3 months after laying off a bunch of people, Splash Damage has become 'Splash Damage Group' and acquired another studio

Apple iPhone users, check out this new deal on an ultra-slim MagSafe power bank that just popped up on Amazon. For a limited time, you can get a Lisen 5,000mAh QI2-certified wireless magnetic power bank for just $16.99 when you apply coupon code: "6ZKK2C3T" in cart. This is one of the slimmest power banks I've seen, especially one that's been updated with a newer, more powerful wireless charging standard, at an outstanding price.
The Lisen 5,000mAh MagSafe power bank measures only 0.3" thin and won't add much bulk to your iPhone's profile. It's also lightweight, weighing under 4 ounces. If you have a chonky Pro Max, then you won't notice at all. Unlike most other power banks at this price point, the Lisen model is made out of a magnesium aluminum alloy instead of plastic, which gives it a more premium feel and matches the look of a high-end smarpthone.
This model has been updated with the newer Qi2/MagSafe standard, which means it can deliver up to 15W of wireless charging, double the rate of the first generation's 7.5W of inductive charging. When you need even faster charging, a USB Type-C port offers up to 22W of Power Delivery.
The Apple iPhone 17 power consumption specs (in Whr) are as follows:
A 5,000mAh power bank carries an 18.5Whr capacity. An 80% power efficiency rating (which is about standard for power banks) gives you about 15Whr of available charge. So you should get one full recharge if you have an iPhone 17 and a bit less than that with the Pro and Pro Max.
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.

IGN Live is back for another year, this year taking place June 6-7 in downtown Los Angeles at MAGIC BOX @ THE REEF and streaming globally live across IGN platforms.
Now in its third year, IGN Live will host celebrity panels, live stage shows, in-person gaming, screenings and lounges, interviews with the the biggest names in games and entertainment, exclusive merch, and so much more!
The multi-day, in-person event celebrates the most fun parts of movies, TV, games, comics, collectibles, anime, and more. Throughout the weekend, there will be exclusive reveals and celebrity interviews from our live stages, along with an inside look at everything happening on the ground in LA, all filmed for those who are not able to attend in person.
We'll also have thousands of giveaways throughout the weekend (last year we had over 20,000 prizes!). So stay tuned as we get closer to the event to find out what you can win, along with exactly what you can expect to experience at the 2026 event.
While we wait to reveal our partner line up for IGN Live, check out some of our highlights of 2025's event, including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 cast premiering the first 10 minutes of their documentary, The Last of Us creative team on how they crafted Season 2’s most crucial episodes, Ewan McGregor on how the Long Way Docuseries has literally changed his life, Invincible VS creators on killer instinct influences, and so many more reveals from the 2025 event.

One Piece Season 2 arrives on Netflix on March 10 at 12:00am PDT, and IGN Fan Fest 2026 gave us a look at a new and exclusive clip from the show.
The story for Season 2 focuses on a dangerous section of sea called the Grand Line, which is packed with new locations to explore like Reverse Mountain, Whisky Peak, and Drum Island. The new season will also introduce new friends and foes like blue-nosed reindeer-boy hybrid Tony Tony Chopper (with Mikaela Hoover providing the voice) and Miss All-Sunday, played by Lera Abova.
"The key to Season 2 is, of course, our weird talking animal," said series creator Eiichiro Oda on X. "From his form and furs to his expressions and voice, and even lighting and gravity simulation – a world-class team brought their skills together in bringing Tony Tony Chopper to life, and now he’s ready to be introduced to the world!"
If you're a mega fan, Netflix announced this week that special screenings of the first two episodes will take place on March 10 at more than 200 theaters across the U.S., Canada, and Japan. Tickets will go on sale today, and you can snap them up here.
This is just the latest news from IGN's Fan Fest 2026 – check the schedule to see what else is coming and to keep up to date on all the latest from the worlds of entertainment and games.
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.

If you’ve been waiting to grab any video games, today might be the day. On top of all the PS5 game discounts during PlayStation Direct’s sale, Woot just dropped an awesome mega sale on games and accessories. There’s even an additional 20% off with the code “LEVEL20.” That’s not all, as a Pokémon TCG Booster Bundle and MTG x TMNT TCG preorders are seeing solid discounts. Check out all the top deals below:
Woot has another awesome gaming sale happening today. In addition to tons of top gaming accessories being discounted, a huge selection of video games is on sale. You can even save an extra 20% by entering the promo code LEVEL20 at checkout. Just note that the total maximum discount is $30. Amazon Prime members also get free shipping.
