With all the reveals, leaks and drama that surround The Game Awards, it's easy to forget about the actual winners themselves. Luckily for you, as well as tracking every big game reveal, announcement and trailer from the show, we'll updating this page in real time as the winners of The Game Awards 2025 are announced.
Can anything beat Grand Theft Auto 6 for the Most Anticipated Game trophy? Will Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 take home Game of the Year? Will muppets somehow be involved in the show again this year? Does the appearance of Evanescence as the live musical act mean Geoff Keighley was a teen goth? Expect answers to some of those questions right here, as they happen.
You can watch The Game Awards 2025 with us at any of the links below. The show will begin with a special pre-show, which will start at 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET.
Rachel Weber is the Senior Editorial Director of Games at IGN and an elder millennial. She's been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, and French Bulldogs. Those extra wrinkles on her face are thanks to going time blind and staying up too late finishing every sidequest in RPGs like Fallout and Witcher 3.
The best possible gift you can buy for a gamer is more games. The newest video games don't come cheap and they have the potential to provide hours and hours of entertainment. But what do you get for the gamer in your life who already has all of the games they could ever want? If you're looking for some great gift ideas for 2025, I've got you covered with 10 of the most popular gamer gift options of the year.
Let's start with the most obvious gift idea: The Switch 2. Nintendo's latest console launch was the biggest of all time and continues to sell like hotcakes. Folks who already own a Switch console are upgrading to the latest hardware and some holdouts are relenting to Nintendo's ecosystem now that it's finally gotten an upgrade. Admittedly, there aren't that many exclusive games you can only play on the Switch 2 just yet, but that hasn't stopped it from being one of the best Nintendo gifts of 2025.
I bought a Switch 2 this year just to play Donkey Kong Bananza and have had no regrets so far. It's an upgrade from the standard Switch in every sense. If you're willing to drop $450 on a gift for someone this year, this is absolutely worth considering.
One of the most popular new LEGO sets of 2025 is actually one of the most affordable ones. The LEGO Game Boy was released back in October and has been selling like crazy ever since. It's essentially a 1:1 recreation of the iconic handheld and includes a couple of different lenticular screens. This is a set specifically designed for adults to display on their shelf or desk, but it makes for a great gift for anyone with a bit of nostalgia left in their hearts for the original Game Boy. We had the chance to build this set ourselves and loved everything about it. At only $59.99, it's definitely worth the price. You'll also find this pick in our top Nintendo gifts list this year.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of those games that seemingly came out of nowhere and took the gaming world by storm. It's currently nominated for the best game of 2025 by IGN, and for those who have already played it, it's easy to see why. In our 9 out of 10 review, we said, "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 paints itself into the pantheon of great RPGs with a brilliant combat system and a gripping, harrowing story."
The base game is sold out on Amazon if you're looking for an actual physical edition, but the Mirror Edition is still available for both PS5 and Xbox. It includes a steelbook case and collectible cards that are awesome for any RPG fans looking to actually own a copy of this game.
I'd also suggest checking out IGN Store's officially licensed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 merch for more gift ideas.
Whether you're a console or PC gamer, there's a good chance you're going to be using a controller. And what do you do with that controller when you're done playing? There are actually a surprising number of solutions for this, but my overall favorite is to have an actual gaming character hold it for you. I've highlighted this Sonic option here, but there are plenty of other versions available. You can even have the Master Chief himself hold onto your controller if you want.
Our PC gaming editor, Jackie Thomas, had the chance to try out this gaming pillow herself earlier this year and found it to be one of the best tech gifts to buy. Here's what she had to say about it:
"I’ve reviewed basically every PC gaming handheld that’s come out over the last couple of years, and so when I say I spend a lot of time cuddled up playing games on them, I’m not exaggerating. The one downside to PC handhelds, though, is that they’re quite a bit heavier than something like the Nintendo Switch 2, which I typically address by just stacking up some pillows and propping up the device that way. But the Mechanism Gaming Pillow takes that idea to another level, with a metal arm attached to what’s essentially a bean-bag pillow. It definitely looks silly, but attaching it to a heavy handheld like the Lenovo Legion Go makes it way easier on your wrists, especially for longer gaming sessions. The company also sells attachments for a wide range of different devices, which you can swap out at will – so it’s not just for your handheld."
Xbox Game Pass is one of the best video game services out there. It was mostly considered one of the best deals in gaming right up until Microsoft decided to jack up the price earlier this year. Thankfully, there's a fairly easy way to get around that price increase in the meantime: Buying gift cards. Amazon and a few other retailers are still offering three-months of Game Pass Ultimate for the same price as before. Arguably the best gaming gift to give this year to anyone with a Game Pass subscription is more Game Pass. You can stack up to 12 months of gift codes at any given time.
As someone who now owns multiple Legend of Zelda shirts, I can honestly say that video game apparel is absolutely a great gift. I wear a lot of different graphic T-shirts out and about, but it's only the Legend of Zelda one that consistently gets me compliments from random folks. There's no better way to make connections with fellow fans of a franchise than simply wearing some merch to the grocery store. I've featured my overall favorite shirt I own here, which makes for a great Legend of Zelda gift, but there's apparel for pretty much every major franchise out there too. I'd recommend checking out the IGN Store's collection of video game apparel for even more options.
There are a lot of different controllers out there, but arguably the best overall is the Xbox controller. It's IGN's overall top pick for the best controller for PC and obviously one of the best options for the Xbox itself. It's a really well-designed controller that can easily connect to pretty much any and every device and comes in a wide variety of colors. Even if someone already has a controller, they could always use another one (and maybe in a new color).
Although we're recommending the Xbox Core Controller here, there's plenty of other options available for other consoles as well. I'd recommend checking out our favorite PS5 controllers and Nintendo Switch 2 controllers for more options.
The Meta Quest 3 is one of the best VR headsets for PC and has been one of the most popular gift items in the last two years. IGN's Commerce Manager, Eric Song, had the chance to review the device when it first came out, and said:
"The Quest 3 continues Meta’s legacy of offering a cost-effective headset that doesn’t require an expensive gaming PC, but can still benefit from one if you have it. That’s a unique feature that sets it apart from almost every other VR headset out there, other than its own predecessors. The Quest 3 goes even further by offering us a ticket to mixed-reality gaming with a full-color passthrough mode that’s sharp enough to read things in the world around you, the lightest and most precisely tracked controllers available, and more. The sheer amount of upgrades are well worth the $200 generational price increase. For everyone else who is willing to splurge, the Quest 3 sets the new standard for VR and mixed reality gaming."
If you're on the hunt for a gift for the younger generation of gamers, it's hard to go wrong with Roblox gift cards. Roblox experiences have become some of the most popular games in 2025, and although they are free to play, it never hurts to have a few extra Robux to buy additional in-game items and perks. Hunting for new codes for The Forge or Dress to Impress is a pretty time-consuming affair that can be easily remedied with some gift cards.
Also, right now, if you sign up for a DoorDash membership (DashPass), you can get 10% off Roblox gift cards. DashPass costs just $96 for a whole year, or $9.99/month, with $0 delivery fees, exclusive deals and savings on Lyft rides. The annual plan also gets you HBO Max (Ad version) for free, so something to consider as you're shopping.
