Amazon is currently offering the second generation Apple AirPods Pro wireless noise-canceling earbuds for only $179.99 shipped, a savings of nearly 30% off. This deal is not quite as good as the one we saw during Black Friday (when it dropped to as low as $155), but it's the lowest price since then. This discount brings the price down to the same level as the AirPods 4 ANC, which retails for $179. Between the two, the AirPods Pro is still Apple's best earbuds because it offers better sound quality and better noise cancellation.

Apple AirPods Pro for $179.99

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has announced the nominees for the 28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards and the list reveals Astro Bot, Helldivers 2, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are leading the charge with six nominations each.

The 2025 D.I.C.E. Awards will take place on Thursday, February 13 at 11pm ET/8pm PT at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas and there will be 60 games from 2024 competing for awards in 23 categories. Astro Bot, Balatro, Black Myth: Wukong, Helldivers 2, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will all be up for the top honor of Game of the Year.

While we already revealed which games earned the most nominations, we'd also like to share Balatro and Senua's Saga: Hellblade II came in second with five nominations each, and 1000xResist, Animal Well, and Batman: Arkham Shadow came in third with four nominations each.

You can check out the full list of D.I.C.E. Awards 2025 nominees below, and you can also see how they compare to our IGN Awards from 2024 and how these nominees and winners are picked.

Outstanding Achievement in Animation

• Astro Bot
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
• Neva
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction

• Black Myth: Wukong
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• LEGO Horizon Adventures
• The Plucky Squire
• Senua's Saga: Hellblade II

Outstanding Achievement in Character

• 1000xRESIST - Watcher
• FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH - Yuffie Kisaragi
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle - Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones
• INDIKA - Indika
• Senua's Saga: Hellblade II - Senua

Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition

• Astro Bot
• Helldivers 2
• Monument Valley 3
• Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
• Star Wars Outlaws

Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design

• Frostpunk 2
• Helldivers 2
• Monument Valley 3
• Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
• Still Wakes the Deep

Outstanding Achievement in Story

• 1000xRESIST
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Metaphor: ReFantazio
• Still Wakes the Deep
• Thank Goodness You're Here!

Outstanding Technical Achievement

• Astro Bot
• Batman: Arkham Shadow
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Action Game of the Year

• Batman: Arkham Shadow
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Helldivers 2
• Stellar Blade

Adventure Game of the Year

• 1000xRESIST
• ANIMAL WELL
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Family Game of the Year

• Astro Bot
• Cat Quest III
• Little Kitty, Big City
• The Plucky Squire
• Super Mario Party Jamboree

Fighting Game of the Year

• Blazing Strike
• DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO
• Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns
• TEKKEN 8
• UNDERDOGS

Racing Game of the Year

• F1® 24
• MotoGP™24
• NIGHT-RUNNERS™ PROLOGUE

Role-Playing Game of the Year

• FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard
• ELDEN RING: Shadow of the Erdtree
• Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
• Metaphor: ReFantazio

Sports Game of the Year

• EA SPORTS College Football 25
• EA SPORTS FC 25
• MLB The Show 24
• NBA 2K25

Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year

• Balatro
• Caves of Qud
• Frostpunk 2
• Tactical Breach Wizards
• Satisfactory

Immersive Reality Technical Achievement

• Alien: Rogue Incursion
• Batman: Arkham Shadow
• Skydance's BEHEMOTH
• Starship Home
• UNDERDOGS

Immersive Reality Game of the Year

• Alien: Rogue Incursion
• Batman: Arkham Shadow
• Escaping Wonderland
• Skydance's BEHEMOTH
• UNDERDOGS

Outstanding Achievement for an Independent Game

• ANIMAL WELL
• Balatro
• Grunn
• INDIKA
• Mouthwashing

Mobile Game of the Year

• Balatro
• Halls of Torment
• Monument Valley 3
• Paper Trail
• Wuthering Waves

Online Game of the Year

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
• Helldivers 2
• Marvel Rivals
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Outstanding Achievement in Game Design

• ANIMAL WELL
• Astro Bot
• Balatro
• Helldivers 2
• UFO 50

Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction

• 1000xRESIST
• ANIMAL WELL
• Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
• Riven
• Thank Goodness You're Here!

Game of the Year

• Astro Bot
• Balatro
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Helldivers 2
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

IGN is proud to be the official media partner of the D.I.C.E. Awards and we will be exclusively streaming the ceremony, which will be co-hosted by Greg Miller and Stella Chung.

If you want to know more about how these nominees were picked and how the winners are chosen, the AIAS has shared the following;

"The Academy’s 30K+ members, comprised of the interactive publishing and development communities, recognize excellence in 23 different interactive game categories in one of the highest forms of recognition in the industry, the AIAS wore, "Titles were played and evaluated by members of the Academy’s peer panels to determine final nominees. These panels, one for each award category, are comprised of the game industry’s most experienced and talented experts in their chosen fields. Winners are determined as part of a confidential voting process and will be revealed on the evening of the show. A list of all the peer panelists can be found here."

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

Half-Life fans have waited years for Valve to do… something Half-Life 3 related. That’s nothing new. But recent weeks have seen a step up in the hunt for clues, with some believing Valve has already started an elaborate alternate reality game (ARG) that will lead to the dramatic confirmation that Half-Life 3 is finally on the way.

