Capcom has announced a Resident Evil Showcase event that's set to stream online later this week, featuring "brand new gameplay and news" for Resident Evil Requiem.
The Showcase will stream this Thursday, January 15 at 2pm Pacific, 5pm Eastern or 10pm UK time. Following that, Capcom will host a "post-show" discussion stream via its YouTube channel, suggesting there will be plenty to chew over.
What could Capcom have left to reveal about Resident Evil Requiem, with just six weeks to go until its launch on February 27? Well, despite Leon S. Kennedy's presence now being out in the open, fans still have plenty of questions about the game to be answered — such as, is any of it open world?
Earlier this month, a teasing trailer published by Nvidia featured clips of a bustling city environment not yet seen in demos or other trailers. Featuring cars and pedestrians, the snippet looked more like an open world game than a Resident Evil title. Is this just a scripted gameplay sequence, or will there be more to explore? Fans are keen to find out.
Artwork for the Showcase predominantly features the gun also seen on Requiem's cover, alongside what looks to be red-colored bullets. Resident Evil Requiem's director Koshi Nakanishi has previously suggested this gun will be important — perhaps we'll soon learn more of its signficance, and why it seems to pass from Leon to Grace during the game's events.
The Arc Raiders community believes high framerates and aim assist may be to blame for some suspicious gameplay clips after players accused streamer Nick ‘Nickmercs’ Kolcheff of cheating.
Fans took a magnifying glass to the controversial controller accessibility feature after Reddit users took aim at a questionable gameplay video from the streamer last week. The post, which comes in at just 11 seconds long and accrued 2.4K comments on the social media platform, sees Nickmercs using a Renegade rifle (and an Xbox controller) to shoot down two Arc drones.
It’s the kind of clip many wouldn’t bat an eye at in passing, but a closer look reveals almost robotic precision.
“This is super sketchy,” one user commented shortly after the post was published, “controller does have aim assist on ARC but it’s not like this.”
“Yeah that’s not aim assist,” another user added at the time. “I mean that’s just blatantly a cheat engine. The way it locks onto a rotor and then he has to move it off the Arc entirely to get it to lock onto the back rotor instead is sus as f**k.”
The video’s showcase of inhuman, snappy aiming quickly convinced a crowd of users the streamer must be using cheats to boost his performance for his audience. Upon closer inspection, however, it looks like Nickmercs’ may only have Arc Raiders and developer Embark Studios’ built-in aim assist feature to thank.
While no one was able to exactly reproduce the streamer’s mechanical control on console without a cheat tool, PC players had a little more luck. Just hours after fans caught wind of the cheating allegations, Reddit user roartex89 published a video showcasing what seemed to be a drastic difference in aim assist sensitivity on PC vs. console.
Further investigation from users like Razukee, awhaling, and ttvimShinyatheninja seemed to find the culprit behind magnetic aiming wasn’t exactly platform choice but frames per second (FPS) values. PCs able to achieve higher framerates seem to be able to use aim assist to snap between targets with ease, while those on the lower end may see little to no benefit from the feature. So, for example, a popular streamer with a high-end PC reaching as much as 240fps would be able to use aim assist to snap to targets with more ease than a player on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X | S, where Arc Raiders is capped at 60fps.
“This basically [makes] aim assist pay to win,” ttvimShinyatheninja said in their post. “Whoever has the better PC wins. Everyone else is at a huge disadvantage and this [needs] to get fixed asap.”
Nickmercs, who went on to deny the cheating allegations during a January 12 livestream, seems to have been let off the hook, as the Arc Raiders community shifts its focus from one potential cheater to a wider discussion about aim assist. Embark is now being looked to for answers, with players taking to the company’s official channels across Reddit, X/Twitter, Discord, and more to ask for clarity or, ideally, a proper fix.
Without comment from the studio, a section of the community questioning whether it's fair for console players to be matched against PC players has emerged. From cheating allegations to general confusion about how and why aim assist works, these fans now want to spread the word that crossplay should be turned off for now.
"Until resolved console players should not be playing with PC players to preserve a fair environment if one side can do something another isn't capable of," one Reddit user commented.
"PC already have superior inputs with [mouse and keyboard] and now they also have better aim assist?" another replied. "Yeah not a chance I'm ticking that crossplay box on Xbox."
The streamer happened to find himself in the crosshairs of a gaming community that had just spent recent weeks pleading for Embark to crack down on what many felt was a cheating epidemic. As nefarious fans took advantage of exploits to illegitimately gain the upper hand on other Raiders, the studio finally stepped in, promising to clean up lobbies as January rolls on.
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).
Since launching last June, the Switch 2 has given players new games from Nintendo franchises (such as Mario Kart World and Kirby Air Riders), as well as ports of games from other consoles, such as Final Fantasy VII Remake, proving that the Switch 2 is capable of running more demanding games than its predecessor. However, the launch has also faced some issues, such as criticisms of the Game-Key Card medium and shortages of consoles (especially in Japan, where high demand meant Switch 2 sales being restricted to a lottery system for most of 2025). Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa recently dropped some hints at what is next for the Nintendo Switch 2 as it enters its second year.
