coast has been printing more sets in recent years than in the past, though its revenue has been increasing along with it. In fact, upon its last earnings call, it was revealed that Magic just had its most successful year ever, in no small part thanks to the very sets that the lawsuit claims were at issue.
Additionally, the lawsuit claimed that Hasbro management essentially faked being out of stock of the controversial, extremely expensive Magic 30th Anniversary Set in order to encourage demand, sharing testimonies from former company leadership claiming that they had opted to "pause" sales to give the appearance of the product being out of stock. With the lawsuit dismissed, the merit of this anecdote in particular remains up in the air. It is worth noting that in the weeks since the lawsuit, Wizards of the Coast has put out another controversial, weirdly-priced card offering in its "Prints Charming" Secret Lair set, which consists of five identical listings, all at different prices.
Amazon recently discounted the 2025 27" Samsung G5 OLED to $349.99, making it the lowest price I've ever seen for an OLED gaming monitor. Today, the deal just got even better because you can now get a free Resident Evil: Requiem game code with purchase. The offer will automatically be applied during checkout. With this voucher you'll be able to download the full game when it releases on February 27. The monitor also includes a 3 year warranty with burn-in coverage.
27" Samsung Odyssey OLED G5 Gaming Monitor for $349.99
Free Resident Evil: Requiem game code with purchase
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G5 (G50SF) is a 2025 model 27" display with a 2560x1440 or QHD resolution, measuring out to a respectable pixel density of 108ppi. It's equipped with a quantum dot OLED panel that boasts a near-instantaneous 0.03ms response time, near infinite contrast ratio, and true black levels. QD OLED panels are considered better than traditional W-OLED panels because they are brighter and offer a wider color gamut.
This monitor also features a fast 180Hz refresh rate and Nvidia G-Sync compatibility. If you pair it with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card or higher, you should be able to hit that 180fps ceiling on older games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Valorant. For newer games like Battlefield 6 or Black Ops 7, you might need to step up to an RTX 5070 Ti or Radeon 9070 XT to achieve that 180fps ceiling. The display comes equipped with both DisplayPort and HDMI ports.
As mentioned earlier, this monitor has a 3 year warranty that includes OLED burn-in coverage. That's still pretty uncommon across most OLED brands, especially when you're looking at the less expensive models. Most come with just a 1 year warranty with no burn-in protection.
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.
Embark Studios has published full patch notes for Arc Raiders update 1.17.0, revealing a wave of nerfs for PvP and PvE players hopping into Shrouded Sky.
The finer details for the new Arc Raiders patch were published on the extraction shooter’s official website today. It comes with the promise that players will be met with more than just Hurricanes and new Arc threats when they log in to check out the new February content drop.
PvP players should know three of the most useful multiplayer weapons – the Stitcher, Kettle, and Venator – have all suffered from reductions to their base damage. The Stitcher and Venator pistols have also had their headshot multipliers reduced. These are targeted nerfs from Embark that will have a noticeable impact on PvP lobbies, while buffs for the Jupiter and Aphelion will likely make them more useful across the board.
PvE players will likely appreciate the update’s improvements for the two energy weapons, but they didn’t make it out of Shrouded Sky without also facing nerfs. Let’s rip the Band-Aid off: the Deadline, Trailblazer, Wolfpack, and Showstopper will now be much more difficult to craft.
As each piece of equipment can be extremely useful when taking down Arc, Embark is asking players to gather at least one more Arc resource to build them. That’s not so bad in the case of the Vita Spray, which only requires an additional Tick Pod. The Wolfpack and its flurry of aerial homing explosives, on the other hand, now asks Raiders for one Rocketeer Driver per craft. The Rocketeer resource is quite rare and notoriously difficult to farm, making this one of the more substantial crafting adjustments and a steep ask for PvE fans.
We knew Shrouded Sky would be one of Embark’s biggest updates so far, but the version 1.17.0 patch notes reveal more highlights following its launch earlier today. For example, players can now interact with topside pianos, adding to the growing list of playable instruments. Raiders will also notice that troublesome feats can now be rerolled three times per day, while PvP feats have been removed entirely. The patch notes also sign off with a message from the team regarding its ongoing anti-cheat initiative, confirming it plans to continue punishing cheaters and exploiters following today’s fixes for a few additional glitches.
The launch of Shrouded Sky now puts Embark halfway through its four-month roadmap for Arc Raiders in 2026. The next update, Flashpoint, is expected to bring more threats and a Scrappy changes in late March, with Riven Tides set to add a new map and a new large Arc in April. We interviewed studio CEO Patrick Söderlund earlier this month and learned all about how the team plans to keep Raiders engaged throughout this year and beyond.
