© Bethesda
© Skytech
© Colin Anderson via Getty Images
© Ubisoft
© Nvidia
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yUUB8Y4VzrFphHukL2QMbC.jpg "Hideo Kojima appears during the Hideo Kojima Presents "Death Stranding 2: On the Beach" panel during SXSW at Austin Convention Center during SXSW 2025 on March 09, 2025 in Austin, Texas.")
© Lorne Thomson/Redferns via Getty Images
© Bethesda
Nintendo has confirmed it will return to Gamescom to showcase Switch 2 this year, after skipping 2024's event.
Gamescom, the biggest games show by attendance in the world, will this year run from August 21 to August 24 at its usual home in Cologne, Germany.
A post by Nintendo on its German-language social media account has confirmed the company will be back on the show floor at the event. But does this mean we'll get a new Nintendo Direct for Switch 2 at the same time?
Nintendo has not yet said what it plans to showcase at Gamescom 2025, but it's worth bearing in mind that its two main titles for the Switch 2 launch window — Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza — will have been out for some time by that point.
What could Nintendo focus on next? Well, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 shooter Metroid Prime 4: Beyond currently still sits with a vague "2025" launch date, and seems likely to arrive this fall. We may see more of that, and a longer demo than the one previously shown to the public at the Nintendo Switch 2 Tour events made available.
There's also Pokémon Legends Z-A, another title set to arrive for both Switch and Switch 2, which is down for a "late 2025" launch.
And while Nintendo could sail through the second half of 2025 with those two games, it seems possible the Mario maker may also have something else for this year still tucked up its sleeve.
Last year, Nintendo raised eyebrows by skipping Gamescom's 2024 event — an ususual move that many saw as indication its aging Switch hardware was running out of steam, and the company did not have much else to show.
Gamescom is one of the key dates on the gaming calendar, with its in-person event regularly attracting more than 300,000 attendees. Online, the show is now accompanied by the Geoff Keighley-fronted Gamescom Opening Night Live, which in 2024 included looks at Borderlands 4, Monster Hunter Wilds and Dune: Awakening.
Earlier this month, Alienware announced its new mainstream lineup of 2025 gaming laptops, dubbed the "Alienware Aurora". The first 16" models are now available for pruchase at Dell. The Alienware Aurora 16 is the less expensive model, featuring an Intel Core Ultra Series 2 i9-270H CPU and GeForce RTX 4050 GPU with 85W TGP, for $1,949.99. The Alienware Aurora 16X is the higher end model, featuring an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and GeForce RTX 5070 GPU with 115W TGP, for $2,299.99. These are expected to start shipping out in mid June. Both models also have the option to be equipped with RTX 5060 graphics, however those are currently on preorder status with no shipping ETA since the RTX 5060 hasn't actually been released yet.
The new Alienware Aurora laptops eschew the gamer styling of other Alienware laptops, including the recently released Area-51. Instead, these look more like standard, albeit sleek, laptops with a thin, unassuming profile and the absence of extraneous RGB lighting. The Alienware Aurora 16, in fact, only has white keyboard illumination similar to Apple MacBooks. Under the hood, however, both the Aurora 16 and 16X still pack in gaming-worthy components and a robust Cryo Chamber dual fan and copper heatpipe cooling system. The Aurora 16 is slightly thinner and lighter than the 16X thanks to more efficient components like a low voltage Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and RTX 5070 graphics that has a lower 85W TGP rating. The Aurora 16X is slightly thicker and heavier to accommodate beefier cooling. In return, you get a more powerful Intel Core Ultra 9 HX series processor and an RTX 5070 graphics with the maximum 115W TGP rating.
Both laptops are priced much more affordably compared to the new Alienware Area-51 laptop, which starts at over $3,000. They're also a lot easier to travel with, since they weigh up to 1.6 pounds less and measure up to 30% thinner than a similarly sized Area-51 16" laptop. I don't expect prices to drop significantly in the near future, especially since Nvidia GPU prices may trend upwards in the near future (according to Tom's Hardware).
There's little argument here; gamers looking for a powerful mobile desktop replacement should go with the Aurora 16X. For an extra $300, you are getting a significantly more powerful laptop with some added extras that make the package more than worth the price premium. The breakdown of the upgrades are as follows:
Looking for gaming desktops and monitors too? Check out all of the best Alienware deals of 2025.
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.
Last week, WizKids' Baldur's Gate 3 miniatures arrived, and they didn't exactly garner rave reviews. The public response seems to have been heard, and now WizKids is offering refunds to anyone who feels dissatisfied with their minifig boxes.
"As a company, WizKids seeks to create products that enhance and add to the enjoyment of game play," the company said in an announcement. "We want our customers to build long-lasting, fond memories around game nights with friends and family using our products.