As spotted by Nintendo Life, Japanese newspaper Kyoto Shimbun recently interviewed the Nintendo president about the future of the Switch 2. Nintendo Patents Watch gave a summary of the paywalled article, which is referenced here.
There have been concerns about possible price increases for the Switch 2, with the current economic situation and memory costs. Memory prices are on the rise because powerful AI chips have high requirements, with news outlets like CNBC reporting that there won’t be enough memory to meet worldwide demand in 2026.
According to Furukawa, current memory prices will have no immediate impact on Nintendo’s financial performance thanks to Nintendo’s inventory and contracts with suppliers. However, the Nintendo president noted that “we must monitor the situation closely.” As to whether or not consumers would have to deal with price increases, Furukawa said “I cannot comment on hypotheticals.”
According to CNBC, there won't be enough RAM to meet demand this year because companies like Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Google need so much of it for their artificial intelligence chips, and those companies "are the first ones in line for the components." As a result, prices for memory are rising. In December, Micron - one of three primary memory vendors - said it would discontinue a part of its business that aimed to provide memory for consumer PC builders so the company could save supply for AI chips and servers.
As for what offerings we can expect to see on the Switch 2 in the future, Furukawa hinted that “we are developing popular series titles that many fans are waiting for, but also completely new software.” On that note, the Switch 2 has yet to receive a new mainline The Legend of Zelda game, although series producer Eiji Aonuma recently suggested that the next Zelda title might draw on elements from Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. As for new first party titles on the horizon in 2026, Mario Tennis Fever is coming in February with Yoshi and the Mysterious Book due later in the year. Furukawa’s comment suggests that Nintendo will announce more games in the near future.
As well as visual, performance and storage-related improvements over the original Switch, the Switch 2 has already introduced some new features like GameChat, GameShare, and the new JoyCon’s ability to be used like a mouse. It will be interesting to see how upcoming Switch 2 exclusives make use of the new console’s features.
Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
I have spent enough years covering games to know when a sale actually matters, and this one does. It's looking like a proper cross platform clearance out there, the kind where great games quietly slip to prices they have no right being at. I have played most of these, finished plenty of them, and a few still live rent free in my head years later.
In retro news, I'm celebrating the 21st birthday of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, a GBA classic. Though initially the concept of an RPG meshing (sometimes pantsless) anthropomorphic Disney animals with Final Fantasy favourites sounded goofier than, well... Goofy, gamers loved it. To keep that enthusiasm going, a direct sequel was commissioned for handheld to bridge the inaugural KH and its forthcoming numbered sequel. In terms of production values and content, it was one of the most features-packed cartridges for the system, with full-motion video (!!!), an engrossing storyline, addictive real-time card combat, and link-cable-enabled 2P battles to boot.
This Day in Gaming 🎂
Aussie birthdays for notable games.
- Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (GBA) 2005.eBay
Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch
Borderlands 3 Ult. (-51%)A$44.10 A ridiculous amount of content packed into one bundle, with mountains of guns, loud humour, and DLC that easily justifies the price.
Sonic Frontiers (-51%)A$49.10 Sega finally cracked open zone Sonic, and the result is fast, flexible, and far more thoughtful than it first appears.
Dragon Ball FighterZ (-50%)A$44.90 Still one of the best looking fighters ever made, with speed, spectacle, and genuine competitive depth.
Adam Mathew is a passionate connoisseur, a lifelong game critic, and an Aussie deals wrangler who genuinely wants to hook you up with stuff that's worth playing (but also cheap). He plays practically everything, sometimes on YouTube.
Author of Heated Rivalry, Rachel Reid, has announced a 7th book in the Game Changers book series, titled Unrivaled, set to release on September 29, 2026.
Unrivaled will be a sequel to The Long Game, which followed after Heated Rivalry in the ever popular duo of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, digging further into their relationship. Unrivaled will now let readers and fans find out what happens following the end of The Long Game, which ended with some massive changes in the lives of the two star hockey players and their relationship.
Rumors of the new book circulated over the weekend after Barnes & Noble posted listings available for preorder for the upcoming book – despite having no cover reveal at the time, the listings were detailed enough and considered legitimate because of it being Barnes & Noble.
Reid shared the news officially today on her Instagram, saying "It's really, really surreal to be sitting here writing the next Ilya and Shane book while watching jokes about Ilya and Shane happen live on my television from Hollywood at the Golden Globes."
Heated Rivalry has not slowed down since it's episode 1 and 2 release on November 28, 2025, with stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie having just presented at the 83rd Golden Globes last night, with a fun bit they shared on stage.
Dozens of videos circulated on social media sharing Storrie and Williams with well known actors coming up to them giving them praise for their roles in the gay hockey drama, including The Bear's Ayo Edebiri. (Because the show was produced by Bell Media, a Canadian company, Heated Rivalry was not eligible to be nominated for any Golden Globe Awards categories.)