This next level obsession, which GTA 6 fans will find instantly familiar, was kickstarted by Mike Shapiro, the voice actor behind Half-Life's mysterious G-Man. Late last year, in full G-Man mode, Shapiro published a cryptic tweet teasing some sort of news for 2025 alongside the tags #Valve, #Halflife, #GMan, and #2025. It was Shapiro’s first non-reply tweet since he congratulated Valve on the success of VR exclusive Half-Life: Alyx back in December 2020.

That was enough to send the rumor-mill into overdrive, but since then all sorts of wild theories have emerged within the Half-Life community. Some who have analyzed Shapiro’s tweet to within an inch of its life believe he has started an ARG for Half-Life 3, connecting the dots in such a way to lead them to the ultimate prize in video games.

Half-Life fans obsess about numbers. Valve, famously, can’t count to three. But can it count to 197? It turns out that Shapiro’s X/Twitter post contained images of the cover art of his new song, Best Long Dog. Buried within this image is the number 197. Bizarre!

Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles will give Jar Jar Binks his time in the limelight as a playable character when it launches later this month.

Developer Aspyr revealed the surprise character inclusion from a galaxy far, far away with a special trailer today. It’s the kind of reveal die-hard Star Wars fans have only dreamed (or had nightmares) about, as the video shows Jar Jar leaping through iconic locations as he beats down droids with a staff. It’s not quite Darth Jar Jar, but it’s still a goofy addition that few expected to see actually make its way into the upcoming remaster.

It’s a new year, and Goddess of Victory: Nikke is celebrating by rolling out lots of new content for players. There’s multiple collaboration events, free recruitment opportunities, a new version of a popular character, new story content, and in-person experiences.

The game has been a resounding success, recently celebrating its second anniversary as well as reaching 45 million downloads worldwide. Throughout its two years, it has collaborated with several renowned IPs, including Neon Genesis Evangelion, Chainsaw Man, Nier: Automata, Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World, and Dave the Diver. That tradition continues in 2025, with Shift Up recently announcing a collaboration with Stellar Blade as well as a second collaboration with Evangelion.

The Stellar Blade collab will unite two popular games developed by Shift Up. Stellar Blade is an action-adventure game available on PS5 that shares a similar setting with Goddess of Victory: Nikke. You play as Eve, and your mission is to reclaim Earth from monsters called Naytibas after humans lost their battle against them and were forced to flee the planet.

The Evangelion collab arrives in February and will feature loads of new content. It will add two brand-new recruitable SSR characters, named Asuka: WILLE and Rei Ayanami (Tentative Name), and Sakura will be a free-to-obtain collaboration character. Plus, there will be new collaboration character costumes (including free-to-obtain costumes), a new 3D event map, new collaboration event storyline, and a new bullet hell minigame.

These two collabs are the biggest events on the horizon, but they’re not the only updates to come to Goddess of Victory: Nikke. Things got started on the first day of the year, with the addition of a new recruitable version of Rapi, the game’s heroine. Called Rapi: Red Hood, she’s an awakened form of Rapi who has taken on the power of another strong Nikke called Red Hood. The new version of Rapi is an SSR Nikke, the highest rarity in the game. Rapi’s upgraded variant was also accompanied by new events that delve deeper into her story for the first time.

The start of the new year has also brought events that reward players with free chances to recruit characters. With the new events and story content, you can earn more than 100 recruitment opportunities in all. That gives newcomers or players who haven’t played in a while a chance to jump in and hit the ground running. Plus, the recruitment banner featuring popular character Scarlet: Black Shadow from last year’s New Year event will make a return.

The new year celebrations have also been happening in the real world, and that will continue with a pair of live concerts in Japan and South Korea. Called Melodies of Victory, the concert will first visit Pacifico Yokohama National Convention Hall in Japan on January 11. It’ll then move on to Kyung Hee University Grand Peace Palace in Seoul, South Korea on February 15.

For tickets and more information, you can visit the official websites for the Japanese concert and the Korean concert. You can also download Goddess of Victory: Nikke for free now on the game’s official website, on the App Store, or Google Play. If you want to be part of the community, you can join Nikke’s Discord, check their accounts on Twitter or Facebook, or stay up to date on their YouTube channel.

It’s been eight years since the Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, and after a long and successful reign, it’s about time we find out more about its successor. We’ve seen updates to the current Switch with the OLED and Lite models, but it feels like we’re finally close to a proper Switch 2.

After becoming the 2nd best-selling console in history last year, it’s fair to say that Nintendo wants to keep things close to its chest. Yet, even with all the secrecy surrounding the possibility of a new Nintendo Switch, leaks have steadily trickled out these last few months and we’ve collected all the details we could find about the mystery follow-up ahead of its eventual official announcement and release.

What Will the Nintendo Switch 2 Look Like?

The look and design of the Switch 2 — as we’ll call it for now until an official announcement — is the subject of some of the heaviest leaks in recent weeks thanks to third-party accessory manufacturers who are releasing prototypes of their Switch 2 accessories. The most high-profile of these comes from accessories maker Genki, which showed off a recreation of the Switch 2 at this year’s CES which it claims is based off of the specs of a real Switch 2 that Genki says it's seen and used – something it has since backtracked on.

