It’d be difficult for any TV series, let alone an anime series, to be greeted with higher expectations than Lazarus. And, as Lazarus proves, it’d be equally difficult to live up to those expectations. The series comes from Shinichirō Watanabe, creator of the undisputed anime masterpiece Cowboy Bebop. With action overseen by John Wick director Chad Stahelski and a soundtrack featuring original compositions by the tantalizing trio of Kamasi Washington, Floating Points, and Bonobos, it would seem Lazarus promises nothing but slick and exciting visuals, storytelling, and atmosphere. In the first five episodes, only some of those promises are fulfilled. The opening chapters of Watanabe’s mildly compelling mystery anime remain watchable not because of the style on display or how much we care about the characters, but because of its heightened, apocalyptic stakes.
The beginning of Lazarus gives you no time to breathe: It instantly hits you with bucket loads of context and double-exposed imagery that define its vision of the future. The year is 2052, and a miracle painkiller called Hapna has exploded in popularity across the globe, ending humanity’s relationship to pain and putting a large chunk of the population in a perpetual sleepwalk. Believing this was a mistake, the drug’s creator, Dr. Skinner, announces that within 30 days, everyone who has ever taken Hapna will die. The sensory overload and intrigue surrounding this information is almost enough to paper over the clunky dialogue and poor acting (in the English version, anyway) that relays it.
Dropping such a nuclear event in the first episode is a bold decision. My brain was flooded with curiosity as to how the world would react and questions of how this was even possible, and why someone would decide that genocide on this level was the answer. It’s completely ridiculous, but Dr. Skinner’s speech announcing his intentions is packed with enough shock, intrigue, and mystery that it propelled me through the next four episodes – despite some of the less interesting turns they take.
Watanabe opts for a cold visual approach with Lazarus, with desaturated colors and metallic production design. That chilliness – also reflected in the steely, detached members of the Suicide Squad-like team looking to get a cure from Dr. Skinner – means that the plot and action need to deliver in order for the show to remain engaging. On this front, the results are mixed.
The style of action on display is apparent from the scene that introduces Axel, an inmate being recruited for the dangerous mission at the center of Lazarus. Taking advantage of the situation, Axel uses his almost superhuman kung fu and parkour skills to escape, something he apparently has done over 100 times. The 2D animation is slightly aided by CG in these fight scenes, to great effect. It puts us extremely close to the action – with punches flying right past us – while still letting us understand what’s happening on screen, thanks to the added mobility of the camera in CG. Even when the combat on Lazarus feels a little familiar – Stahelski’s blessing and curse, having now reshaped action filmmaking twice over as a stunt performer and coordinator in The Matrix movies and the architect of the John Wick franchise – the way it’s presented still feels intense and spectacular.
Yet there’s still room for Lazarus’ action to improve in future episodes. Axel and his colleagues are so capable at hand-to-hand combat that there’s no tension or peril in these scenes – despite the unerringly good soundtrack’s best efforts to establish those feelings. As such, I’m thankful for the one thrilling sequence that bucks this trend, involving a helicopter and a Green Goblin-esque glider.
There’s still room for Lazarus’ action to improve in future episodes.
A bigger problem is just how functional the characters are. They’re a group of hyper-competent spies who are too cool to seem like they care about their assignment – which is, as a reminder, to prevent the deaths of billions of people. Lazarus frustratingly shies away from emotion in the middle of this doomsday scenario in favor of a cool factor that never actually feels that cool. Axel is meant to be the character we see this new world through, but he seems to find everything so easy, like he knows he’s going to survive no matter the challenge. I want to feel the effect of each hour passing, bringing us closer to doom. I want to understand the exhaustion and panic that must come with being tasked to save the world. Instead, Axel treats everything like a game – which could make for an interesting character arc past these five episodes, if Lazarus hadn’t sacrificed my investment in him as a person from the get-go. (A similar constraint affects the side characters as well.)
Watanabe has something to say through Lazarus, but it’s watered down and held back in these five episodes. The message about the way modern society sees and deals with pain is limited to monologues at the start of each episode, in which various characters detail their first encounters with Hapna. In a short span of time, a lot is said about how people desire numbness, and how readily available and monetized it is. But these first passages of Lazarus only touch on these topics briefly, leaving the big questions posed in the premiere – about Skinner’s motivations and how the world at large might react to its impending doom – to be answered (or not) by the episodes to follow.
If you are planning a PC build and have been waiting patiently to get ahold of one of the new Nvidia Blackwell graphics cards, here's an opportunity that's as good as you're going to get. Right now Amazon has Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Gaming OC graphics cards in stock starting at $899.99 shipped. Inventory is reserved for Amazon Prime members only.
TLDR; Here's a quick list of the GPUs that we've found in stock:
Although the MSRP for these cards range from $899.99 to $999.99, a reference GeForce RTX 5070 Ti card is actually supposed to sell for $750. More advanced cooling designs, a more uncommon colorway, or overclocking out of the box add to the cost, but even then, admittedly, these cards are still priced higher than AMD originally intended.
The reality is that even third party manufacturers like Gigabyte, MSI, Asus (and pretty much everyone else) are also taking advantage of the high demand by marking prices up from the get-go. Unfortunately, you'd be hard pressed to find another RTX 5070 Ti GPU for this price or less. RTX 5070 Ti GPUs are generally selling for over $1,000 on eBay.
The RTX 5070 Ti GPU Has Excellent 4K Gaming Performance
Of all the Blackwell cards released thus far, the RTX 5070 Ti offers the best bang for your buck, especially when pitted against the previous generation GPUs. It performs neck-and-neck with the RTX 4080 Super and already marginalizes the RTX 5080, which is only about 10%-15% faster but costs 33% more. This GPU is capable of high framerates in nearly all games, even at 4K resolution with ray tracing enabled. Heck, even if you plan on using this card for AI, the RTX 5070 Ti might be the better value than the RTX 50870 since both are equipped with the same 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM.
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.
Spider-Man and Wolverine are undoubtedly the two biggest characters at Marvel Comics, but it’s not often that their paths directly cross. Even during that very brief period when Peter Parker was a teacher at the Jean Grey Institute, Logan was enjoying the sweet embrace of death. So it’s a pretty big deal that Marvel has revealed a new monthly team-up series called Spider-Man & Wolverine.
Why are these two iconic heroes joining forces? What threat is so great that it requires both Spidey and Wolverine to fight it? And can these two fiery personalities put aside their differences long enough to get the job done? IGN spoke with writer Marc Guggenheim and artist Kaare Andrews via email to learn more about the new series. First, check out an exclusive preview of Spider-Man & Wolverine #1 below, and then read on to see what they had to say.
The Legacy of Spider-Man vs. Wolverine
Apart from the occasional big crossover like 1984’s Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, Spider-Man and Wolverine didn’t have a long track record of teaming up in the first several decades of their Marvel careers. That only really changed with 1987’s Spider-Man vs. Wolverine, a dark crossover special that ends on a particularly bleak note for Peter Parker. That issue set the tone for every Spider-Man/Wolverine team-up that followed.
