Resident Evil Requiem is getting its very own Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, which will release alongside the game on February 27, 2026, and is now up for preorder at Best Buy, costing $99.99.

It's the first Switch 2 game to get its own Pro Controller, and, at $10 more than the standard Switch 2 Pro Controller ($89), likely sets the pricing precedent for these special edition gamepads.

Capcom looks to be throwing the full force of Resident Evil Requiem behind the Switch 2 with several exclusive announcements for the console.

That includes the aforementioned controller, alongside an amiibo, and the 'Resident Evil Generation Pack', containing Resident Evil Requiem, Resident Evil 7 biohazard Gold Edition, and Resident Evil Village Gold Edition for Switch 2.

At the time of publication, only Best Buy and Nintendo (sold out) are hosting preorders for the first themed Switch 2 Pro Controller. But, we're also expecting the likes of Amazon, Walmart, and Target to follow suit soon. Stay tuned for more preorder updates in this regard.

In the meantime, we’ve got plenty more on Requiem to keep locked in, including the director of the game explaining why Western fans are more likely to play in first-person, and how the developers can’t tell if the game’s actually scary any more.

Resident Evil Requiem arrives for Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S on February 27, 2026.

Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.

Stranger Things is coming to an end with Season 5, and a new trailer from Netflix goes deep into what fans can expect.

The near three-minute trailer, below, gives us our best look at Season 5. The setup is as follows: with Hawkins under lockdown, El in hiding and danger lurking at every turn, the entire party unites with a single goal: to hunt and kill Vecna.

At long last… we can begin. The trailer for the epic final season of STRANGER THINGS is HERE. pic.twitter.com/5qi9memqSv

— Netflix (@netflix) October 30, 2025

Stranger Things Season 5 debuts on Netflix in three parts, with the first four episodes arriving for the Thanksgiving holiday on November 26. The next three episodes premiere on Christmas, and the series finale will debut on the streamer and in over 350 theaters nationwide on New Year’s Eve.

Stranger Things Season 5 release dates:

• VOL 1 - November 26, 5pm PT
• VOL 2 - Christmas, 5pm PT
• THE FINALE - New Year’s Eve, 5pm PT

Cocreator and showrunner Ross Duffer has warned fans to see the Season 5 finale in theaters only if they’re cool with crying in a crowded room. "The finale. Theaters. New Year’s Eve," Duffer wrote in an Instagram post alongside a photo of the drawing Lucas and Max used to ask each other on a date in Season 4. "This is something my brother and I have dreamed about for years. If you don’t mind crying in front of strangers, GO. And if you’re in LA… maybe we’ll see you there."

Matt Duffer has said Linda Hamilton's character, Dr. Kay, who we see briefly in the new trailer, is a "hyper-intelligent and intimidating" government agent hunting down Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven. Meanwhile, Ross Duffer took to Instagram earlier this month to confirm the runtimes for the premiere episode, “The Crawl,” which will run one hour and eight minutes, Episode 2, whose title has yet to be announced, which will run 54 minutes, Episode 3, titled “The Turnbow Trap,” which will run one hour and six minutes, and Episode 4, “Sorcerer,” which comes in at one hour and 23 minutes.

Here’s the official blurb on Stranger Things Season 5:

The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.

Netflix also released a series of comments from the cast about where their characters are at going into Season 5, as well as comments from the Duffers and executive producer Shawn Levy:

“Eleven is in training mode. She's in a warrior state, which is the first time you see Eleven like that at the beginning of a season. As for her mindset, all she is thinking about is protecting her friends. Her friends are her chosen family, so she will do whatever it takes to protect them and we're going to see that.”

- Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven)

“Dustin is kind of in a bit of a funk. I think everybody probably is considering the state that Hawkins is in, and it's getting a little bit harder for the gang to keep all the pieces together. We're all dealing with the day-to-day issues of what it is to try to keep everybody safe and figure out where Vecna is, while having a lot of unpacked baggage from the events in the previous season.” - Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin)

“It's always been in the beginning of a season that everything is all good, but this is the first season we come into it and the stakes are the same as where we left off. We haven't defeated Vecna and the problem is still there. We're still trying to figure it out and we may not be able to figure it out, so you feel that burden on Lucas as well as everyone else on the show. Everyone is on edge and we’re all just trying to keep hope alive.” - Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas)

“Will is back in Hawkins this season. He was out of Hawkins for the last season, so now we're seeing the effects of him being back in that realm. We kind of hit the ground running right away this season, which is really exciting and not how we've started any other season. Everyone is all in one place and we all have the same objective.” - Noah Schnapp (Will)

