↩ Accueil

Vue lecture

'It's Insane': Director Steven Soderbergh Says Disney Got 'Two and a Half Years of Free Work' Out of Him and Adam Driver on Scrapped Star Wars Movie The Hunt for Ben Solo

Director Steven Soderbergh has branded Disney's decision to scrap plans for his Star Wars movie The Hunt for Ben Solo as "insane", after more than two years of "free work" from himself and actor Adam Driver.

The revelation that Lucasfilm had been developing a Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker sequel starring Kylo Ren/Ben Solo was first discussed last year by Driver, to excitement but then immediate dismay from fans who couldn't believe the idea had been abandoned. It is the only completed script to date that Disney has turned down for a Lucasfilm project.

Last month, the outgoing Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy also aired her frustrations with the project's demise, and said the movie's script had been "great." In a comment that some took as a swipe at Disney management's hesitation, Kennedy also said: "Anything's a possibility if somebody's willing to take a risk."

Now, Soderbergh — the director of Ocean's Eleven and Contagion — has commented further on the project's cancellation, and told BKMag that "it was no surprise that she [Kennedy] was frustrated."

"We were all frustrated," Soderbergh said. "You know, that was two and a half years of free work for me and Adam and [screenwriter] Rebecca Blunt. When Adam and I discussed him talking about it publicly, I said, 'Look, do not editorialize or speculate about the why. Just say what happened, because all we know is what happened.'

"The stated reason was 'We don't think Ben Solo could be alive,'" he continued. "And that was all we were told. And so there's nothing to do about it, you know, except move on.

"And as I posted, I'd kind of made the movie in my head, and just felt bad that nobody else was going to get to see it. I thought the conversation was strictly going to be a practical one — where they go, what is this going to cost? And I had a really good answer for that. But it never even got to that point. It's insane. We're all very disappointed."

Ever since the project's death has been made public, superfans of the Star Wars sequels have come out in full force, desperate to see the story of Han and Leia's son come to life, even going as far as to fly "Save The Hunt for Ben Solo" banners over Walt Disney Studios in California.

Driver played Ben Solo/Kylo Ren throughout Lucasfilm’s Sequel Trilogy, with his final appearance in 2019's divisive The Rise of Skywalker. "I always was interested in doing another Star Wars," Driver said previously. "I always said: with a great director and a great story, I'd be there in a second. I loved that character and loved playing him."

But while Lucasfilm "loved the idea," according to Driver, and "totally understood our angle and why we were doing it," it's believed that both Disney CEO Bob Iger and co-chairman Alan Bergman were against the pitch moving forward. Still, with Iger now following Kennedy out the door, perhaps there's a new hope in fresh leadership?

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

  •  

Bungie Delays Major Destiny 2 Update by Three Months to Focus on 'Quality-of Life Updates'

The next major Destiny 2 update, Shadow and Order, has been delayed by three months, until June 2026.

In a series of messages posted to Bluesky, developer Bungie admitted the expansion was "undergoing large revisions," and "will be delayed" from its original March release.

"This update is being changed and expanded to include sizable quality-of-life updates and as a result, will also be renamed. This update will now launch on June 9, 2026," the studio said. "We will provide exact details closer to release covering previously announced Weapon Tier Upgrading, but also additions like expanding Tiered Gear to all Raid and Dungeon activities, Pantheon 2.0, Tier 5 stats for Exotic Armors, and more."

The studio is, of course, preoccupied getting Marathon out of the door after last week's State of Play reaffirmed its March 5 release date. Nonetheless, the delay intimates the studio may be struggling to juggle everything on its plate, particularly as it alludes to "sizeable quality-of-life updates."

"Through June, we will continue to have routine bug fixes and stability improvements, continued portal modifiers, Guardian Games (March), and the return of a more frequent Iron Banner cadence (April)," Bungie added. "In terms of communications, we will be focusing on providing you with updates about our live game content, community activations, and general upkeep through the TWID and our Destiny social channels."

The statement closed on thanking players for their "continued patience and support," and said there'll be more information on the next major update and future plans for Destiny 2 "closer to launch."

"Raids and dungeons getting tiers and pantheon 2.0 is great, but will there even be anyone left playing by then?" asked one player on the Destiny 2 subreddit. "I still log on every week and play a little bit, but nobody can deny that renegades was not meant to last six months."