"Unfortunately, we missed the mark on this goal with the D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Boxed Set. If you purchased this set through our online stores, we will be offering a full refund to those who are unsatisfied with their set."
— Gale-LOD 😏 (@HighLODLar) May 13, 2025
WizKids went on to say it's aware of the reports, and its team is investigating the issues and taking action to both "make this right" and to ensure issues do not pop up again in future products.
The $49.99 pre-painted D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Boxed Set started rolling out to buyers last week, and the results surprised more than a few. Opening the box to strange paint jobs, off details, and a seemingly melting Withers left purchasers feeling frustrated.
WizKids is offering refunds through two options. If you bought the set online, you can contact customerservice@wizkids.com to start a request. If you went through a local retailer, you can return it at the point of purchase for a full refund. The company is also offering a product replacement through its replacement site, where WizKids says it will work to provide a replacement that "meets the standards expected."
It's not exactly the happiest ending for those hoping for a nice new set of Baldur's Gate 3 miniatures, but it's at least something for those disappointed with the outcome of their box of minis. Hopefully those affected can find some other figure-makers to fill the miniature-shaped hole in their hearts.
Larian just bid farewell to Baldur's Gate 3 with Patch 8, its final major patch for its 2023 RPG that took the world by storm. The studio's CEO Swen Vincke has dropped some hints about what's next for Larian, but aside from it not being Baldur's Gate nor Dungeons & Dragons, there's not too much more to go on.
Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.
Nintendo has announced plans to open a new official store in Fukuoka, Japan at the end of 2025.
Nintendo Fukuoka will be the company’s fourth official store in Japan, joining Nintendo Tokyo, Nintendo Osaka, and Nintendo Kyoto. However, unlike the other stores, Nintendo Fukuoka is the first not located on Honshu (Japan’s biggest main island). Instead, it is in Fukuoka City on Japan’s southernmost main island of Kyushu.
Japanese reactions to the news of Nintendo Fukuoka’s opening on X included many congratulatory messages as well as hopes that there will eventually be official Nintendo stores located throughout the country. Quite a few commenters added the opinion that Sapporo (the biggest city on Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido) would be the next logical place in Japan for Nintendo to set up shop.
However, not everyone was happy. Many commenters were disappointed that Nintendo has seemingly skipped over Nagoya. Located in central Japan, Nagoya is the capital of Aichi prefecture and a major manufacturing hub. Despite being the fourth biggest city in Japan, it suffers from a rumor that it is “boring." This perception was driven into the spotlight in 2016, in a survey of Japan’s eight biggest cities, in which residents were asked to rank the cities in order of how attractive they were to travellers. In a show of local patriotism, most citizens ranked their own city as the best, except for residents of Nagoya who placed it third after Tokyo and Kyoto. Amusingly, the survey was conducted by Nagoya’s government.
Nagoya also has the misfortune to be located between Tokyo and Osaka, meaning that many events and tours skip right over it. The clip from the anime Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikke below explains this trend in more detail.
The "Nagoya Skip": When your city gets skipped over [Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki]
byu/myaccountforweebcrap inanime
So, “Nagoya skipping” is a phenomenon that Nagoya natives and residents seem to be quite conscious of, which likely explains the sheer amount of comments voicing concern about Nintendo not opening a store there. Incidentally, Nagoya has been in the news recently, as a new 17,000-person arena is set to open there in July. City officials and news broadcasts have been voicing hopes that this new attraction will prevent the “Nagoya skipping” trend (source: Chukyo TV).
As for Nintendo Fukuoka, the new store will be located in a shopping mall within Kyushu’s biggest major railway station, Hakata Station, which is connected by bullet train to Japan’s largest island of Honshu, and by plane to Fukuoka Airport. With Nintendo Fukuoka being located in such a transport hub, this will provide people living in the surrounding prefectures with a much easier way to get their Mario fix. Also, since pandemic restrictions lifted, the number of inbound tourists visiting Fukuoka has been on the increase (with visitors from nearby South Korea making up the majority), and is predicted to rise further (source: Fukuoka Prefectural Government).
Nintendo’s official stores not only sell Switch consoles, games, accessories and all manner of Nintendo merch, but they also host events and hands-on previews with new titles. It seems likely that Nintendo Fukuoka will play a role in promoting the upcoming Switch 2 and getting it into the hands of more customers.
In the U.S., last week Nintendo opened its first West Coast store, Nintendo San Francisco. IGN toured the store and even interviewed Nintendo of America boss Doug Bowser to find out more.
Photo by PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images.