“We [ended] Season 4 in a tough place for Max. Her final moments were her in a hospital bed. Eleven was searching for her in the void and couldn't find her, so Max is definitely not the way she once was. There’s still a small glimmer of hope, though, and her friends are hanging on to that.” - Sadie Sink (Max)

“Mike is back in leadership mode, and he’s kind of taken it more upon himself to help plan out these missions, and he and the whole gang are devoted to finding Vecna and ending this.” - Finn Wolfhard (Mike)

“I think what's unique about this season is that it starts a little bit in chaos because our heroes ultimately lost at the end of Season 4. We usually set up their normal life and how they’re going about school, and then we introduce the supernatural element. But in this case, this season is sprinting from the start.” - Ross Duffer (Co-Creator, Executive Producer, Writer, Director)

“They’re not experiencing normal life. Nothing in Hawkins is normal anymore…their movement is restricted, and there are Big Brother cameras everywhere. So not only are they active — their everyday, normal lives are anything but.” - Matt Duffer (Co-Creator, Executive Producer, Writer, Director)

“The action is next level, the visual effects are next level, but I'm also happy to say that the emotional center remains the same. And part of the magic of this show is that even as we evolve, even as the storytelling becomes more epic, it's always anchored in these characters that we love.” - Shawn Levy (Executive Producer & Director)

Season 5 arrives over three years after the finale of Season 4. For more, check out the burning questions we still have from Stranger Things Season 4.

While Stranger Things is coming to an end in terms of its main Netflix series, there’s plenty more from the franchise to look forward to. Stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow made its Broadway debut in April, there’s a Stranger Things animated series that will take fans back to Hawkins in 2026, a collection of books, and the touring Stranger Things Experience.

Image credit: Netflix.

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.

Nintendo has brought Animal Crossing: New Horizons back into the big time with a Switch 2 Edition and a free update to the base game. Both launch January 15, 2026, with preorders coming soon, Nintendo said.

The Switch 2 edition features new features like higher resolution visuals (with the framerate capped at 30fps), mouse controls, an in-game megaphone that uses the system’s built-in microphone, online play for up to 12 players, and CameraPlay.

The free update for the base game, meanwhile, features a new resort hotel run by Kapp’n’s family, new themed items and characters, extra exclusives like Slumber Island for Nintendo Switch Online members, and more. The content of this update can be played in both versions of the game from January 15.

Nintendo said Switch 2 players can buy digital or physical versions of the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Animal Crossing: New Horizons when it launches on January 15 for $64.99, and if they already have the game for Nintendo Switch, a paid upgrade pack will also be available for $4.99. Pre-orders for the paid upgrade pack are available starting today on the My Nintendo Store and Nintendo eShop.

Here are the finer details, from Nintendo:

Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 with several enhancements to enjoy, including:

• Improved resolution (4K in TV mode).
• Mouse controls with the right Joy-Con 2 controller to decorate indoors, create Custom Designs and even compose hand-written bulletin-board messages.
• Locate residents by calling their names using the in-game megaphone item and the built-in Nintendo Switch 2 microphone.
• Join 12-player sessions for online sessions if everyone is playing the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
• Play with friends via CameraPlay. Connect a compatible USB camera (sold separately) and see their reactions in-game while exploring your island together.

And both versions of the game will receive new features to experience, including:

• Resort Hotel’s Grand Opening: A resort hotel is opening on the pier, and it’s run by Kapp’n’s family. To bring in guests from off the island, you’ll help out by decorating guest rooms and more. Plus, find new furniture and clothing at the souvenir shop and dress up mannequins with outfits that guests can wear.
• Making Island Life More Convenient: Want a fresh start? Resetti is on hand with a convenient Reset Service to help tidy up your island. Additionally, you can now upgrade your home storage to hold up to 9,000 items, and store trees, shrubs and flowers there, too.
• Slumber Island: Players with a Nintendo Switch Online membership can design and save up to three islands and play with friends online. Select the size and layout of the island, build and design it collaboratively, access your inventory and decorate, plus invite residents from your home island.
• Collaborations: Collect Nintendo items like the Ultra Hand and Nintendo consoles in-game to add some classic flair to your island. Nintendo Switch Online members can play select classic Nintendo titles in-game when interacting with specific Nintendo console items, too! LEGO items will also make their debut with this update. And use select The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon series amiibo8 to invite certain characters — and unlock various items inspired by those series.