"Not to be a total downer, but that really gives me age of triumph 'final update' style vibes of making all the endgame viable," added another fan. "Not to mention this is just a major update in the end. It isn’t gonna have expansion level content, but its now releasing right around when the next expansion was supposed to, which I assume is also delayed at least three months. Even with way more content in this update, renegades being the expansion for nine months at least now is very bad."

"Until June is rough. The population is going to be absolutely dire by then…," one player commented, to which someone replied: "Dire[?] It's dire right now. Falling off a cliff."

At the time of writing (when, admittedly, much of the U.S. is asleep), there are 10,463 players online right now on Steam. Once Human, eFootball, and single-player Hollow Knight: Silksong all have higher concurrent counts.

It’s undoubtedly a tough time for Bungie and Destiny 2, with parent company Sony recently saying the studio has failed to meet its sales and user engagement expectations. In its latest financial report, Sony said it had recorded a 31.5 billion yen (approx. $204.2 million) impairment charge as a result of Destiny 2’s underperformance. That was significant enough to drag down profits at Sony’s Game & Network Services Segment, which includes Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Following the launch of The Edge of Fate expansion in July, Destiny 2 saw a slump in player activity, and Bungie's team is feeling the pressure. "For years now, Destiny has been on this steady hardening of the core [audience],” game director Tyson Green told IGN back in November. “More and more core players are staying and playing the game, but relatively few [new] people come into the game. There's a tightening and contraction, and this presents problems for a game that you're trying to maintain as a live service, especially when you want to keep serving those core players with great, compelling expansions."

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

  •  

Game of Thrones Prequel Stage Show Announced, Set During Robert's Rebellion and Featuring 'Familiar Characters From Houses Targaryen, Stark, Lannister'

A new Game of Thrones prequel is set to dramatize the events of Robert's Rebellion, and debut on the UK stage this summer.

Game of Thrones: The Mad King is a new collaboration between franchise creator George R.R. Martin and the UK's Royal Shakespeare Company, written by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Dominic Cooke. Tickets are set to go on sale in April.

The play will tell the story of a crucial period in Westeros history, around 15 years before the original Game of Thrones book and TV series, when King Aerys II Targaryen was overthrown and Robert Baratheon took over, backed by the Starks and Lannisters.

The events of Robert's Rebellion will be familiar to A Song of Ice and Fire fans, as the brief civil war is frequently referenced, and indeed acts as essentially the catalyst for the events of the main Game of Thrones narrative.

Key participants include Robert and Stannis Baratheon, Ned Stark and Tywin Lannister, who take arms against King Aerys and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. It is of course Jaime Lannister who eventually kills Aerys, earning himself the nickname of Kingslayer. Notably, the time period ends with the birth of both Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow — the latter of whom has his true parentage hidden.

"A long winter thaws in Harrenhal, and spring is promised," reads an official blurb. "At a lavish banquet on the eve of a jousting tournament, lovers meet and revelers speculate about who will contend. But in the shadows, amid growing unease at the bloodthirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his inner circle anxiously advance a treasonous plot. Far away, the drums of battle sound.

"Family bonds, ancient prophecies, and the sacred line of succession will be tested in a dangerous campaign for power. Who will survive? Who will rise? 'Wars aren’t won by those with most cause, but whose story’s best told.'"

The announcement of a Game of Thrones prequel stage show — with events and characters that will also be familiar to existing fans — follows the successful launch of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which offers a similar concept. That is now playing in both London and New York, and includes a handful of extra plot details that TV viewers will likely find interesting. A filmed version for Netflix is also on the way.

"When I first wrote Game of Thrones, I never imagined that it would be anything other than a book," George R.R. Martin said in an accompanying statement. "It was a place for my imagination to exist without limits. To my great surprise, it was adapted for a series and viewers have been able to enter the world of my imagination through the medium of television. For my work to now be adapted for the stage is something I did not expect but welcome with great enthusiasm and excitement. Theater offers something unique. A place for mine and the audience’s imagination to meet and hopefully create something magical."

While the main Game of Thrones TV series has now long since ended, its wider franchise is continuing on with gusto. The very well received prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is wrapping up the end of its first season with a second already confirmed. Meanwhile, HBO has begun teasing the upcoming third season of its other prequel series House of the Dragon.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

  •  

'Peter Parker is No More': Spider-Man: Brand New Day Synopsis Reveals Key Details on Film's Setting, Including How Long It's Been Since No Way Home

Key details setting up the plot of Spider-Man: Brand New Day have popped up online, and now fans know exactly how long it has been for Tom Holland's hero since the events of No Way Home.

A description of Brand New Day's setting is included in a product page for the movie's art book, which is now available to view via publisher Penguin Random House's website.