Finally, you can check out all of the nerfs, buffs, and other balance adjustments included today in the full patch notes below.
Arc Raiders Update 1.17.0 Patch Notes
Attention Raiders!
Violent hurricanes are sweeping topside, forcing new strategies for low-visibility combat, powerful gales, and hurtling debris. Scouts have spotted two new ARC types in the Rust Belt; we advise caution while the storm runs its course, but those who know how to read the weather will find opportunity in the chaos.
What’s New?
Hurricane Map Condition
Two New ARC Enemies
The Weather Monitoring System - Seasonal Player Project
Weapon balancing for Stitcher, Kettle, Venator, Jupiter and Aphelion.
Added a piano as an interactable object in the world.
Prevented enabling all NVIDIA Freestyle filters simultaneously to remove an unfair visual advantage.
Feats can now be rerolled three times per day for free.
Removed PvP Feats, updated a few existing Feats and added a few new ones.
Ziplines can no longer be placed on carryable objects.
Mines, traps, or remote flares can no longer be placed on other deployables.
Balance Changes
Weapons
In 1.13 we shipped an update that included an optimization fix for our weapons, but as many of you noticed this had the unforeseen consequence of lowering the total fire-rate of semi-automatic weapons. In 1.13.1 we reverted that fix, but something else made it into the update that shouldn't have.
Many of you have reported a "shadow buff" to the weapons, and after investigating it we found that 1.13.1 had inadvertently impacted our weapon input buffers. Where you previously would have to time your inputs to the intended cadence of a weapon to reach its full potential, you could now instead spam-click the button, effectively bypassing any skill requirement to learn the weapon's cadence. We want to keep some of that skill expression, but we also recognize that what we had previously didn't feel very responsive. To address that and land in some sort of middle ground, we have since added more levers for us to control the weapon input buffering window on a gun-to-gun basis, and we've adjusted the semi-automatic weapons accordingly. The weapons should now still be more responsive to fire when spam-clicking, but the players who choose to pace their shots will see better results.
In addition to these changes, we've also been looking into the balance between our low tier and high tier weapons. A lot of you have expressed concerns that some low tier weapons outperform our higher tier weapons at significantly reduced cost, and we're hoping to shift that balance a bit while still keeping some of that flexibility to punch above your weight if you are skilled enough. We're starting by reducing the overall TTK of the Stitcher and Kettle, and increasing the maneuverability of the Aphelion and Jupiter. We're also taking a second stab at the Venator, which still seems to be dominating a lot of our PvP encounters.
Stitcher
Dev Note: The Stitcher has played its role well as a close quarter weapon that rewards thoughtful positioning, but we've found that its fast TTK can sometimes lead to situations where you're ambushed and killed before you have much time to react. As many of you have pointed out, the high headshot damage is a large contributor to this problem. The TTK is often fine when the weapon is aimed at the center of mass, but when you get close enough to land the majority of the shots in your target's head, we see TTK numbers that are much faster than other weapons. These changes aim to bring that headshot TTK a bit closer to the body shot TTK by both reducing the full-spray accuracy of the weapon, and reducing the headshot multiplier.
Reduced Headshot Multiplier from 2.5 to 1.75
Reduced Base Damage from 7 to 6.5
Increased Per Shot Dispersion by around 50% (Making it bloom faster)
Kettle
Dev Note: The Kettle has been in a bit of a weird place. Its high damage output was intended to be used in a more medium range setting at a more deliberate pace, but we see many of you bringing it up in close quarters and effectively turning into an SMG. We want to distinguish it more from the Stitcher, but we also see that you enjoy the versatility of this weapon. So we're reducing the base damage to bring its TTK more in line, but we're keeping the high headshot multiplier to see if we can push players to go for more headshots.
Reduced Base Damage from 10 to 8.5
Venator
Dev Note: Since the last nerfs to the Venator in 1.3.0, we've kept an eye on our data to see how it performs. During this time many of you have raised concerns that it's still dominating in PVP, and our data has shown that it is one of the highest performing weapons in the game right now. For a weapon of this tier we want it to perform well, but maybe not this well. We're looking at an overall nerf to its damage to bring down its TTK, and if that doesn't work we might need to look into its ammo consumption and cost efficiency.