Titles from PS5, Switch, and Xbox are all a part of this epic deal, but things sell out fast, so act quickly. Right now, you can still grab Elden Ring for $15.99, Zelda: Breath of the Wild for $35.19, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for $37.59, and plenty more on sale games. Below is just a sampling of the discounted titles, but I’d recommend you scroll through the sale page yourself.
The Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Journey Together Booster Bundle has dropped back down to its lowest price ever. It’s just $34.97 at both Amazon and Walmart. Plus, it’s shipped and sold by both retailers, rather than third party, for added peace of mind. With this bundle, you get six Boosters from the Scarlet & Violet—Journey Together expansion, bringing each pack to $5.82.
Our favorite CPU, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, is on sale at Amazon. Normally priced at $479, you can grab it for $439.95. It’s not just the CPU you’re getting, either, as it comes with a Crimson Desert code. The game, set to be released on March 19th, is going for $69.99, so it's a nice little bonus.
The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses 3D V-cache to reduce latency and help deliver an incredible overall performance. Anyone building a rig with a powerful graphics card will want to pair it with this processor. In our review of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, Jackie Thomas even claimed it’s “the new king of gaming processors.”
The MTG X TMNT Collector Booster Box is in stock and got a nice price cut. Selling for $455.88 a few days ago, you can grab it for $425.57. In the box, you’ll get 12 Collector Boosters, bringing each pack down to $35.46 each. With every booster, you’ll find Turtle-powered Rares and/or Mythics, Traditional Foils, and a Full-Art land. If you’re looking to buy a single Collector Booster, they are still available on Amazon, too.
Beyond the Collector Boosters, the MTG x TMNT Pizza Bundle is back in stock and up for preorder on Amazon. It got a price cut to $119.99 from $150. The Pizza Bundle has been a hot commodity, with the preorder rarely staying in stock for long. This fun, pizza-themed box features 9 Play Boosters, 1 Collector Booster, 25 non-foil Pizza lands, 5 foil Pizza lands, 2 foil promo cards, and an oversized spindown life counter. Just note that it keeps coming in and out of stock. Keep checking if it's not available when you look.
There are plenty of other MTG x TMNT pre-orders worth checking out below, and each comes with Amazon’s awesome preorder guarantee. Whether the price goes up or down, you’re paying the lowest amount.
PlayStation Direct launched an awesome sale on PS5 games and other retailers have followed suit. Notable discounts include God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West - Complete Edition, Death Stranding 2, and more from PS Direct. While Astro Bot, Returnal, 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. There are some incredible deals worth grabbing.
The Logitech G29 is a fantastic entry-level racing wheel for PC and PS5. Right now, it’s discounted by 45% on Amazon, bringing it down to just $179.99 when you clip the coupon. Anyone who enjoys hitting the virtual open road in driving games, like the upcoming Forza Horizon 6, will find that a great racing wheel amps up the playing experience. From the high-quality build and 900 degrees of wheel rotation to the gear-driven dual-force motor feedback and three-pedal set, the Logitech G29 helps simulate that real road feel.
Aluminum mechanical keyboards are rarely as cheap as the YUNZII AL71 is currently discounted. For just $44.99, you get a compact 75% (71-key) layout, swappable silent linear switches, and three ways to connect: wired USB-C, Bluetooth, or a low-latency 2.4GHz dongle. However, the real standout feature is the CNC-milled, silver-anodized aluminum body, which brings a premium, durable feel. Rounding out this top-notch keyboard is a nice sprinkling of RGB lighting.
AMC has a pretty awesome promo going on for those considering becoming a Stubs A-List member. For just $0.99 for the first month, you’ll enjoy access to up to four movies per week in any format, including Dolby Cinema and IMAX. A three-month commitment is required, and you’ll be charged a price starting at $19.99 plus tax after the first month, depending on where you live. This offer is only valid for new members or former Stubs A-list members who cancelled their membership over 180 days ago.
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.
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.
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.
Any fans of the iconic grumpy green ogre will want to grab this Shrek 4-Movie Collection in 4K Ultra HD + Digital [4K UHD]. This collection includes the original Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, and Shrek Forever After. With awesome voice talents, hilarious storylines, and legendary soundtracks, it’s a fun watch for kids of all ages. You can grab this 4-disc 4K UHD collection with a few cool bonus features for only $27.93 on Amazon for 60% savings. That’s its lowest price ever.

I first took notice of Samson: A Tyndalston Story when its team of former Just Cause and Mad Max developers posted a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it teaser of Tyndalston itself. The fictional city reminded me of GTA 3’s Liberty City or Max Payne’s New York. My first look at proper gameplay in a demo with the creative director only upped my interest, and now that I’ve had the chance to actually play Samson – albeit only for an all-too-brief hour – I’m officially amped for this gritty, grimy, run-down brawler with pseudo-open world freedom where your heavy punch can drop bad guys in one bloody shot and you pop painkillers to stay in the fight.