Essentially, this synopsis sets up where the movie begins — so there are no major spoilers here. Regardless, the confirmation that Brand New Day takes place a full four years after No Way Home is new information — as is the tease for what happens next.

"Four years have gone by since we last caught up with our friendly neighborhood hero," the description reads. "Peter Parker is no more, but Spider-Man is at the top of his game keeping New York City safe. Things are going well for our anonymous hero until an unusual trail of crimes pulls him into a web of mystery larger than he's ever faced before.

"In order to take on what's ahead, Spider-Man not only needs to be at the top of his physical and mental game, but he must also be prepared to face the repercussions of his past! As Spider-Man: Brand New Day wows moviegoers the world over, discover the behind-the-scenes magic of the film's visual development — from early concept sketches to final character designs. Explore environments, costumes, and exclusive insights from the next chapter for Marvel's neighborhood hero!"

Alas, the book itself isn't available until August 4, after the movie's arrival. Still, though, there's some interesting things to consider here.

A four-year gap is a lengthy period of time for Peter to have grown apart from his former girlfriend and best friend, MJ and Ned. Both of them will also now be close to finishing, or indeed fully finished with studying at MIT.

"Are they actually going to start with a 4+ year jump from where we last saw him at the end of No Way Home?" wrote Marvel fan Vladmerius on reddit. "Are we potentially going to completely skip the college years? Full on adult Spider-Man would be pretty sick, as much as I enjoy the college years."

That time gap would also leave ample room for Spider-Man to have taken done the many, many villains expected to appear within the film — such as Michael Mando's returning Scorpion and Marvin Jones III's Tombstone — alongside a rogues gallery that is rumored to also include Tarantula and Boomerang.

Mention of an "unusual trail of crimes" pitches the movie as street level — something fans have been keen to see after Tom Holland's previous multiversal and indeed outer space shenanigans in past appearances. As for Peter Parker being "no more," it's clear there's been no quick reversal of Doctor Strange's spell to make the world forget the man behind Spidey's mask.

In terms of where this places the movie within the broader MCU, it's now expected that the film's events will take place in 2028, just before those of the forthcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Finally, Peter himself will now be aged 21 or 22 — something fans have noted means he can finally have a beer.

"Pretty big plot implications," wrote Marvel fan CrumblingSaturn. "Just drunk Spider-Man, drinking and swinging around on his webs." Added mctaylo89: "I'm picturing an office worker watching a drunk Spider-Man sloppily bumping into the window as he thwips about."

Last month, Cretton described Tom Holland's return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day as a "tonal shift" from the actors' first trilogy, and a "new chapter" of Peter Parker's story. Fans are still waiting for the film's first full trailer, though what appeared to be grainy footage of an upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day teaser hit the internet just before Christmas, featuring dialogue that positioned Sadie Sink's mysterious character as a villain — initially, at least. "You're a mess, Spider-Man," Sink's character can be heard to say. "Don't get in my way. Otherwise, it won't just be your friends who don't remember who Peter Parker is."

Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives in theaters on July 31.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

  •  

Pokémon TCG: Next Mega Evolution Expansion is Expected to Be Called Chaos Rising, Focusing on Mega Greninja

The Pokémon Company International is supposedly set to reveal the fourth English Mega Evolution set soon, as leaked production schedules suggest that it will be called Chaos Rising - rumored to be the Western release of Japan’s Ninja Spinner set.

If true, Mega Greninja ex will be officially stepping into the spotlight for the next expansion. Here’s everything we know so far, including the release date, expected card lists, and when preorders should go live.

Pokémon TCG Chaos Rising Release Date

Supposedly, Pokémon TCG's next Mega Evolution expansion, Chaos Rising, will release on May 22, 2026. According to the report at Pokébeach, this also means that pre-releases will take place from 9th to 17th May.

This means that if you attend a local tournament during this window, you can get an early access "Build & Battle Box". This includes a 40-card ready-to-play deck and four Chaos Rising booster packs. This pre-release window would be the first time we’ll see Mega Greninja ex in the wild as well.

Chaos Rising Card List Expectations

Serebii claims that Ninja Spinner has 83 cards in its main set. While it still doesn’t have an official card list in Japan, we can guess, based on previous sets, it’ll have about 40 secret rares, totalling about 120 cards.

We expect the Ninja Spinner card list to be officially revealed in the next few weeks, which will give us a hint as to what we can expect in the Western release.