Most fans had accepted that Nintendo had left Animal Crossing: New Horizons behind, despite it being the second best-selling game on Switch with an enormous 48.19 million units sold. Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched in March 2020 and benefited from play-at-home gaming fueled by lockdowns, but Nintendo failed to capitalize on its popularity with significant DLC throughout the last five years. IGN's Animal Crossing: New Horizons review returned a 9/10. We said: "Animal Crossing: New Horizons is an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game that's full of surprises."

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.

Even 33 years after its debut, the Mortal Kombat series can still shock and impress with its over-the-top violence and gory spectacle. That feels especially true with the latest game compilation and documentary release from developer Digital Eclipse, which not only brings the earliest Mortal Kombat games back for another round but also offers deeper insight into their history and how this brutal fighting series was brought to life. Though the collection falls just a bit short of executing a proper Fatality due to a few unfortunate omissions and some uneven balance and polish for the games that are here, it still offers enough of a comprehensive and engaging dive into the genre’s most infamous franchise to make for a killer package.

Focusing primarily on the history behind the games that defined the first 10 years of Mortal Kombat, the Legacy Kollection really leans into the formative hits. It starts from the first Mortal Kombat arcade game in 1992 and going through the series' first steps into 3D with Mortal Kombat 4 and the handheld ports of Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance, which tells the larger story of how Mortal Kombat co-creators Ed Boon and John Tobias went on to shake up the genre.

Included in the Legacy Kollection is the original Mortal Kombat trilogy and its ports, MK4, the Mythologies and Special Forces spin-offs, and the various handheld releases of other MK games. You're free to jump into any game in the collection right from the start, and they are essentially as they were upon release, which includes the memorable quirks, secrets, and exploits that were present. Unfortunately, this also includes the infamous enemy AI from certain versions of the original trilogy, notorious for reading player inputs and snapping back with counterattacks.

It was very jarring to see how brutal and, at times, unfair CPU opponents can be. The arcade ladder for MK2 and MK3 and its variations in particular, even on the lowest settings, can be relentless – though it's at least a great way to see just what ‘90s gamers were up against. However, the collection does make efforts to balance out those hurdles by adding some firsts to the classic games, such as a fleshed out training mode with tuning options, a difficulty setting for most games in the main menu, a Fatality training mode to help nail down the timing of those pesky finishers, and online play for the arcade and even Sega Genesis and SNES releases (though I wasn’t able to test out server stability for this review, and will update it after release if that turns out to be an issue).

One of the more helpful features that the Legacy Kollection includes is the rewind option, which lets you roll back 30 seconds of playtime in every game. This rewind can be a super useful option for offsetting the often absurd difficulty, but it's also nice to have for trying to perfect your run when going for a particular secret in arcade mode. However, one strange quirk I noticed was that rolling back in the middle of a fight can often supercharge enemy AI, which already has the odds stacked in their favor. In some cases, I was left in a real death loop of attacks whenever I tried rewinding a few seconds, with the AI somehow countering my roll back with a brutal throw or special move.

To be clear, these are not total remasters. While some healthy new features come with the collection, the classic games are essentially as they were, with only quality-of-life updates and visual tweaks to dress them up for modern platforms. You can even add some neat visual filters and borders to simulate the old-school arcade or home experience, or just strip it back to the essentials. The collection offers a solid, well-made container for these classics, and I appreciated that it can even make most of them look sharp on my modern display.

The Legacy Kollection doesn't just focus on the key arcade games; it also includes many ports released after and alongside them, which is how many people in the '90s played them. It's such a great decision to include the supplementary ports for the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, and Game Boy as they help show just how popular Mortal Kombat was and how much work went into each release. I was too young to visit arcades on my own, so I ended up forming a stronger attachment to the Sega Genesis ports of the original MK games. Even though it's not totally up to the standards of the arcade releases, the ports still hit the spot when it comes to showing off that classic MK combat and spectacle. I couldn't help but feel nostalgic when I heard the Sega Genesis' scratchy rendition of the Dead Pool theme.

That said, parts of the package do feel more like curiosities, showing how early Mortal Kombat ran on more modest hardware. For instance, playing the Game Boy and Game Gear versions of Mortal Kombat 1 can be an eyesore. The handheld-sized experience is blown up to fit a larger screen, and the gameplay is so sluggish and unresponsive that it can feel disorienting. I would have preferred an option to shrink the screen to a more visually appealing scope, but that's not available in the collection. Still, I'm glad to have them for posterity's sake, as they are vital parts of MK history.