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
I’m not complaining, but in the olden days (all of history up until maybe a year ago), you had to wait months for feature films to come to home viewing formats. But in 2025? The window of time between a theatrical release and a 4K steelbook version of the film going up for preorder has shrunk to roughly zero. All of which is to say that you can already secure a preorder for the limited-edition 4K steelbook release of Final Destination: Bloodlines, a film that’s currently (sorry) killing it at the box office. No release date has been announced yet, but it’ll likely be available sometime this summer.
Final Destination: Bloodlines is the sixth entry in the once-frequent series, landing a full 14 years after the previous entry. I can see why they needed a break, as these movies all follow the same format: thanks to one character’s premonition, a group of mostly teens narrowly avoid dying in a mass-casualty event. After that, death comes for them in the form of delightfully suspenseful Rube Goldberg-like set pieces, and they die in the order they would have perished had they not changed the timeline.
Frankly, it’s a brilliant blueprint for a horror franchise. In each set piece, there are about half a dozen things that could kill the character, and the best of the deaths play with audience expectations in sadistically fun ways. I haven’t personally seen this new one yet, but that’s because I’m watching all of the movies in order before heading to the theater. (The first one holds up; the second one is a masterpiece). Another piece that’s worth noting is that Bloodlines features the final performance of the incomparable Tony Todd, who plays the mortician William Bludworth in the series.
In IGN’s 8/10 Final Destination: Bloodlines review, critic Tom Jorgensen wrote:
"In Final Destination: Bloodlines, death is the life of the party. There’s little novelty to the boilerplate family trauma plot of this sixth Final Destination movie, but what its comedy-forward take on the franchise’s established formula lacks in thematic depth, it more than makes up for with delightful, well-designed kills and boundless gallows humor. A testament to the powerful, simple joy of a well-executed setup and payoff, Bloodlines’ lethal Rube Goldberg machines are tactile and satisfying, benefiting from a solid blend of goopy practical and visual effects. It’s a fantastic jumping-on point for new fans, but the Final Destination faithful are well taken care of with cheeky references to previous movies and a truly poignant farewell from one of the horror genre’s late kings, Tony Todd."
For more of that sweet, sweet horror content, check out our Final Destination: Bloodlines Ending Explained. And if you’re a movie collector, also be sure to check out our list of all of the biggest upcoming 4K Blu-rays.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.
Between redefining the mecha genre and inspiring an entire industry of model kits, I'd argue Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the most influential anime franchises of all time. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino, the series is set in the far future, when giant robot suits are used as weapons of war in conflicts between Earth and its space colonies. As Japan's answer to Star Wars, Gundam features epic space battles, laser swords, and people with mind powers, but still feels grounded in its militaristic settings.
Whether you're a veteran completionist looking to fill gaps in your mobile suit knowledge or a total newbie who wants to see some cool robot fights (and perhaps some horrific, poignant explorations of the horrors of war), here's how to watch Mobile Suit Gundam in order.
The Gundam franchise has continuously produced anime shows and movies since its inception in 1979, but not all Gundam are the same. Though the most popular and "fleshed out" Gundam timeline is the original, known as Universal Century (or UC), there are enough alternate timelines and meta-narratives that you could spend decades trying to catch up on everything. At least in this article, we cover 14 timelines total.
Because of these different timelines, and because the franchise originated in anime rather than manga or books, every piece of media in Gundam is considered canon (to its own timeline, at least). However, we recommend starting with the Universal Century timeline before jumping into these alternatives.
The majority of the Gundam franchise, including the original series, is on Crunchyroll. Several movies and shows are also streaming on U.S. Netflix. Unfortunately, some entries are simply unavailable to stream at all — like the acclaimed, fan-favorite Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket. Your best (legal) bet is trying to track these down on DVD or Blu-ray.
The original Gundam timeline, and the largest in the franchise, starts with the One Year War between Earth and a nation of space colonies and follows the conflict's effects on the galaxy.
2015-2018
An origin story for Char Aznable in the years leading up to the formation of Zeon and the One Year War. It's a fantastic introduction to the Universal Century.
1979-1980
The show that started it all. The original Gundam introduced the mobile suit that gave the franchise its name, and tells an epic story of war and rivalry between hero Amuro Ray and the charismatic Char Aznable. The compilation movie trilogy is a great alternative if the '70s animation and pacing prove too much for newer audiences.
2004-2008
A show all about Zeon engineers trying to rush their technology, showcasing why they might have lost the war.
1996-1999
A side story in the war, focusing on a small squad, and what I consider one of the best Gundam stories. A self-contained story with great character writing and a fascinating look at the war from a more grounded perspective.
2024
Taking place in the last months of the war, the Netflix show follows a Zeon pilot tasked with defending the European front against the Federation's forces.
1989
A self-contained story all about the realities of war, shown from the perspective of a child who initially thinks soldiers are cool when the horrors of war come knocking at his door.