Lenovo has dropped the price on one of its best equipped gaming laptops for the holidays. The Legion Pro 5 Gen 10 gaming laptop, featuring an OLED display, Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU, and RTX 5070 Ti GPU, is down to $1,640.99 after you stack two coupon codes: "EXTRAFIVE" and "LENOVOHOLIDEAL". That's about $700 off in combined savings. The RTX 5070 Ti is a powerful mobile GPU that will easily run game you throw at it, even on the display's 1600p resolution.
Update: The price has dropped from $1,690.99 to $1640.99 thanks to a second coupon code.
This particular configuration is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, 16GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Both the RAM and SSD are user-upgradeable. The Legion Pro boasts solid build quality and materials with an aluminum top lid and a sturdy plastic bottom chassis. The gorgeous 16" OLED display features a 2.5K 189ppi resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, HDR 1000 True Black certification, and 100% DCI-P3 color space. This new 2025 model has also been updated with the Wi-Fi 7 standard. Connectivity options include a Thunderbolt 4 port with DisplayPort 2.1, a USB Type-C port with up to 100W of Power Delivery, an RJ45 ethernet port, and an HDMI 2.1 port.
The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor has 24 cores and a max turbo frequency of 5.4GHz. This is the second most powerful Intel mobile CPU currently available (the Ultra 9 285HX has a slightly higher clock speed) and goes toe to toe with AMD's flagship Ryzen 9 9955HX processor. This is an excellent CPU to pair with a powerful GPU like the 5080.
The RTX 5070 Ti mobile GPU is comparable in performance to the previous generation's RTX 4080 and pulls ahead of it in games that support DLSS 4. It should be able to handle even the newest and most demanding games like Ghost of Yotei, Battlefield 6, and Borderlands 4 on the native 2560x1600 resolution.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The Game Awards is back again to end this year with a celebration of the best games of 2025 and an exciting look into the future. While we may not know all the surprises in store for us this year, we do know we will be covering everything live and gathering it right here for you.
This article will be the place to catch all the biggest reveals, trailers, gameplay, shocking moments, and more, and we'll be updating it as it happens, so be sure to keep checking back! You can also check how how you can watch the show with us and what to expect as well!
You can watch The Game Awards 2025 with us at any of the links below. The show will begin with a special pre-show, which will start at 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET.
You can check out our full predictions of what we know, think, and dream will be at The Game Awards this year right here, but we're still going to talk about the biggest things you need to know going into tonight's show.
One of the biggest teases leading up to The Game Awards was the mysterious statue that appeared in the Mojave Desert last week. While many potential games were debunked, a logo was uncovered that leads many to believe this will be from an upcoming Divinity project from Baldur's Gate 3 developers, Larian Studios.
regal.inspiring.thickness pic.twitter.com/lY1duUcE1B
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) November 29, 2025
The Game Awards' Geoff Keighley has also been teasing some of the games that will be part of the show, and we know among them will be Resident Evil Requiem, Tomb Raider (which has leaked), Invincible VS, Exodus, Phatom Blade Zero, and Saros.
What we think might be there is some DLC for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a wider console release for Hades 2, the full reveal of the remake of Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, Fallout Season 2, a new look at 007 First Light, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, Marvel's Wolverine, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Fable, Gears of War: E-Day, Forza Horizon 6, OD: Knock, Physint, Judas, The Duskbloods, and perhaps the final entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy.
As for what we dream will be there, we can only hope for another look at GTA 6 or The Witcher 4, DLC for Hollow Knight: Silksong, a new 3D Mario, the new Sony Santa Monica game from Cory Barlog, Bloodborne 2, a new look at the next Mass Effect, Half-Life 3, and much more!
What are you hoping to see at The Game Awards 2025? Let us know below and stay tuned for a full recap of all the biggest moments from the night right here!
Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.
Tomb Raider has a chartered history, with Lara Croft delving into ruins and tombs all over the world. Overcoming any and all obstacles set in her path, Lara has elevated herself into an exclusive and lauded pantheon of iconic video game protagonists.
As we gear up to see what exactly gets revealed at The Game Awards, we’ve created a chronological list of every Tomb Raider game so those interested can start (or restart) their spelunking adventures from the very beginning.
Jump to:
There are a total of 20 Tomb Raider games that have been released as of 2025. These games are split over 3 different timelines, each distinct from one another, offering different plotlines and a slightly different spin on Lara and her supporting cast.
14 of these games have been released for home consoles, 6 also supported handheld portable consoles, and 6 were supported on mobile devices. Tomb Raider: The Prophecy, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, Lara Croft Go, Lara Croft: Relic Run, and Tomb Raider Reloaded are all stand-alone titles, and therefore will not be included on these lists.
If you're coming to the franchise for the first time in 2025, we recommend starting with the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot. The first entry in the "Survivor" trilogy sets the stage for Lara Croft's most recent series of expeditions that runs through the latest mainline game, 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
If you're hoping to take a chronological journey through all of the Tomb Raider games, it's important to note that there are actually 3 different timelines you can play through.
The first ever Tomb Raider title centred around Lara being hired by businesswoman Jacquelin Natla to find a mysterious artefact called the Scion of Atlantis. After finding all three fragments of the Scion scattered around the globe, Lara is betrayed by Natla and must face off against her on a volcanic island filled with monsters.
A Game Boy Color exclusive sequel to the Game Boy Color version of the original Tomb Raider, this adventure sees Lara tracking down a mystical sword and attempting to destroy it before the long-dead Madame Paveau can resurrect from the underworld and use her dark magic to subjugate the world.
This time Lara is on the hunt for the Dagger of Xian, a magical weapon once used by the Emperors of China. A cult leader by the name of Marco Bartoli who is also seeking the dagger for it’s magical ability to turn the owner into a dragon.
In the third mainline installment of the original saga, Lara sets out to find the Infada Stone, one of four crystalline artefacts crafted thousands of years ago from the remnants of a meteorite. Realising the nefarious Dr. Willard is aiming to use the statues to speed up the evolutionary process; she sets out to find the remaining three artefacts before the entire planet is mutated.
In The Last Revelation, the Egyptian god of chaos Set is unknowingly released by Lara as she explores a tomb in Egypt. With Set and his forces wreaking havoc on Cairo, Lara is assisted by Semerkhet and strives to summon the god Horus who is the last hope of quelling this world-ending threat.
After the ambiguous ending of The Last Revelation, Winston the butler and other friends of Lara recount tales of her historic adventures to commemorate her. Delving through the catacombs of Rome, fighting through a Russian naval submarine, and exploring an island haunted by demonic forces, the titular Chronicles set in stone how well travelled and skilled Lara is, but is she really gone?
Framed for the murder of her former mentor, Werner Von Croy, Lara explores Paris and Prague in an attempt to clear her name and solve the murder. The last survivor of the Lux Veritatis Society, Kurtis Trent, is stalking Lara and is hiding a deep dark secret about his true nature.
A remake of the original Tomb Raider title from 1996, this game again sees Lara questing to find the Scion of Atlantis. With redesigned puzzles and physics, there was a shift from item collection and pulling switches (both prevalent in the original title), to physics-based puzzles and environmental set pieces.
