Tempest Rising's playable third faction has invaded its beta branch, as its developer commences testing for the next two weeks

After the huge success of the Amazon Fallout TV show, some have wondered whether The Elder Scrolls, Bethesda’s fantasy video game franchise, might be next in line for an adaptation. But what does Bethesda boss Todd Howard think?
In an interview with Eurogamer ahead of the launch of Fallout Season 2, Howard refused to rule out the possibility of an Elder Scrolls TV show, but did suggest the post-apocalyptic sci-fi franchise Fallout was better suited to an adaptation.
"I will say this, the Fallout journey was like a 10 year one," Howard replied to the suggestion of an Elder Scrolls adaptation. "After Fallout 3, people were asking to do a movie or show for Fallout, and we really took our time."
Howard "can't rule in or rule out an Elder Scrolls thing in the future," Eurogamer said, but he also believes the Fallout franchise was "more uniquely suited" and had "more to say in its genre.”
Howard continued: "But, you never know. I think the impact of the show on Fallout as a franchise has been bigger than I expected, so it does make you think like, 'Hey, is there a path?' But, nothing today... [and] I'm willing to say 'no' for a decade."
The Fallout series is wide-ranging in tone and content. Indeed, Season 2 star Macaulay Culkin touched on this in a recent interview with IGN, explaining why he’s so big into the Fallout lore.
“You could have zombies in it, you have deathclaws, you have monsters and things like that,” he said. “I mean, gosh, you have aliens. You name it, you can throw it at the wall. Even Fallout 76, I mean, the Mothman is now fair game. It is that kind of stuff. There's no really shape to it. You can kind of stick any kind of shape piece into that hole.”
And in any case, there’s no sign of Fallout slowing down when it comes to the TV series. Season 3 is already confirmed, and its stars have indicated they’d be willing to continue playing their characters for many more series beyond that. In May, Aaron Moten, who plays Brotherhood of Steel hopeful Maximus, said the Fallout series’ “endpoint” runs until Season 5 or Season 6.
“When I signed on to do the series, we would have a starting point and they gave me the endpoint,” Moten said. “And that endpoint hasn’t changed. But it is Season 5, 6 type of endpoint.
“We’ve always known that we were gonna take our time with the development of the characters.”
Perhaps when that is done and dusted, Bethesda might turn its attention to an Elder Scrolls adaptation. Will The Elder Scrolls 6 be out by then? One can only hope.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The Lord of the Rings movies are coming back to theaters next year to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring — but be prepared to strap yourself in for the long haul, as they’re all the Extended Editions.
Fathom Entertainment will release all three Extended Editions from Peter Jackson’s trilogy in DBOX presentation from January 16-18, then in standard formats from January 23-25, in theaters nationwide as part of a two-weekend event.
Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies are long enough in standard form, but the Extended Editions are epics. The Return of the Kind Extended Edition, for example, is nearly four-and-a-half hours long including credits.
Perhaps wisely, Fathom is staggering the release of the movies across each weekend period, so you can’t watch all three Extended Editions back-to-back. That might be for the best, since doing so would take you nearly 12 hours!
There’s merch, too, to go along with this re-release. AMC theaters will have a popcorn bucket with a map of Middle-earth, and Regal will have a popcorn bucket with a One Ring design, Variety reported.
Of course, Warner Bros., which is in the process of being acquired by Netflix, is gearing up to release a brand new The Lord of the Rings movie in 2027. The Hunt for Gollum is set to chronicle a period between the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings where numerous characters are searching for the all-important Ring, previously known to be in Gollum's possession.
Gandalf is known to be searching for clues as to Gollum's whereabouts, and even enlists the help of Fellowship member Aragorn. Both are attempting to beat the agents of Sauron to discovering the Ring's location — something glimpsed briefly in The Fellowship of the Ring, where the words "Baggins" and "Shire" are extracted from Gollum via torture in Mordor.
It has now been more than 20 years since audiences first saw the much-loved Fellowship characters sail off from the Grey Havens at the end of Return of the King. With Hunt for Gollum set several years prior to this, it remains to be seen whether some form of digital de-aging will be used as older actors reprise their roles. Indeed, Legolas actor Orlando Bloom has previously expressed interest in also returning, though suggested "AI would have to come into play."