Given its lofty status, we were curious if Guggenheim and Andrews felt at all intimidated in taking on this assignment. How long a shadow does Spider-Man vs. Wolverine cast over this new series?
“I’m a huge fan of the 1987 one-shot,” Guggenheim tells IGN. “I loved it as a kid and it really left an impression on me. I wouldn’t say, however, that I’ve found myself intimidated by it. It may set a bar in terms of quality, but it’s very tonally different from what I’m trying to do. (Though issue #2 features a pretty bonkers fight between Peter and Logan.)”
“You know, I just don’t look at life as a series of intimidations,” Andrews says. “I look at everything as opportunity and risk—and the bigger the opportunity, the bigger the risk that is required. And I’m constantly betting the bank on whatever I’m doing. Not every endeavor works with that sort of instinct, but comics does. And this is why comics can be the greatest job in the world. You create your own risks, are rarely held back from leaping off of tall objects, and the crashing and tumbling to the floor is the energy it takes to draw the work—to tell the stories.”
Andrews continues, “I loved that first book and was always haunted by the small panel sequence at the end of the story, the same images that haunted Peter Parker. A repeated panel that lingers with Peter after the job is done. That’s pure comics language. You can’t replicate it in any other medium. If anything, I’m looking to be inspired by that sense memory, that residue. I’m looking for new ways to leave our readers with that same haunting. Maybe not in the same way—but in some way. Thank God I loved that comic so much. It makes it a joy to take on these pages and real benchmark to not just hit—but at some opportunity to better. Nothing would be worse than not being inspired, than not having risks, than not measuring yourself up against everything you love. Working to exhaustion on projects with high risk/rewards is a gift that comics gives me. I love this thing. This medium. This language.”
Neither creator is a stranger to Spider-Man or Wolverine at this point. For his part, Guggenheim worked on both the ongoing Wolverine and Amazing Spider-Man comics in the ‘00s, including serving as one of the rotating writers on Marvel’s controversial Spider-Man Brand New Day initiative (the inspiration behind the next MCU Spider-Man movie). Is it difficult to settle back in with these characters after some time away? Has either Peter or Logan really changed in that time? As Guggenheim reveals, he’s the one that’s really changed over the years.
“I don’t think Peter and Logan have changed all that much since I first wrote them,” Guggenheim says. “What’s truly different is how much I’ve changed as a writer. I wrote Spider-Man and Wolverine very early in my writing career and I feel like I’ve evolved immeasurably since those early days. One of the appeals of this project for me is the chance to revisit these two icons as, quite frankly, a better writer.”
Whether or not Andrews is a better artist than he was two decades ago, he’s certainly a different one. One of the hallmarks of Andrews’ art style is that he has no set style. His work evolves and shifts with each new project. But as Andrews explains, Spider-Man & Wolverine is a case of him revisiting an earlier era of Marvel, drawing inspiration from the comics he loved as a young reader.
“You know, my favorite martial artist was Bruce Lee,” Andrews says. “And what Bruce did to revolutionize martial arts was to both abandon and combine styles. To create ‘All Styles Combat’. And that’s how I view artmaking. One time it’s Judo, one time it’s Greco-American Wrestling, one time it’s Kung-Fu or Boxing. And at the same time I know it’s the ‘wrong way’ to do this job. How do you build a fanbase by constantly changing? But I’ve never really been interested in building fanbases. I’m interested in ART. I’m interested in IDEAS. I’m interested in THE NEW. And sometimes the ‘new’ is a revitalization of the ‘old.’ A loop back. You know, I’ve always been experimental—wanting to zig while the world zags. And for a while, that meant my comic art became pretty out there. But now every comic seems a little out there. And I’ve found the most subversive, the most exciting pocket for me is this return to the kinds of comic art I grew up reading. A sort of ‘retro-nouveau’.”
Andrews continues, “At the moment, I’m interested in the kind of comic art that used to hit me right in the middle. Not a recreation of anything in particular but an inspiration of how I remembered those books. And it’s not nostalgia. It’s not homage. It’s life. It’s taking chances and doing the wrong thing because it feels right. If you’ve been following some of my covers for the past couple of years, it’s in line with those. And you know, those covers—I started doing them as a sort of exploration of the past. Of my past. Comics. Fandom. And I found so much joy, so much energy, so much ‘taboo’ that that energy has sort of taken over my body and I’m just radiating with it. For now. Because everything changes. Everything grows. And eventually dies. But until then—you go to LIVE, baby. Whatever that means to you. LIVE.”
Spider-Man and Wolverine’s Dynamic
Peter Parker and Logan have certainly had a rocky relationship over the years. They’ve been at each other’s throats, they’ve been fellow Avengers, and they even went on a cross-dimensional caper together in Jason Aaron and Adam Kubert’s Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine. But where do things stand these days? How is the dynamic between these heroes in 2025?
“Well, the beauty part of teaming up Wolverine and Spider-Man is that even when they’re allies, there’s friction. It’s like a buddy action comedy,” Guggenheim says. “That being said, there’s something that causes more than friction between Peter and Logan. It’s actually rather combustible. Expect a lot of fireworks.”
“You know there’ll be some friction. You know they’ll be allies, they’ll be foes, they’ll be a team-up and against,” Andrews adds. “But why this time? Why this book? How many times can we team up Wolverine and Spider-Man and make it meaningful? I will tell you this. These are my two favorite Marvel heroes in existence. I have never drawn them together before. Never told stories with them before. And this one will be special. We are telling stories I didn’t think they’d allow us to tell. This is the new. This is the real. If you love comics or have loved comics you NEED to pick up this book.”
As far as what brings the two characters together again, Guggenheim teases, “The narrative gets kickstarted by something called ‘the Janus Directory’ — a comprehensive database of the true identities of every undercover operative in the world going back decades. Without spoiling things, I can say that Peter and Logan both have very good reasons to want to keep the Directory out of enemy hands.”
Wolverine is practically the poster child for superheroes with shadowy pasts, and even the Parker family has a few skeletons in its closet at this point. Marvel has teased that the new series will delve into both characters’ respective pasts, but Guggenheim confirms that readers needn’t worry about being well-versed in the history of either hero. Spider-Man & Wolverine will be exploring new revelations surrounding these characters, not returning to the Weapon X well.
“[It’s] not really anything I can go into too much detail about at the moment,” Guggenheim says. That being said, my approach to continuity — Peter and Logan’s respective pasts, specifically — is designed to be completely new reader-friendly. Whenever we reference the past, we’ll do more than reference it — we’ll show it. No homework required.”
In general, Spider-Man & Wolverine is designed to be as accessible as possible to Marvel newcomers. While the series will reflect each character’s current status quo, as established in the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man relaunch and Marvel’s X-Men: From the Ashes initiative, it’s telling a standalone story that only requires a basic familiarity with Spider-Man and Wolverine.
“We’ll definitely be referencing what’s happening in the parent titles — Peter’s current girlfriend shows up in Issue 1, for example — but this series is really designed to be enjoyed on its own,” Guggenheim says. “It’s not entirely an ‘evergreen’ but that’s the general approach we’re taking with it. We really want this series to be able to stand on its own and stand the test of time. No pressure, obviously.”