2015-2017
A rare glimpse at the non-Amuro or Char soldiers who risked their lives in the war. Be warned, don't get too attached to the characters.
1991-1992
What if Gundam was Top Gun? The answer is Stardust Memory, a show with great '80s power ballads, exciting combat, a crew of pilots you could easily see playing volleyball on the beach, and a great need for speed.
1985-1986
The war is over, and the victors have become the new villains. The show blurs the line between good and evil, with a more complex story, a great redemption story for Char, and even more space fights.
1986-1987
A more humorous Gundam show, a bizarre attempt to balance out the darkness of Zeta with slapstick comedy and a goofy new group of characters.
1988
The story of Char and Amuro comes to a close with an epic movie. Mostly worth it for those invested in the rivalry of the two mecha pilots.
2010-2014
In many ways, this is the conclusion to the Universal Century, a story of a normal boy who becomes a Gundam pilot on behalf of Zeon, threatening to bring down the Federation. This is a rare Gundam title that was adapted from a novel.
2017
This short film is one of the few Gundam titles to have a female protagonist. Sadly, the film's short runtime means it crunches the story into mere minutes.
2018
A year after the events of Unicorn, the discovery of a long-lost Gundam threatens the Federation. This film features some wild Gundam designs.
2021
It's been 12 years since Char's rebellion, and now a chance encounter between a Newtype, an officer, and the son of a major Federation officer from the original series results in an exciting spy thriller full of intrigue.
2004
The closest Gundam has come to actually being Star Wars, with a protagonist that's essentially Darth Vader and music that resembles the Imperial March.
1993-1994
Even Tomino jokingly rejected this entry in the franchise. That being said, the French Revolution inspiration gives this show, at the very least, a cool premise.
2000
A live-action movie about the Federation and the colonies battling over food shortages that serves as proof that Gundam works best in animation.
A timeline focused on the conflict between normal Earth-born humans known as "Naturals," and genetically altered superhumans known as "Coordinators." This is where the SEED series takes place, which is a good introduction to the Gundam franchise as an alternative to the original show.
1. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
2. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny
3. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73: STARGAZER
4. Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom
What if Gundam weren't real giant robots, but a franchise with merchandise that regular people are fans of? This is the home of the Gundam Builders franchise, which takes place in our reality, and follows fans of Gunpla — plastic Gundam models — that fans use to fight in high-tech arenas.
1. Model Suit Gunpla Builders Beginning G
2. Gundam Build Fighters
3. Gundam Build Fighters Try
4. Gundam Build Divers
5. Gundam Build Divers Re:RISE
6. Gundam Breaker Battlogue
This is an alternate timeline with a rather cool tie to the UC that is best left unspoiled. There is only one title in this timeline, which boasts mecha designs by Syd Mead, a charming protagonist, and a unique premise that kind of reminds me of a western.
1. Turn A Gundam
The first alternate timeline, Future Century skips the One Year War for a more civilized and exhilarating alternative — a giant tournament. Only one show takes place in this timeline, which is the show for people who always wondered what a Matador Gundam could look like, or a Viking Gundam, or the best-named Gundam — Tequila Gundam. It's the Gundam equivalent of the Gremlins 2 skit from Key & Peele.
1. Mobile Fighter G Gundam
The timeline that gave Gundam its big break in the U.S. — the messy, campy, iconic Gundam Wing. Five young pilots are sent to Earth independently with Mobile Suits on a mission to fight against a hostile Earth on behalf of the rebellious colonies, but the boys end up finding kinship in each other and choose their own reasons to fight.
1. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
2. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz
A timeline regarded by some fans as an alternate telling of the Universal Century where the One Year War ended in an even bigger tragedy — with 99% of Earth's population dying from colony drops. Only one show takes place in this timeline, featuring a young boy living on post-apocalyptic Earth decides to pilot a Gundam to save the life of a mysterious girl he has just met.
1. After War Gundam X
The only Gundam timeline to use our calendar, this is the home of the Gundam 00 show and movie. The paramilitary organization Celestial Being tries to rid the world of war by creating the most powerful weapon ever. Surprise, it's five Gundams. It has some elaborate worldbuilding and is the very first Gundam entry to feature actual aliens as antagonists.
1. Mobile Suit Gundam 00
2. Mobile Suit Gundam 00 – Awakening of the Trailblazer –
Several hundred years after humanity has colonized space and endured an era of long-lasting peace, a new enemy appears. This is the home of Gundam AGE, a series that spans several decades as the protagonists grow from children to old veterans.
1. Mobile Suit Gundam AGE
Created for the 35th anniversary of the Gundam franchise, this was the first series that Gundam's creator Yoshiyuki Tomino wrote and directed in 15 years. This timeline takes place a millennium after the Universal Century in a world that is more anti-technology.