We do know that the set includes all the Kalos starter Pokémon - Chespin, Fennekin and Froakie. Unsurprising, given its cover star!

What Impact Will This Have on Pokémon TCG's Meta?

A Japanese translation of Mega Greninja ex from Bulbapedia talks about a "Mortal Shuriken" ability - “Once per turn, if this Pokémon is Active, you can discard a Water Energy to place 6 damage counters on any 1 of your opponent's Pokémon.”

This pairs perfectly with its "Ninja Spinner" attack (120+ damage). The card states: “You may return a Water Energy from this Pokémon to your hand to do 80 more damage.”

That’s a total of 260 damage, including the 60 from its ability. Very ninja-like of it.

I’m a little scared about the impact the rumored Supporter card AZ’s Tranquility will have on the meta. This card lets you switch your Active Pokémon and heal 80 damage - a potential life-saver for high-HP Mega Evolutions. It just so happens that Mega Greninja ex has 350 HP, making it one of the highest HP Pokémon cards ever released.

Early rumors from the Japanese printing suggest the artwork features Greninja riding its own water shuriken. Considering the popularity of Greninja and its ridiculous stats, it wouldn’t surprise me to see this chase card reach $500+ on the secondary market.

When Will Chaos Rising Preorders Go Live?

At the moment, preorders for Chaos Rising are not available, as we're still waiting for an official announcement from The Pokémon Company.

But, once they are available, you’ll be able to find them in all your usual retailers - if you’re quick! We don’t expect these to stick around for long, especially at MSRP.

If you’re in the US, set your alerts for Pokémon Center US, Amazon, Target, Best Buy and Walmart. If you’re in the UK, keep your eyes on Pokémon Center UK, Smyths and Amazon.

There’s also dedicated TCG resellers like TCGPlayer or Magic Madhouse, but, as third party sellers, we can’t predict the prices we’ll see. We expect to learn more information about Chaos Rising in the next few weeks, so check back to see the latest updates, and follow IGN Deals for live stock information.

What's Next for Pokemon TCG?

Before Chaos Rising lands on May 22, there's plenty more for fans to get excited about. For starters, Pokémon’s 30th anniversary celebrations are on February 27, but you’ll be able to celebrate early as the commemorative Pokémon Day 2026 Collection dropped on January 30, alongside Ascended Heroes.

Announced back in December 2025, this is a very small release with one confirmed card: a unique stamped foil promo card of Pikachu looking cute as standard, along with a logo’d metallic coin, and a trio of TCG booster packs from different sets.

Available imagery seems to show the packs being a mixture of one Phantasmal Flames and two Mega Evolution, but we like to warn that the contents may always differ from unit to unit.

The Pokémon Day 2026 Collection is currently marked as “Coming Soon” at Best Buy, but it can be bought now at Amazon for around $37, or from around $27 on TCGplayer at current market rates.

Pokémon TCG: 2026 Release Calendar – At a Glance

Looking ahead, as Ascended Heroes has already set the foundation of what the Mega Evolution set’s expansions are going to look like, Perfect Order’s going to kick things up a notch.

Just announced earlier this year, and arriving on March 27, 2026, Perfect Order is going to be honing in on many of the Pokémon featured in the Legends: Z-A game.

Among the cards announced from the 120-card set so far, we know we’re going to be seeing many of the game’s starring Mega Pokémon; Mega Zygarde ex, Mega Starmie ex, and Mega Clefable ex; but also some surprising extra additions like Meowth ex.

For the moment, the only place to preorder Perfect Order is via TCGplayer and other resale markets.

For more on celebrating Pokémon's 30th anniversary this year, I'd also highly recommend checking out the TIME magazine exclusive celebration covers, all of which feature in the top of the best seller Amazon charts this week, and can be bought for just $14.99 each.

Sara Heritage is a freelance contributor at IGN.

  •  

Starfield's Next Update Is 'Not Starfield 2.0,' Bethesda Boss Confirms: 'If It Didn’t Connect With You Right Away Or You Found It Boring, I Don’t Think This is Going to Change That'

Bethesda boss Todd Howard has confirmed that Starfield is not getting a huge 2.0-type update.

At the end of last year, a cluster of Starfield fans said they'd gained an early glimpse at improvements coming to Bethesda's sci-fi role-player. One saying they were "stoked" by what they saw, while another suggested they were "excited for the future of Starfield."

However, another fan tempered expectation by stressing that the changes are relatively modest in scope, adding that this "probably isn't a Cyberpunk 2.0-scale update," referencing the major additions that helped improved CD Projekt's RPG.