Reduced Headshot Multiplier from 2.5 to 2
Reduced Base Damage from 9 to 8
Jupiter
Dev Note: In PVP, the Jupiter does the most headshot damage in the game, but it's quite difficult to hit headshots with it at longer ranges. You're also quite vulnerable when you use it in closer ranges since missing one shot will make you a sitting target until you either reload or swap weapons. We're increasing how much you zoom when you use ADS to give you a better view of the targets you're trying to hit, and we're reducing its equip and unequip time to make it easier to swap to a secondary weapon to follow up on your shot.
Improved ADS Magnification from ~1.9x to ~2.2x
Improved Equip Time from 1.2s to 1.05s
Improved Unequip Time from 0.9s to 0.75s
Aphelion
Dev Note: We weren't quite happy with the previous balancing of the Aphelion. It was intended to be a more PVP focused legendary weapon, but it couldn't quite keep up with the pacing of many of our other PVP weapons. We've made some changes to make it feel less bulky and a bit more nimble to use, to make it more viable in PVP.
Reduced Base Reload Time from 4.5s to 3.5s
Reduced Time Between Shots from 0.9s to 0.7s
Reduced Vertical Recoil by ca 50%
Improved ADS Settle Speed by ca 35%
Item and Crafting
Energy clip
Now available by default in the Workbench.
Item Value and Cost Changes
Following item values and costs have been adjusted with appropriate recycle and salvaging adjustments:
Deadline
Value increased from 5,000 to 6,000.
Trader price increased from 15,000 to 18,000.
Added a new ARC part as a crafting cost.
Trailblazer
Value increased from 1,600 to 2,200.
Trader price increased from 4,800 to 6,600.
Added a new ARC part as a crafting cost.
Wolfpack
Value increased from 5,000 to 6,000.
Added Rocketeer Driver as a crafting cost.
Reduced Refined Explosive cost.
Vita Spray
Value increased from 3,000 to 3,400.
Added Tick Pod as a crafting cost.
Showstopper
Value decreased from 2,200 to 2,100.
Added Hornet Driver as a crafting cost.
Changed crafting component from Advanced Electrical Components to Electrical Components.
ARC Parts sell value has been reduced to better reflect their crafting and progression uses.
Content and Bug Fixes
Achievements
Fixed an issue where the “Blindsided” achievement sometimes did not trigger as intended on the first attempt.
Animation
Fixed various animation issues while vaulting.
Fixed an issue where some weapons didn't drop magazines during reloads.
Fixed an issue where reattaching to a ladder after jumping could distort the climbing animation.
Polished equip animations for pistols and hand cannon to better match timing and reduce visual popping when switching from unarmed.
Improved arm and weapon positioning when swapping shoulders to prevent visual popping during the transition.
Fixed an issue where fall damage wouldn’t get applied if the player was in a knockback animation.
Polished low-health reaction animations for improved clarity.
Fixed weapon-shake animation incorrectly triggering indoors during freezing weather; it now only occurs outdoors.
ARC
Fixed an issue where Surveyors and Fireballs could open prematurely before stabilizing.
Reduced erratic movement of ARC parts when they are stuck to a looted item.
Hornets now keep their upper armor after being destroyed, making the lootable piece easier to distinguish from Wasps.
Fixed an issue where the Rocketeer sometimes would not shoot despite having a clear view of its target.
Reduced cases where the Sentinel's shots could pass through geometry when its weapon clips into walls at very close range.
Audio
Limited bullet sound effects per trigger pull on burst weapons to the burst size to prevent extra shots from playing.
Reduced audio stuttering on lower-spec PCs for smoother, more consistent sound during gameplay.
Fixed an issue where sliding on stairs or debris could cause audio stutters.
Scrappy has received your feedback about being too noisy, he will now try to cluck less frequently.
Reduced overall volume and rebalanced the menu SFX and music mix for a more comfortable Speranza experience.
Shortened one tube deployment music track that lingered for too long in session.
Birds perched on ziplines now screech with correct positional audio when startled.
Decreased audio occlusion / obstruction slightly across the board and especially for players .
Updated acoustic guitar music tracks.
Cosmetics
The Volare Set
The Surgeon Set
The Devotee Set coming soon.
Added a new facial hair customization option.
Fixed incorrect visor glass material on the Marco outfit's green color variant.
Fixed various instances of clipping on certain outfits.
Gameplay
Added a piano as an interactable object in the world.
Fixed an issue where interactions could be triggered from too far away, allowing players to open doors, start hatches, or loot items without being nearby.
Hold and continuous interactions now cancel when equipping another item or weapon.
Fixed an issue where players could become unable to move after being revived with a defib.
Prevented players from standing on or being carried by thrown grenades and other non-walkable items.
Added missing gamepad aim assist for Sentinels, Turrets, Shredders and Surveyors.