This title acts as a reboot and reimagining of the origins of Lara, as she races across the world in search of the mythical sword Excalibur, desperate to find it before her former friend Amanda Evert can beat her to the punch.
The third installment in the Legend trilogy, Underworld sees Lara searching for Mjolnir, which acts as an ancient key to Helheim, the realm of the dead. Exploring the ruins of various cultures and mythological underworlds, Lara once again confronts the villainous Natla who is searching for Mjolnir herself.
In a new, grittier take on Lara Croft, her first expedition to find the lost kingdom of Yamatai goes awry and she becomes stranded on an isolated and hostile island. Facing off against the Solarii Brotherhood cult, Lara must stop the Ascension ritual from proceeding and also prevent a successor from being chosen for the bloodthirsty Sun Queen of legend.
Rise of the Tomb Raider has Lara exploring Siberia for the legendary city of Kitezh whilst battling Trinity, the paramilitary organization that continually crosses paths and butts heads with Lara. As they both sprint to rediscover Kitezh, will the legendary immortal guardians of the kingdom, the Deathless Ones, reveal themselves to be much more than just a myth?
The third and final installment in the Survivor Trilogy, Shadow of the Tomb Raider has Lara trekking through the Americas to find the city of Paititi before a Mayan apocalypse consumes the entire planet. With the monstrous Yaaxii and the ever present Trinity on her back, will she succeed before it’s too late?
Crystal Dynamics confirmed a brand new Tomb Raider game was in development back in 2022. While details are slim, it is confirmed to be using Unreal Engine 5 and is set to be published by Amazon Games. Crystal Dynamics have also expressed on Twitter that this new adventure “will continue Lara Croft’s saga”, which may insinuate this new title is a continuation of the Survivor trilogy that concluded with Shadow of the Tomb Raider in 2018. More recently, The Game Awards announced that Lara Croft would be featured at the 2025 ceremony, and we're already seeing trailer leaks online.
Outside of gaming, Netflix's animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is finishing up its second and final season. You won't have to wait long to see more Lara on your screen - Amazon's live action Tomb Raider series will start shooting next year. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is on board as writer and executive producter, while Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner is slated for the titular role. It's the season of Tomb Raider, baby.
Samuel (Sam) Heaney is a freelance guides writer at IGN and Minecraft expert. He's a typical Brit who loves cups of tea and gin and tonics. Oh, and he's also a huge Marvel nerd. You can find him on Twitter @SamHeaney.
Rick Riordan, the author of the wildly popular Percy Jackson series of young adult novels, loves to write. To date, he’s published more than 50 fantasy and adventure books covering modern-day spins on Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology. Riordan, who at one time was a middle school English teacher, says that beyond all of his published works, he’s left as many or (potentially) more stories on the cutting room floor, dating back to his time as a student.
I spoke with Riordan ahead of the Season 2 premiere of the Disney+ adaptation of his Percy Jackson series of novels about the particular challenges of bringing a now-beloved franchise to life.
“The hardest part of writing a book is finishing it, and I am not saying that to be snide or anything,” Riordan says. “When I was in sixth grade, I knew I wanted to be a writer, but I couldn't make myself finish even a short story. I would get halfway through and say, 'Oh, this is too hard. I'll try another one, and that'll be easier.' I have dozens of unfinished stories [and] novels from when I was that age. The hardest thing is to say, 'I know I don't like this right now' – what I'm in the middle of writing – 'but I'm going to finish it anyway and then I'll go back and read it and see how it is.' That's the difference between getting it done and not getting it done.”
Riordan says when he got older and began writing the Percy Jackson novels, there was one character in particular that he put more than a little bit of himself into. “A writer once said that you can't write a character who is not in some part you, that doesn't have at least a sliver of your personality. I think overall, I feel most drawn to [Camp Half-Blood Activities Director] Chiron, the centaur. We're both teachers and it is our job not to tell kids what they need to think or what to do, but to help them figure that out for themselves, to coach them into becoming their own heroes. Teaching, I think at its best, is exactly that.”
Season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, adapted from Riordan’s novel The Sea of Monsters, just dropped its first two episodes on Disney+. Riordan says there’s one fan-favorite scene in particular he can’t wait for the audience to see.
“I think the scene with the sirens is very important,” Riordan says. “That's a pivotal scene in the relationship between Annabeth and Percy. It’s something that fans love. It's become a touchstone for them. They're looking for that scene, and I know a lot of eyes are going to be on it, so we paid a lot of attention to it to make sure we're doing it right [in a way] that it is both faithful to what's in the book but also a little bit surprising.”
As the new season of the TV show rolls out, Riordan is eager for fans to watch and understand just how much work into crafting the blockbuster adaptation.
“I think the entire process would be eye-opening [to fans],” Riordan says. “I don't think that it's possible to appreciate how much work is involved until you've actually walked on the set. In fact, I had this experience just a couple of weeks ago. My literary agents for Percy Jackson came to visit us on the set in Vancouver, and they've been with Percy Jackson for 20 years. They have been in every conversation. They know this stuff intimately, and I've been keeping them updated. Nevertheless, until they were on set and walking through the studio, they turned to me and said, ‘Now I get it. I had no idea.’ You have to be there to understand it.”
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Season 2: Episodes 1 and 2 are streaming now on Disney+. New episodes premiere each Wednesday. Read our review of the first two episodes here. And for more on Percy Jackson, check out what to expect form the series' new Fortnite island.
Michael Peyton is the Senior Editorial Director of Events & Entertainment at IGN, leading entertainment content and coverage of tentpole events including IGN Live, San Diego Comic Con, gamescom, and IGN Fan Fest. He's spent 20 years working in the games and entertainment industry, and his adventures have taken him everywhere from the Oscars to Japan to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Follow him on Bluesky @MichaelPeyton
Puzzles are always a fun gift idea, no matter if you're new to the hobby or a passionate puzzler yourself. If you're shopping around for a puzzle gift to give to someone this year, it can feel a bit overwhelming looking through all of the options available, given how many shapes and sizes there are to choose from. But we're here to help. We've gathered up a variety of great puzzle gift ideas in 2025 to help you find the perfect one ahead of the holidays.
There's more than just the puzzles themselves to look through, too. We've included a few more gift ideas that any puzzler is sure to appreciate, including puzzle tables and boards, storage options, and frames to show them off in once they're finished. No matter what you decide to pick up, there's a little something for a puzzler of any skill level to enjoy. Have a look through our selection of the best gifts for puzzlers below and stock up on the items you think they'll enjoy the most.
There's an incredible amount of puzzle options to choose from nowadays. Above, we've highlighted just a few of our favorites that can be found in our roundup of the best puzzle brands. We believe that the puzzles from these companies are well worth your time and money, and they each offer a fun variety, too. These range from large 2,000-piece puzzles to ones with a fun spin that feature a surprise ending after piecing them together (Magic Puzzle Company puzzles), so you can find a fun pick to gift this year.