The setup for this 1990’s-set crime story sees you as Samson McCray, fresh out of prison after eating a charge as a result of a robbery in St. Louis gone bad. Your sister, Oonagh, pulled some strings to help keep you safe while you were inside, and she cut a deal upon your release: you’ve got to repay the money lost from the failed heist to people that will absolutely kill you both if you come even one cent short.
What’s important to make clear up front is that Samson is not a AAA game. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was at first glance, because its Unreal Engine 5-powered visuals are quite impressive, both in terms of Samson’s character model and the city of Tyndalston. Lighting has a very fluorescent-tinged yellow tint to it that you really had to live through the ‘90s to understand, vehicles look great, and the city itself looks very, very lived-in. But Samson doesn’t have the scope of a AAA game, and that’s not a complaint – it’s just important to properly calibrate your expectations. The opening cutscene is not a full-blown cinematic but a voiced-over motion-comic, voice acting is so-so at best, and this isn’t a 40+ hour open-world sandbox. You do plenty of driving around a neighborhood – perhaps more of Tyndalston unlocks the further into the story you progress – but this is not a massive playground full of chatty NPCs and side activities.
Again, this isn’t a complaint, but it’s important to emphasize because when you first fire up Samson, it seems like it’s following a very GTA-esque playbook. But I really like the choices that Samson makes within its more limited scope. For instance, there are numerous little things around the world to take note of and interact with, from notes and photos in your apartment to sandwich-board signs you can knock over with your car in order to gain small bursts of nitro boost.
It gets better: there is a progression system. The more bad guys you beat up and the more missions you complete, the more XP you earn that gets redeemed for a point in one of four skills: Instinct (boosts your adrenaline), Tactics (health), Aggression (power), and Cunning (finesse). This allows you to tailor your Samson to your preferred playstyle, whether you’d rather absorb and dish out maximum punishment in each fight or strike quickly and frequently in order to speed up the maxing out of your adrenaline meter, at which point you can click in both thumbsticks and enjoy a brief period of dealing extra damage.
Gameplay segments are split into days, and within each day are afternoon, evening, and night. Every time the sun rises, you have to pay back a certain amount of your debt. In order to do that, you’ll need to take various small jobs around Tyndalston. Fortunately, you’ve got choices each day; it’s not a linear mission structure. My first job involved finding the manager of a club called Chubb’s and, well, beating the crap out of him. Naturally, it wasn’t quite so simple. I had to worm my way through the bowels of the club first, fighting my way through his goons in the process. This mission functioned as a bit of a tutorial, allowing me to practice parries, dodges, light punches, heavy punches, and triggering my adrenaline meter after I’d built up enough adrenaline during fights.
It didn’t hurt Samson’s chances of me loving this game when the very first dude I threw a heavy punch at dropped immediately, his face covered in his own blood. Most of the time in a game like this, guys can take an unrealistic number of hits. But not in Samson. Not everyone will hit the floor after a single punch, but the fact that it can happen not only made me feel like a badass, but it added to the underworld grittiness that is clearly oozing out of every square inch of Tyndalston.
Anyway, back to the missions: as I was saying, you’ve got choices at each segment of the day, but each choice takes a certain amount of time. Meaning, you can’t just do a dozen jobs in a single day in order to quickly pay down your debt and break the game. Every job, realistically, takes time, so when I was, for example, shadowing Dave the Bookie, that took all afternoon of in-game time. First I had to drive to where Dave had last been seen. Then, once I’d clocked him, I had to follow him from a safe distance (lest he recognize the tail and get spooked, triggering a mission failure) so that he’d lead me to evidence of what he was suspected of by the people that I took the job from: that Dave was playing both sides. Sure enough, I caught Dave red-handed, and then I had to square up against Dave and his associates. By the time it was done and I got paid, the day moved to evening.
Some jobs can only be taken at certain times of day. And some jobs will cost you money. Like when I had to take out the cars of two guys who were avoiding my temporary employer. First I drove to where they’d last been seen, and then both cars came flying around the corner in front of me and the chase was on. The problem was, my car was already pretty beat up from the erratic driving I’d been doing in previous jobs. So the first time I tried the mission, my pursuit led us to a freeway onramp, where I was able to get behind the closest of the two target cars, and then nitro-boost directly into his rear bumper, slamming his car into the curving wall of the onramp and taking it out. Problem was, the bumper boost also took my pre-battered car out, and by the time I’d grabbed another car, the second of the two cars I was pursuing – who was already in front of me – had gotten away.