Disabled queuing for Practice Range while in a party to prevent matchmaking errors.
Fixed an issue where a downed raider’s body could block hatch extraction by triggering a search prompt.
Prevented enabling all NVIDIA Freestyle filters simultaneously to remove an unfair visual advantage.
You can now make purchases with seeds and free loadout augments even if your stash is overflowing.
General
General performance improvements.
Fixed some popping issues.
Fixed a crash when launching the game with DirectX 11.
Fixed a crash that could happen when traversing ziplines.
Maps
General
Fixed broken interactions near the top of certain ladders.
Fixed missing collision on several environment props to reduce clipping and unintended traversal.
General lighting fixes across different maps.
Buried City
The chance of finding rare loot in chimneys has been lowered slightly during Bird City map condition.
Stella Montis
Fixed multiple collision issues on Stella Montis (Lobby, Atrium, Loading Bay, Train Station tunnels, Seed Vault) to prevent players from reaching out-of-bounds areas using the ‘Unstuck’ function and to address shots coming from the Lobby ceiling.
Adjusted night lighting on Stella Montis to improve visibility in darker areas.
Improved night-time visibility at the Seed Vault extraction by adding local lighting.
Fixed an issue where lowered Spillway bridges still displayed an interaction prompt, interaction is now correctly disabled when the bridge is down.
Fixed an issue that allowed players to get on top of metro trains.
Blue Gate
Improved thunderstorm lighting for better visual clarity.
Fixed an issue where players could go out of bounds in the Blue Gate tunnels.
Movement
Adjusted ladder jump-off to match vault jump-off behavior, smoothing movement and preventing unintended momentum from rapid inputs.
Fixed an issue where sliding could clip through stairs and escalators.
Progression
You can now reroll Feats three times per day for free.
Removed PvP Feats, updated a few existing Feats and added a few new ones.
Added an Expedition catch-up system to earn missed Skill Points from previous runs, with an updated UI to track your progress.
Fixed an issue where players occasionally did not receive a skill point as indicated in the result screen.
Candleberries in Blue Gate now count toward the Harvest Plants trial.
Quests
Added clearer ping labels for quest-related world objects to improve readability.
Fixed an issue where the next objective pop-up in multi-step quests could be missing or show a completed step. It now consistently displays the correct upcoming objective.
Fixed an issue where a quest item could appear as world loot without the related quest being active.
Social
When playing in a party, map selection now shows all locations unlocked by the member with the most rounds played.
Fixed an issue where previous teammates could appear in the Social tab’s In Proximity list after starting a new session.
Added clearer error messages when friend requests fail due to too many outgoing requests or rate limiting.
Fixed friends appearing offline when they have more than one platform linked.
Added the ability to hide friend requests.
UI
Item pings for items in containers now appear above the container's interaction point and no longer appear at the wrong location in certain containers.
Added a ready-up warning when deploying with Raider Hatch keys into a map with no active hatches.
Added icons to inventory tooltips to show recycle/salvage outputs.
Fixed an issue where squad colors could display incorrectly after squad changes.
Fixed a bug where adding a secondary keybind would overwrite the primary keybind in the next round.
Updated localization for unique loot from new enemy variants to improve in-game naming and clarity.
Improved matchmaking messaging when some party members are still topside.
Fixed an issue where end-of-round health was not correctly shown for all players.
It is now clearer when you join a party which party member is topside while you're in Speranza.
You can now use the mouse scroll wheel to switch between pages in the Raider Deck.
Polished UI text and updated translations across supported languages.
Added additional ping labels for various quest objects to improve clarity.
Fixed an issue where mouse smoothing could remain enabled despite being turned off, ensuring the setting is correctly applied at round start.
Improved the red zipline preview when the zipline cannot be placed.
Updated login message to clearly explain when access is restricted because the shared account owner has been banned.
Fixed an issue in Expeditions where the timer could go negative after the departure countdown and the Sign Up button stayed active; the screen now updates correctly and the button is disabled.
Fix an issue where the repair preview wasn't displayed correctly when repairing items.
Crafting and recycling screens now display item costs and rewards in a consistent order for easier reading.
The VoIP icon in the HUD will now better visually represent if the microphone is going to transmit or not if you're using Push To Talk or Toggle To Talk.
Utility
Pop Triggers and Spotter Relays can now be used in quick slots.
The Spotter Relay can now be deployed as a trap that lures nearby ARC.
The Pop Trigger can now be deployed to roll forward briefly before exploding.
Added a new Field craft item: Shaker instrument.
Adjusted Vita Spray so healing applies continuously while in use to prevent exploit cases.