Spider-Man & Wolverine #1 will be released on May 7, 2025.
A Minecraft Movie just hit theaters, but fans are already able to preorder the limited edition steelbook of the new film. Starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, the new Minecraft movie is a fun comedy for the entire family. Whether you've played the best-selling video game or are an armchair observer of the Minecraft phenomenon, this new steelbook is potentially worth adding to any video game movie collection.
The new limited-edition steelbook is priced at $37.99 and does not currently have a release date. Standard Blu-ray and DVD copies of the movie are up for preorder too, but these are less likely to sell out.
A Minecraft Movie 4K Steelbook Is Up for Preorder
This new steelbook is priced fairly resonably considering some major movies will start upward of $60 for limited edtions. The steelbook itself features a ton of minecraft mobs, items, and animals across the cover. The indside also includes high-res Creepers in all their glory. You'll get both the 4K and Blu-ray disc with your purchase, and special features are included within.
This preorder also comes with Amazon's preorder price guarantee. This basically means that if you preorder now at full retail price, you won't necessarily have to pay that full price. Amazon will often offer discounts on preorders before the actual release date and you'll pay the lowest price the steelbook reaches before it gets shipped to you.
It’s been a wild 48-hour news cycle if you follow economics at all, and wilder still if you’re a Nintendo fan.
On Wednesday, we learned that the Nintendo Switch 2 would cost $450 in the United States, a painfully high price that analysts say was partly due to expectation of tariffs, and partly due to other factors like inflation, competition, and component costs.
Then, last night, the Trump Administration announced wide-reaching 10% tariffs on essentially every country, with much higher tariffs on numerous nations such as China, the EU, Japan, Vietnam, Canada, Mexico, and many, many others. In response, China announced this morning a 34% reciprocal tariff on all U.S. goods. And just hours ago, in the wake of all this, Nintendo announced it would be postponing Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the U.S. while it evaluated the impact of tariffs on its console plans.
It’s an unprecedented situation for everyone, both within and outside of gaming, and one that analysts, experts, and the general public are still trying to make sense of. Which is why just a short 30 minutes before Nintendo dropped its shocking pre-order news, I was on the phone with Aubrey Quinn, a spokesperson for the Entertainment Software Association, to discuss the impact these tariffs would have on the industry writ large.
The ESA, like everyone else, is still trying to figure out how all this is going to play out. Broadly, she says, they have some expectations. They knew tariffs of some sort were coming – both due to Trump’s past actions in his first administration and his repeated discussion of them on the campaign trail. And, once implemented, Quinn says they expected there would be risk of retaliation from other countries like China, as well as even more future tariffs and levies from the U.S. But the jury is still out on how this will ultimately play out.
What the ESA does feel confident saying, though, is that these tariffs will have a negative impact on video games:
“We really are, at this point, just watching and trying not to have knee-jerk reactions, because we don't think that what President Trump announced this week is the end of the story, but what was announced this week and the tariffs as outlined, we do expect these tariffs will have a real and detrimental impact on the industry and the hundreds of millions of Americans who love to play games,” Quinn says. “And so our goal is to work with the administration, to work with other elected officials to try to find a solution that doesn't damage U.S. industries, U.S. business, but also American gamers and families.”
We do expect these tariffs will have a real and detrimental impact on the industry.
When Quinn says there will be a detrimental impact, she doesn’t just mean the cost of systems, though she says it’s “hard to imagine a world where tariffs like these don’t impact pricing.” She says consumer spending will also be impacted, which will in turn impact company revenue. If companies see their profits drop, that will in turn impact jobs, as well as investment in research and development, and even what the next generation of consoles looks like. “The entire consumer ecosystem is connected,” she says.
So what’s the ESA doing about it? Well, a few things so far, but Quinn acknowledges it’s been difficult to get started. Even though the tariffs didn’t come as a surprise to anyone, she says the Trump Administration hasn’t been back in office for long – really just two months. Trump’s cabinet and administration is almost entirely made up of new people, too, so the ESA hasn’t been able to leverage relationships from his last term in office. And some of them were only appointed weeks ago.
“But yes, the short answer is we know who the conversations need to be happening with, and we are working on making connections and making sure that they understand that we are eager to work with them to find solutions that this is about public, private sector conversations happening, so we can understand and make sure that they see the impact and the risk of impact to business, to consumers, and really everything that's happening within the US borders,” she concludes.
I think the more members of government...who hear that their constituents are concerned, the more likely we are to be heard.
Quinn points to the recent news that the ESA had already joined a coalition of trade associations to reach out to U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer and express their concerns prior to the tariff news earlier this week. And they’re asking for meetings with a number of legislations and members of the administration to discuss similar topics.
Is it working, I ask? Are they being heard?
“Yes. I can tell you conversations are happening with... I don't want to say every level,” she responds. “I've not met with Trump, right? So I don't want to say every level of government, but certainly we've met with members of the administration. We've met with employees at the White House, we've met with employees at USTR [the office of the United States Trade Representative], so yes, we are having conversations and we're also doing that in partnership with other associations to make sure that... This isn't a video game issue. I represent the video game industry, so I'm very aware of the impact on the video game industry, the potential impact, but it's not a video game industry. This is going to affect all consumer products from food to fashion to electronics.”
So what can consumers do about it if they’re concerned? Reach out to their representatives, Quinn responds. Write letters, call, send emails, tweets, whatever it looks like to let their elected leaders know they’re concerned. “I think the more members of government, elected officials, and their staff who hear that their constituents are concerned, the more likely we are to be heard and to potentially make an impact.”
Nintendo announced its hold on Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders due to the tariffs just minutes after our conversation had concluded. When I reached out to Quinn for further comment on that, she said the ESA doesn’t comment on what individual companies will do. But I did mention the Nintendo Switch 2’s already-high pricing at the end of our conversation, and Quinn had this to say:
“You know what? It's been interesting with media coverage around video games and tariffs because just unfortunate coincidental timing that the Switch [2 reveal] was the same day as President Trump's announcement. There are so many devices we play video games on. There are other consoles, but as I was saying, VR headsets, our smartphones, people who love PC games, if we think it's just the Switch, then we aren't taking it seriously. This is going to have an impact.
“And even American-based companies, they're getting products that need to cross into American borders to make those consoles, to make those games. And so there's going to be a real impact regardless of company. This is company-agnostic, this is an entire industry. There's going to be an impact on the entire industry.”
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Blogroll image credit: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images
FromSoftware unveiled a new exclusive for Nintendo's new console during this week's Switch 2 Direct. The Duskbloods had an ominous trailer, showing lots of action, horrors, and magic. In a new interview, we're now learning much more about FromSoft's plans for this multiplayer experience.
Nintendo posted a three-part interview series with The Duskbloods director Hidetaka Miyazaki, going over what The Duskbloods is, and how it's different from other FromSoftware games.
Here are some of the major takeaways we've learned about The Duskbloods from this new set of interviews.