On the retry, I stopped at a gas station repair shop first, spent some of my hard-earned cash (which, I remind you, I needed every cent of to try and make my daily debt payment), and was then able to keep my car intact while taking out both of my four-wheeled targets. I got paid, and headed home for the evening. But who was waiting for me? Two debt collectors, and so before I could crash on my own couch for the night, I had to bloody my knuckles one more time.

Both combat and driving were a lot of fun in my one-hour hands-on. I have no idea if Samson will ever introduce guns into the mix, but I kinda hope it doesn’t. The melee combat system feels heavy in a really good way, meaning that Samson takes shots just as hard as he dishes them out. I like the mix of punches, parries, and dodging. Sure, the Batman: Arkham combat arguably remains the brawler standard, but Samson’s fisticuffs are slower and more deliberate in a way I quite enjoy.
Driving, meanwhile, also has a welcome weight to it. All of the (fictional) cars in Samson are ‘90s era at the newest, given the ‘90s setting. Samson’s own car is a ‘70s Chevelle-like two-door muscle car, and as such it’s no light Lotus. Are these simulation-style driving physics? Absolutely not. You have the aforementioned nitro boosts and there’s a side-slam button – and of course, the B button lets you pull off sick handbrake turns once you’ve got some practice under your belt. By the end of my hour I had really started to get the hang of the driving and was eager to zip my way around Tyndalston some more.

As you can probably tell by now, I had a fantastic time in Tyndalston. If Samson can keep its mission variety fresh – which is no small thing, I recognize – it’ll go a long way towards making its campaign enjoyable over the long haul, versus the extremely fun hour I had with it. I’m curious to see if the city opens up more as the story unfolds, and I hope the story itself is engaging enough to keep me motivated to continue playing and isn’t just “keep doing jobs to pay down your debt until a big climactic mission happens at the end.” Samson is due out on April 8 for PC, so it won’t be too long before we find out if it can keep up the good stuff it’s got going for it.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our semi-retired interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone (ConcernedApe) has released a 10th anniversary video revealing, among other things, two brand new marriage candidates being added to the game in the upcoming patch 1.7: Clint and Sandy.

Clint has long been a requested bachelor by the Stardew Valley community. As the valley blacksmith, he's the one who upgrades all the player's tools and opens geodes for them, meaning visiting him regularly is pretty common. But players have wanted to romance him largely because of his awkward relationship with an existing marriage candidate, Emily. Clint has a huge crush on Emily that remains unrequited even the player doesn't marry Emily, but has a few scenes where he seems downright hurt if they do. Giving Clint more of a storyline that his current tactiturn, awkward lines is a much-needed change.
Sandy has also been a requested marriageable villager. She's the manager of the Oasis in the Desert, meaning players don't usually see her until they've played for a while. And unfortunately she never actually leaves the Oasis, so there are fewer opportunities for interactions with her. However, she's kind to the player, leaving the fandom hungry for more Sandy storyline and more interactions with her, which they'll certainly get now.
Additionally, ConcernedApe opened the video by showing off some old builds of Stardew Valley (then "Sprout Valley") along with his own commentary. The sequence begins with the game's original 2012 look, six months into development, when he had a "functioning game" that was very rudimentary, and similar to the original Harvest Moon game. Even so, you can see how much the basic design of the game looks very similar, right down to where things are located in Pelican Town, the bus, and more.
Next, he shows off a 2013 build that looks a looooot more familiar. The art has been significantly updated to roughly the style of current Stardew Valley. ConcernedApe says this version of the game (now titled "Stardew Valley") was more sandboxy than the current version of the game and less RPG. Additionally, the mines were procedurally generated, and you had to mine into the walls to find ore and secrets. This ended up being too complicated, "too ambitious of a concept for the scope of this game. This should have been a whole game on its own", ConcernedApe said. He also showed off an underground Goblin Village that was totally scrapped. "Just because an idea sounds cool doesn't mean it's fun or the right idea in practice."
Here, ConcernedApe said that nothing in these early builds should be considered "canon" in the Stardew Valley universe.
2014's build introduced the Community Center, but other staples such as Joja Mart and Hat Mouse hadn't been added yet. You also couldn't decorate the inside of your house yet.
And another build from August 2015, half a year from launch, shows "how much of this came together at the last moment." To my eye, this looks almost identical to launch day Stardew Valley, but ConcernedApe points out various changes like the location of the mailbox, the shape of the inside of the player's house, and the final look of the main character.