To date, only Gollum actor Andy Serkis, who is directing The Hunt for Gollum, himself has confirmed he will appear in the film, though Aragorn actor Viggo Mortensen has said he is also open to returning, and it very much sounds like Elijah Wood will reprise his role as Frodo. The Hunt for Gollum is due to begin filming in New Zealand next year, ahead of its release on December 17, 2027.
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.

I've always loved The Lord of the Rings. I wouldn't necessarily say I'm fanatical about it, though. I already own copies of the books and the movies, so I'm not usually swayed by the endless barrage of Lord of the Rings gifts the internet seems to throw my way. I do really like the look of this Battle for Middle-Earth Chess set, however. I've seen a lot of really cool chess sets in my day, but this one appears to be surprisingly well done for how affordable it is. I don't even play that much chess and I've found myself adding it to my Christmas wishlist this year.
This chess set is made by The Noble Collection, which I do actually have some experience with already. They create all kinds of gifts for various popular fandoms like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. You might be most familiar with its collection of Harry Potter wands, which the company first began releasing back in 2004. The Noble Collection is generally known for making high quality products at affordable prices, including a variety of chess sets like this one. There's even a high-end $500 version of this same thing that is absolutely glorious, though that is way out of my price range.
If you're on the hunt for more Lord of the Rings gifts like this one, we have found quite a few. There's the deluxe illustrated version of the books, Lord of the Rings puzzles, board games, and even a LEGO book nook available.

Timothée Chalamet and writer-director Josh Safdie took the stage at CCXP in São Paulo, Brazil, today to hype up fans for Marty Supreme (review), the duo's upcoming, highly buzzed-about film.
During the panel, which saw the actor donning a Brazilian flag with his face on it at one point -- plus an array of ping-pong-headed men accompanying him, Chalamet was asked what moves him to aspire to greatness in his career.
"The people that inspired me to become an actor in the first place," responded the Dune star. "The greats before me, the Denzel Washingtons, the Leonardo DiCaprios, the people that laid a path that you aspire to as a young man, as a young artist. You get inspired by these people when you're young and sometimes the world puts you down and doesn't encourage you to dream. And this movie is exclusively about that. It's about following your dreams. Even driving here through Sao Paulo, always taking a moment to be grateful for the opportunities I had in my life. Going to the Performing Arts High School in New York, being surrounded by artists to be able to pursue my dreams, because you need people in your corner that support you."
"Equally, Marty Supreme is about an underdog, it's about believing your dreams when no one has your back, when no one believes in you, when the people you think love you the most, that claim to be in love with you, don't have your back. And then he's somehow persevering through it to be the greatest table tennis player of all time."
In his review of Marty Supreme, IGN's Michael Calabro said it was "equal parts fun and stressful" and that "Marty Supreme combines the chaotic directing style of Josh Safdie with the charisma of Timothée Chalamet to make a one-of-a-kind ping pong movie that is, without a doubt, one of the year’s best films.
Marty Supreme hits theaters on Christmas Day.

If you missed out on the budget gaming PC deals during Black Friday, here's yet another opportunity before the year's end. Lenovo has discounted its Lenovo LOQ AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX RTX 5060 Ti gaming PC down to just $949.99 with free delivery after applying coupon code "EXTRAFIVE". This is one of the lowest prices I've seen on an RTX 5060 Ti equipped gaming PC, from Lenovo or otherwise. The LOQ is Lenovo's budget line of gaming PCs. Despite the fact that it's less expensive than Lenovo's Legion lineup, the LOQ offers current-gen components (including Nvidia RTX 50 series GPUs) packed in an understated, compact chassis with proper airflow.
The Lenovo LOQ gaming PC is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX GPU GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB GPU, 32GB of DDR5-5200MHz RAM, and a 1TB NVMe SSD. The AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX is an 8-core, 16-thread processor with a max boost clock of 5.1GHz. It's a solid general-purpose CPU that complements the RTX 5060 Ti GPU well, especially since it's paired with a generous 32GB of RAM. The system is powered by a 500W power supply.
The RTX 5060 Ti is an excellent GPU for 1080p gaming. It outperforms the RTX 4060 Ti by about 20%, but the gap widens in games that support DLSS 4 technology with multi-frame generation. It's also obviously better than the RTX 5060. Keep in mind that this PC is equipped with the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB variant, not the 16GB. If you decide to play more demanding games at 1440p or higher, you'll encounter more instances where you'll run out of VRAM. For 1080p, however, you're fine.