And now Howard, too, is dampening anticipation by similarly stressing this is "not Starfield 2.0."

“Obviously, we’ve been working on a lot of Starfield content. I can tell everybody we are going to be talking about [the new content] really soon,” Howard told Kinda Funny, as transcribed by Kotaku. “We’re moving into a phase where we’re ready to talk about Starfield. And really show that in the right way, and what’s coming to the game. We’ve been doing a lot of work that we like a lot.”

Howard added: "You know, I’ve seen some of that, so for expectation-setting, I think it’s the kind of thing where if you love Starfield, we think you’re going to love this. It’s updates and things that change the game, not in an isolated way, but sort of meta. Using outer space and things in ways that we haven’t."

Interestingly, he also candidly stressed that ​​"if Starfield is something that didn’t connect with you right away, or you bounced off it, or found it boring in places, I don’t think this is going to change that fundamentally."

Though Howard was coy about timelines, he did say we may find out more "soonish."

In August it was reported that Bethesda had delayed Starfield's second expansion due to "weak sales" of its first, Shattered Space, which launched in September 2024 to a 'Mostly Negative' Steam user rating. Todd Howard had previously talked of Starfield expansions releasing annually. Another reported reason for the delay was Bethesda's plans to launch Starfield on PS5, with both the second expansion and the game's multiplatform rollout potentially happening simultaneously.

Fast-forward to earlier this month, and a new Microsoft report suggested Starfield was getting new content soon, and it looks like we’ll shortly hear about that heavily rumored PlayStation 5 version, too.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

  •  

AU Deals: Today's Premium Game Picks at Budget-Friendly Prices

Another weekday, another excuse to pretend my backlog does not exist. I have sunk hours into most of these, paid for more than a few at full price, and none of them are here by accident. When discounts line up like this, it is less about hype and more about timing. Acquire before they expire.

Contents

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I'm celebrating the 17th birthday of House of the Dead: Overkill which (at 189 f-bombs dropped) is one of the sweariest video games ever made. Hilariously, it was released first on the more family-friendly Nintendo Wii console and eventually morphed into a kick arse edutainment game that taught you typing... via profanity! Bravo, Sega. Bra-#$%ing-vo.

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

- Ristar (MD) 1995. Get

- Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2) 2004. Remaster

- House of the Dead: Overkill (Wii) 2009. eBay

- Dragon Quest V (DS) 2009. eBay

- Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix (PS3) 2009.

- Strider (PS3/4) 2014. Get

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

  • Super Mario RPG (-38%) - A$49.90 A confident remake of a 90s oddity that still feels playful. Timing based combat keeps it active, but it is short and light. Perfect if you want charm without a 100 hour commitment.
  • Star Wars Outlaws Gold Ed. (-34%) - A$59 A scrappy open world Star Wars tale built around scoundrel energy instead of Jedi heroics. Side jobs are the real hook. Some stealth drags, but this is a fair entry point.
  • Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Ed. (-24%) - A$70.60 Still the cleanest modern fighter around. Welcoming controls, outrageous depth. Online can humble you quickly, but you are buying years of competitive longevity here.
  • Streets of Rage 4 (-70%) - A$11.20 Lean, crunchy brawling that understands why the 90s worked. Combat feels weighty and deliberate. It is short, but replaying for ranks is where the value lives.
  • Diablo III Eternal Col. (-67%) - A$29.60 The most comfortable loot grind on Switch. Combat is simple but satisfying, seasons keep it relevant. Story fades fast, yet the build loop still quietly rules.

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

Back to top

Exciting Bargains for Xbox

  • Prince of Persia The Lost Crown (-62%) - A$19 Tight platforming, smart combat, and genuinely clever map design. It respects your skill without being cruel. Story is serviceable, movement is the real star.
  • Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War (-70%) - A$32.90 A glossy, punchy campaign with classic Treyarch pacing. Multiplayer still hums. Not revolutionary, but at this discount it is dependable comfort food.
  • Resident Evil 4 (-42%) - A$35 A masterclass remake that trims fat and sharpens tension. Combat is heavier, horror leans meaner. Still action forward, but now properly unnerving.
  • Assassin's Creed Valhalla (-56%) - A$44.30 Vast Viking tourism with moments of brilliance. It runs long, sometimes too long, but the world building and combat weight justify this level of discount.
  • Halo 5 Guardians (-75%) - A$7.40 A divisive campaign, mechanically sharp shooting. Multiplayer remains fast and skill driven. For this price, it is hard to argue with more Halo.