IGN met with Genki at CES and looked at several details about the Switch 2 design we’ve seen in leaks recently, including Joy-Cons that attach magnetically to the tablet as opposed to slide on rails like in the current Switch. Genki CEO Eddie Tsai, who again claims to have based the company’s designs on a real Switch 2, also told The Verge there is an optical sensor that could potentially turn the Joy-Cons into something like a computer mouse.

Another new addition to the Switch 2 is a mysterious new “C” button on the right Joy-Con. There are some rumors that it could be related to some kind of camera function, but neither Genki nor any leaks have any real confirmation on what this new button does. Lastly, there is also a new USB port at the top of the Switch 2 that should let players charge the system in handheld mode if they prefer having the cable above the screen, rather than below it.

The Joy-Cons look to be the area of biggest change in the Switch 2. Alongside the magnetic attachments, in May 2023 a patent was filed with the United States Patent Office and published in September, which details a magnetic field for controls rather than the plastic circuit boards seen in the current generation console that could alleviate “Joy-Con drift.”

As for the form factor itself, based on the Genki model, the Switch 2 will be largely unchanged though it will be bigger. We brought a tape measure and found Genki’s Switch 2 model is 10.5” wide, 4.5” tall, .5” thick, and has an 8” screen. For comparison, the Switch OLED is 9.5” wide, 4.5” tall, also .5” thick, and has a 7” screen. The Switch 2 could also sport a U-shaped kickstand as opposed to the ones currently on the Switch and Switch OLED.

Switch 2 Specs and Performance

Less is known about the Switch 2’s internals, and therefore performance is still a mystery. Digital Foundry was able to confirm that the Switch 2 is running a custom version of Nvidia’s T234 mobile processor called the T239. Based on an octo-core ARM A78C CPU cluster and custom graphics unit based on Nvidia’s RTX 30-series Ampere architecture, Digital Foundry's findings makes me think the Switch 2 will be more powerful than a PS4, but not comparable to current-gen consoles like the PS5.

Another wrinkle is that sources have told Digital Foundry that the custom Nvidia chip may not feature a Deep Learning Accelerator (DLA) which would limit DLSS upscaling to 1440p rather than 4K.

Lastly, per yet another leak, alleged retail listings shows the Switch 2 supports newer models of SD cards with faster transfer speeds and performance comparable to SSDs.

Switch 2 Launch Games

While the look and specs of the Switch 2 are all well and good, what about the games? Well, we know even less about the launch games for the Switch 2 than almost anything else about the console. So, let's look at some of the games that launched with the first Switch, shall we?

Looking back, the first Switch launch titles were pretty paltry. Aside from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which was truly a stunning game, the rest of the Switch's launch offerings included games like 1-2-Switch, Just Dance 2017, Snipperclips, and Shovel Knight among others.

The launch "window" was a bit better with games like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, ARMS, and Splatoon 2, plus Super Mario Odyssey towards the end of the year.

Will the Switch 2 launch games be any better? It's almost impossible to say. Nintendo still has some Switch games releasing in 2025 including Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, but that is almost certainly going to be a cross-gen game in the same way Breath of the Wild was for the Wii U and Switch. But who's to say if Metroid Prime 4 will be a launch game, or a launch window game?

Will the Switch 2 be Backwards Compatible?

Here’s one thing we do know: The Switch 2 will seemingly be backwards compatible.

Instead of a leak, this comes from Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa himself in a statement released on Nintendo’s official X account. At the November 2024 Corporate Management Policy Briefing, Furukawa announced that “Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch.”

Furukawa also says that “Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well.”

This is Furukawa. At today's Corporate Management Policy Briefing, we announced that Nintendo Switch software will also be playable on the successor to Nintendo Switch. Nintendo Switch Online will be available on the successor to Nintendo Switch as well. Further information about…

— 任天堂株式会社（企業広報・IR） (@NintendoCoLtd) November 6, 2024

While this statement isn’t fully revealing, at the very least it confirms that current Nintendo Switch games will be playable on the Switch 2, and the version of Nintendo Switch Online we know today will also be on the Switch 2. The finer details, like whether or not it’s as easy as playing our games straight from our current Nintendo Switch cartridge, or some digital transfer, is not clear.

Nintendo Switch 2 Release Date

While Nintendo hasn’t yet announced any official follow-up to their incredibly successful Nintendo Switch console, a 2025 launch seems almost certain. We just don’t know when.

In February 2024, the Japanese publication Nikkei suggested that the proposed Nintendo Switch 2 would launch in March 2025 at the earliest, contradicting previous reports. While the article covered information we’ve heard before, like the proposed iterative design scheme, Nikkei did add that the 2025 date was likely due to the company stockpiling consoles to avoid scalping at launch. As any long-term Nintendo fan knows, procuring one of the company’s new consoles can be tricky business. Those who tried will remember how difficult it was to secure a Nintendo Switch at launch in 2017, with the console suffering from inflated pricing on the aftermarket due to crafty resellers.

Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, confirmed in an interview with Nikkei, and translated by VGC, that Nintendo will support the current-gen Switch until at least March 2025. This sentiment is also backed up by previous comments Furukawa made regarding the future of the Nintendo Switch in a financial briefing Q&A in 2022. In this interview, he committed to focusing on “building long-term relationships with our consumers (through Nintendo Accounts)," he went on to reiterate ", While continuing to release new Nintendo Switch software for consumers to enjoy, we aim to maintain relationships across hardware generations through services that utilize Nintendo Accounts and by providing opportunities for them to experience our IP through other non-gaming channels."