Williams and Storrie previously shared they had signed contracts for three seasons of the series, with Season 2 already being greenlit. Heated Rivalry was originally produced by Crave in Canada, while premiering on HBO Max in the US, and the show is still getting more international streaming releases, having just premiered in the UK over the weekend through Sky.
With Williams and Storrie making other welcomed career movies, like their romantic fantasy audio for Quinn, called Ember & Ice, we only see the hype for both of them and the series to continue building – especially now with Reid having announced Unrivaled!
Jessie Wade is Associate Director of Editorial Programming at IGN. You can find her playing cozy games on her Switch or watching the latest fantasy and drama shows, as well as getting lost in way too many fantasy romance books.
As any younger sibling who grew up on Mario platformers knows, Luigi is gaming's ultimate Player 2. Nintendo's green-capped member of the Mario Bros. has lived a lifetime in the shadow of his older twin Mario, only stepping out for a taste of solo stardom in his ghostbusting Luigi's Mansion series.
Now that we've entered the Switch 2 generation, we’re celebrating Player 2s everywhere with a complete list of every Luigi game on Switch consoles.
How Many Luigi Games Are on Switch?
There are 19 games on Switch that let you play as Luigi. He’s the main character in only two games (Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD and Luigi’s Mansion 3) and the co-lead in one (Mario & Luigi: Brothership).
Every Luigi Game on Switch
Luigi’s Mansion 3 (2019)
Luigi’s first starring role on Switch was in Luigi’s Mansion 3, the third entry in the character’s only solo series to date. Luigi’s Mansion 3 sees our timid hero and his green gooey clone team up with Professor E. Gadd to battle ghosts and save his friends from King Boo’s haunted hotel.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD (2024)
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a remake of the 2013 Nintendo 3DS game Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon. This second game in the spooky series sees Luigi ghostbusting his way through the mansions of Evershade Valley to once again capture King Boo and save his brother.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership (2024)
Sure, it's not exclusively a 'Luigi game,' but Mario & Luigi: Brothership certainly puts the brothers on even footing. Brothership is the first release in the Mario & Luigi series since Paper Jam in 2014. Players take on the role of both brothers, who must traverse puzzles and platforming challenges to restore the kingdom of Concordia.
Every Other Game You Can Play as Luigi on Switch
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (2017)
The first Switch game to feature Luigi as a playable character was Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Luigi appears as a middleweight racer with a well-balanced stat distribution that slightly favors speed and handling. His appearance in an ad for the original Wii U version of Mario Kart 8 spawned the Luigi Death Stare meme.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (2017)
Luigi next appeared in the Nintendo-Ubisoft collaboration Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. The tactical RPG features both Luigi and Rabbid Luigi, a Rabbid who dresses (and often behaves) like his human counterpart, as possible party members.
Mario Tennis Aces (2018)
Luigi hit the court as one of 16 playable launch characters in 2018’s Mario Tennis Aces. As is often true for Luigi in Mario sports games, he’s a balanced, “all-around” character in Aces. His specialty shot, Pipe Cannon, blasts him into the air to set him up for a powerful spike.
Super Mario Party (2018)
Luigi is one of 20 playable characters in Super Mario Party. The younger of the Mario Bros. has appeared alongside his brother in every Mario Party game to date, including the two others further down this list. This is the first Mario Party game released for Switch and Nintendo’s ninth best-selling game on the platform, according to the company.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018)
Luigi appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an unlockable character. He is one of 12 characters to be playable in all five Smash games. According to LumiRank’s tier list, which compiled the opinions of 93 ranked Smash players, Luigi is an A+-tier fighter and the 18th best overall.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (2019)
Luigi is a playable character in the 2019 platformer New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. This is an expanded version of NSMBU for Wii U that includes the expansion New Super Luigi U. Luigi stars as the main character in this expansion, which incorporates his higher jump, remixes levels from the base game, and adds a 100-second timer to each level.
Super Mario Maker 2 (2019)
Alongside Mario, Toad, and Toadette, Luigi is one of four playable characters in Super Mario Maker 2. The level-building platformer allows players to create their own Mario levels using assets from Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros. U, and Super Mario 3D World.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (2021)
Like the original Wii U release, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury can be played entirely as Luigi. Here, he controls similarly to Mario, albeit with a slightly higher jump and slightly less traction, making him play a bit more ‘floaty’ and ‘slippery’ than his red-capped counterpart.
Mario Golf: Super Rush (2021)
Luigi hit the links with Mario and friends in Mario Golf: Super Rush. One of 22 playable characters, he boasts decent control and excellent speed stats, making him a great option for Super Rush’s new Speed Golf mode. His special shot, Ice Flower Freeze, freezes the ground upon the ball’s impact, creating a hazardous area for opponents.
Mario Party Superstars (2021)
Luigi returns for the second iteration of Mario Party on Switch: Mario Party Superstars. Unlike Super Mario Party before it, Superstars is not an original game but rather a modern collection of minigames, boards, and mechanics from the series’ past.