The meaning of 'The Duskbloods'
While the name, aesthetic, and constant mention of blood might bring to mind another FromSoftware title, Miyazaki said The Duskbloods refers to the Bloodsworn themselves. These Bloodsworn—the characters players control—are people who have achieved superhuman abilities through special blood, similar to vampires.
"We tried to extract the sort of romantic aspects we found interesting from concepts such as vampires and 'blood' and reinterpreted them as the Bloodsworn," Miyazaki said.
The Duskblood is a collective term for these characters, who all partake in a bid for First Blood, which flows during an event known as the "Twilight of Humanity."
There's no set time or place for The Duskbloods
Because the Twilight of Humanity takes place across different times and locales, there is no "fixed era or location" to pin down when or where The Duskbloods takes place.
"There are more traditional Gothic- or Victorian-style maps as well as those depicting the closing years of the early modern period, like the one glimpsed in the trailer with the train running through it," Miyazaki said.
You can choose between different characters
In a manner that sounds similar to the upcoming Elden Ring Nightreign, players can choose from "over a dozen" characters in The Duskbloods. Each character can also be customized, and you'll swap between those options in a main hub area.
While characters will each have their own abilities, it sounds like some skills are universal. The Bloodsworn fighters are essentially superhuman, so they can sprint, super jump, and double jump. Additionally, every character is equipped with "some means of attacking from a distance," which Miyazaki said he feels is one of The Duskblood's "unique aspects" when compared with previous FromSoftware games.
Progression doesn't rely solely on victory
A key component of The Duskbloods is the PvPvE set-up. Online matches support up to eight players, vying for a win. Miyazaki said online matches are "generally" last player standing, but there are "certain cases where victory conditions differ." He gave the example of players being tasked with teaming up to take down a powerful boss, or "other special circumstances."
"Regardless of whether it’s PvP or PvE, the idea is to provide players with an experience that allows them to learn and hone their skills as they play," Miyazaki said. "We’ve therefore designed the PvE boss encounters to present a tough challenge and a sense of accomplishment upon defeating them."
Obtaining "Victory Points," which ultimately decide the outcome of a match, can happen in a few different ways. Direct combat is one, but engaging in more "opportunistic behavior" is also an option. And Miyazaki noted that when players return to the hub after a match, they receive a reward whether they won or lost.
Events can shake up the match
There will be world events through the event system, which has the potential to shake up a match. This can range from special enemy spawns to additional objectives, all with bonus rewards offered.
Miyazaki drew attention to a portion of The Duskbloods trailer, where a giant stone face loomed in the sky. "This is one example of the events that can occur in a match," Miyazaki said. "In this case, the appearance of this stone face affects the environment and changes match rewards, which can have an immediate impact on player motivations and objectives."
Players will have personal objectives and roles, too
While First Blood is something worth chasing, Miyazaki said there will also be "personal objectives" to provide separate rewards for players.
It's unclear whether these fully tie into another system Miyazaki also mentioned, called "roles." While online, roles offer players unique circumstances and opportunities to interact with each other. He outlined a few examples, like the "Destined Rival," which tasks a player with finding and defeating another player. Doing this will count as a personal goal, separate from the overall victory conditions.
Roles can be assigned to characters through customization, so players can roleplay a bit and, as Miyazaki said, add to the "drama" of these engagements.
Lore will be delived through customization
FromSoftware is no stranger to putting some deep lore in its games. And there will, of course, be lore in The Duskbloods.
"One thing I love doing in any game I direct is leaving fragments of lore and worldbuilding details, allowing the player the fun of using their imagination to make connections," Miyazaki said. "The Duskbloods is no exception to this."
However, for The Duskbloods, Miyazaki said the team is going about it a little differently from previous games. Fragments are found in character customization items, the "blood history and fate." Customizing characters, analyzing and altering their blood history and fate, will reveal more information about the world and its story.
"Focusing these elements on the concept of 'blood' or 'blood history and fate' allowed for a deeper exploration of customization and is another reason we placed the Bloodsworn as the protagonists," Miyazaki said.
FromSoftware is certainly painting an interesting picture, but we'll have to wait a little bit to see the image fully realized, as The Duskbloods is currently planned to be a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive sometime in 2026.
If there’s one actor we’d like to see return for the Matrix 5, it’s Laurence Fishburne. But unfortunately, it seems as though that might not be in the cards for the legendary actor. He recently revealed that he made himself available for the fourth film, The Matrix Resurrections, but was turned down to reprise his role as Morpheus — so being in the next one isn’t looking so promising.
During a recent appearance on The View, Fishburne explained that his experience with Resurrections didn’t exactly go as hoped, so it’s anyone’s guess what will happen in the future.
“It depends on the circumstances, who is involved, how well the script has been written. If they offer [it to] me,” the actor said of Matrix 5. “I offered my services to the fourth Matrix, and they didn’t respond well to that. It’s not like I didn’t say, ‘I’d like to offer my services.’ I did. And for whatever reason, that didn’t happen.”
Morpheus is regarded as one of science fiction's best characters, so it’s interesting that the creatives behind the upcoming film wouldn’t have wanted him to return for The Matrix Resurrections, especially considering he appeared in all three original installments.
However, there could be a fairly simple explanation there: Morpheus dies in the MMO game The Matrix Online. That specific event in the game is considered canon because the writer-directors, the Wachowskis, gave their approval to the game.
That said, because his death was part of an in-game event, it could very well have been retconned. Instead, Resurrections features Yahya Abdul-Mateen II portraying a version of the character that is actually a hybrid program with Agent Smith created by Neo himself — and also alludes to the fact that the real Morpheus, played by Fishburne, died in the 60 years between the second film The Matrix Revolutions and Resurrections.
A fifth Matrix film is currently in development with Drew Goddard attached to write and direct.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
Considering what it offers, Disney Plus is one of the best streaming services on the block. From classic Disney animated films to the latest Marvel shows and Star Wars movies, excellent kids' programming like Bluey, and so much more, Disney Plus puts an incredible range of high-quality viewing options at your fingertips. And with so much to check out, including season 2 of Andor on April 22, you'll want to find a plan that best suits you. We're here to help.
At the moment, one of the best Disney Plus bundle deals available is the massive Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle. This starts at $16.99/month to get you all three streaming services with ads. It's one of the best bundles available at the moment, but we've included more Disney Plus bundle deals worth exploring below. If you're looking for more streaming deals from other services, check out the best Hulu deals and bundles and the best Max deals.
How to Get the Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max Streaming Bundle
The Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle can be purchased through any of the three streaming services and starts at $16.99/month for the ad-supported tier or $29.99/month for ad-free access across the three platforms.
If you currently own all three and want to cut down on costs, this is a great way to bundle them together and save big on what you'd pay for them separately per month – 43% on the ad-supported plan and 42% on the ad-free plan.
What Is the New Paid Sharing Plan on Disney Plus?
In an effort to crack down on password sharing, Disney has unveiled a paid sharing plan for individuals outside of your household. Basically, anyone using your account that's not within your household will have to be added as an "Extra Member" to your account. This costs an additional $6.99/month for the ad-supported Basic subscription and $9.99/month for the Premium ad-free plan, and only one Extra Member slot is available per account. You can learn more from Disney's paid sharing explainer here.