It's important to have enough space to build a puzzle on, which is why a puzzle table is a great investment. There are numerous different design options to choose from, whether you want something larger to have set up in your home or would prefer to have a more portable option. Some even feature drawers to hold pieces if you're working on a larger puzzle, which is very helpful to keep everything organized.
Speaking of organization, some puzzles are simply too big to finish in one go, so a good storage option can be helpful to have around. With solid puzzle storage, you can keep track of where you last left off with a puzzle without any fear of losing pieces if you move it around. We've included quite a few different options so you can keep your latest venture neatly put together, no matter which size of puzzle you're choosing to tackle.
A puzzle frame is an excellent idea for the puzzler who wants to keep their latest creation. Why take it apart if you've fallen in love with the final product? There are plenty of different puzzle frames to choose from, each catering to various sizes of puzzle, so you can find an option that will look the best hung up proudly on your wall.
To make sure your puzzle stays together properly before fitting it into a frame, you're going to want a reliable puzzle glue to help you out as well. This RoseArt Jigsaw Puzzle Glue is a great option to go for, coming in at just $5.
For the puzzler who loves a challenge, you can't go wrong with a 3D puzzle. There are so many different options to choose from that each create an exciting build. Here we've included just a few of our favorites, from a miniature pinball machine to a huge puzzle of Winterfell castle and a fantastic Millennium Falcon build. These 3D puzzles are exciting options to piece together, and the final result is sure to look impressive once it's put on display. If you're looking for an affordable alternative to LEGO, all of these options are great place to start.
If you think 3D puzzles are a cool gift idea, but aren't sold on the concept of giving someone a giant model they'll have to put somehwhere, we have a great solution to that. Book Nook kits are cozy little 3D builds that are designed to fit on a book shelf among your books. Tons of brands offer these kits, even LEGO has some.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
During Black Friday, Dell lowered the price of its venerable 34" Alienware AW3423DWF QD-OLED gaming monitor from $900 to just $499.99 shipped. That was a new historical price low, but today there's a way to get it for even less - $449.99 to be exact. It does require a bit of legwork to get the extra discount, but everyone should be eligible. The AW3423DWF is one of Alienware's highest end gaming monitors, with a gorgeous QD OLED panel, WQHD resolution, and a respectable 165Hz refresh rate. Alienware OLED monitors also include a 3 year warranty that includes OLED burn-in protection.
Follow these instructions for the extra $50 off:
The Alienware AW3423DWF is a 34" monitor featuring a 3440x1440 WQHD resolution with 1800R curve, 0.03ms response time, and 165Hz refresh rate. This monitor is equipped with a Samsung quantum dot OLED panel. This is the best type of panel for gaming thanks to its near instantaneous response time, true black levels, and near-infinite contrast ratio. The AW3423DWF features a 99.3% DCI-P3 color range and is factory calibrated with a Delta E less than 2. It is HDR True Black 400 certified and boasts up to 1,000nits of peak brightness.
In our Alienware AW3423DWF review, Chris Coke compared it to its more expensive predecessor, the AW3423DW. He wrote that "Though $1,099 (its MSRP) is far from cheap, the Alienware AW3423DWF feels like a great value compared to the original. It offers the same stunning picture, and dropping G-Sync Ultimate really makes no noticeable difference in actual gameplay. What’s left is a monitor that is extremely similar for $200 less than it was earlier this year. That’s a win and an easy recommendation to make if you’re in the market for a high-end display with a spectacular picture."
Check out more of the best Alienware deals going on right now
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.
Do you have someone who loves diving through dungeons, exploring magical worlds, doing random voices, or just wants something you can do with your family and friends this holiday? Luckily for you, there are plenty of great gift ideas out there for Dungeons & Dragons goodies, and get ready for that special holiday one-shot with your friends or just to give your family something to play and do instead of talking about politics and all those other awkward conversation topics.
'Tis the season for great deals and bundles, and Dungeons & Dragons has some great ones. For brand new DnD players, or a group that has been showing interest in trying out the game, there is no better gift than the brand new Heroes of the Borderlands Starter Set that was released earlier this year. With a bunch of dice, an easy-to-understand card-based gear system, and three distinct types of adventures (one focusing on combat, exploration, and roleplaying) this is a wonderful jumping-in point!
For folks that simply want to upgrade to the new 2024 version of 5th Edition, Wizards of the Coast is offering a bundle that includes the brand new versions of the Monster Manual, Player’s Handbook, and Dungeon Master's Guide. With enhanced monster stat blocks, reworked classes, and new tools for the DM, these books are great to add to your shelf, and all three still work with all existing 5th Edition books as well.
For experienced players and DMs, there are sales on some truly classic adventure modules, including the Tomb of Annihilation and the Curse of Strahd, both of which every D&D group should experience at least once in their lifetime, as both are such quintessential stories for the game.
If a modern and topical quest is more your and your friends’ style, then the Stranger Things: Welcome to The Hellfire Club Adventure Game is also on sale and is a cool piece of Stranger Things merch. This special box, featuring the heroes that the characters from the Stranger Things series play as, will let you finish the campaign that Eddie never got to back in the last season. It's also seen in our
Of course, to play those games, you will need some dice too, and thankfully, some dice are also on sale. Grab yourself multiple sets of dice so you and your friends can all start new characters with fresh, untainted new dice, or grab that special player in your life a sweet metal spinning dice. This nifty contraption is all your dice in a single, pocket watch-like package that spins and gives results.
When it comes to my general philosophy and approach to getting a TTRPG gift for a friend, there are three things I consider. First, is the person a Game/Dungeon Master (the person who does the actual running of the game, aka GM or DM) or are they a player (someone who takes part in the story)? Lastly, I try to figure out how they play, asking myself “do they play online with folks,” or “do they get together in person with a regular group to play”?
For the GMs, I would look toward campaign or adventure books, like the Curse of Strahd and Tomb of Annihilation books. These are self-contained stories that provide the person running the game with all they need to run a great multi-session story for their players.
If you know they run a bunch of games in person, then surprise them with a really nice GM Screen (a divider that separates the players from the GM and their notes), such as the Wymwood DM Screen.
Another solid option for your GM friends is a nice dry-erase grid rollable map and markers. These are powerful tools to allow them to quickly draw out the dungeon of the week or dense forest that they are sending their players into that night during the game.
Or if they already have all of that, then giving them some sweet new miniatures to send at the heroes is a great last option, and WizKids has an incredible line of D&D-specific colored miniatures you can get, and currently has a holiday bundle available too!
If you are looking for gifts for the heroes themselves, I have some general suggestions for you, too. For the newer releases like the Heroes of Faerun, Wizards of the Coast is making it easier to tell which books are more geared towards DMs and which ones are for players, and in the player’s cases, you will want to seek out ones with either the “Player's Expansion" label or “Rules Expansion” found on books like the upcoming Eberron: Forge of the Artificer book releasing in December. These books add new classes, spells, feats, and more for players to try out and make characters with.
If you are looking for a more personal touch though, a fun gift idea for that special D&D player in your life may be a gift card to heroforge.com, a site that allows you to build a custom small character miniature and either buy a physical version of it (including a fancy metal version) or the 3D file so they can print it themselves on their own 3D printer at home.