Mario Strikers: Battle League Football (2022)
Mario Strikers: Battle League Football, the latest Mario soccer/football game, features Luigi as one of 16 playable characters. Luigi is a well-balanced footballer who excels in technique, a skill that determines a character’s ability to dribble, curve their shot, and shoot accurately.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (2022)
Luigi (and Rabbid Luigi) returned for Ubisoft and Nintendo’s tactical sequel, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Luigi is labeled a Sneak Attacker due to his ranged weaponry and low health.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder (2023)
Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the latest 2D Mario platformer, features Luigi as a playable alternative to Mario. The difference between the two characters here is purely aesthetic, as the Mario Bros. play identically to one another.
Super Mario Party Jamboree (2024)
Unsurprisingly, Luigi is playable in Super Mario Party Jamboree, the biggest and arguably best game in Nintendo’s flagship party series. In addition to being a playable character, Luigi appears as part of Jamboree’s new Buddy mechanic, where he has the chance to change a player’s dice rolls from their initial numbers to 10s.
Mario Kart World (2025)
The latest game to let you play as Luigi is also the latest Mario Kart game. Mario Kart World is a Switch 2-exclusive that features double the usual amount of racers. Yes, that means 24 racers on each track. Logan Plant's review for IGN goes so far as to claim the game features "unbeatable local multiplayer racing on well-designed tracks that more than live up to the series’ legacy."
What's Next for Luigi?
The Switch 2 has officially arrived, but there's no word yet on future games in the Luigi series. I'm sure Mario will bring Luigi along for whatever his next adventure is, and we're hoping that's a new 3D Mario game.
Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.
Arc Raiders and its cutthroat PvP encounters have generated dozens of viral clips since launch, but some peaceful players prefer PvE to such a degree that they’ve started using the aggression-based matchmaking (ABMM) to find friendly lobbies.
The jig is up: developer Embark Studios is matching aggressive PvP players together. It’s a matchmaking tactic that has set the Arc Raiders community ablaze since the company announced its implementation earlier this month. While some of the more aggressive fans aren’t sure how they feel about being linked up with other bloodthirsty Raiders, gentler players are using ABMM to find lobbies where player-vs.-player violence is practically off-limits.
Multiple players have shared stories online about finding friendly lobbies that see Raiders cooperate with one another by evenly sharing loot after taking down a Matriarch. Some runs have even been said to result in a group dance party.
“Took down a matriarch and everyone shared the loot equally and then danced together at extract,” one player explained. “After a week of pure PvP this is like a whole new world.”
"Lately I’ve been running into nothing but friendly players," another added. "Last night, a gentlemen just randomly gave me two blue prints. Didn’t have too, just did.
"I’ve been trying to repay that kindness forward. I’ll be the first to admit im not even good at this game, but the exploring, looting and meeting friendlies has been totally worth it for me."
There are plenty of fans, especially in the solo queue pool, who favor a more serene Arc Raiders experience. While players do their best to use ABMM to land them in friendly lobbies, some have begun offering advice to those who would prefer to avoid PvP but can't quite crack the code. There are even some fans discussing their hope for official support for strictly peaceful lobbies, but for those who prefer to rummage for loot in Stella Montis with a hint of paranoia, ABMM can be manipulated in the other direction, too.
Those who keep the safety on when looking for rusted gears and light bulbs with friends may have some luck balancing their lobbies with both friendly and aggressive players if they don’t exclusively stick to PvE combat. With enough trial and error, a few fans say they've had luck tweaking matchmaking to add just a dash of mischief.
“I enjoy both lobbies,” one Reddit user commented. “PvE for making new friends and looting properly. PvP with my mate terrorising the whole lobby and losing all the good weapons we brought [because] someone outplays us with a big smile on our faces and having a great time.”
Embark has been clear: ABMM isn’t a science. The aggression-based matchmaking tool is also likely still being tweaked as Arc Raiders rides success through its third month since launching for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S October 30. Still, it’s proven to be at least somewhat useful for those looking to avoid PvP, and the tension that comes with it, as much as possible.
While players argue over whether ABMM is right for Arc Raiders, Embark seems to have made up its mind. For the Stockholm-based game developer, Arc Raiders is better off without doubling down on competitive gameplay mechanics like leaderboards, with CEO Patrick Söderlund explaining in a recent GamesBeat interview that “the game isn't about shooting other players.”
“You can do that if you want to,” he added, “but the ethos of the game has never been to go in and shoot players. It's a part that we use to craft tension.”
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).
Where can you play 1993 classic fps Doom? Loads of places. Cooking pots, smart photo frames, receipt printers (what), Wikipedia (what???), Alarmo, the wacky list goes on. And as of yesterday, that list includes unreleased indie sandbox Hytale, courtesy of a clever modder.
Doom running in Hytale comes courtesy of modder tr7zw (h/t Rock Paper Shotgun), who uploaded a video of Doom running "100% inside a Hytale mod, before Hytale is even released." It is apparently fully controlled within the game of Hytale and isn't actually very good to play in terms of controls working well. It's a bit goofy, too, as it involves standing somewhere out in the world and then playing on what amounts to a blocky in-game monitor floating in the air in front of you. It runs at 20fps. But it is functional! That sure is Doom all right! I don't know why you'd want to play it here when you have so many better options, many of which are on actual gaming platforms, but the purpose of the long-standing tradition of running Doom on weird systems has never been actually playing Doom in an ideal environment.