What Are the Different Disney+ Subscription Tiers?
Disney+ is available in a couple of different tiers. You can get the least expensive option (called Disney+ Basic) for $9.99/month, which gives you access to everything except the ability to download select shows to watch on the go. This tier is ad supported. If you want to get rid of ads and be able to download certain shows, you can spring for the $15.99/month or $159.99/year Disney+ Premium package.
What Are the Different Disney+ Bundles?
Want a way to save on your Disney+ membership? Bundles are a great, affordable way to go. As far as bundles go, there are two ad-supported bundles and two ad-free bundles. Here's the breakdown:
Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic is $10.99/month and comes with subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu. This plan lets you stream on multiple devices at once and comes with ad-supported versions of both services.
Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium is $19.99/month and comes with Hulu and Disney+ with no ads. It also includes Disney+ Premium features like the ability to download shows to watch on the go.
Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic adds ESPN+ (With Ads) to the mix alongside Disney+ (With Ads) and Hulu (With Ads), bumping up the price to $16.99/month. You can also download and watch select content on ESPN+ at this level.
Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium is $26.99/month and comes with ESPN+ (With Ads) and ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu. You can also download select content across all three streaming services.
Disney+ Gift Cards
If you want to help someone out and give them a gift that will keep on giving, gifting a one-year Disney+ card is a great way to go. It provides all the great things Disney+ offers and it costs a fraction of what it would take to buy even a small sampling of those movies physically.
What Can You Watch on Disney+?
There is a bonkers array of shows and movies you can watch on Disney+. Let's start at the top and simply talk about the verticals on offer here with the base subscription.
Here's what you get:
Disney
Pixar
Marvel
Star Wars
National Geographic
Disney on Disney+
On the Disney front, you have awesome classic movies like The Sword In The Stone, Robin Hood, 101 Dalmations, Hercules, and Sleeping Beauty, modern classics like The Princess & The Frog, Tangled, and Frozen, and a wide range of animated shows, including Phineas & Ferb.
You also gain access to a ton of vintage content like Escape to Witch Mountain, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Love Bug, and a whole lot more. The Disney Junior section is home to absolutely top tier animated shows like Bluey (which, for my money, is worth the price of admission on its own).
There's way more on offer, too, including a ton of Muppet movies, new live-action films and adaptions, nature programs, documentaries, Pirates of the Caribbean, and musical programs featuring Taylor Swift (like her wildly popular The Eras Tour), Elton John, Ed Sheeran, and more.
Pixar on Disney+
When it comes to computer generated films, Pixar stands alone. Kicking off the revolution with Toy Story, Pixar has consistently put out fantastic films, and they are all here. From the Toy Story series to Finding Nemo, Cars, and more recent hits like Inside Out 2, there is a ton to love.
Beyond even that, there are incredible shorts like Bao and Party Central, as well as a wide range of originals and series based on major films, such as Dory's Reef Cam, Forky Asks A Question, Cars On The Road, and more.
Marvel on Disney+
The MCU has become a true juggernaut, and there are many viewers who subscribe to Disney+ purely for access to nearly the entire MCU lineup of films and shows.
Whether you are a fan of the blockbuster action films, you are an appreciator of the classic 90s runs of "Saturday morning" cartoons like X-Men, or you are currently vibing to the funky theme of the 1981 Spider-Man series, there is a ton of Marvel to enjoy on Disney+. And with new movies and shows being added to the MCU all the time, including most recently Deadpool & Wolverine and Your Friendly Neigborhood Spider-Man, there is always more coming.
Star Wars on Disney+
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a film that changed everything. The original Star Wars is a seminal sci-fi fantasy work that inspired generations of creators, but there is still nothing quite like that far away galaxy. Disney+ grants access to all things Star Wars, including the remastered versions of the original trilogy (hopefully some day they'll add the theatrical cuts, too), as well as the prequels and sequels.
You can also stay up-to-date on all the latest shows, including The Mandalorian and the critically-lauded Andor, which some viewers say is "the best Star Wars has ever been." There are also fantastic short series like Star Wars Visions, and longer-form series like The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, Young Jedi Adventures, and a whole lot more.
No matter which platform you prefer, there's an excellent variety of video game deals to check out right now. Whether you're gaming on PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or PC, we've rounded up the best offers to help you get more for your money, including the excellent new PS5 Slim and Astro Bot bundle. And while not a deal, we've also included where you can preorder Elden Ring Nightreign, in case you're itching to return to The Lands Between. Best Buy's also offering a free $10 gift card with your purchase on that one -- what can be better than that?
PS5 Slim + Astro Bot Bundle
The PS5 Slim and Astro Bot bundle is one of the best PlayStation deals available at the moment. You can choose between the PS5 Slim Disc Edition console or the Digital Edition, which will set you back $449.99 and $399.99, respectively.
Astro Bot is a really enjoyable addition to a PlayStation library, too. IGN's Simon Cardy said in his review that it's, "A collection of endlessly inventive levels and fantastically fun abilities, it delivers joy in spades, never once becoming even remotely dull or repetitive."
Preorder Elden Ring Nightreign
FromSoftware isn't done with Elden Ring yet. Elden Ring Nightreign is now available to preorder, and as a nice little treat Best Buy's also offering a free $10 gift card with your purchase. By preordering any version of the game you'll also get the “It’s Raining” gesture, which you can show off with your co-op buddies on your adventure in The Lands Between.
Best PC Game Deals
There are some excellent PC game deals available right now. Fanatical's had quite a few of our favorites, including a discount on pre-orders for DOOM: The Dark Ages, a deal on the newly-released The Last of Us Part II Remastered for PC players, and a discount on Atomfall, which is absolutely worth your time and money to pick up. You can see more of our favorite game deals right now below.
A new month means new PC games in the Humble Choice lineup and April has a great variety available. Some of the games featured in the lineup include Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered, Aliens Dark Descent, and Dredge. There are 8 in total that you can keep forever for $11.99 when you become a member. Here are all of the games included in this month's lineup:
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered
Dredge
Aliens Dark Descent
1000xRESIST
Nova Lands
Diplomacy is Not an Option
Distant Worlds 2
Nomad Survival
Best Physical Video Game Deals
If you're looking to save on physical games right now, there are plenty of deals worth checking out across PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. We've included just a few of our favorites above, but if you'd like to see more game deals for each platform, check out our individual roundups for these consoles: the best PlayStation deals, the best Xbox deals, and the best Nintendo Switch deals.
Best PlayStation VR 2 Deals
The PSVR2 Horizon: Call of the Mountain bundle has gotten a price drop down to $399.99, $200 off its original list price of$599.99. This package is a great value for everything you're getting (the PSVR2 headset and controllers alongside the Horizon Call of The Mountain game), and pushes the PSVR2 as a strong contender against budget-friendly VR options like the Meta Quest, delivering a premium virtual reality experience without the eye-watering cost.