Finally, if none of those ideas are speaking to you, then you can always get the person dice. Us folks who play TTRPGs will never have enough dice (don’t listen to us if we say we don’t). It seems like nowadays, with the hobby's explosion in popularity, you can find whatever sort of dice you want, be it any color, aesthetic, theme, shape, or whatever you could imagine. Want a set of dice with little ice cream cones in them? You can buy them. What about dice cut from Amethyst – yes, the gemstone kind of Amethyst. Those are out there too!
Handcrafted Dice Brands
A whole industry has rolled out from the shadows based completely around luxury and handcrafted dice such as Dispel Dice, Baron of Dice, Artisan Dice, and Die Hard Dice just to name a few, with most of them hosting their own holiday deals right now. Pretty math rocks will always be a great gift for players and game masters alike.
See more Dice we rounded up in our DnD Holiday Gift Guide below:
Hopefully, with these recommendations, you’ll find your inspiration and the perfect gift for that role player in your life. If all else fails, you can always just offer to play in a one-shot with them or run a one-shot for them, too!
Scott White is a freelance contributor to IGN, assisting with tabletop games and guide coverage. Follow him on X/Twitter or Bluesky.
If you're planning to gift someone an Xbox or PC gaming controller for the holidays, then look no further than the official Xbox wireless controller. The Electric Volt colorway is down to $39.99 with free delivery at Amazon (it's normally $65). Not only is this one of the best Xbox controllers at this price point, it's also one of the best PC gaming controllers.
This official Microsoft Xbox controller is identical to the one that's bundled with the Xbox Series X and S console. Standard features include textured grips, hybrid D-pad, button mapping with the Xbox app, a 3.5mm audio jack that works with any wired headset, and a Share button to upload screenshots and video.
The controller supports both Xbox wireless and Bluetooth connectivity. That means you can use it for your PC or mobile device. In fact, I think this is also one of the best PC controller you can get for under $50. If your PC doesn't have Bluetooth, you can still use it in wired mode with a USB Type-C cable.
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.
Traditionally, the great holiday shopping deals would end after Cyber Monday. That is apparently no longer true. Case in point: today only, Best Buy is offering the console versions of Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 for under $40 each. Specifically, you can get the PS5 or Xbox version of AC Shadows for $34.99, and Black Ops 7 for $39.99. Both deals go away at midnight, so grab them fast if you want them.
The Black Ops 7 deal is particularly good, because it’s on the steelbook cross-gen bundle editions of the game. That means you get a free steelbook case for the game with your purchase. And regardless of whether you buy the PS4 or PS5 version, it’ll work on both systems natively. The same is true of the Xbox version, with the Xbox One and Xbox Series X.
Unlike most similar sales we’ve seen recently, no other retailer is matching the prices, meaning they’re exclusive to Best Buy. These are by far the best deals we’ve seen so far on both of these 2025 games. In other words, I wouldn’t expect to see either game drop to a lower price this year.
The real question, of course, is whether the games are any good. If we’re talking about Assassin’s Cree Shadows, the answer is yes, absolutely. In our 8/10 review, critic Jarrett Green wrote, “Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes a flashing blade to the series’ established norms, trimming them to a more precise form in lieu of chopping them down outright. Combat is aggressive and requires more intentional parrying and skill management than in the past, and exploring the gorgeous provinces of Sengoku-period Japan is encouraged thanks to the revamped map that deemphasizes collecting icons and checking off lists.”
As for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, the answer is a little more complicated. While the campaign and Zombies modes are a little lackluster, the multiplayer remains strong. In our review of the latter mode, critic Seth Macy wrote, “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’s multiplayer is a great time. The first crop of maps are excellent, taking into consideration the new wall run and wall jump mechanics and how that extra dimension of movement adds so much to the fun. The weapons are all solid with the exception of the SMGs, and even though none have really captured my imagination, they're fun to use and fun to grind.”
Both of these deals are absolutely killer for games this new, as emphasized by the fact that even Amazon isn’t price matching them. But the sale ends at midnight, so pick up whichever one you want (or both) before the deep discount goes away.
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.
EA and Battlefield Studios have issued a lengthy statement after the Battlefield 6 Winter Offensive 1.1.3.0 update saw players reporting widespread issues related to the main menu UI, gameplay stuttering, Breakthrough, and much, much more.
The message, posted both to Battlefield social media accounts and the FPS franchise’s website, functions both as an explanation and a game plan. BF Studios says hotfixes and updates will now roll out in the coming days as it attempts to iron out the numerous kinks that started making waves in the Battlefield 6 community earlier this week.
It just keeps getting better #Battlefield6
— CAMIKAZE78 (@CAMIKAZE78) December 9, 2025
Can't select any modes in menus. I thought this update was tested in labs? pic.twitter.com/JX0y6SUSPd
Winter Offensive was originally positioned to bring wintery new content hand-in-hand with audio fixes, more reliable hit registration, and balance tweaks as BF Studios continues to flesh out the new Battlefield game’s first season. However, as update 1.1.3.0 made its way to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S Tuesday, players were instead met with an army of technical hurdles.
Clunky main menu navigation and trouble registering hits on firing range targets were two of the more annoying issues being shared around online. One problem that actually impacted moment-to-moment multiplayer gameplay for many, though, involved micro stuttering that saw players freezing in place as they ran into battle. Another, more bizarre result of the new update had to do with what many believed was a stealth nerf to movement, which, despite being applauded by some, has since been reverted and labeled as “unexpected behavior.”
"It kind of feels like there's an absolute deadline schedule by which point stuff comes out no matter what," one Reddit user commented shortly after the update went live. "I know DICE always had this 'fix X, break Y' modus operandi that's amusingly consistent amongst generations of people who worked there but so far every update has been literally that."
The occasional hiccup aside, BF Studios has been steadily moving through Battlefield 6 Season 1, but it feels like that momentum has come to a halt with Winter Offensive. Even if the stop is only temporary, the update’s launch marks a moment of uncertainty for fans as they await Season 2 and as the holidays rush in. Winter Offensive has proven to be so problematic, in fact, that Battlefield REDSEC, the Battlefield 6 battle royale offshoot experience, had its Elite Series postponed due to “unforeseen technical issues.”
“We want to be upfront: this is on us,” the Battlefield team said yesterday.
Battlefield 6 is absolutely unplayable after the patch
— DANNYonPC (@DANNYonPC) December 9, 2025
Well done @battlefield / @EA_DICE pic.twitter.com/U5rF4gaDWt
BF Studios wants Battlefield 6 players to rest easy knowing that, if these issues haven’t already been fixed, they will be fixed soon.
“We want to give you a clear status update on the issues we are tracking, the work already completed, and our near-term and future plans,” today’s statement says. “The team has been reviewing all reports since the update, including items related to Breakthrough, the Firing Range, Portal, the Main Menu, and performance topics such as micro-stuttering on PC, along with several other issues raised by the community.”
Technical difficulties related to incorrect ticket sizes for Conquest, daily challenge rewards, infantry momentum, and battle pass tier skipping have already been resolved. More thorough hotfixes are now scheduled to begin tomorrow, December 12, starting with fixes for micro stuttering, main menu navigation, and the firing range for PC via Steam players. PS5 and Xbox players will benefit from their own update come December 15, which should bring an end to issues for the main menu and firing range.