What's really nuts about this is that Hytale isn't even out yet: it launches in early access tomorrow. But modding platform CurseForge is already fully ready to support all the mods the community might desire, which imaginably will be quite a few given the game's sandbox nature and similarities to Minecraft.
Hytale is showing some early signs of being a pretty big deal. According to its developers, it's already made enough money to cover the next two years of development costs. Hypixel Studios founder Simon Collins-Laflamme is expecting over one million players on release day, and urged fans today to download the launcher now to help reduce stress tomorrow.
It's a pretty incredible turnaround for a game that almost didn't even get finished. Initially announced in 2018 from the developers of popular Minecraft server Hypixel, Riot Games ended up buying the studio mid-development to support the project. The game was delayed several times as its scope increased, until in June of 2025 the project was canceled and the studio closed. However, in November, Collins-Laflamme announced he had acquired the IP rights, announced that the game was back in development, and in a seemingly Herculean effort, the team has an early access version ready for tomorrow.
"It’s a damn miracle we were able to salvage Hytale," Collins-Laflamme said in a statement last year. "It was barely playable. All basics were broken. Camera, movement, combat, crafting, building, gameloop, sounds, rendering. Everything, everything was wrong.
"It should have taken years to fix, but within weeks, we got the game into a playable, fun state. And now, instead of slowing down or celebrating a release, we have to keep pushing for years to make up for the time that was lost.
"So yes, I feel anger. And I’m turning that into focus and execution. I’m committing more money, more time, and personal sacrifice to deliver the game this vision deserves."
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Winter is in full swing, which means you’ll likely be hunkering down for the next few months, or maybe you’re taking a fun trip to escape the colder weather. If you’re doing the latter, you might want to take advantage of the great deal on a Switch 2 carrying case and a portable charger that I found. For those who are more of the hibernating type, Amazon’s three for $33 4K UHD sale could be right up your alley, or maybe you’d like to grab a few new video games for even more entertainment and a new space heater to keep you toasty. There are tons of deals to be found. Check them all out below.
Featured in this article
If you just want a bird's eye view of the best deals of the day, you can scroll through the catalog above. For details about each one (and links to reviews where applicable), keep on reading.
tomtoc Slim Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch 2 Is Down to Lowest Price
The Nintendo Switch 2 isn’t cheap, so you need to do everything in your power to keep it safe. One of the first steps to ensuring protection is grabbing a great case, and the tomtoc Slim Carrying Case is one of our favorite accessories for the Switch 2. An IGN expert even had a chance to conduct some hands-on testing of the case, giving it high praise with a 9/10 review rating. Best of all, you can grab the tomtoc Slim Carrying Case for the lowest price ever right now on Amazon.
While simple, it features a precision fit to hug every joystick, button, and control perfectly, keeping things ultra-slim and compact for ultimate portability. With a soft inner layer and durable outer shell, the console can withstand its fair share of drops. There’s even a handy little carrying strap along with a dozen slots for storing game cards.
Save $20 on the Anker 737 Power Bank
For some serious charging power, look no further than the Anker 737 Power Bank. It’s capable of topping up laptops, phones, and all the best handheld gaming PCs with up to 140W power delivery and offers 24,000mAh capacity. Your battery will never run out during crucial game (or life) moments. A handy little screen even provides insights into charging times, and up to three devices can be charged simultaneously. Best of all, this top-notch power bank is only $89.99. That’s nearly 20% savings.
$50 Off the AOC Q27G40XMN Mini-LED Gaming Monitor
You don’t need to break the bank to get a great gaming monitor. In fact, our favorite budget option has had $50 slashed from its price tag during Best Buy’s Winter Sale. You can grab the AOC Q27G40XMN Mini-LED for only $250. This QHD 27-inch monitor delivers a remarkably great HDR gaming experience with impressive contrast, color performance, and brightness. 1,152 local dimming zones also minimize blooming. All of that’s coupled with an impressive 180Hz refresh rate and VRR support for a monitor that punches far above its price class.
Final Fantasy XVI for PlayStation 5 Is Just $19
Final Fantasy XVI might not be down to Black Friday pricing, but $19 for the dark fantasy RPG on PS5 isn’t a bad deal. This 16th installment of Final Fantasy was released in 2023 and received a rave review from IGN, scoring 9/10. Reviewer Mitchell Saltzman had this to say about the game: “Featuring fast, reflex driven, action heavy combat, Final Fantasy 16 is certainly a departure from what fans may expect out of a Final Fantasy game, but its excellent story, characters, and world building are right up there with the best the series has to offer, and the innovative Active Time Lore feature should set a new standard for how lengthy, story-heavy games keep players invested in its world.”
If you don’t already have this in your collection, now’s a great time to add it.
