Each one depicts an iconic character or scene from The Lord of the Rings, and includes six full-art trading cards, six textless versions, and a display easel. Better yet, a bundle of all four is reduced by 24% at Amazon. Oh, and each one comes with three Set Boosters, too.
These Scene Boxes Are Ideal For Collectors
This bundle would usually cost you $249.99, but you can get it for $189.99 right now - just shy of market value, in truth. The value of these scene boxes has shot up in the past 12 months due to scarcity, with a +42.30% spike in market price in just under a year, with the majority of that occurring over the past three months (+31.28% since December 2025).
It includes Gandalf in the Pelennor Fields, Flight of the Witch-King, Aragorn at Helm’s Deep, and The Might of Galadriel. As for the cards included, there are some great inclusions. Fell Beast’s Shriek is a great way to goad foes, while Legolas’s Quick Reflexes uses the lesser-spotted ‘Split Second’ keyword.
Galadriel, Light of Valinor, is the kind of card you could build a deck around, too. As a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you can choose to get three green mana, plus one counters, or scry/card draw. Bring multiple creatures in, and you can do all three.
With each one containing a trio of boosters, you’re getting 12 packs to open, too, plus a handy easel to display each.
For what it's worth, these Scene Boxes aren't cheap but I have the Flight of the Witch-King one, as well as the Marvel's Spider-Man one, and they're a really neat display piece with the added bonus of having some art treatments you can't get anywhere else.
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.
President Trump's administration is currently debating whether to allow Chinese megacorp Tencent's stakes in major U.S. companies such as Fortnite maker Epic Games and League of Legends developer Riot Games to continue.
The FT reports that "top officials" have met to assess the security risk of Tencent's investments in numerous U.S. and Finnish gaming firms ahead of President Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next month.
Tencent has been acquiring western game companies for well over a decade now, but its most high-profile investments include a 28% stake in Epic Games, which is based in North Calorina, and the wholly owned Riot Games, which is based in Los Angeles. It also wholly owns Finnish company Supercell, which runs mobile mega hit Clash of Clans, and recently invested in a new Ubisoft business following the Assassin's Creed maker's financial troubles.
Sources said that Tencent was negotiating with the U.S. administration's Committee on Foreign Investment (Cfius) last summer to help ease these security concerns, and, as far back as President Trump's first term, was assessing whether Tencent's investments could jeopardize the data of millions of American players. Cifus is similarly concerned about the company's acquisition of Finnish firm Supercell, which has a huge player base in the U.S.
In January last year, the U.S. Department of Defense classified Tencent as a Chinese military company. At the time, Tencent insisted it was all a mistake. The upshot of this latest development is that the Trump administration may force Tencent to divest the gaming companies, or force it to create data protections it's satisfied with. Neither the White House nor Tencent or Epic responded to requests for comment.
Photo by Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images.
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.
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has said he's happy his son will get to watch an adaptation of the best-selling book series without him in it, once HBO's upcoming TV reboot arrives.
Speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Radcliffe said he was looking forward to the new TV adaptation as it'll eventually give his young son an alternative version of Harry Potter to watch.
"I'm actually delighted that if, when my kid grows up and is into Harry Potter he can watch a version that is not me. I feel like watching it with your dad [playing Harry Potter] would be less cool, right? It would kind of take you out of it. So he'll be able to do that, it's lovely."
Another upside to the series existing, according to Radcliffe, is the fact that a fresh generation of actors will take on the task of answering all the Harry Potter questions during interviews — something he is clearly still doing, several decades later.
"He'll be able to do that, and yeah, it's lovely," he added, "and it means at some point there will be somebody else to answer all the Harry Potter questions, and I can pass that on to them, too."
"It's great," Radcliffe continued, discussing his passing of the baton to a new generation. "I mean, you know, we've had three Spider-Mans in my lifetime, so far. If you look at a character like Sherlock Holmes, there were always going to be many, many iterations. So I'm very happy to see it be passed on to somebody else and best of luck to all of them."
As for other big changes, the show plans feature John Lithgow's Dumbledore meeting Nicolas Flamel, reintroduce History of Magic lessons with Richard Durden as Professor Binns, while Lucius Malfoy, Draco’s father played by Johnny Flynn, is expected to join the story in the first season of the show, before his introduction in the books and movies.
Image credit: Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Great news: Resident Evil Requiem absolutely kicks ass. While it was initially advertised as a survival horror vehicle for new protagonist Grace Ashcroft, it turns out Requiem is equally a reunion with the series’ fan favorite hero, Leon S. Kennedy. Despite showing up in several remakes recently, Leon hasn’t had a genuinely new adventure since Resident Evil 6. That was 14 years ago! Requiem brings us a Leon who’s still that campy, quippy, tough-as-nails legend we’ve always loved, but now he’s older, wiser, and carrying a bit more baggage with him. This kind of return is pretty uncommon in video games, but take a look at the screenings at your local multiplex and you’ll see it’s happening all the time now in movies. Old heroes from old franchises coming back to prove that a few extra wrinkles can’t stop you from kicking ass. That’s exactly what Resident Evil Requiem has done. It feels like a Hollywood blockbuster legacy sequel for one of the coolest video game characters of all time.
You could easily make the argument that Resident Evil 4 is the greatest video game ever created, and diehard fans of Capcom’s game changer have wanted a reunion with Leon for decades. His short part in Resident Evil 6 simply wasn’t enough, and while 2023’s Resident Evil 4 remake was incredible, it was ultimately a retelling of a story we all knew extremely well. For years, we’ve been left wondering if we’d ever get anything like Leon’s gory Spanish vacation again. At least until now: Resident Evil Requiem is a worthy successor to Resident Evil 4. But more than that, it gives us a fresh take on Leon that’s more interesting than many sequels offer.