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.

Prime Video brought the cast of Fallout to CCXP in São Paulo, Brazil, today to, ahem, prime fans for Season 2 of the hit show, which will be arriving in less than two weeks. On hand were Ella Purnell (Lucy MacLean), Aaron Moten (Maximus), Walton Goggins (The Ghoul), and Justin Theroux (Robert Edwin House), who joins the show for the new season as the villain fans will remember from New Vegas.
During the panel, a scene from the new season was revealed, and you can watch a shorter version of it right here. (You'd have to fly to Brazil for the extra 30 seconds or so.) Featuring the video game location of Novac and Dinky the T-Rex, the scene would seem to be just a taste of the many game references the new season will be including as the story delves into the New Vegas of it all...
Watch the first clip from Fallout: Season 2 below.
Obviously Lucy and The Ghoul are still working together, though neither one seems particularly pleased about it. But, man, if The Ghoul doesn't need a hand at the moment...
"I think so much of Lucy and The Ghoul is revealed over the course of this apocalyptic road trip they take," Goggins told the crowd. "Ella was saying that either she'll become more like me or I'll become more like her. And it really is through this rhythm that you see The Ghoul change, and Lucy change! But for me, [The Ghoul's human persona] Cooper Howard, you got to know him a bit in Season 1, but Season 2 is a deep dive and deep exploration picking up where we left off in Season 1 about how much, how little he knows about the world that he thought he knew. And so much of The Ghoul is informed by Cooper Howard's experience in the past, and it's the way in which these writers architected it. The way in which the directors chose to tell the story visually, it's very powerful and very cinematic. And I'll be the third person [here] to say, I can't wait for you guys to see it!"
Fallout Season 2 debuts on December 17 on Prime Video, with a new episode dropping each week until the season finale on February 4.
For more Fallout coverage, discover what the executive producers told us about how they took a "fog of war" approach to avoid many any Fallout: New Vegas ending canon in Season 2.

The Secretlab Christmas Sale has officially commenced starting today. Save up to $100 off Secretlab's popular gaming chairs including its flagship Titan Evo Nanogen chair, up to $249 off its gaming desks, and up to 37% off accessories like the Titan Evo recliner add-on. In addition to the instant discounts, you can get extra tiered savings by hitting a certain order amount for each type of purchase. These should be stackable with the instant discounts.
It's no secret that we love our Secretlab gaming chairs. Three of the eight chairs in our best gaming chair roundup are Secretlab models. Of all the gaming chairs we covered in our "Budget to Best" roundup video earlier this year, my colleague Akeem Lawanson considered the Secretlab Titan Evo to be the most comfortable. No good chair comes cheap and Secretlab chairs definitely cost a premium, but we think the craftsmanship, materials, and customizability are worth it.
You can quickly browse through all of the listed products on sale above. For more information on each product and why they are worth your consideration, read through below.
The Titan Evo Nanogen Edition is on sale for the first time ever. It normally sells for $799 at Secretlab direct, but there's a $50 off discount during the Christmas Sale. If your budget can accomodate it, this is the best gaming chair. In our recent Titan Evo Nanogen Edition review, Chris Coke wrote that "the Secretlab Titan Evo Nanogen Edition deserves every bit of the overwhelming praise I’ve given. Granted, at $799 it’s significantly more expensive than the original and not far off from an entry-level Herman-Miller. But the return it offers in comfortable, supportive gaming is well worth the extra cost thanks to dramatically improved materials in both the fabric and multi-layered padding. The Titan Evo Nanogen Edition is class-leading, and is hands-down the most comfortable gaming chair I’ve ever used."
The Titan Evo starts at $499 during the sale. This is Secretlab's flagship chair and it's available in small, medium, and large sizes. Upholstery options include Neo Hybrid leatherette, SoftWeave Plus fabric, or premium Napa leather. The chair features cold-cure foam upholstery for the seat, a supportive four-way lumbar system, full length backrest with 165 degrees of recline, full metal 4D armrests with magnetically attached PU cushions, and a memory foam headrest pillow.
Aside from the build quality, the Titan Evo also stands out thanks to the sheer number of officially licensed designs from popular video games, TV shows, and more. Some of the more popular examples include Star Wars, The Witcher, Overwatch, Attack on Titan, League of Legends, World of Warcraft, and Game of Thrones. They generally cost more than the standard colors, but they're worth it if you're looking for that extra personal touch.