1. Gundam Reconguista in G
A post-Iraq War Gundam timeline that focuses on more grounded subjects like slavery, colonialism, and child soldiers (in a much less subtle way than past shows). This is the home of Iron-Blooded Orphans, one of the darkest Gundam shows yet, which is saying a lot.
1. Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans
The home of The Witch From Mercury, this timeline is set in an era where space has become a corporate race, with a multitude of companies investing in different types of mobile suits. Additionally, Gundams here have a bit of a psychic connection to their pilots (think synchronization in Evangelion or Pacific Rim) which has caused many pilots to be killed and Gundams to be banned almost everywhere.
1. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury
Another alternate version of the Universal Century. In this timeline, Char Aznable gets his hands on the White Base and the original RX-78 Gundam instead of Amuro Ray, drastically changing the outcome of the One Year War. This is the home of the most recent Gundam series, Gundam GQuuuuuuX, which IGN's review called "exactly the kind of inventive reimagining of Gundam we deserve."
1. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX
The gears of Gundam never stop turning. In addition to GQuuuuuuX, a new Gundam anime set in the Post Disaster timeline, titled Iron-Blooded Orphans: Urðr-Huntm, is in the works based on the mobile game of the same name. A prequel to SEED Freedom, titled Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom Zero, is also in development.
And, of course, there is also the live-action movie we've been threatened with for a few years. Though the film has (predictably) suffered setbacks, there is a small chance it could genuinely be great. As of now, one of the only details we have is the possibility of none other than Sydney Sweeney’s involvement.
If you're out of Game Pass Ultimate, or thinking about jumping in for the first time, there's a clever way to get back on board without paying the full £14.99 a month, and save up to £120 a year.
If you need a little help getting started, here's a further in-depth step-by-step guide on how to secure this brand-new deal and not overlook any of the key steps.
To start, you’ll need to purchase three 12-month EA Play subscription codes, which are currently available on Amazon UK for £19.99 each.
It’s important to buy these one at a time in separate orders, as Amazon may occasionally block multiple digital code purchases placed in a single transaction.
Once you have the codes, head over to Microsoft’s official redemption page and enter each one. This will load your account with 36 months of EA Play.
From there, visit the Game Pass Ultimate product page at the Xbox website and purchase a one-month subscription for £14.99.
Microsoft will immediately convert the 36 months of EA Play into 12 months of Game Pass Ultimate (ratio of 3:1), and the one-month upgrade itself adds an extra month, bringing the total to 13 months of Ultimate access.
All in, you’ll pay £59.97 for EA Play and £14.99 for the upgrade, totalling £74.96.
So just by stacking a few EA Play codes and triggering Microsoft’s conversion system, you can score 13 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for the equivlent of ~£5.76 per month, and access major titles like Doom: The Dark Ages, Oblivion Remastered, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and much more.
Considering a full-price 13-month subscription would normally run nearly £195, this workaround creates a bargain that’s almost too massive to pass up. So tell your friends!
Note: This only works if you don't have an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. So ensure you don't have anything left on your membership before proceeding.
Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.
Includes contributions by Robert Anderson.
Credit to merb0786 at HotUKDeals for finding this offer.
At this point, Tom Cruise might very well live forever — and if he does, at least we know he’ll still be making movies. The legendary actor and daredevil stunt performer recently doubled down on his past declaration that he would continue to make movies into his 80s, and he even took that claim to the next level.
“I actually said I’m going to make movies into my 80s; actually, I’m going to make them into my 100s,” he told THR recently while attending the Cannes Film Festival in honor of his new film Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, which played the festival out of competition. “I will never stop. I will never stop doing action, I will never stop doing drama, comedy films — I’m excited.”
Cruise has been the core of the Mission: Impossible franchise for nearly 30 years now, and it should come as no surprise that the actor has a treasure trove of memories from making the films, starting with the very first in 1996.
But in reflecting as the franchise comes to a close once and for all, Cruise claimed it’s impossible to pick just one because of how wonderful the entire experience has been.
“There's been so many levels of reward with the filmmakers that I’ve collaborated with, the crews, the people, the cultures that we’ve worked in,” he explained at the festival.
“Everything that I’ve learned and continue to learn about storytelling, about life, about leadership, about character and every aspect of filmmaking. It’s been exceptional, it really is exceptional. I feel very fortunate to be able to make the films that I make and I love it, I just [love] making movies.”
Earlier this month, Cruise revealed that M:I 8 director Christopher McQuarrie wanted him to do some actually impossible stunts for the upcoming film, but in order to illustrate how difficult the feat was, he quite literally put McQuarrie up to the trick himself.