I especially loved to have a new way to play the PS1 edition of Mortal Kombat Trilogy, which is essentially the Super Smash Bros. of the MK series with its massive roster. The Legacy Kollection also improves it with greatly reduced load times, which makes it likely the best version of MK Trilogy available. It's a fantastic addition to the overall collection.

One of the most anticipated inclusions in the collection is the fabled WaveNet release of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, an updated version of the arcade game that rebalanced the combat, featured Noob Saibot and Human Smoke as unlockable characters, and also had the then-rare opportunity to play online against other arcade players. This is such a tremendous find, making the collection feel all the more comprehensive as it allows long-time fans to play the 'lost' release of UMK3, and it runs incredibly well.

Unfortunately, the one game that feels the most unpolished is Mortal Kombat 4, which is appropriate given that it's the series' first crack at 3D combat in the arcade. The version included in the package is the finalized arcade release, which has some odd visual and gameplay bugs. Some of the new additions with the Legacy Kollection seem to magnify its quirks, too, such as stage geometry popping out of view or obstructing the action, or instances in the training mode with characters getting stuck out of bounds. In that way, it feels like a letdown given this is the only modern way to play MK4.

Interestingly, the Legacy Kollection includes playable versions of some of the franchise's early spin-offs, including Mortal Kombat: Mythologies - Sub-Zero and Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, which have not been seen since their initial releases. Instead of fighting games, Mythologies and Special Forces try to inject the over-the-top violence and spectacle into action stages. Unfortunately, the two spin-offs have not gotten better with age, even with some minor improvements to controls. They are easily the weakest games of the package, being both frustrating and unintentionally hilarious to sit through. But the inclusion of these games is still very much welcome because they were, at the time, ambitious swings for the series to try something different. It's commendable that the collection includes these misfires and gives them equal attention alongside the hits. It also highlights that they served as stepping stones for more well-rounded spin-offs that were to come.

We get to see the series' growth well in the documentary mode, which is where the Legacy Kollection truly shines as a fantastic celebration. Much like Digital Eclipse's work on The Making of Karateka and Tetris Forever, the documentary mode is displayed as an explorable timeline that shows factoids about the series, interviews, archival footage of development, deleted characters and special moves, and even classic commercials and arcade advertising for each of the key games.

The documentary mode is a fantastic history lesson, not just on the series but also on video game development and shifting pop culture during the 1990s. With new interviews of key creatives from Williams Entertainment, Midway, and Netherrealm Studios, the documentary offers a detailed account of the developers' roots in pinball games and how Mortal Kombat became a lightning rod for the backlash against violence in media during the ‘90s. My favorite details were seeing how Mortal Kombat became a pop culture hit and how the developers felt about fans who thought Mortal Kombat 3's run-button changed the meta too much. It's a fantastic dive behind the scenes.

All in all, the Legacy Kollection has some truly great inclusions and additional features, but I couldn't help but feel a little let down by some game omissions that would have helped round it out further. Along with the lack of the N64 release of Mortal Kombat Trilogy – which had a fun and experimental 3v3 mode – Mortal Kombat 4 Gold edition and the console versions of MK: Deadly Alliance not being included really make for an odd choice given that they were the series's more confident steps into 3D. This also results in the documentary mode skimming over certain details in the timeline due to the absence of these games. Though I recognize the core focus was on the main games within the first 10 years of the series, and that other outside or technical issues likely prevented these games from being included, it’s still a bit disappointing to see the package lose steam towards the end, even with how impressive the Game Boy port renditions are.

Wicked: For Good will feature more of Dorothy this time around, but it will not show Dorothy’s face.

Confirmation comes from director Jon M. Chu, who told People that while Dorothy Gale will appear more heavily in Wicked: For Good compared to the Broadway show upon which it is based, fans won’t get to see her face because this remains Elphaba and Glinda’s story.

“I didn’t want to step on who you think Dorothy is in whatever story that you came into this with,” Chu said. The movie “is still Elphaba and Glinda’s journey, and she is a pawn in the middle of all of it.”

There has been intense speculation on who would play Dorothy, with Abigail star Alisha Weir and even Taylor Swift suggested. In the first trailer for Wicked: For Good, below, Dorothy can be seen from behind, but there aren’t any telling visuals that give away who will play the coveted role.