In our Secretlab Titan Evo review, Chris Coke wrote that "after two years of daily use, the Secretlab Titan Evo has proven that it can stand the test of time and still be one of the best gaming chairs you can buy. Meaningful ergonomics paired with Secretlab’s wide selection of designs, it remains a fantastic option, especially for fans of bright colors or designs."
The Titan Evo Lite gaming chair is an excellent value with its starting price tag of $419, which is $80 less than the base model Titan Evo. It's built upon the same frame as the Titan Evo and has the same core features like the cold-cure foam cushioning, lumbar, 165 degrees of recline, and 4D armrests. What it compromises on is customization, with "only" two upholstery options, two sizes, and five colors, a non-adjustable lumbar system, simpler arm rests, and no included head rest. If none of these tradeoffs bother you, then you'll be saving quite a bit of money.
Also on sale for the first time, Secretlab's new recliner add-on is $30 off for Christmas. This is a nice upgrade for anyone who already owns the Titan Evo chair. In our recliner add-on review, Chris Coke wrote that "while both comfort and value are subjective things, the recliner is able to take the Titan Evo and transform it from one of the best racing style gaming chairs to standing head and shoulders above the competition at its price point. It’s novel enough that I wouldn’t be surprised to see other brands following suit in the near future. If you don’t mind paying for it, it’s an absolutely killer upgrade for your gaming chair."
Not only are the Magnus and Magnus Pro discounted for the holidays, you also get the desk mat topper (your choice of style) free of charge. The Magnus is a traditional fixed-frame gaming desk while the Magnus Pro ups the ante with a custom designed electric standing desk frame for an additional $250. Both desks feature an all-metal desktop surface, solid steel legs and cleverly thought out areas for cable management, but the Magnus Pro has some really unique features including a power cable that runs internally inside one of the telescoping legs and an in-line control panel.
In our Secretlab Magnus Pro review. Mark Knapp writes that "the Secretlab Magnus Pro is a fantastic desk, bringing the brilliant cable management solutions of the original Magnus to a fast, quiet, and wide-ranging motorized standing desk. The desk is built well and proves an excellent platform for work and play alike. It’s an expensive desk though, and for the money, it would have been nice to see a smarter safety mechanism for the motors and the desk mat included. Still, the overall quality you get is a big step up from cheaper standing desks, and the optional accessories truly enhance the experience. Anyone who’s not committed to a standing desk should save their money and go for the standard Magnus if everything else about this model sounds good, but for gamers who love a tidy desk and want the flexibility of a standing desk, the Magnus Pro should be the first they consider."
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.

If you're seeking the absolute best of the best in PC gaming performance, look no further than Alienware's flagship Area-51 gaming PC equipped with a GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card. It was on sale during Cyber Monday at the lowest price of the year, and fortunately the deal hasn't expired yet. You can still score one for as low as $3,899.99 after a hefty $1,150 off instant discount. This was the first time an Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 prebuilt had dropped below $4,000.
The $3,900 configuration features a 240mm liquid cooled Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and a 2TB SSD. The system includes a 1,500W 80Plus Platinum power supply which gives you extra headroom for future upgrades down the roam. The RAM and hard drives are easily user-swappable. The $4,250 system upgrades the processor to an unlocked Intel Core Ultra 9 and a more robust 360mm liquid cooling system.

Dell unveiled the new Alienware Area-51 gaming PC at CES 2025. The chassis is a super-sized upgrade to the 2024 R16 system with aesthetic and cooling redesigns and updated components. The I/O panel is positioned at the top of the case instead of the front, and the tempered glass window now spans the entire side panel instead of just a smaller cutout. As a result, the side panel vents are gone, and instead air intakes are located at the bottom as well as the front of the case. Alienware is now pushing a positive airflow design (more intake than exhaust airflow), which means a less dusty interior. The internal components have been refreshed with a new motherboard, faster RAM, and bigger power supply to accommodate the new generation of CPUs and GPUs.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 has emerged as the most powerful consumer GPU on the market. Although with this generation Nvidia has prioritized software updates, AI features, and DLSS 4 technology to improve gameplay performance, the 5090 still boasts an impressive 25%-30% uplift over the RTX 4090 in hardware-based raster performance. If you want the absolute best performance for your gaming PC, there is literally no other option from any other brand.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Battlefield Studios has published the Battlefield 6 update 1.1.3.0 patch notes ahead of next week’s Winter Offensive update, revealing a detailed list of audio improvements, soldier visibility tweaks, a range of map adjustments, and more.