Honestly, his life just sounds like a blast. Thankfully cinema has a hype man like him. Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, directed by Christopher McQuarrie, arrives in theaters May 23, 2025.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
The rebooted DCU is in full swing, with Superman waiting to get the main event underway in July. So, can fans a Disney+-style official chronological timeline? James Gunn has responded.
As has become apparent in recent months, there are a number of characters set to appear in Superman, Peacemaker Season 2, Supergirl, and Lanterns. It could get confusing, which begs the question: will the DCU will have a chronological timeline similar to what Marvel Studios' MCU has on Disney+?
That’s a question that was put to DCU steward James Gunn on social media, and he responded to say the DCU timeline is, for now at least, as the films and TV shows come out.
"As of now it's basically as the movies and shows come out — although of course some of these feature flashbacks — 'Creature Commandos,' 'Superman,' 'Peacemaker,' 'Lanterns,' 'Supergirl,' " Gunn explained.
That means this summer’s Superman is set before Peacemaker Season 2, which premieres on HBO Max (yes, they’ve changed the name back) on August 21, 2025. Supergirl comes out on June 26, 2026, but we don’t have a release date for Lanterns. Now we know both are set in-universe after Superman and Peacemaker Season 2. As for in which order, that will depend on when they come out, based on Gunn's latest comments.
Disney+ has a section that orders all the Marvel movies and TV shows in chronological order to create a really helpful and canon timeline. While Gunn’s response here makes it sound like HBO Max won’t have something similar, perhaps in the future when there are a lot of DCU projects to think about, the time will come.
Other upcoming DCU projects known to be in the works include Clayface, which has a September 11, 2026 release date. DCU movie The Authority, however, sounds like it’s in trouble. Gunn has said Waller, a spinoff of Peacemaker, “has had a couple of setbacks, frankly.” However, HBO Max series Booster Gold “is going pretty strong,” and Paradise Lost is "totally, still important and we're working heavily on it," Gunn has said.
As for Swamp Thing, Safran said DC Studios is willing to wait for Logan and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny director James Mangold to be ready to make it.
Speaking of cross-project characters, fans are wondering how the Superman movie is going to deal with all its side characters. The latest trailer showcased everyone from Mister Terrific to The Engineer, as well as newcomer The Hammer of Boravia and the mysterious Ultraman. Guy Gardner is also in Peacemaker Season 2, as is Rick Flag Sr., Maxwell Lord, and Hawkgirl.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
This is a spoiler-free review of Rick and Morty season 8, which premieres on Sunday, May 25. New episodes air weekly through July 27.
Eight seasons into its run, Rick and Morty has become two shows. Sometimes it clings to its roots as a science-fiction adventure that brews up a fresh parody of a genre staple every week. But it’s best when it spends time expanding its characters and world, exploring Rick’s dark backstory, his impact on the multiverse, and his relationship with his family. Unfortunately, the four episodes of season 8 that I’ve seen lean on the classic Rick and Morty formula, which is getting a bit tired.
In recent years, the show has challenged Rick’s dominance by having characters push back against his abusive and self-destructive behavior while simultaneously proving that the guy who fancies himself the smartest being in any reality isn’t right about everything. That progress seems to have evaporated in season 8. While Rick does get duped after making a big mistake in the season premiere, “Summer of All Fears,” he mostly gets what he wants and persuades others to fall in line with his amorality.
When Morty argues for trying to actually help people on their adventures, he winds up regretting the decision. Rick, meanwhile, finds that being kind rather than cruel can work to his advantage, but it’s not a lesson bound to stick. Judging by these episodes, season 8 takes a sadistic glee in undermining potential character growth, even as it provides a glimpse at what the Smith family is willing to do to each other to achieve their goals.
Rick and Morty still shines when it pairs its absurdism with sharp writing, pulling no punches when mocking Christianity and the War in Afghanistan with some very weird sci-fi twists. Its over-the-top use of gore, violence, and apocalyptic threats means the stakes are always high and prone to get improbably higher. And it’s never forgotten the value of a good callback – just wait to see how Morty’s decision to add a snorkel to a death-race car in “Summer of All Fears” pays off.
Yet its newest episodes also offer less rewarding reminders of things Rick and Morty has done before. Several of them feel like structural or thematic retreads: "The Rick, The Mort & The Ugly," for example, is a solid little Western that follows the model of “The Ricklantis Mixup,” focusing on the fallout from the destruction of the Citadel of Ricks while the primary versions of Rick and Morty remain blissfully ignorant of the larger plots unfolding around them. The body horror-heavy “The Last Temptation of Jerry” is a mashup of The Santa Clause and Prometheus, but beneath the surface, it’s just another opportunity to use Morty’s poor dad Jerry (Chris Parnell) as a punching bag – which would be less bothersome if it were as funny as (or offered the richer character arcs of) previous Jerry episodes like “The Jerrick Trap” or “Big Trouble in Little Sanchez.” Even with that killer snorkel punchline, “Summer of All Fears” has a bit too much in common with the season 6’s "Rick: A Mort Well Lived," which also combined zany action with an emotional arc about digital selves.