Xbox One

  • Dying Light 2 Stay Human (-70%) - A$29.60 Parkour remains the star, especially at night when tension spikes. Story choices wobble, but free running across rooftops rarely gets old.
  • Middle-earth Shadow of War (-70%) - A$16.50 The Nemesis system is still magic. Orc rivalries feel personal and absurd. It bloats later, yet for this price the sandbox stories alone carry it.
  • Sifu (-75%) - A$14.90 A disciplined, demanding brawler built on repetition and mastery. You will lose often. Improvement feels earned, and the combat is beautifully clean.

Or just invest in an Xbox Card.

Back to top

Pure Scores for PlayStation

  • Borderlands 4 (-59%) - A$49 Loud, loot driven chaos with tighter gun feel than before. Writing still leans try hard, but co op carnage at this price is easy to justify.
  • S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart of Chornobyl (-31%) - A$59 Oppressive, systemic survival shooting with real atmosphere. Rough around the edges, yet the world feels alive in ways few shooters manage.
  • Dead Space (-73%) - A$29.90 Clinical sci fi horror rebuilt with restraint. Sound design does half the work. Not for the squeamish, but an absolute steal here.
  • LEGO Star Wars The Skywalker Saga (-60%) - A$35.70 A massive, playful retelling of nine films with gentle puzzles and endless collectibles. Comfort gaming, especially in co-op.
  • Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance (-30%) - A$69.90 Brutal, stylish turn based combat with deep demon fusion systems. Story runs cool, but the strategic depth makes this tempting.

PS4

  • Sonic Superstars (-47%) - A$50.20 Classic 2D speed with a modern sheen. Momentum feels right, though some levels overcomplicate things. Best enjoyed in short, fast bursts.
  • Super Bomberman R 2 (-57%) - A$30.40 Chaotic party energy built on simple rules. Solo content is thin, but with friends it becomes wonderfully petty.
  • Rogue Legacy (-90%) - A$2.50 A foundational roguelite built on generational quirks and steady upgrades. It shows its age, yet at this price it is essential history.

Or purchase a PS Store Card.

Back to top

Purchase Cheap for PC

  • Stellar Blade (-45%) - A$76.90 Slick, demanding action combat with boss fights that test timing. Story is uneven, but mechanically it is sharper than many expected.
  • God of War Ragnarok (-40%) - A$57.40 Expansive, emotional spectacle with weighty combat. It runs beautifully on PC. Some pacing dips, yet the craft earns the discount.
  • Hades II (-20%) - A$35.10 How does it compare to the GOTY original? Combat feels faster and more flexible. Not finished, yet the foundation is seriously promising.
  • Hades (-65%) - A$12.70 The rare roguelike that marries narrative and repetition. Every run feeds the story. If you somehow skipped it, this price fixes that.
  • Detroit Become Human (-82%) - A$10.70 Branching narrative spectacle with strong performances. Choices matter, even when the writing leans heavy handed. For this price, it is an easy curiosity.

Or just get a Steam Wallet Card

Back to top

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.

  •  

Magic’s Avatar Collector Boosters Aren’t Just In Stock - They’re Discounted

Magic: The Gathering packs come in a few shapes and sizes (we covered the excellent Jumpstart Boosters for the Avatar: The Last Airbender set recently), but Collector Boosters are the most expensive.

Now, though, Amazon not only has Avatar Collector Boosters in stock, but it’s selling a box of 12 at a discount with a 16% saving off the list price.

Avatar Collector Boosters Are On Sale At Amazon

That brings a Collector Booster box down to $384.62 from $455.88. It’s still super expensive, but it’s admittedly slightly easier to swallow.

It drops the price per pack from $37.99 to $32.05, which is a steep enough drop to almost pay for a whole Play Booster with the money you save - imagine that.

So, what’s the deal with Collector Boosters? Why does a box of 12 command a fee of over $450 when Play Boosters can be had much cheaper?

In truth, it’s because the most valuable cards from the Avatar: The Last Airbender set are much, much more likely to be found in Collector Boosters. They contain all manner of special art treatments, including those controversial ‘Source Material’ full-art cards (no, we still can’t love them either).

The cards remain functionally the same as buying Play Boosters, but as the name suggests, these ones are aimed at collectors of Avatar superfans. We don't often give advice, but if you do buy them, please try and put them in a sleeve to keep them in the best condition possible!