Fixed an unintended behaviour with the Snaphook causing it to pull players after it had been cancelled.
Ziplines can no longer be placed on carryable objects.
Fixed Zipline placement on ARC remnants that could consume the item or leave it partially placed.
Mines, traps, and remote flares can no longer be placed on ziplines, or on other small deployables.
The T3 Tactical (Healing) Augment now correctly states that healing is applied instantly.
VFX
Fixed an issue where Jupiter’s windup visual could face sideways, making the beam appear misaligned.
Fixed an issue where Trailblazer’s gas effect could persist indefinitely if interrupted by the Matriarch’s shield.
Known Issues
‘Purchase Raider Tokens’ page may appear in front of the inbox and profile page when switching between them.
Player animations may appear broken when interrupting a search of the Baron Husk.
Certain containers may be unavailable to be interacted with.
Ziplines placed onto destroyed ARC parts will not appear correctly.
Scrappy ‘Batting Helmet’ and the ‘Slugger’ outfit might not appear correctly in the event preview.
‘Comparative Study’ achievement sometimes does not progress correctly after damaging the hanging drone dummies.
The 'Unyielding' achievement/trophy fails to progress on console when knocking out raiders using the associated prompt.
Some unintended VFX can appear occasionally.
One of the new ARC enemieshas an unusable interaction occasionally when destroyed.
Flying ARC may sometimes appear stuck in idle.
Sometimes the Embark ID Discriminator fails to show.
Pressing LMB outside of the item select area closes the item select window in the Expeditions menu.
Anti-Cheat
When we shared our last update about tackling unfair play, we didn’t fully convey the complexity and scale of what goes into cheat detection. Our defenses operate on multiple levels: some checks are simple and definitive, while others are behavioral and data-driven and evolve over time. We also leverage broad gameplay telemetry and machine learning techniques to spot patterns that aren’t obvious at first glance. These methods take longer to develop, must adapt as game systems change, and don’t always offer instant certainty the way blunt software detections can.
We’ve recently taken action against different exploits and we are further tightening our rules and stepping up enforcement. Serious infractions now carry stricter consequences. Strong detections will receive permanent bans right off the bat, while others will receive a temporary suspension and a single chance to correct the behavior. Recent updates to Family Sharing have strengthened our ability to curb misconduct and streamlined the removal of bad actors from the game. We are preparing to launch a systematic manual review of ban appeals. The game is young and the volume of telemetry is enormous, but this process ensures every case is handled with care as we continue to learn quickly and invest heavily in the precision of our enforcement tools.
Our dedicated anti-cheat team works tirelessly to keep the game fair. It’s an ongoing fight, and we’re committed to it.
//Ossen And the ARC Raiders Team
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
If there’s one thing Simu Liu knows, it’s how to make an epic action scene. The star of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Barbie, and the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday has performed in some pretty intense on-screen showdowns. But none of those were quite like what he did for The Copenhagen Test, the spy thriller series now streaming on Peacock.
I sat down with Liu along with his co-star Melissa Barrera (Scream VI, Abigail) and The Copenhagen Test’s stunt team as part of IGN Fan Fest to break down the mechanics of and inspirations for the show’s high-octane action scenes.
While the stunts in The Copenhagen Test are grounded and brutal compared to the more fantastical work Liu has done in the MCU, they remind him of some pretty big video games he’s a fan of.
“[The Copenhagen Test] really reminds me of Hitman,” Lius says. “Every mission, the whole thing is to avoid detection. I remember I was playing the game, there was a detective meter and you would walk around and you would have to just blend in with people and not arouse suspicion, and then just sneak off at the perfect point where nobody was watching. [Also] Splinter Cell. He is not really covert, but you are supposed to be sneaking around.”
The Copenhagen Test follows Alexander Hale (Liu), an intelligence analyst who discovers his brain has been “hacked,” which gives a shadowy agency access to everything he sees and hears. Along the way he encounters Michelle (Barrera), a character who’s not everything she first appears to be.
For her part, Barrera says she considers a famous N64 spy game a spiritual sibling to the show. “I used to love playing Goldeneye and it was all POV,” Barrera says. “It was like, the gun [is] right there! [Likewise, The Copenhagen Test] would would be such a thrilling anxiety-inducing game. Can you imagine?”
Among The Copenhagen Test’s many knock-down, drag-out fight scenes, several stand apart. One is early in the season where Liu and Barrera’s characters team up to fight a horde of bad guys in a book store. Later in the series, they face off against each other during a Mr. and Mrs. Smith-inspired brawl in an apartment kitchen. Key to making those moments realistic was preparation. Enter the show’s stunt coordinator James Mark and fight coordinator Chris Mark.