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gaming Headset is 24% Off
If you’re after a great gaming headset, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 for Xbox Series X|S is almost 25% off right now. This wireless headset works seamlessly with nearly all platforms via a low-latency 2.4GHz dongle, while Bluetooth is available for a simple connection to just about anything else. IGN expert Michael Higham even had a chance to review the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 headset, finding “its rich and fully formed sound profile impresses right off the bat and its directional audio will keep you competitive in game.” The long 80-hour battery life and overall design quality make this a headset well worth the price, especially with the current discount.
The Dumos 24-inch Space Heater is Almost $30 Off
The winter season is in full swing, and if you’re like me, you’ll want to do everything possible to stay warm and cozy. The Dumos 24-inch Space Heater is a great way to heat spaces that are just a bit too chilly, such as a basement gaming room or drafty office. Right now, you can grab it for just $30.32 after clipping the coupon. Meaning, you’ll save almost $30 on this heater.
The Dumos 24-inch Space Heater offers 1500W quick heating and 60° oscillation to warm your space fast. With heating between 60°F and 99°F and a handy little remote, it’s simple to get the room to the ideal temperature. There are even seven different lighting modes available, adding the perfect vibe to any space.
3 for $33 4K UHD Movies
Great news! Amazon’s three for $33 4K Blu-ray sale is still live. That means you can score an awesome deal on select 4K UHD titles. All that you need to do is add three movies to your cart, and when you go to check out, the price will drop to just $11 each. Whether you’re looking to add a few classics to your physical media collection, like The Shining or 2001: A Space Odyssey, or want some newer titles, like Jurassic Park: Rebirth or Wicked, there’s a huge selection to choose from. It’s a great time to buy.
Best Buy Video Game Winter Sale
The New Year's Sale may be over, and now we’re on to the Best Buy Winter Sale. Luckily, the savings are similar, bringing solid discounts on tons of popular titles. From Borderlands 4 for Xbox Series X getting 40% knocked off its price tag, to NINJA GAIDEN 4 for PlayStation 5 seeing a $30 price drop, there are some pretty awesome deals worth checking out.
Danielle is a Tech freelance writer based in Los Angeles who spends her free time creating videos and geeking out over music history.
Anthem, the failed attempt at a live-service game by Mass Effect and Dragon Age developer BioWare, is now offline for good.
This morning, shortly after 10am Pacific time, Anthem's remaining players reported seeing the game's servers blinking out of existence, rendering the game fully unplayable, forever.
BioWare had not given a specific time for when Anthem's switch-off would occur, and instead only indicated the game would remain online until today, January 12, before its removal. Still, a small cluster of fans had been tracking Anthem's final hours, and a few dozen had been playing the game on Twitch to see out its final moments.
At around 10.03am Pacific, in-game players reported getting suddenly booted as the plug was pulled. After warnings of a connection problem, players were left sitting back on the Anthem's startup screen, showing the game's logo and its characters — now left to forever tinker with their amored Javelin suits, which will never fly again.
"Of all the dead live games, this is one of the most painful, as the game was so very close to greatness," wrote Anthem fan Marcel Hatam on X/Twitter. "Great core gameplay with fun combat and flying, an intriguing world and great customization. Freelancer signing off 🫡."
"Damn wanted to get a few more hours before closure, sad," wrote new fan Regis via BioWare's Discord, who said they'd only given Anthem a try this month after learning it was shutting down. "Got to play the game for just a week but it already leaves a hole in my chest."
Anthem launched in February 2019 to lukewarm reviews, including IGN's own, which criticized the game's grindiness, lack of polish and mismatched story. The game sold more than 5 million copies but failed to meet EA's own internal targets, set after a long and troubled development. Despite some effort to further update and improve the game, BioWare ceased active development on Anthem back in February 2021, citing a need to prioritize Dragon Age: The Veilguard (which launched in late 2024 to its own set of mixed feedback) and Mass Effect 5 (which is still seemingly years away).
Anthem publisher EA announced last year that it would stop running the game's servers today, and confirmed that users would no longer be able play at all after this point. Premium in-game currency was withdrawn from sale last summer, and the game was delisted at the same time from EA Play.
An online-only action RPG spread across a large multiplayer map, Anthem had no offline option — meaning that the game's world, characters and lore are now officially gone for good. But as IGN reported last week, there are fledgling efforts underway by fans to bring Anthem back online via custom servers, though it is too early to tell exactly how far this option might progress.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Disney is a multimedia powerhouse, the king of every form of entertainment from movies, TV shows, theme parks, and even video games. Over the last 30 years, The House of Mouse had a hand in creating video game adaptations of some classic Disney movies and original games, like Kingdom Hearts and Epic Mickey.
Today, there are plenty of Disney games on the Nintendo Switch for you to enjoy playing alone or with family and friends. Whether you’re relaxing at home and want to take a break from scrolling through Disney+ or taking a trip to a Disney Park, here's every Disney game for the Switch in release order.
How Many Disney Games Are on the Nintendo Switch?