Even with all the juicy gossip, it’s best not to hold your breath on what’s coming from the Japanese tech titan’s next console until there is an official announcement; fingers crossed we’ll get that confirmation soon.

Nintendo Switch 2 Price

There are plenty of Nintendo Switch models to consider while shopping right now, with pricing shifting dramatically depending on the version you’re looking to invest in. Looking forward to a potential Switch 2, inflation and internal specs, amongst other variables, will likely play a part in what we’ll pay for a new console at launch.

It’s hard to know what the pricing of this mystery device will be, but we’ve listed the RRP of the current range of Nintendo Switch models as a reference:

• Nintendo Switch Lite: $199.99
• Nintendo Switch: $299.99
• Nintendo Switch OLED: $349.99

Nintendo Switch 2 Models

With the range of Nintendo Switch consoles currently on the market, you may be left wondering if you’ll have the same number of choices to pick between when the next iteration rolls around.

The latest Nintendo Switch OLED model features a remarkable screen, and it feels like the future of the console, it being the most recent edition to Nintendo’s lineup. However, according to a VGC report, the next-gen Nintendo Switch may potentially feature an LCD screen instead.

The current array of Nintendo Switch models are numerous and were released over the console’s multi-year lifespan, so it’s reasonable to believe there may be several versions of a potential Nintendo Switch follow-up, too.

This piece was originally published on April 4, 2024. It has been updated on January 9, 2025.

Hyper Light Breaker, the upcoming roguelike prequel to Hyper Light Drifter, tasks you with trekking into the Overgrowth alone or with a friend in order to restore peace by defeating the Abyss King. Today we have two exclusive new gameplay videos to share with you. Both are boss fights.

The first, which you can watch above, pits you against Dro, described by the developers at Heart Machine as "a furious wolven warrior." And the second, which you can watch below, showcases Exus, whom Heart Machine calls a "fierce gladiator."

Hyper Light Breaker launches into Steam Early Access on Tuesday, January 14. Check out our first hands-on preview from 2023, and if you still want more, we previewed it again last year. Oh, and check back on Monday for one more exclusive gameplay video!

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) 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.

Hard as it is to believe, it's been almost 50 years si8nce the original Micronauts toy line hit store shelves. The franchise has been dormant for quite some time, but that's about to change as Hasbro and Super7 join forces for a new series of Micronauts action figures.

Check out the slideshow gallery below for an exclusive first look at the first two figures in Super7's Micronauts line, Biotron and Baron Karza:

The Micronauts figures are part of Super7's Reaction+ line, featuring the same 3 3/4-inch scale and retro-style packaging the line is known for. The figures aim to be as close to the original 1976 versions as possible in terms of articulation, with 12 points of articulation and an O-Ring construction.

“The return of Micronauts really represents what Hasbro and our licensing business are all about – bringing unique interactive fun and collectible experiences for fans across multiple generations,” Marianne James, Senior Vice President, Global Licensing at Hasbro, tells IGN. “The team at Super7 have done an incredible job reintroducing the line for a new generation while capturing what made the original 1970s lineup so special. We look forward to exploring even more licensing opportunities with world-class partners like Super7 to give fans unique offerings from the brand like never before.”

Super7 co-founder and CEO Brian Flynn says, "As kids, Micronauts were undeniably some of the coolest action figures ever made. Their clear bodies and interchangeable pieces were like nothing else, and their fantastical designs were out of this world (in space!) and ignited imaginations everywhere. From the colossal Biotron and the magnetic Baron Karza to the dynamic Microtron and the translucent Time Travellers, Micronauts had it all - from aliens to robots to heroes! Being able to revisit the fantastical world of Micronauts with the same childhood excitement is nothing short of a dream come true for all of us here at Super7."

Both Baron Karza and Biotron will be released later in 2025, with more Micronauts figures hopefully to follow.

In other Micronauts news, animator Eric Rogers revealed that he oversaw a 52-episode Micronauts animated series that was completed in 2020 but never released. While Rogers himself fears the series has been written off for tax purposes, similar to Warner Bros.' Batgirl movie, IGN sources indicate the series could still see the light of day alongside a live-action Micronauts movie and series.

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

Sid Meier's Civilization 7 developer Firaxis has confirmed the highly anticipated strategy game will be Steam Deck verified upon its February 6 release date.

A simple post from the official Civilization 7 X/Twitter account made the announcement. "Civ 7 is officially Steam Deck verified," it said. "Make history on the go."

The next entry in the beloved franchise promises a "revolutionary new chapter" as it "empowers you to build the greatest empire the world has ever known." Its release is finally just a few weeks away, with a lengthy eight years between it and Civilization 6.

Firaxis announced "the next iteration of the legendary Civilization franchise" was in development as of February 2023 before fully unveiling it as Civilization 7 in June 2024. Fans were relieved to hear they didn't have further years to wait thanks to a 2025 release window, and Firaxis soon after confirmed the February 6 date.

IGN called it "a more daring, risky take on the formula than any of the past few iterations have been," in our first preview. We "think that's definitely the way to go, considering those older games aren't going anywhere and are still quite playable. From ages that completely transform your chosen civilization, to a bold, readable, but grounded new art style, Firaxis is already putting their best foot forward."