Dorothy was of course played by Judy Garland in the 1939 musical, The Wizard of Oz. Here's the official blurb on Wicked: For Good:

Directed once again by award-winning director Jon M. Chu and starring the spectacular returning cast, led by Academy Award nominated superstars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the final chapter of the untold story of the witches of Oz begins with Elphaba and Glinda estranged and living with the consequences of their choices.

Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).

Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard.

As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Olivier award winner and Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives.

As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.

Wicked: For Good hits theaters November 21, 2025.

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.

Welcome to another installment of CineFix on IGN’s Horror World Tour: Ghost Edition! Yes, this time we’re checking in with the things in the night that don’t go bumping into other things (depending on which philosophy you prescribe to). And even though ghosts can’t touch things, the eerie nature of their existence in relation to morality grounds them in something very palpable and haunting.

So we’re going to break down some ghost movies from around the world that demonstrate the tropes we’re so familiar with. And since they are ethereal beings, some ghosts can and will float in and out of each of these topics…

Starting with basically the history of cinema itself, Georges Méliès’ two versions of The House of the Devil (1896 and 1897) can be considered the first portrayals of ghosts in film. Granted, the movies aren’t so much horror as they were a display of impressive visual effects for their time. Nevertheless, these short films do lay the groundwork for many ghost movies to follow, which leads to the question: What is a ghost? What do they look like? Can they talk? What are their motives: good or evil? Just how picky are we going to get?

Well, not picky at all. After all, this is a celebration of ghost stories from around the world. From the cartoonish to the human-like and beyond, there are so many cultural and religious interpretations of the afterlife and ghosts. It’s only right to acknowledge and appreciate all ghost forms in all… mediums. Get it? Christians believe ghosts are spirits who exist in an unofficial limbo while on their way to Heaven or Hell, yet other cultures believe in another place entirely where spirits live in parallel to our world after they pass, co-existing and living among us. Many cultures have their ways of honoring death so that loved ones can literally rest in peace, and that leads us to our first point: Ghost stories are almost always about the idea of death.

5. DEATH AND GRIEF

Ghosts are creatures that toe the line between science and religion; they exist in almost every culture. Whether the story is about someone’s untimely, unexpected death, or the reaction to it, reflection of death is always a part of a ghost story. Many stories feature women in mourning, like The Woman in Black, or in any telling of La Llorona. In The Asphyx, Sir Cunningham’s scientific pursuit of immortality is to avoid certain death by toying with human souls – a pursuit that ultimately ends in tragedy. In Ghost and A Ghost Story, widowed women have their late partners watching over them, but we also live within their grief. In The Others, Grace’s denial of a dark truth keeps her and her children lingering in limbo at their huge house. Goodnight Mommy and A Tale of Two Sisters examine children’s extreme reactions to loss. But our pick for a ghost story where death and grief take center stage is Australia’s The Babadook.

Seven years after losing her husband in a car accident on the way to give birth to her son, Amelia’s depression hangs over her like a cloud. She herself is like a ghost – emotionally unavailable to her child, angry, closed off to love, and moving around like an empty shell of a woman. While many concerned loved ones encourage her to move on, The Babadook’s introduction into her and her son’s life is a reckoning. As a metaphor for depression, the Babadook pointedly warns her of the pain he’ll cause if she continues to deny him. Like any mental illness, it’s not that simple to repress it with medication; there needs to be actual work to overcome it. The Babadook torments Amelia by isolating her from others and threatening to take her son. The battle with depression is constant, and the Babadook is a perfect metaphor for what it feels like to cope with grief, recognize what’s important, and move forward on an indefinitely paused life.

But not all are here for a long time – just a good time – so next we look at the unfinished business of ghosts.

4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Most times – though not all of the time – ghosts are products of unfinished business in this mortal realm. Whether they stay around because of a loved one, like in A Ghost Story or Ghost, or because they want to exact revenge on those who have wronged them, there is always a reason keeping them in this limbo. Of course, there are instances where they act as moral guides or metaphysical messengers for those still lost on Earth…but those types of movies aren’t spooky. No matter what, though, ghosts are subjected to a limbo not of their own making, yet 2004’s Shutter from Thailand serves as an examination of who gets to decide how and when to move on.