In a reflection on the game's launch, ConcernedApe talks about what the release of the game was like for him and meant to him, including sharing that the game sold just under 40,000 copies in the first day alone, at which point he knew it would be a success. He ended the video with a recap of the game's updates over the years, and by thanking the community for its support over the years.
Patch 1.7 is coming at a later date. ConcernedApe didn't reveal any further details as to what it might entail for now, but today's announcement should tide everyone over for a bit.
Today is Stardew Valley's 10th anniversary, and we celebrated earlier this month already by interviewing ConcernedApe about topics such as why there isn't a Stardew Valley TV show, and the one secret left that the Stardew Valley community has yet to find. You can read our full, in-depth interview with the creator right here.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Highguard studio Wildlight Entertainment reportedly has less than 20 people remaining to work on the game following a round of devastating layoffs just weeks after the game's launch.
This comes from a new Bloomberg report, which tells the story of Wildlight's rise and fall since its founders first assembled the team back in 2021. Made up of Respawn veterans, the group hoped to recreate the successes of Apex Legends and Titanfall, initially with a survival-focused shooter.
When that design didn't quite work as well as they'd hoped, they scrapped it and pivoted to Highguard, leaving remnants of the original survival game in the final draft of what was now a hero shooter. As the game progressed, testers had positive feedback that had the developers hopeful, though notably they also said it was more fun on microphone with voice chat, and the experience was too complicated and less fun without them.
Sources speaking to Bloomberg say the studio largely had a positive culture and the team felt good about what they were making up until the game's announcement at The Game Awards last December, which apparently came about at Geoff Keighley's urging after he enjoyed what he played of it. The team originally intended to announce and launch Highguard simultaneously, but with The Game Awards announcement that left a month-and-a-half-long silence between announcement and launch during which the internet had a field day.
The game launched to a celebration-worthy number of Steam concurrents, but unfortunately was unable to retain players for very long at all, meaning it made very little money from microtransactions. Reviews were also poor. Though the developers at Wildlight believed they had financial runway to improve, financial backer Tencent suddenly pulled its funding, and most of the 100-person team was laid off as a result. Fewer than 20 individuals remain to try and save Highguard. Those developers have recently reassured that a new patch is on the way, after a website issue led players to believe the whole game was being taken down.
The full story is at Bloomberg.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Best Buy is offering an outstanding deal on a laptop that marries powerful gaming performance with a slim and lightweight profile. While supplies last, you can pick up an open box "excellent condition" Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 RTX 5080 gaming laptop for just $2,014.99 with free delivery. Compare that to the brand new price of $3,170. Getting any RTX 5080 equipped laptop for about $2,000 is an excellent deal, but this laptop raises the bar by cramming all of that power in the smallest chassis it can get away with.
The latest Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop is definitely one of the thinnest and lightest gaming laptops, measuring 0.63" thick and weighing in at under 3.5 pounds. It features a gorgeous 14" 3K 120Hz ROG Nebula OLED display, AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and 2TB NVEMe SSD. The entire shell is made of CNC-milled aluminum construction keeps the weight down and features premium accents like a huge glass touchpad.
The G14 is for anyone who wants a thin and light laptop that can be brought anywhere as a daily driver, but still with the power to play games. The RTX 5080 discrete graphics is capable of playing just about any game on the display's upgraded 2880x1800 resolution, especially if the game supports DLSS 4.5 (which most new games do nowadays). The RTX 5080 is power limited to a 120W TGP (standard for the 5080 mobile is 150W), but performance is still excellent. This is about as powerful of a GPU you can get while maintaining a slim footprint. Most RTX 5080/5090 gaming laptops are huge.
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.

Razer's best gaming headset is discounted today as part of Woot's Video Game Sale. The Razer Blackshark V3 Pro Wireless Gaming Headset has dropped in price to just $149.99 after a 20% off coupon code "LEVEL20". In total, you're saving $100 (or 40% off) compared to the retail price of $250. Amazon Prime members get free shipping, otherwise add on $5 for delivery. Note that you're getting a brand new unit with 90-day Woot warranty. Both PlayStation and Xbox variants are available, and in white, black, or 2XKO (Ahri) editions. All models are compatible with PC.
Brand new with 90-day Woot warranty
The Blackshark V3 Pro is a recent 2025 release and the latest model in Razer's Blackshark Pro series. It features active noise canceling - a rarity among gaming headsets - as well as oversized 50mm drivers, 7.1.4ch THX spatial audio, dual wireless connectivity including 2.4GHz "Hyperspeed Wireless Gen-2" which claims less than 10ms latency, and a detachable full band 12mm boom mic. The battery lasts up to 70 hours and can be recharged over USB Type-C. PC gamers can take advantage of pre-tuned game specific presets or create their own custom EQ.