Patch notes for the third major Season 1 update were published in a post on the EA shooter series’ website today. The full breakdown follows up on promises made by BF Studios’ outline from earlier this week and touches on every notable change coming to Battlefield 6 and REDSEC when Winter Offensive reaches its December 9 release date.
Though today’s patch notes cover everything from audio to Sector sizes, players may be happy to see the studio continuing to adjust an issue that has wormed its way to the front of online discussion since launch: hit registration. BF Studios says the 1.1.3.0 changes should result in more predictable bullet impact and easier-to-read damage feedback thanks to tweaks to quick aim, pre-zoom firing, and close-quarters gunfights.
Other elements the Battlefield 6 developers took aim at with the Winter Offensive update include better weapon handling, improved character highlights and animations for visibility, gadget reliability, and refined gameplay for vehicle-savvy players. Launch players will also notice relatively extensive changes to Sectors and vehicles across seven Breakthrough maps: Manhattan Bridge, Mirak Valley, New Sobek City, Operation Firestorm, Liberation Peak, Siege of Cairo, and Empire State.
It may be some time before players get a handle on whether many of these changes correct the balance of the average Battlefield 6 multiplayer match. Those audio tweaks, however, will likely be noticeable from the get-go, with the hope being that infantry noise is clearer and easier to read at different distances.
“We’ve also continued addressing performance and memory issues that could cause sounds, such as footsteps or vehicle audio, to drop out or fail to play, especially during large-scale Battle Royale matches,” BF Studios says in the update 1.1.3.0 patch notes. “To get ahead of this as we add more audio content to the game, we’ve adjusted the memory priorities for most sounds in the game and optimized how some larger audio assets load. In practical terms, this means that important combat, movement, and vehicle sounds should play more consistently even under heavy load.
“These changes are part of an ongoing effort to improve the overall stability of the soundscape. While this isn’t a complete overhaul, and there may still be edge cases depending on hardware and match conditions, it's a big step toward more reliable and predictable sound across the game.”
Each change arrives in addition to new weapons, limited-time winter events, and more new content that players have been told to expect since launch. Highlights include the Ice Lock Empire State map, the Ice Lock multiplayer and Gauntlet modes, the Ice Climbing Axe melee weapon, Portal updates, and a mini–Winter Offensive-themed battle pass bonus path. It’s the latest in the run of Battlefield 6 Season 1 chapter updates, which saw Rogue Ops bring Blackwell Fields and battle royale to the experience October 28, while California Resistance added Eastwood November 18.
Plans for Season 2 remain under wraps for now. In the meantime, you can read up on another recent change that saw BF Studios unveil another round of challenge and progression tweaks. You can also learn about why some players both loved and hated the new The 323 cosmetic pack.
Finally, you can check out the full Winter Offensive patch notes below.
Update 1.1.3.0 delivers a broad range of fixes and refinements across Battlefield 6, improving soldier clarity, weapon reliability, vehicle behaviour, audio consistency, and overall gameplay flow. This update also includes several quality-of-life improvements across UI, HUD, and controller aiming options, along with map-specific updates designed to stabilise objective play and reduce round-end matchmaking frustration.
We also made improvements to reduce cases where player settings could be reset when updating the game to the newest version. While this behaviour should now occur less frequently, we are still seeing isolated instances and expect to fully resolve the issue in an upcoming update.
As always, thank you for continuing to share your feedback which helps us refine and evolve the Battlefield 6 experience.
With this update, we’ve made a wide range of audio improvements, including a dedicated tuning pass on footsteps to make movement clearer, easier to locate, and more readable at different distances.
We’ve also continued addressing performance and memory issues that could cause sounds, such as footsteps or vehicle audio, to drop out or fail to play, especially during large-scale Battle Royale matches. To get ahead of this as we add more audio content to the game, we’ve adjusted the memory priorities for most sounds in the game and optimized how some larger audio assets load. In practical terms, this means that important combat, movement, and vehicle sounds should play more consistently even under heavy load.
These changes are part of an ongoing effort to improve the overall stability of the soundscape. While this isn’t a complete overhaul, and there may still be edge cases depending on hardware and match conditions, it's a big step toward more reliable and predictable sound across the game.