It's coming to PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X and S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. Those wanting to play on its release date will need to pay $99.99 for the Deluxe Edition, while those only willing to pay $69.99 (or $59.99 on Switch) will need to wait until February 11.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

New Year, new PC! This January is the perfect time to take advantage of the latest deals to upgrade your setup without feeling like your wallet’s been raided. If your current laptop is lagging or struggling with the latest games, now’s the ideal time to level up. This year’s Nvidia holiday gaming deals deliver impressive discounts across laptops, desktops, and GPUs from top brands like ASUS, Razer, MSI, and Acer.

Whether you’re after a budget-friendly option that can run the latest AAA releases, or a high-performance rig capable of adding raytracing and 4K gameplay, there’s something here to suit every player’s needs and budget. Here’s a roundup of the best deals you can grab right now.

Editor’s Note: This article is brought to you in partnership with Nvidia. If you're looking for US deals, consider our latest gaming PC deals here instead.

January Gaming Laptop Deals

Whether you’re climbing the ranked ladder during your commute or diving into AAA games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard from the comfort of your bed, a gaming laptop should deliver a trifecta: performance, durability, and value. This January, PC gamers can look forward to some killer deals on laptops featuring Nvidia Laptop GPUs. From sleek, travel-friendly builds to rugged workhorses ready for battle, there’s something for every type of gamer.

One of our top picks is the ACER Predator Helios Neo 16” laptop, which is £1099 at Currys right now, saving you a huge £600! Built with performance in mind, it packs impressive specs for the price, including an RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, making it ready to take on anything from Elden Ring to spreadsheets while saving you a hefty sum.

Looking for a cheaper option? The Acer Nitro V 15 is a fantastic alternative, now just £599.99 at Amazon—a solid £200 off the RRP. This laptop strikes a great balance between affordability and performance, featuring a 13th Gen Intel i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop GPU. It’s a great choice for those seeking a capable and cost-effective gaming setup.”

January GPU Deals

Dale, Mat, and Jesse storm into 2025 with their opinions on Squid Game season 2 and discuss Jesse's mad playstyle for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 at length. "What do these have in common?" I hear you yell. Mass murder... lots of mass murder.

We also have an increased amount of feedback this week, with some juicy questions about cardigans and goodie hunting. Remember to send us your thoughts about all the new games, TV shows, and films you're enjoying or looking forward to: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

IGN UK Podcast 782: Squid Game and Jesse's Shocking KCD2 Playstyle

• IGN UK Podcast 781: The Big 2025 Movies and Games Preview
• IGN UK Podcast 780: The Alternative Game Awards 2024
• IGN UK Podcast 779: The Alternative Movie and TV Awards 2024
• IGN UK Podcast 778: The Game Awards Reveals and Ferry Fights
• IGN UK Podcast Special Episode: We Visited CD Projekt Red to Talk About The Witcher 4

Eidos-Montréal’s much-loved Deux Ex prequel series famously ended on a cliffhanger with Mankind Divided, frustrating fans. Now, they know exactly what they missed out on.

During an episode of the From Script to Life podcast, Human Revolution and Mankind Divided writer Mark Cecere discussed where protagonist Adam Jensen’s story would have gone in the third game, were it not canceled. The writers planned for Jensen to take out one member of the Illuminati rather than the Illuminati itself, which would have caused “Bob Page to become Bob Page.”

Bob Page is the antagonist of the original Deus Ex game, Ion Storm’s hugely influential 2000 cyberpunk adventure. So, in this way, Jensen’s fate is to cause Deux Ex.

“He can never catch up to the Illuminati,” Cecere explained. “We know this. We know the Illuminati keep going until 2050. We know some of those same characters that are in the Illuminati inner circle are in 2050. So Jensen can never get there and do something concrete.

“So, what can happen? That was the question we were trying to answer at some point. So we did have one name that we could get rid of, and that was the one that Jensen would have caught up to and done something.

“The repercussions were that by Jensen doing this, it causes Deus Ex, if that makes sense. And that’s the tragedy of Jensen, is that he causes what happens after — by doing something — he causes Bob Page to become Bob Page. That was where we were heading.”

Unfortunately, it seems unlikely we’ll ever get to see this version of events. After the release of Mankind Divided in 2016, previous owner Square Enix had Eidos-Montréal shift to other projects, including 2021's Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. Then, in 2022, Square Enix sold Eidos-Montréal and the Deus Ex franchise to controversial umbrella company Embracer. Work on a brand new Deus Ex game had already begun, but this too was canceled in 2024, resulting in signifcant layoffs at Eidos-Montréal.

At the time, Elias Toufexis, who played Adam Jensen, waved goodbye to the character seemingly for good, saying: “alas, his story seems done.” While Toufexis confirmed he had not worked on this latest canceled Deus Ex game and expressed hope that another company might pick up the Deus Ex licence, it felt final.

Now, reacting to Cecere’s comments, Toufexis said: “Hey this would have been fun huh?”

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

There's no better way to kick off the new year than with some nice video game deals. Thankfully Amazon and Walmart are already offering up some great discounts, including a first-time price drop on the physical edition of Black Myth: Wukong for PlayStation 5 (see here at Amazon, see here at Walmart).