It feels as though Rick and Morty is at a crossroads: At similar points in their long runs, fellow animated comedies Archer and The Venture Bros. had evolved beyond their spoofs of espionage thrillers and Hanna-Barbera boy adventurers, staying fresh by allowing their characters to grow and change. Season 7 saw Rick kill his nemesis and Morty confront his fear of being abandoned by Rick, and yet neither major development seems to have an effect on the early parts of season 8. (Maybe we see that reflected in episode 2, “Valkyrick,” which wasn’t screened for critics.) The end of last season also saw the title characters admit that all the cosmic horrors and untold pleasures they’ve experienced have left them feeling a little jaded. If Rick and Morty isn’t careful, its audience might start to feel that way, too.
One of the most exciting trading card crossovers in years is nearly here. Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy releases on June 13, and the only set still available from major retailers is the Starter Kit, now back in stock and available to preorder at Amazon for just $19.87 (and £15.99 in the UK).
The upcoming set has been steadily building in hype since its announcement, and a new trailer has since kicked the excitement up an extra notch. Walmart also has the Final Fantasy bundle back in stock today for $69.87.
Market Price on the Play Booster Set seems to have surged, as on May 14, 2025, you could pick it up for $164.99 from TCGPlayer; it's now $185.59, a $20+ spike. Amazon had also restocked at $189, and still managed to promptly sell out as well.
There's also the nine-booster Final Fantasy bundle (plus bonus cards) that's shot up to $95 (was $87.99), despite still being available to preorder for $70 at Walmart, alongside single sealed boosters that have risen from $7.99 to $9.54 as well.
So, what is "Market Price"? Those collecting Pokémon TCG will be wildly familiar with the concept, but it's where retailers will take liberties with the "recommended" part of an MSRP, and list it for what they think folk will pay. Capitalism at its finest, I know, and for Final Fantasy MTG, "Market Price" is currently around $20-40 over MSRP, depending on what you're buying.
If you can stomach the cost, with the rest of the sets sold out and some singles already going for over $500, you'll want to lock in your preorders before everything vanishes faster than you can say Chocobo.
Prices in the singles market are looking remarkably high as well, with the borderless version of Cloud, Midgar Mercenary, currently sitting at $147.23, and the Surge Foil version is at an almighty $599, the most expensive of the entire FF set.
If you've already preordered, or are just on the hunt for rare singles, there are a few other clear standouts to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.
That includes the gorgeous borderless Kefka, Court Mage card, shown off in the new MTG teaser trailer from PAX East, and featuring longtime Final Fantasy artist, Yoshitaka Amano.
TCG Player is good spot for a wide collection of single cards you can purchase and add to your deck without having to hope for a good pull.
It's also a good resource for figuring out how much your cards are worth once the new set is out, so if you pull any Surge Foil cards in your booster pack preorders, you might suddenly find yourself with quite the nest egg. But, it's also worth noting that prices change all the time, so some cards may change in value closer to release.
Other highlights to look out for when opening boosters, or to consider buying standalone, include the Cloud, Ex-Soldier Commander card, which costs $45.99 at the time of writing. That’s not surprising, given how easy it makes it for equipping other creatures you might have in play on the field.
Then there's also the full-art version of the Yuffie Kisaragi - Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow, currently just under $100. That’s due to both the card’s use as a Commander and its rarity, especially in that classic late 90’s FF7 art style.
It’s when you get to some of the special cards where things get extra expensive, though. Alongside that eye watering $599 Cloud card, the borderless version of the Traveling Chocobo card, costs $169.98, while the standard version stands at a cheaper, but still expensive $114.97.
You can also buy the new Traveling Chocobo cards, which even had their own teaser trailer featuring a limited edition Gold Chocobo.
While it can be expensive when seeking out the rarest cards, quite a number of singles at TCG player can also be bought at a low price.
That includes the likes of Sazh’s Chocobo for $1.96, Tonberry for $2.49, the useful Summon: Shiva for $1.56, or even Gladiolus Amicitia for 33 cents.
Moreover, TCG Player is also hosting preorders for select Final Fantasy booster sets, albeit at over MSRP, but at current market price.
But, for those just preordering the Starter Kit today, it is also worth noting that each deck in the set is preconstructed, and doesn't feature boosters to open (so no surprise $600 cards).
Instead, it includes one traditional foil legendary creature, five brand-new non-foil cards debuting in Magic, and 54 cards from the main set.
The kit also comes with four non-foil double-sided tokens, two MTG Arena code cards (one per deck), and two deck boxes. That’s a lot of value packed into a $20 price tag.