Considering this is Razer's flagship headset, it's no surprise that the retail price is a hefty $250. I'll see it for as low as $219.99 on recent deal days, but I haven't ever seen it drop below $200. $150 is an outstanding deal.
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.

As part of a greater Video Game Sale that's going on today, Woot - which is owned by Amazon - is offering open box "pristine condition" PlayStation 5 DualSense wireless controllers starting at just $54.39 after you apply 20% off coupon code "LEVEL20". Amazon Prime members get free shipping, otherwise add an extra $5 for delivery.
These are the lowest prices I've seen on DualSense controllers so far this year. Although they're not brand new, Woot claims that they "are in pristine condition and have never been in customer hands. They will arrive with no marks, scratches, or dents of any kind, and in the original retail packaging."
Open Box "Pristine Condition"
Over the years, Sony has consistently released more and more Dualsense colors, some of them more striking than others. In late 2023, Sony launched the Deep Earth Collection, "a new metallic colorway for PS5 accessories" with aptly sounding names like Sterling Silver, Volcanic Red, and Cobalt Blue. These controllers retailed for $79.99 and were (and still are) one of the more striking color schemes. In 2024 it released the Chroma Collection, featuring iridescent colors that shine at every angle. These controllers don't get discounted as often as the core colors.
The DualSense is modeled after the tried and true design and layout of previous PlayStation controllers, but it also packs in modern features such as haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone and speaker, integrated touchpad, internal gyroscope and accelerometer for motion sensing, and USB Type-C charging. This controller can also be connected to a PC in two ways: tethered with a USB Type-C cable or over Bluetooth wireless.
The Dualsense is oft regarded as the best PS5 controller under $100 but it also makes for an excellent PC controller, especially since PC game clients like Steam support DualSense features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
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 Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup of phones feels very “third verse, same as the first.” Specs-wise, not much has changed over the last couple of years, and they look physically unchanged. I’ll tell you what did change, though: measurements! That’s right, thanks to some slight dimensional changes, you won’t be reusing your old Galaxy S25 cases.
That’s not a shocker, though. What kind of is in 2026, though, is that Samsung still hasn’t added Qi2 magnetic charging to its flagship phones. Like the Galaxy S25 before, the best the company is willing to offer is Qi2 Ready, which means you’ll need to slap a magnetic case on your new Galaxy S26 if you want faster wireless charging speeds. As 9to5Google points out, that would be up to 25 watts if you buy the Galaxy S26 Ultra, 20 watts with the S26+, and 15 watts with the vanilla S26.
The fast wireless charging is very nice, but built-in magnets would go a long way toward helping Samsung’s non-folding smartphones reclaim a spot on IGN’s list of favorite phones. Oh well. At least most case makers have a magnetic option out there for you.
Samsung offers many first-party cases for the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra, from plain silicone and clear cases to the company’s fancy grip case that has a built-in handle. But for just a straightforward case with guaranteed protection, your best bet is Samsung Rugged Magnet Case. They’ve got multi-layer construction, raised lips, grippy grooves on the back, and a padded interior for additional shock absorption.
In short, it’s all the stuff you like to hear about in a case, and it’s straight from the source, so you know it’ll fit your phone. The only trouble is, at $79.99, it’s a damned pricey case. Thankfully, Samsung’s that sort of company where paying full price feels like the exception, rather than a rule. So, if you don’t see a deal on the case today, give it a little time.
Otterbox, long known for its hefty, protective cases, is ready to take your money for Samsung Galaxy S26 cases on day one, including for the Defender, its most rugged case. The company is offering two Defender variants, one with a clear back (Defender Series Pro XT) and one without (Defender Series Pro), and both at the same $69.99 price.
Opaqueness isn’t the only difference, though; the Pro XT is thinner, too. Otherwise, it takes a cue from the Dbrand Ghost case – it has a clear back polycarbonate layer and a thermoplastic elastomer outer edge. Presumably, that should mean it’ll never yellow. Hooray!
Materials aside, reasons to consider this case include that it features port covers, offers a magnetic ring for that sweet Qi2 fast-charging, and raised edges around things like the cameras. The Pro XT model uses a two-piece construction that includes the back piece and a front outer edge ring, while the thicker Pro model adds a third, hard plastic piece that buffers the phone inside of the outer elastomer shell.
Coming in far cheaper than Samsung’s official clear cases, ESR’s Classic Hybrid Magnetic Case is a compelling alternative that, starting at $24.99, sits firmly in budget territory. Yet, if my own iPhone 15 Pro version of this case is any indication, it doesn’t feel like a budget case – instead, it feels quite snug and has survived multiple drops on the hard tile of my kitchen floor.