Shutter’s approach to unfinished business is two-fold. Haunted by the ghost of a wronged ex-girlfriend, Tun visits her mother and discovers that her body has been decaying in a bed upstairs. Hypothesizing that a proper burial will set Natre free of this limbo, the temporary peace is the fault of mortal hubris. As the rest of the story unfolds, it’s clear that moving on is on the spirit’s terms; for Natre, this is revenge on her abusers. Tun already feels the literal weight of his guilt and the tension of his impending reckoning, and when Natre is finally revealed to Tun and the audience, it only makes sense that she has been with him the whole time. She loved him, but he pushed her away; now she gets what she wants, but she doesn’t disappear the way others do. She’s choosing to stay, and that’s more disturbing than anything else; not all secrets can go to the grave and stay there. Shutter effectively shows how both the living and the dead can view “unfinished business,” yet the power is never truly with anyone on this plane. Natre is a ghost who justly got her revenge and was in control of the terms of her stay.

In the same way that people can be haunted, so can the places in which they dwell. Our next subject? Houses.

3. HOUSES/HOMES

Usually one of two things are “haunted” by a ghost: a person or a place. (“Things” are usually cursed, but that’s a whole other article.) I’d even go so far as to say that most haunted house movies can be considered ghost movies; in films like A Ghost Story or Beetlejuice, where a couple’s future is cut short but the house remains, the ghosts remain too. In TV shows like Being Human and Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, people who have died in their homes are tied to the house. The Shining’s Overlook Hotel becomes a menace to both Torrance men. When the location’s architecture and idiosyncrasies are vital to the story, then the place becomes as much of a character as the humans, but the house that we’re moving into is the Stewart estate in the English-language The Others from Spain.

The house that Grace and her two children live in is sprawling, cold, and lonely, but largely because of Grace hersel. While awaiting her husband’s return from the long-over war, the house becomes the post that Grace cannot afford to leave. And with two children with rare skin disorders, the home becomes both a shield and a prison to the outside war and reality itself. When joined by a small staff with mysterious motives, the house starts to reveal itself to Grace and the children. Grace becomes disoriented trying to figure out what sounds and sights are real – are they truly alone in the house, or are her daughter’s ghost sightings real? The house has some dark truths, some of which Grace uncovers, but the darkest revelation is both thrilling and reinforces the idea of a place ghosts can also call home.

The Others is also a film wherein you just have to believe children sometimes, which leads us to our next: children are ghost radars.

2. CHILDREN AS GHOST RADARS

Much like animals that can feel natural disasters before they happen, children can and will always tell when there’s a ghost around. From Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice to both Casper movies, and from Guillermo del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone to The Babadook, children are often tools of the ghost genre simply because children still have open imaginations and only deal in honesty (up until a certain age). Are kids just more aware and approachable to ghosts compared to adults who are so busy with everyday life? When kids have imaginary friends, are they actually just ghosts? That’s a question for another time, but for us, our pick for this category is M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense.

While the children in those other movies have the luxury of seeing maybe just one or two specific spirits or ghosts, poor, sweet, scared Cole Sear freaking sees all the dead people all the time, even as a baby! As a child with an incredibly morbid ability but no idea how to process this gift, Cole needs the help of Bruce Willis’ Dr. Malcolm Crowe. A benevolent psychiatrist and blissfully ignorant ghost – spoiler alert! – Crowe helps Cole, and the normally one-sided relationship becomes a two-way street. The Sixth Sense demonstrates the sympathy that children possess, as Cole meets a parade of lost souls who need someone to help them pass on. His fear reminds us that children are still very vulnerable and susceptible to those who need help until taught otherwise, and in a way, The Sixth Sense becomes a meta-genre guide on how children should help ghosts who need it.

Sometimes, however, even the cutest little kid can’t do much, and ghosts just need a vessel to possess…which brings us to our last topic: Possession.

1. POSSESSION

One of the cool and freaky things ghosts can do (depending on what mythology you follow) is possess inanimate objects or even people. This ability leans more into the poltergeist-y idea of a ghost, as in (duh) Poltergeist, The Possession, The Exorcist, or Hereditary. Even weird alien-type spirits can possess someone, as in Possession or Ghostbusters. We also see the humorous application of this in films like Beetlejuice and Casper. It can also be deadly, as in the case of Shutter, or straight-up terrifying, like in The Others. When we see things move without a visible force, we can assume that there is a ghost behind it. Though not every spirit can touch things right away, some have to learn it so they can have very iconic, very sexy reconnections with their loved ones. All in all, control and manipulation of anything and everything is important to the genre, but we’re looking to an early example of ghost possession through multiple thematic and practical forms in Mexico’s Hasta el viento tiene miedo/Even the Wind is Afraid.