It can be a little challenging to pinpoint what is and isn't "Disney" these days. In total, 11 Disney games have launched on the Switch since the handheld released in 2017. Three of those games are movie tie-ins, one is a spin-off of the Kingdom Hearts series, and one is technically a collection of multiple "Disney classics." I don't include them here in the interest of space, but there are also plenty of Star Wars games on the Switch that technically fall under the Disney umbrella.
Which Disney Game Is Worth Playing in 2026?
Not every Disney game is created equal. The combination of "the Disney Brand" with Nintendo Switch games already being pretty expensive means I wouldn't recommend all of the games on this list at their current price points. That said, there have definitely been some winners in the past couple years. If you're looking for a game that makes you feel like you're part of the Disney world, Dreamlight Valley is as good as it gets. The Animal Crossing-like game places you in the position to rebuild Dreamlight Valley with the help of your neighbors, a host of Disney and Pixar characters with their own questlines.
All Disney and Pixar Games on Switch (in Release Order)
Cars 3: Driven to Win (2017)
The first Disney game that launched on the Switch is technically a Pixar game that also overlapped with the Nintendo 3DS. In 2017, the media giant released a tie-in game for the movie Cars 3. Naturally, Cars 3: Driven to Win is a racing game featuring 20 tracks based on locations from the films (including Radiator Springs). The game also includes 20 customizable "characters," some that are automatically unlocked at the start, like Lightning McQueen, while others, like Mater and Chick Hicks, can only be unlocked by winning your way through the five game modes and various Master Events.
LEGO The Incredibles (2018)
LEGO The Incredibles takes the plotlines of both Incredibles films, released 14 years apart, and merges them into one giant LEGO game. Much like the LEGO Star Wars games, LEGO The Incredibles contains some deviations from the original source material, like changes to the lore we don’t want to spoil for those who haven’t seen the films (even though you had nearly 20 years to do so), and adds original villains to fight along with Bomb Voyage, Syndrome, and the Underminer. But it’s fun to play through, especially seeing that the LEGO version of Elastigirl can stretch herself as far as her movie version can.
Disney Tsum Tsum Festival is a cute party game inspired by the Disney Tsum Tsum line of collectible toys and the mobile game from Japan, featuring all the Disney and Pixar characters in Tsum Tsum form. The game has 10 different minigames you can play alone or with family and friends, including bubble hockey, curling, and ice cream stacker, among others. You can even play the classic mobile puzzle game with the Switch in a vertical position.
Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory (2019)
Disney and Square Enix’s spin on the latter’s Theatrhythm Final Fantasy lets you take control of Sora, Donald, Goofy, and other characters from across the Kingdom Hearts universe to slash the Heartless and their ilk to the beat of the series’ iconic soundtrack. Enjoy the musical stylings of Yoko Shimomura by yourself, or share the music with your friends in local co-op or online multiplayer battles.
In the grand scheme of things, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory gives a recap of the series up to Kingdom Hearts 3 with narration from Kairi, who falls into a deep sleep under Ansem the Wise’s observation after the events of Kingdom Hearts 3’s Re: Mind DLC. Whether you’re a veteran fan of Kingdom Hearts games or a newcomer, this game does an excellent job of getting you up to speed in preparation for Kingdom Hearts 4, which is currently in development.
Disney Classic Games Collection is an updated edition of 2019’s Disney Classic Games: Aladdin and The Lion King (a mouthful of a title) that includes the Final Cut of Aladdin and the console and handheld versions of The Jungle Book. It has an interactive museum, a rewind function to correct gameplay mistakes, an expanded soundtrack, and a retro-style manual for one of the three games if you buy a physical copy.
This compilation lets you relive the game adaptations of your favorite Disney movies the way you played them in the ‘90s no matter which platform you owned at the time, hence the inclusion of the Sega Genesis and Game Boy versions of Aladdin and The Lion King, as well as the Super Nintendo version of the latter. Adding The Jungle Book makes the compilation even more valuable as no one had seen the game since 1994.
Disney Magical World 2: Enchanted Edition (Switch Release: 2021)
In hindsight, Disney's Magical World series feels a bit like the precursor to Dreamlight Valley. Originally released for the 3DS, the first two Magical World games let players befriend and complete quests for Disney and Pixar characters with additional farming, crafting, and even combat mechanics. Magical World 2: Enchanted Edition is a remaster of the second game in the series released specifically for the Nintendo Switch. Like Animal Crossing, the game syncs to your device's clock for seasonal events and quest refreshes.
Tron: Identity (2023)
Tron: Identity is a visual novel that differentiates itself from other games adapted from the Tron franchise. It reveals another facet of life on the Grid without involving characters from the films, as it is set thousands of years after the events of Tron: Legacy. The game centers on a program named Query, a detective assigned to investigate an explosion in the vault of the Repository, a secure building in the center of the Grid. As the mystery unfolds, the other programs you interact with pose more questions than answers.
Each character you meet gives you the choice to either ally with them, antagonize them, or derezz them, depending on the dialogue. Plus, you have to complete puzzles in order to ask them more questions about the vault explosion. That’s a lot of detective work to do in three to six hours.