Stat tracking, especially pertaining to bot kills, is another issue that’s persisted through recent weeks that BF Studios plans to address soon, with rubber banding related to minimum spec PCs also set to be addressed. Perhaps the most heavily criticized aspects of Winter Offensive, though, were the changes to Breakthrough and vehicle placements announced via the update 1.1.3.0 patch notes last week.
BF Studios says it’s heard the complaints related to how the update may have made victory too easy for the attacking team, specifically calling attention to concerns about objective placement, vehicle spawns, and attacker momentum. The developers explain that some fixes in this regard, specifically pertaining to vehicle spawning, have already been published, but stops short of walking players through how or when it plans to address these concerns.
“Your feedback continues to guide the direction of our Breakthrough improvements, and we will share more as future adjustments take shape,” the message adds.
More tweaks to vehicles should help the overall Battlefield 6 experience, too, with BF Studios saying it’s implemented updated vehicle damage zones, fixed hit registration for vehicle-mounted machine guns, and adjusted some maps for better pacing during matches. Finally, those who enjoy flying jets should know that air-to-air combat is set to receive some adjustments, including reduced jet canon damage, early next year, with a dedicated air radar planned to launch after Season 1.
“We will continue validating the resolutions already in development, gathering additional data from your reports, and prioritizing remaining issues based on severity and player impact,” BF Studios adds. “Several items have already been resolved, or will be through our upcoming hotfixes. More improvements are planned in upcoming updates.”
Battlefield 6 launched October 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X | S. It’s been on a bit of a rollercoaster ever since, as players have logged on to both praise and criticize everything from map sizes to balance changes. Its future post-Season 1 is currently unclear, but with EA and BF Studios scheduled to make some sort of appearance at The Game Awards tonight, fans are hoping for at least a small glimpse at what Season 2 may have to offer.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
While just about every phone you can get your hands on nowadays will be able to play some games, several key features distinguish a fine gaming phone from a great one. Powerful processing is one piece of the puzzle. Being able to sustain high performance levels is also a must – you don’t want to deal with a phone that can only run smoothly for a few minutes before it slows down and scorches your hands. Extra memory and storage are also clutch for gaming phones, providing a means for multitasking even while you have a game running and giving you plenty of space for games. Some gaming phones, like the RedMagic 11 Pro, even offer extra upgrades for gaming, like additional shoulder buttons and enhanced touch sampling rates. (Though you could also just pick up a dedicated phone controller.)
Of course, the display is also a big piece of the puzzle. If you can’t see your games, you’re going to have a hard time playing them. A bigger, brighter display helps, as does a boost in refresh rate for smooth motion. An added benefit of a bigger phone is that your thumbs won’t cover as much of the display when you’re using touch controls. I've been testing and reviewing gaming phones for years now, so with all these details in mind, here’s a look at the best smartphones that also excel when it comes to gaming anywhere, anytime.
RedMagic has shown a perennial knack for delivering gaming performance at class-leading levels, and the RedMagic 11 Pro takes the torch from the 10 Pro and carries it further still. This generation not only benefits from the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC for the most powerful phone hardware we’ve seen yet, but it doubles down on making the most of that hardware by throwing its signature air cooling system at it alongside a new liquid-cooling loop. The results are phenomenal, with the best benchmark scores we’ve seen and sustained performance in games without breaking a sweat.
Where most phones will see their performance quickly sink under a heavy load, the RedMagic 11 Pro proved capable of sustaining higher speeds for longer. Benchmarks were one of the only things that could really give the phone a workout, as it never seemed to get as hot or reduce speeds as much while playing actual games.
Performance is only one consideration, though. Thankfully, RedMagic doesn’t come up lacking in other key areas. The phone’s display is excellent. It provides a spacious canvas to view games, offering them vivid and punchy color and contrast thanks to its bright OLED panel. RedMagic also uses an effectively invisible selfie camera that hides underneath the display so that you get a truly uninterrupted display. By adding shoulder buttons onto the edge of the chassis, you also get better control in your games.
The cameras leave plenty to be desired, but that’s a typical trade-off you’ll find on any gaming phone. On the bright side, the RedMagic 11 Pro isn’t actually asking for a big premium to deliver such exceptional gaming bonafides. The phone has a starting price of $749, undercutting just about anything else you might be considering for competitive performance levels.
RedMagic may take the cake for performance, but when it comes to overall appeal, the OnePlus 15 is a far more well-rounded phone. Thankfully, it still has the performance gamers require, packing in the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC. It doesn’t quite keep up with RedMagic, but it’s not trailing far behind most of the time, and it leapt ahead of every other phone we’d tested prior. That speed translates wonderfully into games, where the phone readily handles the most demanding Android games without much fuss.
OnePlus lacks the almost absurd cooling hardware of the RedMagic 11 Pro, but it has a decent enough solution that avoids too much heat buildup during regular use and gaming — though benchmarks can put it over the top. It makes up for that omission by being an excellent phone all-around.
The OnePlus 15 includes a brilliant OLED display that runs at 165Hz for extra smooth visuals. It includes a massive battery for multi-day battery life. The triple-camera system on the rear hasn’t improved on the OnePlus 13 meaningfully, but it’s still a worthy setup that can compete admirably with Google and Samsung phones. Network connectivity and long-term software support are also on the high-end for Android devices, if not quite matching Google, Samsung, or Apple. Overall, there’s not a lot the OnePlus 15 does poorly, and the gaming performance it delivers on top of that well-rounded experience makes it a great choice for those who want a killer phone with the option to game.
Mobile gaming calls for a couple of things: extreme performance and a great display. Where iPhones are concerned, the iPhone 17 Pro Max delivers the best Apple has to offer in both categories. Offering a massive (for smartphones) 6.9-inch display, the 17 Pro Max benefits from 120Hz ProMotion smoothness, ample sharpness, and a vivid OLED panel so bright that our reviewer flashbanged herself with it.
Performance is also its strong point. The A19 Pro chip in the iPhone 17 Pro Max packs six CPU cores and six GPU cores, which make for small performance upticks over the earlier iPhone 16 Pro Max but will be a much more considerable boost for anyone coming from older models. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is still lagging slightly behind some of the Android phone options running the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC in multi-core performance and 3DMark benchmarks (like the RedMagic 10 Pro and OnePlus 13 included above) and that gap is likely to widen further when the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 lands in phones in late 2025. But that’s not enough to hold the iPhone 17 Pro Max back as a great option for gaming, as plenty of developers optimize their games for iPhone, and the performance on deck here holds up well in even the most demanding games.
In our testing, heat was still an issue, as it is for most phones, but the iPhone 17 Pro Max still managed it well enough. In 3DMark’s Steel Nomad Light stress test, the phone quickly lowered its performance after one run, but then largely sustained for the remaining 19 runs. That’s fairly typical behavior from a phone that doesn’t have active cooling (a rarity) or simply throttles its performance from the start. Crucially, the phone’s extensive aluminum frame and vapor chamber do a good job of spreading heat, so even though the phone gets warm while gaming, our reviewer didn’t find it having any serious hotspots.