“Even on Melissa's days off, she's constantly asking to come in and train,” Chris Mark says. “And one of the things I noticed is when we were teaching her the fight choreography, we would show her the moves and stuff, but she wanted to know how to do them for real. So her work ethic was incredible. It’s very rare to see in a lot of actors.”
“The acting and the storytelling that goes beyond the physical fight is really cool to be able to do together,” Barrera says. “That's why I wanted to train so much because I didn't want to punch Simu accidentally. I just wanted to drill it so that we could do it together. And that was the fun part of that day because we actually got to be in it together. They didn't let me do a fall and I was like, ‘I can do the fall!’ And they were like, ‘No, you're not going to do the fall.’ And then Simu ended up getting kicked in the face, but not by me!”
“By time we got to the finale sequence,” James Mark says, “we got more time than any of the other fight scenes. And it was a difficult sequence and complex for both [Simu and Melissa]. Melissa had to do a ton in that she was there almost every day for that sequence. And it's exhausting. It's physically and mentally draining and I think we were doing it at night as well, so you're on overnights. It is a great product. They really brought it, they put in the work and I'm really proud of that scene and what the team accomplished.”
Liu says that, while The Copenhagen Test’s fights were grueling, he appreciated that they were different from action sequences he’s participated in before.
“For Shang-Chi, the action language is very different,” Liu says. “It's very wuxia and wushu inspired, so there's a lot of flourishes. There's a lot of very stylized movements and parries that you wouldn't see in a street fight. Whereas I feel like Alexander's world and the world of spies is very much rooted in military tactics. And I think that's where we started with Chris and James giving us kind of a palette of moves. We were really leaning into elbows and knees and using the environment. And if you happened to not have any superpowers or didn't know kung fu, this is what you would do.”
The Copenhagen Test is streaming now on Peacock.
Stay tuned for more IGN Fan Fest this week including two days of livestreams Wednesday and Thursday with more than 80 exclusive reveals from Mortal Kombat II, Crimson Desert, LEGO Batman, and more.
Michael Peyton is the Senior Editorial Director of Events & Entertainment at IGN, leading entertainment content and coverage of tentpole events including IGN Live, San Diego Comic Con, gamescom, and IGN Fan Fest. He's spent 20 years working in the games and entertainment industry, and his adventures have taken him everywhere from the Oscars to Japan to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Follow him on Bluesky @MichaelPeyton
In a surprise announcement this morning, Insomniac Games has revealed the release date for Marvel's Wolverine. It's coming on September 15, 2026.
This comes from a post shared across social media by Insomniac, reading: "Let's cut to the chase: Marvel's Wolverine launches September 15, 2026." A six-second teaser accompanied this:
It's a sudden, welcome release date announcement after expectations rose for a Wolverine appearance in a State of Play earlier this month, only to have those expectations disappointed when it did not show up.
Wolverine has been a bit of an elusive game since its initial announcement. The game was first teased at The Game Awards was back in 2021 with a brief cinematic reveal. It then went dormant (save for a leak associated with a massive Insomniac hack in 2023) until last year, when we saw our first, gory trailer for the game revealing various locations, as well as Wolverine's actor: Liam Mcintyre, known from Gears as JD Fenix.
We also got more information at the time from the PlayStation blog, referring to the game as a "global thriller" and naming some of the familiar characters he will encounter in his adventure, such as Mystique and Omega Red.
Wolverine will launch exclusively on PlayStation 5.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
The PlayStation Direct sale is an excellent opportunity to pick up some new games to jump into this spring. If you've been hoping to find some of the best game deals from this sale, we've gathered up our favorite picks that are down to $30 or less right now.
There are some exciting options in this line-up, too, from God of War Ragnarok to Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and many more. Additionally, other retailers such as Amazon, Target, and Best Buy are offering price matches or similar deals, so you can save wherever you buy.
The Best PS5 Games on Sale for $30 or Less
While the picks above highlight some of our favorite discounted games at or below the $30 threshold at PS Direct and other retailers, there are still plenty of great PS5 game deals that land above it, too. Stellar Blade is one that's dropped down to $40, which is certainly still worth taking advantage of for $10 extra. Astro Bot is another option that's only a few dollars above that $30 line, at $33.
There are a few more PS5 games on sale right now alongside these picks, which you can see in our full breakdown of the PlayStation Direct sale. Outside of games, there are even some accessory deals to check out, including a discount on the Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition Dualsense. There's no need to be in a rush picking these up, either, as the sale is expected to run until March 9. That gives you plenty of time to stock up on the offers that catch your eye while they're still available.