Unlike modern ghost movies where we see some ghostly figure take over or control something, Andrea’s presence in “Even the Wind is Afraid” is purely atmospheric. We don’t need to see Andrea or flashbacks to her death to feel spooked out; her unfortunate demise already casts a dark shadow over the movie. Andrea is able to actively create an atmosphere of remorse around the girls to possess their curiosity with the mystery of her death. Like cult leaders, a small group of curious, impressionable people is something ghosts need in order to be effective. When Andrea does want to make herself known, she shows up as the loud, dangerous winds at night and as a voice in Claudia’s dreams, drawing her toward the tower. Andrea’s subtle approach to possession guides Claudia and these other characters to where she wants them and sets the standard for what Claudia’s eventual possession would look like. We don’t need to see Andrea slip into Claudia’s body and convulse to demonstrate her control over her new vessel; she gets in, gets out, and leaves Claudia basically unscathed. As a ghost, Andrea doesn’t abuse her ability to be a jerk; she approaches it with utility, which is something the others end up almost respecting. The portrayal of an unrested spirit in this film establishes the idea of omniscient ghosts in film and in our real world with a hand hovering over everything, which is why Even the Wind is Afraid is our pick for possession. We can never be truly sure who is with us at any moment, and for that, we can all believe in ghosts to some degree.

So those were some of our favorite ghost stories and more from around the world. Which ones did we miss? Let us know in the comments.

A new report into the end of Disney’s deal with the BBC for Doctor Who has alleged that part of the reason for its demise was that plans to "Marvel-ize" the franchise failed to work.

This week, the BBC confirmed the future of Doctor Who with a Christmas 2026 special written by Russell T Davies and the promise of a future season. But the announcement came alongside confirmation that the show’s partnership with Disney+ had come to an end after two seasons and upcoming spinoff The War Between the Land and the Sea.

Now, Deadline reports that the Disney deal fell apart due to concerns that Doctor Who failed to break out from its existing fan base and appeal to a mainstream American audience, as well as its big budget, among other things. Deadline said the show’s budget was between £6 million (approx. $8.5 million) and £8 million (approx. $10.5 million) per episode, putting the value of the deal at as much as £168 million (approx. $221 million).

“It was pretty apparent from early on that this wasn’t for the long term,” a former Disney executive told Deadline. “Everyone got the impression that it wasn’t doing what it needed to do [on Disney+] to be sustained.” Another source added: “The writing has been on the wall for ages. There has been a complete lack of enthusiasm over at Disney.”

Disney, BBC Studios, and the BBC declined comment to Deadline.

Doctor Who had been left on hiatus following the departure of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor via a reshot ending and its last-minute reveal of Billie Piper in an unexplained role. In the wake of Gatwa's two-season run on the show, which drew mixed reviews and the show's lowest ratings since 2005, fans had raised questions over whether showrunner Russell T Davies would continue. We now know he will return for next year’s Christmas special and potentially more. Amid criticism of the series' writing and story arcs, Doctor Who actor and writer Mark Gatiss recently suggested the show was in need of a rest.

Lindsay Salt, the BBC's Director of Drama, issued a comment to go alongside this week’s announcement:

"We’d like to thank Disney+ for being terrific global partners and collaborators over the past two seasons, and for the upcoming The War Between the Land and the Sea. The BBC remains fully committed to Doctor Who, which continues to be one of our most loved dramas, and we are delighted that Russell T Davies has agreed to write us another spectacular Christmas special for 2026. We can assure fans, the Doctor is not going anywhere, and we will be announcing plans for the next series in due course which will ensure the TARDIS remains at the heart of the BBC.”

The War Between the Land and the Sea will be released on the BBC iPlayer and BBC One later this year. There's a brand-new Doctor Who animation series for CBeebies in development, too. The BBC did not announce a streaming partner for the global release of the Doctor Who Christmas 2026 special.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game shows no signs of slowing down in 2025. Whether you're a competitive player, a casual collector, or someone who's just dropped way too much money on framed booster art, this year's TCG lineup is going all in with new mechanics, nostalgic reprints, and plenty of chances to chase that cardboard high.

Pokémon TCG: 2025 Release Calendar - At a Glance

• Prismatic Evolutions: Jan. 17, 2025 (Out Now)
• Journey Together: Mar. 28, 2025 (Out Now)
• Destined Rivals: May 30, 2025 (Out Now)
• Black Bolt / White Flare: Jul. 18, 2025 (Out Now)
• Mega Evolution: Sep. 26, 2025 (Out Now)
• Phantasmal Flames: Nov. 14, 2025 (Preorders Live)

Mega Evolution: Phantasmal Flames - Nov. 14, 2025

The Elite Trainer Box is the marquee product for each set, and Phantasmal Flames is no different. Packed with nine booster packs, a 1 full-art foil promo card featuring Charcadet, themed sleeves, dice, and all the accessories needed for play.