Normally this game runs for $64.99 but you can grab it today for $56.99 at both retailers. This physical edition is well worth picking up as well considering it comes with a digital deluxe upgrade with some extra items. Check out the deal and more information on the digital deluxe items included below.

Black Myth: Wukong for PS5 Down to $56.99

Alongside a physical disc with the base game, this copy also comes with a digital deluxe edition voucher code that'll get you some cool items featured in the digital deluxe edition of the game. Those are:

• Bronzecloud Staff
• Folk Opera Mask
• Folk Opera Almsgiving Armor
• Folk Opera Leather Bracers
• Folk Opera Buskins
• Wind Chimes
• Selected Digital Soundtrack

We had plenty of praise for Black Myth: Wukong in our review. IGN's Mitchell Saltzman said that, "Combat is fantastic thanks to a great balance of careful resource management and lightning-fast, twitch-reaction gameplay that tested my skills as much as Elden Ring ever has, despite being a more traditional action game than FromSoftware’s style. Not only that, but there are a ton of exciting boss battles, a great variety of enemies, and the world they inhabit is an absolute treat for the eyes and ears."

If you're looking for even more physical game deals to take advantage of right now, look no further than Best Buy. Right now the retailer has a sale on Ubisoft games, so you can score discounts on the likes of Star Wars Outlaws, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and more.

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

It’s been a long time coming, but the Fantastic Four are finally back in the spotlight. Between the team making their Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in The Fantastic Four: First Steps this July, the One World Under Doom event shaking up the mainline comic universe as Ryan North continues his acclaimed run on the property, and NetEase’s hero shooter Marvel Rivals making the F4 the focus of Eternal Night Falls (the first post-launch season), 2025 is shaping up to be the year that Marvel’s First Family reclaims their position as one of the Marvel universe’s core pillars.

Yet the fact that they were ever not is a crime in itself. The 2010s saw the Fantastic Four lose a lot of their luster between their comic series being cancelled from 2015 to 2018, Josh Trank’s 2015 reboot becoming one of the worst-received comic book movies of all time, and supporting cast members being removed from cartoons and video games, such as Doctor Doom not appearing in Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite despite being a series mainstay. That’s all set to change in 2025, with all the new media featuring the Fantastic Four being a much-needed correction. Let’s take a look at how we got here and why 2025 is the year of the Fantastic Four.

The 2010s: Less Than Fantastic

The 2010s were a pivotal decade for Marvel’s ascension to the top of the pop culture pyramid because of the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Avengers were one of Marvel’s longest-running brands going as far back as 1963, but they weren’t household names in the same way Spider-Man or the X-Men were until Marvel Studios turned the likes of Iron Man, Captain America and Thor into superstars. Now, we’re happy that those long-standing Marvel heroes are as beloved by the general public today as they are by us nerds. But the rise of the MCU also had a dark side in how it dealt with the franchises Marvel Studios didn’t have access to on the movies side, where competitors they needed to outshine controlled certain characters. In particular, we're talking about the Fantastic Four and X-Men licenses once held by 20th Century Fox.

At the height of MCU mania in the mid-2010s, Marvel moved away from Fantastic Four and X-Men merchandise in favor of boosting properties they’d produced or were developing into films. That would be one thing, but the Fantastic Four also suffered the indignity of having their comic cancelled over the situation. Longtime Marvel writer Jonathan Hickman, who wrote the Fantastic Four book from 2009 to 2012 and is currently working on Ultimate Spider-Man, confirmed that Marvel stopped publishing Fantastic Four “because of their disagreement with Fox.” That Marvel resumed publishing the main F4 book when Disney was in the process of purchasing 20th Century Fox is most likely not a coincidence. Not to valorize corporate consolidation, but Disney reacquiring the Fantastic Four film license seems to have opened the gates for the characters to make their return to prominence in both comics and adaptations.

It’s important to remember that despite no longer being at the height of their popularity, we wouldn’t have a Marvel universe without the Fantastic Four. Their debut in 1961 was the genesis from which Stan Lee and Jack Kirby launched nearly all of the Marvel characters we’ve come to know and love in the time since, and their book featured the first appearances of many Marvel icons such as Doctor Doom, Silver Surfer, Galactus, the Watcher, Black Panther, Adam Warlock, Agatha Harkness, the Skrulls, the Kree, the Inhumans and more. That pedigree alone should permanently guarantee them a spot in Marvel’s main pantheon, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any media about the Fantastic Four beyond their own comic from the past decade or so. Luckily, we now know things are about to turn around.

2025: The Return of the Fantastic Four

It’s crazy to realize that the Fantastic Four will finally join the MCU a mere 17 years (!) after it began, but better late than never, we suppose. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the second reboot of the Fantastic Four film franchise (third if you count the unreleased 1994 film), and will bring the F4 back to the big screen. The excitement for First Steps is a far cry from where we were 10 years ago, when Fox’s last attempt at an F4 film left fans worried that we’d never see the First Family in live-action ever again. It’s hard to overstate just how doomed (ha) the Fantastic Four felt when Fant4stic (as the title was stylized) bombed in theaters back in 2015. But now that they’re back in Marvel’s hands, we know that we’re not just getting a new take on the Fantastic Four, but that they’re also set to be major players in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, where the team will confront Robert Downey, Jr’s Doctor Doom.