Niantic has announced several big shake-ups to Pokémon Go, including a reduction in paid event tickets, and the ability to finally capture the Shiny versions of evolved Pokémon in the wild.
In a blog post detailing a raft of changes coming to Pokémon Go at the beginning of its next in-game season on March 3, developer Niantic said that it would be dropping its recent heavy focus on paid tickets, which have become a staple for almost every in-game event.
While optional, the tickets have felt non-stop, offering a smattering of extra Pokémon encounters or premium items to accompany in-game events for the price of $1-$5.
In their place, however, Niantic said it will "move away from paid tickets to event GO Passes," the game's battle pass-like mechanic it has previously used more sparingly, for the game's biggest annual events such as Go Fest and Go Tour, as well as major holiday shenanigans around Halloween and Christmas.
GO Passes are typically more expensive, ranging between $8 to $20 depending on what is included, though offer access to the game's most sought-after goodies, such as Golden Bottle Caps, Lucky Trinkets and Poké Coins.
Other major changes to the game's regular schedule will include a more "regular" pacing for events, a Saturday focus for all weekend events (likely including Community Days), and the introduction of an in-game calendar later this year.
Pokémon Go's regular weekly experiences are also being expanded. Alongside the existing Max Mondays, a new Fast-Track Monday bonus will double GO Pass points. Tuesdays will feature a regular focus on Showcases. Raid Hour will continue on Wednesdays. GO Battle Thursdays will offer 4x Stardust from individual battle wins, and twice as many battle sets. Friendship Fridays will allow you to make two Special Trades, with a boosted Lucky Trade chance, slightly reduced Stardust cost and two guaranteed Candy XL.
By far the biggest change here, though, is the move to finally, finally make all evolved Pokémon available in the wild, once their families have made their Shiny debut. This means creatures like Ivysaur, Wartortle and Charmeleon can now be Shiny possible, where previously it would typically be just a Pokémon's base form, such as Bulbasaur, Squirtle or Charmander that could be Shiny possible (outside of a few minor event exceptions, costumes and Mega Evolve-able species).
In Pokémon's main series' games, evolved Pokémon have always been Shiny eligible, and fans have long grumbled about Go's different way of doing things. No more! Indeed, Shiny Pokémon will also be more prevalent in Team Rocket battles, too, with an aligning of Shiny possible species for both Shadow and regular creatures. Lovely.
Here’s some good news for anyone who enjoys sinking into a rich and meaty TV show: you can now preorder the first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in 4K. This is the delightful series based on George R.R. Martin’s Dunk and Egg stories, which just concluded its inaugural season on HBO. It’s available to preorder at Amazon on 4K Blu-ray for $34.98, with a release date of June 16.
Preorder A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 in 4K
The first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is comprised of six relatively bite-sized episodes that mostly take place around a jousting tournament. It follows the unlikely pairing of the hedge knight Sir Duncan the Tall and his sassy squire Egg. It’s set roughly 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and doesn’t require any series knowledge to enjoy. It’s a self-contained story, even if some characters’ family trees stretch back or forth in time to the other Westeros-set shows.
For my money, nobody writes an odd couple like George R.R. Martin. Whether his Game of Thrones series is pairing up Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth or Arya and the Hound, it’s fun to follow his characters on whatever adventures they find themselves in. Needless to say, I loved A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Dunk and Egg forge an unlikely yet heartfelt pairing, and are a delight to watch onscreen.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Book
You can find a breakdown of the episodes in this season in our Wiki, complete with links to spoiler-ific reviews of each one. Those looking to get an overview of the show before diving in can check out our spoiler-free review of the entire season to help you decide.
This season of the show adapts the first story in the Dunk and Egg series. To date, Martin has published three stories of their exploits (you can buy the book here). Presumably, the second and third stories will be the basis for upcoming seasons of the show. Martin reportedly has outlines for 12 more stories for the duo, giving the show plenty of fodder, should HBO execs green-light additional seasons — though presumably they’ll have to deal with Dexter Sol Ansell (who plays Egg) growing up as the years pass.
More New and Upcoming 4K and Blu-ray Releases
In any case, if you liked A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and want to put the first season on your shelf, now’s your chance. And despite its lower run-time than your standard Game of Thrones season, the asking price of $34.98 sounds totally reasonable to me.
Actor Robert Carradine, best known for his work on the 2001 Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire and leading the Revenge of the Nerds franchise, has died aged 71.
Hilary Duff, the titular star of the beloved sitcom series, revealed the actor’s passing via a heartfelt Instagram post on Monday, February 23.