Not only does ESR’s case offer solid drop protection, but the raised metal ridge around the camera array is hinged and flips out to become a stand. That’s enormously handy, and although I still generally prefer the feel of my much fancier Bullstrap leather case (mainly because I’m a bottom cutout sicko), I can’t quit the convenience of that kickstand ring.
Mous makes a shockingly thin case. Its Aramid Fibre case for the Galaxy S26 Ultra is just 1.2mm thick, with a totally smooth back other than the raised area around the camera bumps. It’s also got a magnetic ring, giving the Galaxy S26 Ultra up to 25W charging.
Mous sent me a sample ahead of Unpacked 2026 and while I didn’t have a new Galaxy S26 Ultra to slap the phone onto, I can tell you it is astoundingly rigid, has a pleasing soft-touch feel – although it could be grippier – and a decently strong magnet. It’s not quite as strong as the magnet on my iPhone 15 Pro’s thicker ESR case, but it’ll certainly keep your phone fixed to a magnetic Qi2 charging stand.
I haven’t used a Blackbrook case in the past, but I’m picky about my leather cases, and the Barlow Snap-On Case for the Galaxy S26 series seems to tick all of my boxes. It’s available in three musky shades of brown or black, features a metal ring around the cameras, and metal buttons on the sides. It has a magnetic ring for Qi2 charging.
It’s even priced like an old-school leather case. Remember when $50 was the high end of phone case pricing? Yeah, Blackbrook only charges $49 for it. And there’s a model available for all of the Galaxy S26 models. Would I, personally, hold out to see what my favorite leather case maker, Bullstrap, offers later? Yeah, probably. But I’m a maniac and love a caseless phone; if I wasn’t, I’d give the Blackbrook a shot.
There are so many good case options for the Galaxy S26 series already, so picking one shouldn’t be too hard. I’d venture to say that almost any case on this list would easily keep your phone safe if you dropped it on concrete (except maybe Mous’s super-thin case, which I’d rely on more for scratch protection than anything). Still, I know I’m not happy with just any old case when I’m buying one, and probably neither are you.
If drop protection is key, look at cases with lips around the display and camera system. You can disqualify anything without a grippy edge; drop protection is mostly just not dropping your phone at all. An ounce of prevention and all that. You’ll see a lot of case manufacturers brag about military-grade protection, but that’s used so often that it’s effectively meaningless. Just make sure the case fits snugly – don’t want the corner popping off if it lands the wrong way – and has extra protection around the parts that matter most.
Beyond drop protection, I prefer a case with nice, clicky buttons. Metal ones are usually best, but just look for anything that’s not the mushy kind that’s part of the plasticky mold of cheap phone cases. And look for a wide opening by the USB-C port; sometimes they’re too tight, and it’s annoying as hell to have to take your case off just to charge your phone because the cable you have at hand has a fat tip.
Finally, look out for reviews from people you trust. And I mean people whose opinions have led you to the right decision in the past. Folks who probably aren’t taking commission, who have hands-on experience with the case you want or at least a similar one for a different phone. I made my choices here based on my experience with each of these brands, but don’t just believe me. Look for other lists from other writers or videos from content creators who don’t feel like they’re just trying to sell you something. See which cases come up repeatedly, and go from there. Most of all, buy from a brand with some history. The ones you see here are good, but so, usually, are cases from the likes of Spigen, Dbrand, Speck, and Supcase.
Wes is a freelance writer (Freelance Wes, they call him) who has covered technology, gaming, and entertainment steadily since 2020 at Gizmodo, Tom's Hardware, Hardcore Gamer, and most recently, The Verge. Inside of him there are two wolves: one that thinks it wouldn't be so bad to start collecting game consoles again, and the other who also thinks this, but more strongly.

Chapter 5 of the popular survival horror game Poppy Playtime just came out, but now fans of the game’s creepy monster dolls are closer to having a Huggy Wuggy of their very own. As part of IGN Fan Fest, McFarlane Toys is revealing some brand-new looks at its line of Poppy Playtime figures.
The lineup, which includes 4.5-inch, 7-inch, and 12-inch models, features fan-favorite characters like Huggy Wuggy, Kissy Missy, Killy Willy, and Harley Sawyer. The 7-inch figures will be available for pre-order February 27. You can purchase the entire lineup in stores like Walmart, Target, and GameStop, as well as online at Amazon, BigBadToyStore, Entertainment Earth, and the McFarlane Toys Store this Spring.
I spoke exclusively with Todd McFarlane about his company’s collaboration with Mob Entertainment, producer of Poppy Playtime, and what makes the game the perfect target for collaboration.