LWCMS Portable Mortar
Supply Pouch
Following feedback since launch, several Breakthrough layouts have been updated to address attacker–defender win/loss imbalance and improve overall flow, vehicle balance, and capture-zone clarity across multiple maps.
Manhattan Bridge
Mirak Valley
New Sobek City
Operation Firestorm
Liberation Peak
Siege of Cairo
Empire State
Footsteps
Battle Royale
Gauntlet
Battle Royale
Gauntlet
This announcement may change as we listen to community feedback and continue developing and evolving our Live Service & Content. We will always strive to keep our community as informed as possible.
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).
Direct from the showroom floor of CCXP 2025 in São Paulo, Brazil, we've got a close-up look at Supergirl's costume from the 2026 DC movie. Also along for the ride is the Girl of Steel's dog Krypto, or a statue of him at least.
Warner Bros. and DC's activation dominates the São Paulo Expo where CCXP is held, as it's situated right next to the Omelete Stage, which is a location where the stars and creators who are visiting the convention brave the showfloor amid a sea of fans.
Check out some images of Supergirl and Krypto below (click through the slideshow for all the shots):
Supergirl stars Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) as Kara Zor-El, returning after her brief appearance in last summer's Superman. Directed by Craig Gillespie (Fright Night, I, Tonya, Cruella), the film is an adaptation of the comic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely. James Gunn and Peter Safran of course serves as producers on the film.


Supergirl will be released on June 26, 2026.

Earlier this year, Disney announced it would bring the original Star Wars film, later dubbed Episode IV: A New Hope, back to theaters for the film's 50th anniversary in 2027. But it looks like we'll be seeing it a little earlier than we originally thought, on February 19, 2027.
This comes from an official announcement on the Star Wars website, which also revealed another piece of pretty big news. The version of A New Hope that will show in theaters in 2027 will be a "newly restored" version of the original 1977 theatrical release. This is likely the same version that was shown earlier this year in London at the Film on Film Festival.
The original version of the film features a number of differences from the Special Edition, which at the behest of George Lucas has replaced the original in just about every possible medium for watching it since 1981. The differences are the origin of the "Han shot first" controversy, which is probably the most-discussed aspect of the differences, but there are a number of other changes of varying levels of subtlety throughout.
Lucas has been firm over the years that the Special Edition is his true vision for the film, speaking to the Associated Press in 2004 about his feelings:
The Special Edition, that’s the one I wanted out there. The other movie, it’s on VHS, if anybody wants it. I’m not going to spend the — we’re talking millions of dollars here — the money and the time to refurbish that, because to me, it doesn’t really exist anymore. It’s like this is the movie I wanted it to be, and I’m sorry you saw a half-completed film and fell in love with it. But I want it to be the way I want it to be. I’m the one who has to take responsibility for it. I’m the one who has to have everybody throw rocks at me all the time, so at least if they’re going to throw rocks at me, they’re going to throw rocks at me for something I love rather than something I think is not very good, or at least something I think is not finished.
It's unclear if this 2027 showing and the London festival showing are indicators of Lucas relaxing his stance a bit, or if everyone has just sufficiently bullied him into letting it exist alongside the Special Edition. Probably Disney's ownership of Lucasfilm has something to do with it. Or, as he told People Magazine in October of this year, perhaps he's simply managed to let go. “Of course I’ve moved past it," he said. "I mean, I’ve got a life."
We also don't know how long Star Wars will stay in theaters. The original announcement suggested it would debut on April 30, 2027, with the intent of it showing at least through May the 4th, or Star Wars Day. It's possible they'll keep it in theaters long enough to still celebrate May the 4th, or perhaps Disney has other, even splashier plans for the big 50th. We only have to wait just over a whole year to find out.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Walmart is offering a great deal on a wonderful gift idea for anyone who is constantly fiddling with small electronics, building PCs, or modding consoles and controllers. Right now you can get the Fantik S1 Ace 3.7V Precision Cordless Screwdriver for just $21.99. Walmart states the list price is $100, but I've generally seen it closer to $50. Nevertheless, this is still a great deal on a versatile product.