Sony also recently gave the PSVR2 a new lease of life by adding PC VR support, allowing owners of the second-generation headset to play PC VR games like Half-Life: Alyx, provided they have the new Sony-made adapter.
Best Xbox Accessory Deals
Outside of games, there are plenty of Xbox accessory deals that are worth your time and money as well. At the moment, some of our favorites are on the HyperX CloudX Flight Wireless Gaming Headset, which has gotten a 40% discount at Woot, and if you're looking for more storage, the WD Black C50 1TB Expansion Card is 18% off right now at Amazon.
Best PS5 SSD Deals
PS5 games continue to grow in size, and with SSD prices climbing, finding the right storage at a great price is more important than ever. We've listed our favorite deals just here, but you should ensure you're checking back here for more updates as often as possible, as new SSD deals pop up all the time.
Keep in mind that not all SSDs are compatible with the PS5. To ensure optimal performance on the best PS5 SSD, you'll need a PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 drive with a minimum read speed of 5,500MB/s to match the console's internal storage.
Best Gaming PC Deals
Do you prefer to play on a dedicated PC tower? Navigating the options online can be quite the ordeal. Desk space, portability, and price point are often factors in the decision. However, there are some great PC deals that pop up every now and again that are worth jumping on. One of our favorite deals at the moment is on the Alienware Area-51 RTX 5080 PC for $4,649.99. To see even more PC deals, check out our roundup of the best gaming PC deals.
More PC Deals:
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Today’s deals are all about keeping your game library full and your storage problems in check. We’ve got serious discounts on recent releases like College Football 25 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, a clearance price on Advance Wars 1+2, and rare price drops on official storage for Xbox and PlayStation consoles. Humble’s Spring Shonen manga bundle is also still going strong, and if you like high-stakes demon battles and beautifully absurd haircuts, you’re going to want in on that.
Gaming And Manga Deals for Today
I think what makes today’s lineup so solid is how much value you’re getting without compromising on quality. These are recent titles and brand-name accessories — not knockoffs or old stock. Catch up on campaigns, back up your growing digital backlog, or read your way through Kodansha’s finest chaos backwards, there’s something here that earns the cart space.
College Football 25 Standard Edition - Xbox Series X
I still can’t believe this is real: College Football 25 is down to $9.99. This is a full, post-launch version with everything intact — no catch, no subscription. It features all 134 FBS schools, dynamic gameplay, and that sweet, chaotic pageantry you only get from college ball. If you’ve been on the fence, or just waiting for a reason to grab it, this is it.
Seagate - Game Drive for PlayStation Consoles 2TB External USB 3.2 Gen 1 Portable Hard Drive
This is one of the few storage options that plays nicely with both PS4 and PS5. I like that it’s officially licensed, so there’s no guessing game about compatibility, and the added LED lighting gives it a nice visual boost. You can’t run PS5 games directly off it, but you can stash them for later — and PS4 titles run without issue. It’s not a flashy deal, but it’s a smart one.
Humble Spring Shonen Special By Kodansha
I’m a sucker for a complete series bundle, and this one delivers. You’re getting full runs of Shaman King, Fire Force, Noragami, and others — no missing volumes, no waiting for new chapters. Nearly 100 volumes for $30 is an absurd value, and since it’s digital, you won’t have to explain to anyone why your bookshelf now belongs entirely to anime dads and sword-wielding teenagers.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp - Nintendo Switch
This remake stayed full price for a long time, so seeing it under $45 feels like a minor miracle. You’re getting two full campaigns, a sleek visual update, and plenty of multiplayer maps to test your tactical brain. It’s great handheld, great docked, and dangerously easy to lose an entire weekend to.
Atomfall Merchandise
The IGN Store’s Atomfall merch drop is decent, going for edgy designs rather than playing it safe. I’m not usually a “video game hoodie” person, but the designs here are low-key cool. The BARD zip-ups and minimalist logo shirts look more like indie streetwear than branded promo gear. If you’re already excited about Atomfall, or just want something with a little post-apocalyptic style, this lineup’s worth scrolling through. That P word mug is fantastic.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Standard Edition - PlayStation 5
This one brings the Cold War spy game drama back in full force, with a cinematic campaign, classic round-based Zombies, and a huge multiplayer loadout. It’s one of the first real markdowns we’ve seen since launch, and I think $49.99 feels like the sweet spot for what you’re getting. If you missed it at release, this is a good excuse to jump in now.
Seagate - 1TB Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S Internal NVMe SSD - Black
Xbox storage doesn’t go on sale often, so this is one of those “buy it now or regret it later” situations. It’s the official Seagate expansion card, which means you just plug it in and keep playing — no formatting, no weird workarounds. I’ve run out of space enough times to know that paying a little less for this now beats uninstalling Halo again later.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Prismatic Evolutions Booster Bundle
This one’s a bit of a reality check. The actual MSRP for six of these packs is around $27, so Amazon is being bold by doubling that and calling it a deal. Still, given how hard Prismatic Evolutions is to find at retail without hunting down individual packs like a Pokédex-obsessed raccoon, this is sadly one of the better options right now. I wouldn’t call it a bargain, but if you’re just itching to crack open some fresh packs without resorting to third-party sellers, it gets the job done.
Pokemon TCG: Stacking Tin (Q1 2025)
This is one of the few Pokémon TCG products still hovering close to MSRP, which basically qualifies it as a miracle in 2025. You get three solid booster packs, some stickers to slap on your laptop or emotional baggage, and a stackable tin that may or may not match the others in your accidental collection. It’s not flashy, but it’s a solid option if you just want some new packs to rip without playing the “Is this seller legit?” game.
Humble Choice April 2025
This month’s Humble Choice doesn’t feel like a clearance rack, and that’s saying something. Tomb Raider is doing the nostalgia thing in the best way, and Dredge is that weird horror-fishing crossover I didn’t know I needed. Aliens: Dark Descent rounds it out if you like your sci-fi chaotic and stressful. Honestly, I’d pay the $12 just for those three — and still walk away feeling smug.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Paldean Fates Booster Bundle
This bundle is a case of “available at a premium or not at all.” MSRP should be closer to $27, but good luck finding that price in the wild. The return of Shiny Pokémon is the big hook here, and that’s probably what’s driving the markup. I think it’s steep, but if you’ve been chasing the set and want to avoid eBay roulette, this is probably your safest play.
PureArts Assassin's Creed Preorders
This is the kind of collectible that makes you pause and consider rearranging your entire shelf, your priorities, and your bank account. Some of these statues are genuinely beautiful. Others are so expensive they make me nervous just looking at them. But if you’ve got deep franchise loyalty and shallow impulse control, this is your moment.
Pokemon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box
Elite Trainer Boxes are rarely good dollar-per-pack deals, and this one’s no exception. But what you’re really paying for is the full kit: sleeves, promo card, storage box, and a mildly delusional sense of organization. I actually like this set for collectors who want more than just cards. It feels like a full-on project, and for $55, it’s one of the few Pokémon bundles that still comes close to feeling like it's worth the money.