“They’re toys,” McFarlane says of the game’s characters. “My job is to just [see] how much accuracy can we get with what is already popular because you're going from a flat screen to something that's tangible in your hand. If you look at Disney, Pixar came up with this idea called Toy Story. We always lean into the strength [of the IP. With Poppy Playtime], you’ve got a popular game people like. They’re based on toys and they look toy-etic so you go, ‘Of course.’ Superman isn't a toy, so you go, ‘Well, let's make one of him.' Freddy Krueger isn't a toy, but you go, ‘Let's make one of him.’ But when you have something that is already in that vein, then you go, ‘Shoot, here we go.’"
McFarlane says that the team felt it was important to offer a variety of options for consumers with different budgets. With the core 7-inch Poppy Playtime figures, the crew at McFarlane implemented a hybrid design combining articulation points with bendable sections to accurately replicate the characters' curved movements from the game. Those figures will include swappable hands and heads, bases that interlink, packaging that can be used as backdrops, and other accessories.
Along with the 7-inch figures, 4.5-inch bendy figures will be available that will retail for under $10. Larger 12-inch bendy figures will be sold as well for about $20, which McFarlane says represents the “best value” of the line.
McFarlane says that when it came to working out a collaboration with Poppy Playtime, his company’s partnership with Mob Entertainment checked all the boxes. “The Mob guys are a group of people trying to do their passion project,” he says. “In this case, the passion project worked. I like hanging out with people who are a little bit fearless and are willing to take chances. And artistically, they’re cool to look at!”
For their part, the team at Mob digs deep into community feedback to determine which characters should get a heavy push when it comes to merchandising. Tyler Sanchez, Senior Social and Growth Manager for Mob Entertainment, is at the center of those efforts.
“That's part of my job really, going in and listening to the fans,” Sanchez says. “Not only when we launch a game, but whenever we put out a new YouTube video. I have entire dashboards of character popularity that I can lean into and then tell our licensing team, ‘Hey, people really really like CatNap! We should focus on making more merchandise for CatNap.' Leaning into what the community wants helps extend the lifetime of the game.”
Beyond merchandising, Sanchez says that Mob's attention to audience reaction actually can affect how future chapters of Poppy Playtime play out.
“I was watching a playthrough and they got to the Pianosaurus and saw him eating on the bottom and [the streamer] was just like, 'My boy, I'm so excited.' Pianosaurus turns around and runs and then Doey just takes him and slams him and basically murders him. And [the streamer] said, 'Was that it? Is that forever? Is he dead?' And it was just like this moment where [I thought], ‘Oh god, we're just going to break so many people's hearts by killing this character.’ And so because of that, I actually took it upon myself to write additional lore for Pianosaurus.”
Beyond games and a new line of toys, the Poppy Playtime universe is rapidly expanding. Back in 2024, Legendary Entertainment announced that they were working on a movie adaptation of the series. Details of the film are sparse at the moment, but the characters seem ripe for further adaptations. When I asked Sanchez if he could give any hints as to the future of the Poppy universe he demurred. “All I can say is: Stay tuned.”
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
Sony's hidden multiplayer mode in God of War Sons of Sparta has now been made available from the off. The only downside? You'll need to enter a secret code to access it.
Side-scrolling spinoff Sons of Sparta launched for PlayStation 5 earlier this month, with a note on its PlayStation Store listing mentioning that it featured two-player capabilities.
Without further explanation, and after gameplay featuring its titular two brothers was shown during the recent State of Play broadcast, many fans assumed the full game was available in co-op. Alas, it is not. Instead, a separate roguelike challenge mode is included, players later discovered, but only after you have beaten the game. Or, now, if you input that aforementioned code.
"Normally The Pit is accessible only after you beat the main story to ensure those who attempt it are familiar with both Kratos' Spartan arms and the foes you will face," PlayStation wrote today, in its first real comment on the mode's availability, and what appears to be an explanation for why it was initially designed to only become available later on.
"But if you feel ready to test your skills earlier," PlayStation continued, "you can input this sequence below in the starting menu to unlock it early." That code, then, is as follows:
The Pit features various varieties of enemies and rewards each time you play, with a specific Agony modifier applied to each run. Progress through each run rewards fresh Agonies to try your luck and skill against, but also permanent upgrades to help you along your way in future attempts.
Response to Sons of Sparta has been mixed, not least from God of War's original franchise creator David Jaffe, who told fans to "avoid this f***ing thing." IGN's own review was a little more kind, dubbing the game "a pretty mediocre metroidvania, clearly taking the form and function of these games but failing to meet the high bar set by the titans of the genre." We gave it 6/10.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social