The Fantik S1 Ace screwdriver is a handy tool for situations where your large real power drill might be way too powerful and a manual screwdriver would be too tedious. The screwdriver itself is compact but delivers a good amount of power, up to 6nM. That's more than most other precision screwdrivers you'll find on Amazon for about the same price, which usually top out at under 1-2nM. The Fantik S1 Ace has three torque settings in case you don't need the extra power and a handy LED light. It charges via USB Type-C so there's no need to swap out batteries or anything.
The set includes ten S2 steel magnetic bits which are comprised of the most common Philips, flat, and hex heads. They're housed in a compact EVA storage case. If you need more bits, the Fantik S1 Ace uses a standard 1/4" hex shank.
For just $22, this is a nice-to-have tool in a nearby drawer for convenience, when you don't want or need to deal with the hassle of bringing out a full-sized power tool for a small odd job. I have one and use it all the time on my PC builds.
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.

If you're in the market for a new gaming PC or laptop, Alienware should top your wishlist. The brand has been around for ages and has always been considered a premium option that features bold aesthetics, powerful performance, reliable warranty. Alienware holds a few big sales throughout the year where it offers huge discounts on gaming laptops and PCS that normally cost a premium, and Cyber Monday is one of those sales.
If you missed Black Friday, there's no reason to fret. Dell's Cyber Monday Sale is still live and some prices are actually lower that what I saw on Friday. This is the best opportunity to stretch your dollar and get the most powerful Alienware gaming PC or laptop your budget allows. Play the latest games like Battlefield 6 or Ghost of Yotei in glorious 4k with buttery smooth framerates, but also future-proof your PC for the next generation of games. If you're looking for even deeper discounts, check out some incredible price drops on refurbished "Like New" computers at Dell Outlet.
The Aurora R16 is Alienware's bread and butter gaming PC. It can be equipped with an Nvidia RTX 5060 graphics card all the way up to an RTX 5080 and the prices for Cyber Monday are extremely competitive with other brands. For example, currently Alienware has the least expensive prebuilt RTX 5080 gaming PC that I've found anywhere. Most of these systems are customizable, however it's not difficult to upgrade your own RAM and storage yourself.
If you're seeking the absolute best of the best in PC gaming performance, look no further. Dell unveiled the new Alienware Area-51 gaming PC at CES 2025. The chassis is a super-sized upgrade to the Aurora R16 system with aesthetic and cooling redesigns. The internal components have been refreshed with a new motherboard, faster RAM, and bigger power supply to accommodate the new generation of CPUs and GPUs. With a high-end system like this, it's only fitting that it be equipped with an RTX 5080 or RTX 5090 graphics card, so these are the configurations I've listed here. Note that Dell Outlet refurbished PCs come with the same warranty as buying new.
Alienware's new mainstream gaming laptop for 2025 is dubbed the "Alienware Aurora" and it replaces the previous generation's x16 and m16 series of laptops. It comes in two models: the 16 and 16X. The 16 is the more economical model, but gamers should definitely opt for the higher-end 16X model. If you're looking for build quality and performance on par with the previous generation m16, then the 16X is its spiritual successor. It features an anodized aluminum lid and base, a higher quality display, a more powerful CPU, and a GPU that isn't throttled for maximum gaming performance.
The Area-51 is Alienware's new flagship gaming laptop for 2025. It features an anodized aluminum shell for both the lid and bottom chassis with a gorgeous iridescent finish. The frame is made of a durable and lightweight magnesium alloy. Cooling has been upgraded with generous amounts of copper and a new thermal interface material to better transfer heat away from your hottest components as well as more fans and bigger cutouts for greater airflow. Dell claims that the laptop can handle a higher power ceiling of up to 240W TDP without raising acoustics.
Design-wise, the Area 51 has a sleeker, more contoured shape compared to previous models, with rounded edges and soft corners replacing the traditional squared off design. The hinges are internally positioned so that they're near invisible. There's a transparent window on the undercarriage to show off the internal components. As befits an Alienware laptop, there's plenty of RGB illunimation, although most of it can be turned off if you want your laptop to be a bit more subtle.
Dell makes some of the highest quality gaming monitors around. They're easily on par with the best that other brands like Samsung, LG, and Asus have to offer. For Cyber Monday, they're also incredibly well-priced. For example, the venerable 34" Alienware AW3423DWF Qfor $499.99 is the lower price I've ever seen for a 34" OLED monitor. By the way, if you do opt for a Dell or Alienware OLED monitor, you also get a 3 year warranty that includes OLED 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.