INIU Portable Charger, Slimmest 10000mAh 5V/3A Power Bank
This is the one I’d keep in my bag daily. It’s half an inch thick and can charge an iPhone 8 about 3.6 times or a Galaxy S22 almost twice. The USB-C port handles both input and output (a rarity at this price), and the dual USB-A ports mean you can charge multiple devices without carrying five bricks. It’s cheap, sleek, and has a literal paw print on it. Adorable and useful? Yes, please.
INIU Power Bank, 20000mAh 65W USB C Laptop Portable Charger
I think this is the sweet spot if you bounce between devices. You get three outputs, including one that’ll fast-charge a MacBook Pro 14" or your Steam Deck while you’re multitasking. There’s even a pop-out phone stand built in. It’s like if your power bank also respected your time and your binge-watching habits. At under $40, it feels like a steal.
Great On The Go Humble Sale
I picked up Death’s Door for five bucks and didn’t even hesitate. The Humble Store’s latest sale is packed with portable-friendly gems, perfect for a Steam Deck or travel laptop situation. Highlights include Dead Cells: Road to the Sea Bundle for $16.49 (50% off), Detroit: Become Human for just $11.99, and Dying Light Definitive Edition at $14.99. If your backlog needs more chaos, this is how you feed it on a budget.
INIU Portable Charger, 22.5W 20000mAh
This is my pick for weekend trips or carry-on duty. It’s got solid charging speed, a clean LED display that shows exactly how much juice is left, and enough capacity to last through a few full phone charges. It even handles smaller accessories like AirPods or smartwatches without flinching, which is more than I can say for some people.
Metaphor ReFantazio - Gallica - Statue
This Gallica statue is up for preorder at $129.99, and yes, I want it just for the wings. It's 8.9 inches tall with glossy clear parts and Magla particles swirling on the base. The sculpt is absurdly detailed, which probably explains why I’ve already mentally cleared shelf space despite the fact it doesn't ship until November 2025. Patience is hard, but preorder now, panic later.
INIU Power Bank, 25000mAh 100W USB C Laptop Portable Charger
If I’m packing a laptop, a tablet, a phone, and something else probably unnecessary but still USB-powered, this is what I’m bringing. It hits 100W output, recharges itself fast via USB-C, and can handle charging multiple high-power devices at once. It’s a bit of a tank, but in the way you want when you're relying on it to keep everything alive.
INIU Portable Charger, Smallest 22.5W 10000mAh Power Bank
If I had to pick a favorite just for everyday carry, it might be this one. It’s compact, fast, and charges three devices at once. I love the built-in phone stand, especially for killing time in waiting rooms or pretending I’m not watching TikTok in public. For $20, it’s a little charger that does a lot.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Surging Sparks Booster Bundle
I don’t need six booster packs, but these are usually in and out of stock. This Surging Sparks Booster Bundle has some fantastic chase cards, we're talking $400+ chase cards that could be in this Booster Bundle. It’s under $50, which in Pokémon terms is basically a clearance sticker. I'm not saying it'll change your life, but it might improve your afternoon.
Insignia - 55" Class F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV
This is the TV I’d buy if I wanted something that works without having to pretend I care about specs. It turns on, the picture’s 4K, it has Alexa so I don’t have to get off the couch, and it costs less than my last grocery run. Honestly, that’s more than enough.
Outright Games Game On! Bundle
I don’t usually gravitate toward games based on cartoons, but this bundle is stacked if you’ve got kids or just want a break from games that scream at you. Bluey, PAW Patrol, My Little Pony — the whole crew’s here, and honestly, they’re better made than half the AAA titles I’ve rage-quit. Pay $20 or more, get a pile of games, and support charity. Seems like a win for everyone except your free time.
Insignia - 65" Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV
I like this one because it feels unnecessarily large in the best way. You get Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and it still costs less than a concert ticket and a hoodie. If you want to make movie night feel intentional without spending your life savings, this does the job.
Death Stranding 2 - DHV Magellan - Model Kit
I want this on my shelf mostly so people ask what it is and I can pretend I understand Death Stranding 2. It’s a 1/350 scale model of a massive mobile base from a game that hasn’t even released yet, and I respect the level of commitment required to care this much. It’s $69.99, which is fair for something this weirdly specific and detailed — and yes, the railgun is included.
LG - 65” Class UT70 Series LED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV (2024)
This is the kind of TV I’d get if I wanted it to last longer than my attention span. It’s a 2024 model, has LG’s updated processor, and handles all the streaming stuff without having to download three extra apps just to log in. Feels like someone at LG actually thought it through.
I think this is what happens when Samsung realizes not everyone wants to spend $650 to track their steps. The titanium build is overkill in a good way, and the battery life means I don’t have to charge it every time I blink. It finally dropped to a price where it makes sense to buy one without feeling like I’m auditioning for a tech influencer role.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—Journey Together Elite Trainer Box
i’ve been watching the Journey Together Elite Trainer Box like a hawk, and somehow it’s actually in stock at Amazon for $70.31. That’s 30% off apparantly, but it's not at all. It includes nine booster packs, a full-art N’s Zorua promo, sleeves, and the usual accessories, Most people just want the packs and the promo. If it’s gone when you check, keep trying. I’ve seen stock randomly reappear in the mornings and lunch time, just like Target's Journey Together stock.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates Booster Bundle
Then there’s the Paldean Fates Booster Bundle at $69.77. Six packs inside, and the draw here is the return of shiny Pokémon. I like that it cuts straight to the good stuff — no sleeves, no dice, no cardboard fluff, just a clean bundle of packs ready to be cracked open. If you’re chasing shinies, this is where the hunt begins.
Best of Boomer Shooters 4: Badda Bing Badda Boom
Humble Bundle’s “Best of Boomer Shooters 4” is live right now, and I love how chaotic it is. For $16, you get $174 worth of retro-inspired FPS games like Turbo Overkill and Forgive Me Father 2. I think of it as therapy, just with more blood and less talking about my feelings. You also support some good causes, so now your nostalgia trip is technically altruism. You're welcome.
Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box
Shrouded Fable ETB is holding steady at $54.96, and I think it’s slept on. It has nine packs, a Pecharunt foil, some sharp sleeves, and a player’s guide that you’ll absolutely ignore until you pull something weird and have to look it up. This set's all about the Legendary trio—Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti—and if you’re into building themed decks or hoarding off-meta cards, this one hits.
Street Fighter TCG Alpha Warriors Dreams Preorder
Finally, if your card obsession extends beyond Pikachu, the Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors’ Dreams trading cards are now up for pre-order on the IGN Store, starting at $20. I already pre-ordered a box because the idea of serial-numbered Chun-Li cards is somehow more exciting to me than it should be. Rare pulls, killer art, and a chance to relive the 90s one Hadouken at a time — I’m in.
Pokémon TCG: Paradox Clash tin: Iron Leaves ex or Walking Wake ex
I picked up one of the Paradox Clash tins just for fun and honestly, no regrets. For $39.96, you get five booster packs and either a Walking Wake EX or Iron Leaves EX promo, chosen completely at random. It’s a bit of a gamble, but opening tins is half the fun anyway. The promos are clean, the packaging is slick, and I think it makes a solid gift for anyone getting into the game
Pokémon TCG: 3 Booster Packs & 1 Random Foil
For a cheaper fix, I’d go for the $12.25 blister pack with three random boosters and a foil promo. It’s 39% off, which is honestly kind of wild, and it’s one of those no-risk purchases you can talk yourself into without too much guilt. The listing shows Silver Tempest Boosters, so there's a good chance of pulling some Sword and Shield chase cards here.