What makes this set even more exciting is its size , about 90 cards before secret rares, which makes it the smallest English set in nearly a decade. For collectors like me, that usually means a much more manageable chase, while still packing in plenty of heavy hitters for players.

The product lineup looks pretty stacked too. We’ll be getting the usual booster packs and booster box (36 packs), a 9-pack Elite Trainer Box featuring a shiny new Charcadet promo, and an Ultra-Premium Collection built around Mega Charizard X ex.

On top of that, two theme decks for Mega Gengar ex and Mega Diancie ex are arriving a few weeks early on October 24, which is a fun way to get a taste of the set before launch. If you’re like me and love cracking packs, the booster box is the way to go, but the UPC is already looking like the big collector piece this time around.

What ties it all together is the Japanese set Inferno X, which hit shelves there in late September. That set had only 80 cards, and once you add in the Mega Gengar and Mega Diancie decks, you basically get the full Phantasmal Flames lineup.

We’ve already seen some killer reveals, including the Mega Charizard X ex secret rare previewed at Worlds, so I’m fully expecting that to be the chase card when this launches. Between the smaller set size, Charizard hype, and some solid gameplay cards, I think this one’s going to fly off shelves and I’m definitely locking in my preorder.

The Pokémon Company started releasing annual holiday calendars back in 2022, inspired by the Pokémon Countdown Calendar from 2008.

These products are surprisingly good value in the current TCG market, as well as for casual fans of the series in other forms. You can see the listing here at Amazon or scroll on for more details.

The 2025 Pokémon Holiday Calendar released on August 22 and initially retailed for $49.99 at Target before quicklly selling out. It's now available at Walmart for a pricier $64.99 or at Amazon for $69.

Whether you love or hate Magic's Universes Beyond lineup, it's hard to deny how excellent the Avatar: The Last Airbender set is looking so far. Everything I've seen is filling me with confidence, so here's hoping it comes out remarkably well after launch.

It's been a little hard to find the set reliably in stock recently, but that's all changed today. Amazon just went through a massive restock of the set in the build-up to the Black Friday sales next month, and it's even thrown together some fairly notable discounts on preorders as well.

For starters, the elusive Commander Bundle, which previously went out of stock remarkably fast when preorders originally went live, is back and available to order again.

It costs $109.99, contains 9 Play Boosters and one Collector Booster, and also includes classic Commander staples like Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Swiftfoot Boots, and more. Note that there are no Avatar Commander Decks, but this new product type somewhat aims to fill the gap.

Single collector boosters are also back in stock, for now at least. If you've got the cash to pay for them, they're $37.99 each! If you're feeling flush, go for it, as I expect these will sell out fast once again.

Finally, the immensely popular Scene Box 1 - The Black Sun Invasion is also back at Amazon for $41.99. Pick these up while you still can!

Now lets move on to the discounts. First up, it's the Avatar Play Booster Box, which is down to $169.99 right now at Amazon. This was previously $209.70, so it's 20% off the list price.

You can also save on the Jumpstart Booster Boxes, down to $126.88, previously $167.76, and the Avatar Beginner Box, which is currently $32.99, down from $36.99.

Should You Wait for Black Friday?

In my honest opinion, I don't think so. The Avatar: The Last Airbender Universes Beyond set is already looking to be immensely popular among both Magic and Avatar fans, so I'm half expecting most of these to sell out again before the official Black Friday sales even kick off.

Now is the time to secure your preorders at the best price possible, especially since Amazon won't charge you a penny until shipment, and also has a price promise guarantee so you won't miss out if the prices drop any further between now and release day.

Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.

Capcom is throwing the full force of Resident Evil Requiem at the Nintendo Switch 2 with a number of exclusive announcements for the console.

First up is the Resident Evil Requiem-themed Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, which Nintendo will release alongside the game on February 27, 2026. It's the first Switch 2 game to get its own Pro Controller, and it's up for preorder at Best Buy, costing $99.99.

Capcom has opened preorders for Resident Evil Requiem and in doing so confirmed the various editions of the game and their bonuses.

Preorders come with the Apocalypse costume for playable character Grace. It rekindles memories of 2004 movie Resident Evil: Apocalypse, starring Milla Jovovich as Alice.