But it’s not just the movies. Ryan North has been penning the main Fantastic Four comic for the past couple of years, and will also be writing Marvel’s big 2025 crossover event One World Under Doom. This series will feature the Avengers and Fantastic Four dealing with a world where Doctor Doom has not just taken up the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme, but is also the self-declared Emperor of Earth. It’s not the first time Doom has conquered the planet (see David Michelinie and Bob Hall’s Marvel Graphic Novel #27: Emperor Doom from 1987 and Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić’s 2015 Secret Wars for his previous successes), but placing the Fantastic Four’s greatest nemesis at the center of their publishing year is surely a calculated effort on Marvel’s part to push the Fantastic Four franchise into the limelight as they prepare to make Doom their new Thanos for the Multiverse Saga.

And most pressingly, the Fantastic Four are set to join Marvel Rivals as the first batch of post-launch playable characters in Season 1: Eternal Night Falls, where the F4 and the rest of the hero roster must confront Dracula and his legions in New York City. Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman will join the battlefield on January 10 as the game’s newest Duelist and Strategist respectively, with the Thing and the Human Torch making their debut later in the season. The team’s robot companion HERBIE will also appear as a map item, with heroes needing to escort the little guy through the vampire-infested NYC. Making the Fantastic Four the focus of the first full chapter of Rivals’ overarching narrative shows how important they should be to every version of the Marvel universe.

It took some time, but with the Fantastic Four now back in movies, comics and games, hopefully we never again have to go through an extended period without Marvel’s First Family.

Carlos Morales writes novels, articles and Mass Effect essays. You can follow his fixations on Bluesky.

Registrations for Elden Ring Nightreign’s hotly anticipated network test go live today, January 10. Here’s everything you need to know to put your name down.

The network test will be held on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S only, whereas the full game will also launch on PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

To register, head to the Bandai Namco website and enter your details. It's worth noting that registration closes January 20, and only offers a chance to join the Elden Ring Nightreign network test. The test is open to those who do not subscribe to PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass Core.

Elden Ring Nightreign network test registration times:

• 6am PT, January 10
• 9am ET, January 10
• 2pm GMT, January 10
• 3pm CET, January 10
• 11pm JST, January 10

The test itself begins February 14 and ends February 17, with various session times planned. This means you won't be able to play the network test throughout the entire four days, rather during five three-hour periods only.

Elden Ring Nightreign network test session timings:

• February 14: 3am-6am PT / 6am-9am ET
• February 14: 7pm-10pm PT / 10pm-1am ET
• February 15: 11am-2pm PT / 2pm-5pm ET
• February 16: 3am-6am PT / 6am-9am ET
• February 16: 7pm-10pm PT / 10pm-1am ET

The network test is a “preliminary verification test in which the selected testers play a portion of the game prior to the full game launch,” Bandai Namco said.

"This large-scale Network Stress Test is designed to evaluate various aspects of the online system's functionality and performance.

"We are looking forward to your cooperation to make Elden Ring Nightreign even better."

Bandai Namco has yet to say exactly what the Elden Ring Nightreign network test will offer, but did warn some text and game features may be different than in the final version.

Elden Ring Nightreign is FromSoftware’s standalone co-operative spin-off set in a world parallel to that of 2022’s Elden Ring. It was announced at The Game Awards 2024 with a debut trailer, below, and a 2025 release window.

The network test will allow three players to team up and take their chosen Nightfarers to battle "against new terrors, and explore an ever-changing map to defeat increasingly challenging bosses and ultimately take on the Nightlord," Bandai Namco added, before confirming the network test features a three day-and-night cycle squads must try to outlast.

Here's the official blurb:

The all-new adventure in Elden Ring Nightreign begins at the Roundtable Hold, set in a universe parallel to the events of Elden Ring. Players must choose from eight unique characters, each with their own abilities and powerful Ultimates. Their journeys take them to Limveld, an ever-changing environment, where they will have to make split-second decisions when it comes to combat and exploration in the face of a night cycle that shrinks the map with the coming Night’s Tide.

At the end of each night, players will face a powerful boss and, if victorious, awaken to bigger challenges. Each session will culminate in the third night when they must face off against the chosen Nightlord. Individuals can fight the night alone, but strength will come in numbers. Nightfarers must learn to cooperate to take down these challenges, combining their unique abilities together for an unparalleled experience. All is not lost for those who fall in defeat. Unsuccessful runs will grant players relics to allow them to customize and upgrade their characters tailored to their personal play styles.

Elden Ring Nightreign is unlike any experience created before by FromSoftware, Inc. In this condensed action RPG, players will never experience the same journey twice as enemies, rewards, and Limveld itself are ever-shifting and evolving with each new session. Defeating greater enemies and venturing into the more dangerous parts of the map will uncover more powerful weapons and greater Rune rewards. Finding Sites of Grace gives each hero a chance to level up and gain crucial power. With each session-based adventure being akin to playing through an open-air dungeon, every journey provides an opportunity to grow lasting stat bonuses. Successful runs against the night bring players ever closer to defeating the Nightlord and unraveling the story behind each Nightfarer in this parallel world.

Last year IGN had the opportunity to visit FromSoftware and go hands-on with an early build of Elden Ring Nightreign. We came away impressed, stating that Elden Ring Nightreign “takes the cautious dungeon crawls of Elden Ring and turbocharges them into propulsive, slash ‘n’ dash speedruns.”