This one’s for the people who want it all: QLED, anti-reflection, studio-calibrated modes, and picture quality so good I paused a show just to stare at a lamp. I think my eyes are spoiled now.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
Nintendo has taken the unprecedented decision to delay Switch 2 pre-orders in the U.S., blaming the impact of Trump’s tariffs and “evolving market conditions.”
Pre-orders were set to go live in the U.S. on April 9. Nintendo did not share an updated kick-off date, but did promise that the June 5, 2025 release date of the Switch 2 itself remains intact.
Nintendo issued IGN the following statement:
Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will not start April 9, 2025 in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions. Nintendo will update timing at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.
Nintendo has confirmed the pre-order delay is specific to the U.S. In the UK, for example, Nintendo's pre-order delay remains unchanged.
“I don’t want to blow things out of proportion, but this does feel like a true crisis moment for Nintendo,” Ellis said.
U.S. markets tumbled today after China hit back against Donald Trump's raft of tariffs. China, which faces a 54% import tax, has retaliated with an additional 34% tax on U.S. goods from next week.
Moments before the U.S. markets opened, Trump said "China played it wrong, they panicked," and insisted his policies would "never change."
The world is now left facing economic uncertainty, with some mainstream news media declaring the era of cheap goods now over for the American consumer as higher tariffs are automatically passed through to inflation and higher prices.
Tariffs are essentially taxes placed on the cost of importing certain goods. While it's possible for companies in the supply chain to simply eat these costs, more often than not these taxes are passed onto consumers. And unfortunately for gamers, rising prices are very likely to impact tech and gaming goods.
Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad had warned that Trump's surprise tariffs on countries such as Vietnam, where Nintendo had shifted some of its Switch 2 manufacturing in anticipation of U.S. tariffs on China, might have caused a rethink.
"While the company has shifted some of its manufacturing to Vietnam to offset U.S. tariffs on China, the looming threat of reciprocal tariffs prior to the Switch 2 showcase will have also forced Nintendo to consider a higher price for the rest of the world," Ahmad said. "The reciprocal tariffs on Vietnam and Japan have come in higher than expected, and Nintendo will feel the impact of this if the tariffs go into full effect."
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.
FromSoftware has shared some more info about its recently announced Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods. The partnership with Nintendo seemed to affect not just the style of game FromSoft is making, but even the design of the keeper of The Duskbloods' hub area into something different — something... cute.
The trailer shown during the Switch 2 Direct this week closed on a shot of a winged rat character, with glowing glyphs drawn all over it, looking at the camera. Curious fans might have wondered what this rat's deal was. As it turns out, this is our new hub companion.
"That character shares a similar role with the fire keepers from the Dark Souls series. They remain in the hub area, providing the player with advice and guidance," director Hidetaka Miyazaki said in an interview with Nintendo.
"I suppose you could say we tried doing something a little Nintendo-esque in the spirit of the partnership."
When asked what Miyazaki means by that, he added: "We tried something cute for a change. Although I will say this character is actually an elderly gentleman (laughter)."
FromSoftware's shrine keepers have been central figures for player's journeys through their worlds. Familiar faces like Melina, the Maiden in Black, the Doll, and others are characters you return to over and over on your trip, often offering power to help you move forward.
With a PvPvE game like The Duskbloods, though, it remains to be seen what kind of advice and guidance the winged rat will offer. Miyazaki said the team at FromSoft has tried its hands at introducing "a lot of new and interesting ideas," so expect the unexpected when it hits Nintendo Switch 2 sometime in 2026.
Quite a few of these cards have already started to sell out, but there's a shining light at the end of the tunnel coming from GameStop. The retailer has created its own line of microSD Express cards that are available to preorder and come in varying capacities, from 256GB ($49.99) to 512GB ($84.99) to 1TB ($149.99). These are set to release on June 5, the same day as the console. You can preorder these cards below, but to stay up to date on more cards as they come back in stock keep our hub page for microSD Express cards bookmarked.
The microSD Express cards have been disappearing fast from online retailers, so if you've been hoping to secure a storage upgrade ahead of the Switch 2's release you'll want to be quick to get your preorders in. If you're unsure if you'll need the extra space, it's worth noting that the Switch 2 is set to come with 256GB of internal storage, which is quite a bit more than the original Switch's 32GB. If you have an ever-expanding library of Switch games, it's always worth it to pick up some extra storage.
Outside of the additional storage, if you're curious when preorders will pop up for the console itself, make sure to mark your calendar for April 9. It's worth keeping our Switch 2 preorder guide bookmarked as well so you can stay up to date on when it drops and where it's available to purchase on the day. We've also put together a list full of tips to help increase your chances of getting a Switch 2. The countdown has begun, and we're here to help you secure a Switch 2 on day one.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
One of the biggest surprises of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct this week was its exclusive FromSoftware reveal, The Duskbloods. It's a PvPvE game developed by the Soulsborne studio, but director Hidetaka Miyazaki said this doesn't mean the company has shifted direction moving forward.
In a new interview with Nintendo, Miyazaki spoke about the decision to make The Duskbloods a PvPvE game. The director said he's "always found" the structure interesting, as it allows for a broad range of game-design ideas while also letting FromSoftware leverage its experience in designing challenging enemy encounters.
"As a side note, please allow me to address one thing," Miyazaki said. "As we previously mentioned, this is an online multiplayer title at its core, but this doesn't mean that we as a company have decided to shift to a more multiplayer-focused direction with titles going forward."
He continued: "The Nintendo Switch 2 version of Elden Ring was also announced, and we still intend to actively develop single-player focused games such as this that embrace our more traditional style."
Since the release of Elden Ring in February 2022, FromSoftware has certainly experimented a bit. Its DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, tried out some interesting new power scaling methods in the form of Scadutree Blessings. There's also Elden Ring: Nightreign, an upcoming co-op survival action game that blends the usual Souls style with an encroaching storm, loot, and character archetypes. The studio even went back to its mecha days with Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon.
So with The Duskbloods, FromSoftware is trying something a little different again. In the interview, Miyazaki said the company's outline for The Duskbloods was "still very bare-bones" when the team presented it to Nintendo — "more a loose string of ideas than a proper presentation," and the concept was "different from anything [FromSoftware] had done before."
Nintendo was interested in making it happen though, and while a small team started the project for the original Switch, Nintendo approached FromSoft with the idea of moving to the Switch 2 instead. "The new hardware's focus on online features allowed us to stay as true to the original vision as possible, which was very good news for us," Miyazaki said.
So while The Duskbloods might be a little different from the usual FromSoftware game, it sounds like the studio isn't completely leaving the "traditional" style you'd expect behind. Put differently: let FromSoft cook on this one.
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