For more on Magic: The Gathering, check out our early look at the Turtle Power Commander Precon, as well as a full preview of the upcoming TMNT set.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay.

  •  

Highguard Dev Assures Fans a New Patch Is on the Way After Website Troubles Spark Fears of Game Shut Down

Highguard developer Wildlight Entertainment has confirmed a new patch is in the works after issues related to its official website sparked fears that a full shutdown was imminent.

The already troubled multiplayer shooter’s first month in players’ hands took a turn for the worse earlier this week when fans noticed access to its official website had been closed off without warning. With all that remained of playhighguard.com being a “site unavailable” message and social media links, many believed the full experience, which launched for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S just weeks ago, would soon be taken offline for good.

As concerns that Highguard could soon go the way of Concord boiled, Wildlight finally stepped in (via CharlieIntel). Discord server admin and moderator WL_Coronach replied to one fan’s question about the website’s status earlier today, assuring them and others it would eventually come back online – even if it’s currently a “low priority” issue. Instead, the developer has put most of its focus on “updates and content.”

“Not sure on the timeframe, but basically needs to be transferred and simplified,” the full message says. “Low priority [at the moment] ( reputational damage already done ). Now we just need to focus on delivering updates and content to improve.”

Now we just need to focus on delivering updates and content to improve.

Wildlight had teased its first full year of content was already “deep in development” when Highguard launched January 26. While an early February content update proved that work on post-launch features was indeed underway, layoffs affecting much of the studio’s staff immediately called both its future, as well as the future of its new game, into question.

With Wildlight facing drastic changes in the last week alone, it’s unclear what a new Highguard update would look like. Still, those who have stuck by the free-to-play game seem to be satisfied with any additional content at all.

“Once we lock in the patch date I’ll see if we can get a patch preview up for you guys a bit beforehand,” WL_Coronach added in a follow-up reply.

Highguard’s woes began the moment Geoff Keighley showed it as the one-last-thing announcement at The Game Awards 2025. Confusion about its place at the show turned into concern in the weeks that followed, as players took Wildlight’s silence as a sign the game could be in trouble. Although it eventually launched to high player counts on Steam, a wave of negative user reviews quickly helped tank its reputation online.

Highguard reached more than 97,000 concurrent players on the PC platform on its release date but is struggling to crack more than 1,000 today (according to SteamDB). A Game File report recently suggested that Chinese megacorporation Tencent quietly funded its development, though the extent of its potential involvement remains unclear.

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).

  •  

The Elder Scrolls 6 Will Return to Bethesda's 'Classic Style' After Detours With Starfield, Fallout 76, Says Todd Howard

The Elder Scrolls 6 is going to be a return to Bethesda's "classic style" of games, according to Bethesda director Todd Howard.

This comes from an interview done by Howard with KindaFunny today, in which he talked about why he can't really provide too much of an update on The Elder Scrolls 6, and admits he would have preferred not to have announced it so early (in 2018).

However, he says players can expect it to be a return to Bethesda's classic form, after the studio took "creative detour[s]" with both Starfield and Fallout 76. Here's the full quote from Howard:

"We do have a certain style that we like and that our fans like that we want to get better and better at. I think in some ways Fallout 76 and Starfield are a little bit of a creative detour from that classic Elder Scrolls, Fallout, a Skyrim or a Fallout 3 or a Fallout 4, Oblivion, where you're exploring a world in a certain way. And as we come back to Elder Scrolls 6 that we're doing now, we're coming back to that classic style that we've missed, that we know really really well."

Howard goes on, confirming that the studio has spent the last several years improving on Creation Engine 2, which is the game engine behind Starfield, and bringing it up to Creation Engine 3, which will power "Elder Scrolls 6 and beyond."

Later in the interview, he adds that "the majority of people who made Skyrim are still here," while new faces have also joined the studio, bringing experiences from other studios to lend to The Elder Scrolls 6.

It's been a long, agonizing wait for The Elder Scrolls 6 since it was first announced – wow, okay, almost eight years ago. It has in fact been longer between the announcement and now than it was between The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and the announcement of The Elder Scrolls 6. Howard has warned eager fans as recently as last November that the game is "still a long way off" and has even teased that he may just shadow drop it, something he alluded to again today with KindaFunny. He reiterated today that "it's gonna be a while yet," and confirmed that, "We're able to play it, we're about to pass a big milestone internally, the majority of the studio is on the game and some of our partners."

But Howard also claims all this waiting is necessary for the game to be great.