“This one hurts,” she wrote in her caption alongside a carousel of two photos with Carradine on the Lizzie McGuire set . “It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend. There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him, his family and everyone who loved him.”
Duff’s on-screen brother Jake Thomas — who played the McGuire son Matt on the early-aughts show — also took to social media to share his sadness surrounding the loss.
“My heart hurts today,” he wrote on Instagram alongside an image of himself and Carradine while on set. “I was fortunate to know Bobby for most of my life. And he was one of the coolest guys you could ever meet. Funny, pragmatic, sometimes cranky, always a little eccentric. He was a talented actor, musician and director. But more than anything, he was family. I have many fond memories of being with him and his family throughout my life. Good moments, challenging moments and lots of laughs in between.”
He added, “I looked up to him growing up. And later, I came to realize he thought I was pretty neat, too. So I guess I was doing something right in his eyes.”
Carradine was born in 1954 to actor John Carradine as part of the famous Carradine family of actors and performers. His brothers, Keith and the late David Carradine, were also actors, and their fourth brother, Christopher, was an architect-turned-Disney Imagineer.
The actor’s big break came in 1972, when he appeared with John Wayne and Bruce Dern in the western hit The Cowboys. Aside from McGuire and Revenge of the Nerds, Carradine was also known for his work in Escape From L.A., Bonanza, The Long Riders, Body Bags, and Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained.
Photo by Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
The new Dead By Daylight chapter, All-Kill: Comeback, will add the game's first urban map, which will include a two-story nightclub and plenty of neon lighting. The Trickster’s Delusion Map is part of the new chapter that launches on March 17, along with new survivor Kwon Tae-young, and an update to K-pop Killer the Trickster himself. If you can't wait, today marks the launch of the PTB for the new chapter on Steam.
"Woven by The Entity from The Trickster’s twisted subconscious, the new area features shops to browse, a marketplace, and a two-story nightclub, along with scattered details reflecting the Killer’s erratic state of mind," reveals developer Behaviour Interactive.
"Voice acting for KPop Demon Hunters deepened my appreciation for how much storytelling can be communicated purely through tone, breath control, and texture. Without physical performance to rely on, your voice becomes the entire emotional instrument. In a game like Dead by Daylight, that responsibility is amplified," he explained.
"As a consultant, I wanted to ensure that the cultural references remained authentic. As a voice actor, I focused on making every breath, every strained scream, and every moment of fear feel grounded within the brutal, high-stakes environment of the Entity’s realm."
The Trickster's update is focused on the Killer's gameplay, with a new Style Rank system "rewarding creativity, aggression, and momentum as The Trickster builds towards unleashing his Main Event and a barrage of blades."
Other adjustments players can expect to see are a new Aura Accessibility feature, refined perk descriptions are also getting an overhaul for readability.
Rachel Weber is the Head of Editorial Development 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, Red Dead Redemption 2, and her Love and Deepspace boyfriends.
Sony will hold a closed playtest for live-service multiplayer spin-off Horizon Hunters Gathering this weekend on PC and PS5, open to those within the PlayStation beta program.
The hands-on test session will run from this Friday, February 27 to Sunday, March 1, accessible via PS5 and PC via Steam. You'll need to have already signed up to the PlayStation beta program to take part (you can jump in here, if you haven't already), and seemingly be based within either North America or Europe.
North American servers will be live from 4pm to 7pm Pacific, while European servers will be up from 7pm to 10pm CET (that's 6pm to 9pm for the UK).
Content available in the playtest includes the hunters Sun, Rem and Axle, as well as two different game modes: the wave-based survival offering Machine Incursion, or the multi-stage dungeon exploration found in Cauldron Descent.
It is slightly odd that PlayStation is holding this test the same weekend it is already hosting its Marathon server slam, but perhaps it believes the pools of players for each will be limited enough — or distinct enough in terms of player taste — that it won't matter.
Sony previously described plans for a "small-scale" closed playtest due at the end of February, alongside a few other details about the game. A tactical three-player co-op action title with a focus on adapting your Hunter for intense missions, the spin-off will also feature a narrative campaign that ties into the wider Horizon universe.
According to game director Arjan Bak, Horizon Hunters Gathering has a story that "will introduce new mysteries, characters, and threats, but we’re keeping it under wraps for now. What we can say is that Hunters Gathering is fully canon and its story doesn’t stop at launch!"
As of yet, there's no word on when that launch might be, or how the game will be monetized when it is ready for launch — whether it will be a premium launch or free-to-play. Are you planning to jump in this weekend and give it a go?
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
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