Check out IGN's interview with game director Junya Ishizaki for even more on Elden Ring Nightreign.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Dungeons & Dragons show Critical Role has cancelled this week's livestream due to the wildfires currently raging across Los Angeles.

As reported by Polygon, the LA-based Critical Role cancelled its January 9, 2025 livestream though said it intends to be back next week.

"As the evolving fires in Los Angeles are directly impacting our cast and crew, we're taking a break from streaming this week with the intention of returning to Exandria next Thursday, January 16," it announced on X/Twitter.

🚨IMPORTANT UPDATE 🚨

As the evolving fires in Los Angeles are directly impacting our cast and crew, we're taking a break from streaming this week with the intention of returning to Exandria next Thursday, January 16th.

In the meantime, the kindness of Critters like you has… pic.twitter.com/BvJzhUJsCj

— Critical Role (@CriticalRole) January 8, 2025

Critical Role senior vice president of marketing Rachel Romero told Polygon "some of our family, friends, colleagues, co-workers have lost their houses, businesses, and other places that feel like home to them.

"We are absolutely heartbroken to see so much destruction and loss in our own backyard and encourage everyone to take a moment and think through how they can best support, whether that is through a monetary donation, food or supplies donations here locally, or just sharing resources within your own network, whether it be online or offline."

Critical Role's own non-profit, the Critical Role Foundation, has donated $30,000 to the California Community Foundation’s Wildlife Recovery Fund. The crisis began January 7 and five wildfires are currently raging in the great Los Angeles area.

Production on some of Hollywood's biggest shows, including Fallout Season 2, has come to a screeching halt. Filming permits across fire-stricken areas have been withdrawn, which means the re-start of production for Fallout Season 2 has been postponed. NBCUnviersal said productions Hacks, Loot, Ted, Suits: LA, and Happy's Place were suspendended as well.

Elsewhere, CBS halted production on NCIS, NCIS: Origins, and After Midnight, while Disney paused Doctor Odyssey, Grey's Anatomy, and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Warner Bros. studio in Burbank was closed, affecting Abbot Elementary among other shows.

Image credit: Anna Webber/Getty Images for Prime Video.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Ubisoft has seemingly leaked the first expansion for Japan-set Assassin's Creed Shadows following its announcement of another delay.

As reported by Insider Gaming, the game's Steam page was momentarily updated to include information on a 10-hour piece of downloadable content called Claws of Awaji, which will add a whole new map to the open-world game.

"Pre-purchase now to get a bonus mission and the upcoming Claws of Awaji expansion," the Steam page read. "Travel to a new region, get over 10 hours of additional content, and unlock a new weapon type, new skills, gear, and abilities."

The phrasing is a little confusing, as it makes it sound as though Claws of Awaji will only be available to those who pre-purchase the game, similar to the previously announced "bonus mission" Thrown to the Dogs. This would be unusual, however, as major expansions such as this are usually reserved for Season Passes.

That being said, Ubisoft is ditching the Season Pass model for Assassin's Creed Shadows following major practice shake-ups in the wake of Star Wars Outlaws underperforming. Alongside scrapping the Season Pass, which would typically let players access two larger expansions for an additional $30 or so, Ubisoft is cancelling plans to charge players more to play on launch day. It is therefore assumed DLC expansions such as Claws of Awaji will be made free for all players.

Though details are restricted to the brief paragraph published to Steam, the name Claws of Awaji does shed some light on what players will find in the DLC. Ubisoft quietly revealed Assassin's Creed Shadows' world map in the Collector's Edition trailer, which showed nine detailed regions plus one small island left blank.

Five-time WWE world champion Seth Rollins has confirmed he is not in upcoming MCU movie Captain America: Brave New World, saying his role was cut following extensive rewrites of the script and subsequent reshoots.

Fans thought they had spotted Rollins' Captain America cameo in a trailer for the movie released last year, although Rollins denied it at the time. Now, it has emerged that the wrestler was set to appear in the film before his role was cut.

Not me, kid. Sorry.

— Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) November 10, 2024

Speaking in a video interview with YouTuber Chris Van Vliet, Rollins confirmed the news. “I wish it the best, but I am not a part of that film,” he said.

“Does my NDA still apply if I’m not on the film anymore?” he continued. “Truth be told, any answer I gave you would only be my opinion on it. The script went through a lot of rewrites and reshoots and so what I was there to do... Essentially my role got either repurposed or completely erased.

“I did do a bit of an audition to possibly pop into another role I believe, or the repurposing of my role. I’m not exactly sure on what it was.

“But they ended up going in a different direction with it. My understanding is there was just a lot of rewrites and a lot of reshoots. They know they’ve got a finished product that hopefully they’re happy with, and hopefully it’s successful. But it will be sans Seth Rollins.”

The Marvel Rivals Season 1 update appears to have done more than add the Fantastic Four — players say it's also cracked down on mods.

Ever since Marvel Rivals’ hugely successful December launch players have used mods to create custom skins despite concern over account bans. Popular mods include turning Iron Man into Vegeta from Dragon Ball and Mantis into a goth. There’s even a mod that turns Jeff the Land Shark into Pochita from Chainsaw Man.