For new Magic: The Gathering players, the Arena code cards are especially useful. You can redeem both decks to play online, giving you a chance to learn the game at your own pace through AI matches or competitive play.
Looking for more? There's also plenty of other Magic: The Gathering products to buy now or preorder, such as the highly anticipated Edge of Eternities set.
The rest are a mixed bag, with older products going for an absolute fortune, such as the $749 Theros Beyond Death booster to the pricey Lord of the Rings sample bundles.
Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.
Nixxes has just released Title Update 1.4 for The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, and shared its full patch notes. So, let’s see what this new update brings to the table. One of the biggest features in Patch 1.4 is support for NVIDIA DLSS 4. If you have an NVIDIA RTX GPU, you can … Continue reading The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered Title Update 1.4 Released, Full Patch Notes →
The post The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered Title Update 1.4 Released, Full Patch Notes appeared first on DSOGaming.
NVIDIA and Remedy have announced that FBC: Firebreak will support Full Ray Tracing/Path Tracing on PC. This means the game will have super realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections. FBC: Firebreak will use the Northlight Engine, which is the same engine used in Alan Wake 2. So it makes sense that this new CONTROL spin-off will … Continue reading FBC: Firebreak will support Full Ray Tracing/Path Tracing on PC →
The post FBC: Firebreak will support Full Ray Tracing/Path Tracing on PC appeared first on DSOGaming.
NVIDIA has announced that MindsEye and Crimson Desert, two highly anticipated PC games, will support NVIDIA DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Gen. Alongside these two games, we also got two new trailers for LIGHT OF MOTIRAM and WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers (which will also support DLSS 4 MFG). Crimson Desert started as an open-world MMORPG. During development, though, … Continue reading MindsEye & Crimson Desert will support NVIDIA DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Gen →
The post MindsEye & Crimson Desert will support NVIDIA DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Gen appeared first on DSOGaming.
Last week, Frogwares released a remastered version of The Sinking City for free to all of its owners. Powered by Unreal Engine 5 and using Lumen, it’s time now to benchmark it and examine its performance on PC. For our benchmarks, we used an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, 32GB of DDR5 at 6000Mhz, AMD’s Radeon … Continue reading The Sinking City Remastered PC Performance Analysis →
The post The Sinking City Remastered PC Performance Analysis appeared first on DSOGaming.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SCpNk6KARoGViPpak8gfNK.jpg "US President Donald Trump holds a chart as he delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs during an event in the Rose Garden entitled "Make America Wealthy Again" at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 2, 2025.")
© BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
© Future
© id Software
© Infold Games
© Nvidia
© Rockstar Games
© Future
© Rockstar
© Nvidia
© Future
© Future
© Future
© Future
© Shift Up
© Future
The Lego Group has forced an intrepid team of developers to shut down their impressive-looking Bionicle fan project, after eight years' work.
Bionicle: Masks of Power was set to have been an open-world action RPG inspired by Horizon: Zero Dawn, featuring the fan-favourite masked warriors from Lego's legendary toy series.
Successive trailers for the game had hyped up Bionicle fans for the release, and all looked fine from The Lego Group's side — until, in the last month, something appears to have changed.
In a blog post confirming Bionicle: Masks of Power's shock cancellation, its developers Team Kanohi said that they had recently been contacted by The Lego Group and told to shut down the project "in its entirety" and remove the game "from the public eye."
The developers said they were not given any further specifics on the decision, but speculated that Bionicle: Masks of Power had grown to the point where it was now "too easy to mistake for an official product."
A now-removed Steam page for the game was among the first search results for "Bionicle game," and despite disclaimers that it was a fan project, its developers admit the whole thing may have been a victim of its own success — and beginning to look too legitimate.
Indeed, newly-published footage meant as a farewell to the project shows a relatively polished Unreal Engine-powered experience, featuring the Bionicle characters in a lush jungle world.
Could Lego finally be preparing its own Bionicle game now, and not want Masks of Power as competition? Or, perhaps, might Bionicle be set to appear within Lego's deep integration within Fortnite, where players can make their own Lego games and worlds using Unreal Engine?
Whatever the reason, this looks to be the end for Bionicle: Masks of Power, though its development team has said it will rebrand and continue.
"Our plan is to take everything we've learned through creating Masks of Power and use that knowledge and experience as the foundation of a brand-new, original game," the developers said.
"Currently codenamed Project Rustbound, our team has already begun brainstorming concepts for a new, original world that we get the chance to build ourselves."
This will also come with a new name for Team Kanohi, as it leaves the masked Bionicle warriors behind. And that new name? Unmasked Games. After eight years and some promising progress, we'll be keeping an eye out for what the team does next.
Connexion