What helps make the iPhone 17 Pro Max more worthwhile is that on top of its credentials for gaming, it’s also a powerful device in other respects. It’s built sturdy, it has a great set of cameras, and it should get the same kind of long-term support that has been a standout feature of iPhones for many years.
While Apple did launch the new iPhone 16e in 2025 with budget-minded consumers in consideration, it didn’t provide as affordable a new model as it had with earlier iPhone SE devices. The $599 iPhone 16e has some advantages though. This new model runs on the A18 chip that powers the iPhone 16, and that’s a serious piece of hardware. Unfortunately, the iPhone 16e gets a trimmed-down GPU with 4 cores instead of 5. Fortunately, the A18 has performance to spare, so I don’t see that holding the iPhone 16e back from being a solid gaming phone for even demanding titles. Even though I haven’t had a chance to test the iPhone 16e yet, I think it’s safe to say it’ll still rip through everyday operation and games alike, and my colleague over at PCMag saw excellent performance from the phone in his review.
While it's a shame the iPhone 16e couldn’t get a $429 price tag like the prior iPhone SE, it doesn’t make the same sacrifices that phone did. The iPhone 16e gets a more modern design in line with what Apple’s been pushing since as early as the iPhone 12. The best part of this upgrade for gamers is the much greater screen size. The iPhone 16e has a 6.1-inch display without the beefy bezels of the iPhone SE. That’s more real estate to see games and use your thumbs for controls. Plus, the display is an OLED panel, which provides better image quality and contrast. The iPhone 16e also starts with more base storage at 128GB, which is huge compared to the 64GB Apple provided in the prior iPhone SE.
All of that sets up the iPhone 16e nicely for gamers. But I’ll caveat that it may not be the perfect choice for folks who just want a value-focused iPhone. It may be the cheapest Apple offers at the moment, but it does sacrifice quite a bit. For instance, you won’t get access to mmWave or UWB 5G networking, which tends to offer the fastest speeds. That lack of mmWave also means precise device tracking for items like AirTags won’t work. The iPhone 16e also lacks MagSafe support, so you’ll have to either go without it or rely on a case to enable compatibility with MagSafe accessories. The camera system is also rather limited with just one sensor. I’d recommend the iPhone 14 for most people, but the updated chip in the iPhone 16e will make more sense for gamers who can forgo the extra mentioned here.
Sometimes you just want more screen to see all the glory of your favorite games, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 that I reviewed is just the ticket. This foldable phone has an 8-inch interior display that stretches games across it, and while that may not work for everything, you can still use its exterior display for gaming too – that one is a more normal 21:9 display. Regardless of which you use, both screens will highlight the rich contrast and bold color of an AMOLED display, not to mention the smooth visuals that come with a 120Hz refresh rate.
To power your games, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 packs in a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. This is the same hardware you’ll see in many of the best gaming devices out of 2025. Between the powerful Oryon CPU cores and the Adreno GPU, this chip offers extreme performance for smartphones and tablets alike or, in the case of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, both types of devices in one device. If you really want to go all out, you still will be better off with a tailor-made gaming device. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 has bursty performance, but under heavy sustained loads, its thin design will heat up and see performance drop off by as much as 60%. Thankfully, plenty of Android games don’t take full advantage of the hardware just yet, so there’s a good chance you’ll get to game without feeling this specific shortcoming.
The flipside is that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is much more pocket-friendly than its predecessor. This folding phone sits at just over 4mm thick open and it folds shut to measure just 8.9mm thick. That’s the same thickness as the Asus ROG Phone 9.
While the Galaxy Z Fold 7 may not have the same gaming chops as dedicated gaming phones, it will provide a more well-rounded experience. So if you’re also looking for solid cameras and long-term software support, you can expect it here. Of course, with a $1,999 price tag, I’d still point anyone who didn’t need one device to serve as a gaming tablet and phone toward separate purchases of a OnePlus 13 and Redmagic Astra tablet, which will cost less combined.
The OnePlus 12 is a compelling value, offering top-tier qualities at the price of most base-tier flagships (think S24 Ultra at the price of an S24). But OnePlus wanted to make an even more budget-friendly option with the OnePlus 12R. This model offers the look and feel of the OnePlus 12, but it comes in at just $499. The star of the show is the 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display, which boasts a 1264x2780 and 120Hz refresh rate. It’s a stunner and a great platform for gaming. Put this next to the iPhone SE, and it’s no contest which has the better display.
Internally, the OnePlus 12R isn’t swinging for the fences. It packs 2023’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, but for most gaming, it still offers plenty of horsepower. With a 5,500mAh battery inside, the OnePlus 12R is also ready to stretch your gaming sessions out.
The OnePlus 12R did have to make some sacrifices, and its camera system is one area where it trimmed things. It doesn't have a setup that matches the OnePlus 12, but the camera system has little bearing on the phone’s ability to run games. So if you’re out here shopping for a cheaper gaming phone, the iPhone 12R is a great, value-focused option.
Once you're certain you're a prime candidate for a gaming phone, here's exactly what to consider when you're on the hunt for one. While the best smartphones on the market tend to have some of what it takes to be a decent gaming phone, proper gaming phones tend to have some considerable advantages. You’ll find unseen benefits under the hood, upgrades to the screen and battery, and even extra controls to help give you the edge while gaming.
Deciding on a portable gaming device truly depends on your lifestyle, the type of games you want to play, and how you want to play them.
A gaming phone is ultra-portable and easily pocketed. However, it’s still a highly capable machine that does more than game, offering all your typical smartphone features, including quality cameras, navigation, and communication. Gaming phones also better support cloud streaming for Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox games. Many gaming phones even have cooling solutions to prevent thermal throttling and some handy triggers. If you’re not a fan of touch controls, you can always grab a phone controller and get an experience much closer to a gaming handheld.
Gaming handhelds, like the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch, are substantially bulkier but still easy to toss in a bag and take on the go. Unlike gaming phones, they are pretty much used solely for gaming, so you get responsive joysticks, triggers, and buttons with these options.
As for actual games, there’s a considerable rift. Android and iOS get plenty of games, and it’s becoming increasingly common to find the same titles on mobile and PC, though the mobile versions are often scaled back in some ways. Gaming handhelds get access to pretty much all of the PC games out there because they are, in fact, gaming PCs (except the Nintendo Switch, of course). Some PC games won’t run well (or run at all) on the low-powered hardware of the gaming handheld, though.
Both gaming handhelds and gaming phones can tap into cloud gaming platforms like Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Game Pass. In these, the performance of the phone and handheld don’t matter nearly as much as the quality of their internet connection. In that sense, phones can get an advantage as they offer both Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity (though a very good 5G connection is all but essential to try game streaming).
Battery life can be a tossup. Gaming phones tend to have sizable batteries, run efficiently, and can easily last through the day even with a bit of gaming sprinkled in – otherwise, what use is it as a phone? Gaming handhelds tend to last just a few hours, with the Steam Deck offering pretty poor battery life as an example. And topping up the battery on the go will be easier for the phone, which won’t require a high-wattage charger.