“What do fans really want?” he said in December of last year. “Do they want a game that comes out before it should and doesn’t meet their expectations? Or do they want the turkey that is in the oven for long enough to be delicious when it finally comes out of the oven, you know? That’s what I think people are going to want. So, we’re going to take our time and as long as it needs to be great.”

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

  •  

The AstroAI Cordless Car Jump Starter and Air Compressor (Tire Inflator) Drops to $34.80

Every car needs both a jump starter and tire inflator as part of its emergency kit, so why not just get both in one package. Starting today, Amazon is offering the AstroAI S8 Air 3000A Cordless Jump Starter with Air Compressor (Tire Inflator) for just $34.80 after you apply coupon code "OXOVKD4Y". AstroAI is a well-known brand and its products are higher quality than other similarly priced jump starters and air compressors you'll find on Amazon. I myself use an AstroAI S8 series jump starter; I've used it more than once on my 2018 Toyota Rav 4 and it has worked perfectly every time.

AstroAI S8 Air Jump Starter and Air Compressor for $35

The AstroAI S8 Air is a 3-in-1 device. First is a 12V cordless car jump starter that can supply 3,000A of peak power. The internal lithium battery has enough juice to jump start up to a 9L gas or 6.5L diesel engine up to 20 times on a single charge. Cordless jump starters essentially make traditional jumper cables obsolete for most people, since you no longer need the assistance of someone else's car (or a tow truck) to get you back on the road.

Second is the 150PSI cordless tire inflator and air compressor, which can refill a 195/65 R15 tire from 28 to 36 PSI in just under one minute. If you're using it to fix a flat, sure you have a tire patch kit on seal the hole afterwards. Like most tire inflators, this model can also be used to inflate other things like bicycle tires, balls, inflatables, and more.

Lastly, the AstroAI S8 Air's internal 10,000mAh power bank can be used to charge up your dead iPhone or smartphone when you need it the most since it has both USB Type-A and USB Type-C ports.

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.

  •  

Amazon Has Some Great Deals On Magic: The Gathering Commander Decks Right Now

There’s nothing better than a Magic: The Gathering Commander night with friends, and Wizards of the Coast keeps releasing plenty of preconstructed decks so you can jump right in with friends or start to build around a choice card.

They’re pretty regularly discounted, too, which is always appreciated, but right now Amazon has some fantastic deals on Lorwyn Eclipsed’s duo of decks and a huge bundle of Tarkir Dragonstorm decks, too. Here’s why they’re worth a look.

Save Big On MTG Precons At Amazon Right Now

Kicking off with the latest set, Lorwyn Eclipsed, there are two decks available for the set.

Blight Curse is helmed by Auntie Ool, Cursewretch (or The Reaper, King No More), and leans into the -1/-1 counters archetype that we really don’t see too much of in precons. It’s a fantastic deck—possibly one of the best in recent memory—and has a few bucks knocked off the price to bring it to $45.49.

It’s joined by Dance of the Elements, which has an even better price. The five-color Elementals deck is all about making copies of big creatures and is helmed by Ashling, the Limitless (or Mass of Mysteries). It’s currently just $37.99, a 24% discount on a great precon.

Better yet, we recently pointed out that you can buy a bundle that includes two of each deck for around $80 off, and that’s still true. That means you and a friend can spend $60 each and each get both decks!

Onto Tarkir: Dragonstorm, then, and while the 2025 was somewhat overshadowed by Universes Beyond: Final Fantasy dropping right after, it remains a great set.

Its Commander decks had a wide range of reprint values, but they’re all fun to use. I own three of them myself and have had a blast playing with Sultai Arisen. Can’t pick? Good news - Amazon has a discount on a bundle of all five (that’s right, five) decks.

The bundle would cost $224.95, but is now $195, bringing each deck down to $39. While some are going for around that number, Temur Roar was particularly popular at launch and shot up in value. In fact, it’s still $60 on its own.

That deck is particularly good because it essentially drops a ton of Dragons on the board for big damage, but the others are fun, too.

Jeskai Striker is all about playing rapid spells, while Sultai Arisen has a graveyard recursion theme that helps keep opponents guessing.

Mardu Surge is focused on tokens and sacrifice, while Abzan Armor is a ‘toughness matters’ deck that turns colossal defenders into terrifying attackers.

You really can’t go wrong with any of them, and if you’re new to the format, Tarkir’s decks are relatively easy to pilot, too.

For more on Magic’s Commander format, check out why the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ precon, Turtle Power, looks to be so fun to play, and one crazy combo from the set already.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay.

  •  
❌