2023 was a big year for Disney games, but the first release from that year flew a little under the radar. Disney Speedstorm is a kart racing game featuring some brawling mechanics and, of course, a pretty extensive lineup of Disney characters with unique skills and their own personalized vehicles. Characters are pulled from everything under Disney's umbrella, from the emotions of the Inside Out movies to Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. While the racing mechanics are relatively solid, IGN's Early Access review of the game comments on the "absurd" token systems and "gacha-like" in-game economies.
Disney Illusion Island (2023)
Mickey Mouse’s latest gaming adventure from Disney Interactive and Dlala Studios sees him, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy travel to the mysterious Monoth Island for a picnic that turns into a high-stakes mission to recover the three stolen Tomes of Knowledge that helps protect the island. Whether you’re playing in single-player or co-op mode with three additional players, you can play as either character and navigate the island Metroidvania style.
Disney Illusion Island carries the same comedic charm as the recent Mickey Mouse cartoons despite the change in art style. Enjoy the game’s story, the lore of Monoth Island, and the unlockable Mickey Mouse memorabilia scattered around the island.
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a life sim from Gameloft that is basically Disney meets Animal Crossing, where you get to live, work, and play alongside your favorite Disney characters. You play as a human who arrives at the titular Dreamlight Valley, which has been gripped by the Night Thorns, leading to The Forgetting. This supernatural event caused the Disney characters who stayed in the valley to lose their memories while others returned to their home worlds for safety.
You work to rebuild Dreamlight Valley using magic called Dreamlight to weed out the Night Thorns, provide housing for the character via Scrooge McDuck’s construction company, cook food at Remy’s restaurant, and build friendships with everyone, both heroes and villains. The best part is, you never have to worry about your clothes, food, and tools taking up space in your inventory. And you can customize your character with the coolest Disney outfits complete with Mickey Mouse ears just like you were going to Disney World — or Disneyland, depending on where you live.
The most recent Disney game on the Switch, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a remaster of the original Epic Mickey game that launched on the Wii in 2010. Smoother performance, enhanced graphics, and new abilities make the platformer an overall improvement over its predecessor. Take on the lofty role of Mickey Mouse as you try to stop the "Blot" from destroying the memories of forgotten characters, traversing darker-than-usual Disney environments and, of course, enlisting the helpful of friendly faces along the way.
Announced and released alongside the March 2025 Nintendo Direct, Disney Villains Cursed Cafe brings cozy management mechanics to a visual novel world of, well, Disney Villains. With the help of the one and only Yzma, mix and serve potions to familiar faces like Ursula and Gaston. Think carefully, though: What concoctions you serve may change these iconic villains' storylines.
Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer for IGN. She has contributed her work to various publications, including Digital Trends, TheGamer, Twinfinite, Mega Visions, and The Escapist. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she wears her love for Sonic the Hedgehog on her sleeve like a big deal.
Peak, a popular cooperative climbing game, costs $5. Except it actually costs $8, which is basically $5. And it's on sale right now for just under $5, which is also $5, but if it dropped down to $3 it would actually be $2, which is basically free...
"What.", you are probably thinking right now, but hear me out. It kinda makes sense. This goofy pricing scheme comes directly from Peak co-creator Nick Kaman in an interview with Game File, where he explains how his team came to the game's actual sale price of $7.99. In the interview, he shares a theory about indie game pricing vibes that the team floated around as a bit of a joke that still has some truth behind it.
“We had this joke of, like, how much is a game really? In a player’s mind, what does it mean to spend five bucks? Well, that’s five bucks. But six bucks? Well, that’s still five bucks. Four bucks is also kind of five bucks. Three bucks is two bucks. And two bucks is basically free.
“So we’ve got these tiers: You know, twelve bucks… that’s ten bucks. But thirteen bucks is fifteen bucks. “And we found that eight bucks is still five bucks. It doesn’t become ten bucks. Seven ninety nine, that’s five bucks, right?
“So, eight bucks going to five bucks is the biggest differential we could find in pricing, so we found it very optimal.”
If you're still reeling from this a bit, what Kaman is trying to say here is that a person getting ready to spend money on a game might see a price tag for $7 or $8, and psychologically not feel it's that different from $5. But if a game is $9, it feels more expensive, closer to $10. And if a game is $2, it feels basically free to them.
There's no exact science behind that, to be clear, but Kaman is working off his seven years of experience at Aggro Crab, and it seems to have worked out for the team. Peak launched in June 2025, and by August it had sold 10 million copies. Though its playerbase has (naturally and understandably) shrunk since launch, it's still pulling in tens of thousands of people per day, which is a huge feat for such a small game.
Peak is currently on sale for $4.95, which is almost actually $5, and the lowest price it's ever been offered for. It's also significantly cheaper than basically everything AAA, as major publisher game prices in recent years have slowly crept up from $60 to $70, and now even $80, a price that definitely doesn't feel like $5 or $10. Meanwhile, discussions in the indie game community about what to charge for a game remain ongoing, following a $20 price tag on Hollow Knight: Silksong causing some to panic about how it would impact their own prices.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
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