Cost is a big question. The Steam Deck starts at $400 and the original Nintendo Switch is even less than that. Most gaming phones cost more. But some gaming handhelds are landing with prices closer to $1,000, and that far outpaces some of our favorite gaming phones. Plus, most of us need a phone whether we get a gaming handheld or not. The fact a gaming phone can pull double duty should weigh into its value.
The limited access to games may be the deciding factor, as even with cloud gaming as an option, some games simply won’t be available for gaming phones. If everything you want to play is available on mobile or cloud gaming, then it’s worth testing the waters of cloud gaming with your current phone and then, if you like the experience, considering a gaming phone as your next device. If you can’t play the games you want the way you want, then a handheld may fit the bill.
Mark Knapp is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything electronics and gaming hardware. He has over 10 years of experience in the tech industry with bylines at PCMag, Reviewed, CNET, and more. Find Mark on Twitter @Techn0Mark or BlueSky at @Techn0Mark.
Walmart just kicked off one of the lowest prices I've seen on an RTX 5070 equipped laptop. Right now you can pick up a Asus TUF F16 gaming laptop for just $1,099 with free delivery. This laptop offers strong performance for the price since it's equipped with an unthrottled RTX 5070 GPU with a 115W TGP rating.
The Asus TUF F16 is a solid mid-range 2025 model featuring an anodized aluminum top and durable polycarbonate chassis. It weighs in at about 5 pounds and measures 0.7" thin. Full specs include a 16" 1920x1200 165Hz display, Intel Core i7-14650HX CPU, GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The Intel Core i7-14650HX is a 2024 HX-series processor with a max turbo frequency of 5.2GHz and a total of 16 cores and 24 threads. Although this is a slightly older 2024 model, it's still an excellent, powerful mobile processor that will perform well in both gaming and general multi-tasking productivity, even in apps that can utilize multiple cores.
The RTX 5070 is an unthrottled model with 115W TGP (not including dynamic CPU boost) and performs about 5%-10% better than the RTX 4070 that it replaces. That's not a very big generational improvement, but the RTX 5070 has the newer DLSS 4 technology with multi-frame generation, which widens the performance gap in games that support it. It's capable of handling just about every game out there on the display's 1920x1200 resolution. Some people prefer a higher resolution laptop screen, but in my opinion, it's an unnecessary load on resources for minimal visual fidelity gain. A 16" FHD+ laptop display has a pixel density of roughly 140ppi, which is comparable to a 32" monitor with 4K resolution.
Walmart has another similar model - the MSI Katana - for a slightly lower price of $1,049. This laptop is equipped with a smaller 15" display but it has a higher 2560x1400 (QHD) resolution and 165Hz native refresh rate. The rest of the specs, including the CPU, GPU, RAM, and SSD are mostly identical. The Katana uses a composite plastic for both the top lid and the chassis, if that matters to you. It weighs in at about 5.3 pounds.
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.
With the arrival of the Mega Dimensions DLC for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Planet Pokémon, powered by a team-up of Pokémon experts from Maxroll, Eurogamer, and IGN, has delved into Hyperspace to uncover all of the knowledge you need to be fully prepared for this new adventure in Lumiose City.
Our Pokémon Planner now includes all of the Mega Evolutions and returning Pokémon added to Legends: Z-A in the new DLC. This includes Pokémon base stats and movesets. With this information on hand, you can start experimenting with your team before catching the Pokémon in-game. Don't worry if you haven't used the planner before, our handy Pokémon Planner guide will teach you all the tricks.
Alongside this, our Legends: Z-A Pokédex and Items list have also been updated for the DLC. So whether you're checking to see if your favourite Pokémon has returned or if a handy item has been added, you'll find it all here on Planet Pokémon. Here's a full list of what's been updated in the Mega Dimensions DLC.
Remember, you need to have completed the main campaign in Legends: Z-A to play the Mega Dimensions DLC. When you do, you'll experience a simple task - helping a young girl bake a donut - transform into combating another threat looming over Lumiose City. (I'm starting to wonder why people live there… It's a bit of a danger magnet.) You won't just be fighting Rogue Mega Evolutions this time though. No, you'll be crossing the boundaries of time and space itself thanks to a Hoopa who can open Hyperspace portals after eating a donut. Not the weirdest thing to happen in a Pokémon game, but it's up there.
Along the way, you'll team up with old friends, collect new Mega Evolutions like Mega Lucario Z and catch returning Pokémon from past generations, such as Meowth, Mudkip and Mimikyu. There's also a host of new Side Missions for you to complete too! One might even lead you to a Legendary Pokémon… Just be prepared for the Pokémon in Hyperspace to have levels higher than what you're used to. I'm talking over 100! Thankfully, the right donut can make your team just as dangerous.
Hope you enjoy the Mega Dimensions DLC and don't forget to check out the updated Pokémon Planner over on Planet Pokémon!
Lottie Lynn is the Guides Editor over at Eurogamer. She covers a wide of games - spanning the latest RPG to farming simulators to an awful lot of Pokémon. Thankfully she's a massive Pokémon fan and lore expert, having started playing back in the Pokémon Yellow days. Though her Pokémon collection actually started before the series even reached UK shores due to her Dad bringing back a Pikachu child alarm from a business trip to Japan. (A purchase he most likely regrets for multiple reasons.)
As a deal hunter, I don't write about 8K TVs often because they're obnoxiously expensive and extremely niche (8K content is sparsely available). That said, Best Buy just kicked off one deal that's good enough to catch my eye. The cutting-edge 77" LG Z3 8K OLED Smart TV, which normally retails for $10,000, is on sale for $4,000.99 with free delivery. Understandably, even at ths price the TV isn't for most people, but it's a really interesting deal nonetheless.
Although the LG Z3 is a 2023 model, it's actually the latest 8K OLED TV released (there is no "Z4" model). This 77" TV is equipped with an Evo series OLED panel with MLA (micro lens array) technology similar to LG's Gallery series G3. This was LG's highest quality panel at the time, superior to both the C-series TV, which has an EVO OLED panel without MLA, and the B-series TV, which has a traditional W-OLED panel. EVO OLED TVs with MLA are significantly brighter, which improves image quality, allows for better visibility in bright rooms, and punches through glare and reflections.
Of course what sets the Z3 apart from all other OLED TV models is its 8K resolution, which has quadruple the pixel count of 4K. Unfortunately, the sad reality is that there's hardly any native 8K content available outside of YouTube and a few esoteric channels. That said, the Z3 can also upscale 4K content, and on a big 77" screen size, upscaling truly helps. Today's upscaling tech is a lot more advanced than it used to be, and upscaled 4K-to-8K looks noticeably better than straight 4K thanks to LG's AI-assisted a9 8K Gen6 processor.
8K and OLED technologies aside, the LG Z3 has all the features you'd want in a current generation gaming TV, including a native 120Hz panel and four HDMI 2.1 ports that can run games in 4K at 120Hz on a PS5 or Xbox Series X console. Interestingly enough, it does support refresh rates at up to 100Hz at 8K resolution.
If you're here to window shop, that's understandable. A 77" TV for $4K is still an extreme splurge for most people. But it's a heck of a lot cheaper than $10,000.
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.
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