Despite being a medium that has been going strong for over fifty years now, video games rarely let their protagonists grow older. Mascot characters like Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog are basically the same age now as they were when they were first introduced in ‘80s and ‘90s. There are a few exceptions, of course. Uncharted’s Nathan Drake had aged slightly by the time we said goodbye to him in 2016, and Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft has jumped around to various stages of her 20s throughout her numerous sequels and reboots. But most video game characters live in an endless time loop, destined to stay encased in amber at the same age forever, like Bart Simpson and his fellow classmates being stuck in fourth grade for decades.
The Resident Evil franchise is different; it’s one of the few long-running video game series that actually allows its characters to experience the passage of time, albeit with all sorts of silly B-movie plot armor, continuity leaps, and other various nonsensical story beats to help carry them along the way. That’s why seeing a gruffer, more weathered Leon S. Kennedy's return in Resident Evil Requiem feels so special - it’s something we don’t get to see very often in video game form. Games are largely power fantasies, after all, and seeing an older Super Mario clutch his knees after a triple jump, or a hunched over Sonic the Hedgehog gasp for breath in the middle of a half pipe run, would be way less cool and way more of a stark reminder of our weary, fragile lives than just seeing those guys at their peak age forever.
On the other hand, Hollywood loves to bring back older versions of classic movie characters for a big legacy sequel, partly because it’s fun to check in on old friends you haven’t seen in a while, but mostly because actual human actors - unlike video game characters - get older as time passes. For example, think about Harrison Ford in Star Wars: The Force Awakens portraying an older, greyer Han Solo. Or Harrison Ford in The Dial of Destiny portraying an older, greyer Indiana Jones. Or Harrison Ford in Blade Runner 2049 portraying an older, greyer Rick Deckard. (I swear I have more examples besides Harrison Ford.) Do all of these movies need to exist? Definitely not. But when a legacy sequel works, they feel like a great reunion with someone we haven’t seen in a while, and sometimes, even a perfect final sendoff to a character we’ve cherished our entire lives.
When you’re put in control of Leon, it really does feel like a return to the character’s best days.
We may have technically caught up with Leon recently, thanks to the glorious Resident Evil 2 and 4 remakes, but those games take place in 1998 and 2004, respectively. The Resident Evil timeline progresses in real time, though, so in Requiem, set in 2026, Leon is actually much older now, and he’s got the wrinkles and mannerisms to prove it. He’s slightly less likely to crack a corny one liner or silly pun after a big, violent encounter (but don’t worry, the man still has some jokes here and there.)
Requiem balances Leon’s dad jokes (or should that be “hot uncle” jokes?) with some grit and gravitas. He is reminded of his regrets and past failings as he revisits the horrors that unfolded in his early days as a cop in Raccoon City, with its current bombed-out streets, dilapidated police station, and gun shop all trudging up the grief and remorse from his first big missions. But while this offers a darker side to Leon’s story, we don’t really get a deep look into his personal life, which definitely works in both the character’s and our favor. Going decades without seeing Han Solo, just to find out he ended up being a deadbeat dad who’d resorted to once again dealing with low life gangsters and petty crimes in The Force Awakens was a pretty depressing get together in hindsight - like running in to the older kid from your town that you grew up idolizing and finding out he still lives with his mom and he mostly just sells cigarettes to teenagers behind a gas station. We didn’t need that downer with Han and I’m glad we don’t get that with Leon, a character who in Requiem is largely focused on a new assignment with nearly all of the passion, intensity, and wit we expect from him. He’s struggling with his memories of Raccoon City because he’s back in it, not missing his daughter’s dance recital because he’s pounding shots at the bar.
What’s important, though, and an experience unique to the video game medium, is that Requiem’s Leon still feels like he did in Resident Evil 4, despite being much older. Mechanically, he moves and controls just like he did in RE4’s 2023 remake, just with a few extra tricks up his sleeve thanks to the benefit of age and experience. There were so many little moments in Requiem where I thought to myself “I cannot believe I’m getting more Resident Evil 4 right now.” It wasn’t that I thought I’d never ever play anything like that again in this franchise, it’s just that after RE7 and Village, I truly had no idea where things would go next. And while Requiem certainly does build on the survival horror elements of those games, when you’re put in control of Leon, it really does feel like a return to the character’s best days.
So many of Leon’s sections in Requiem work as callbacks to things I loved about Resident Evil 4, but he approaches them with the added benefit of the wisdom and experience that comes with getting older. Remember the chainsaw wielding lunatics from the village? Well, there’s new ones now, and this time you can shoot those chainsaws out of their hands and use them to tear a room full of zombies apart. Remember the high speed jetski escape sequence? There’s a new one now that’s an infinitely cooler set piece and adds enemies to the mix.
Not everything here is an improvement over Leon’s most iconic mission, of course. Requiem doesn’t have a lovably weird merchant character, or shiny costume jewelry dangling from its corridor ceilings or inexplicably hiding in the bellies of its creepiest basement creatures. Resident Evil 4 is, after all, one of those once in a lifetime video games where a team of bold creative geniuses were given several years and a blank slate to create a sprawling, cinematic single player game that reinvented a beloved franchise. We’ll almost certainly never get anything like it on that scale again. But when Requiem comes close to hitting some of those same highs, it’s a fantastic feeling.
But the one thing a truly great legacy sequel recognizes – and one that Requiem very much understands – is that our heroes don’t live forever and, frankly, it’s selfish of us to expect them to. The people we look up to eventually get old and die, and leave us with just memories to remember them by. Yes, even the ones that can somersault over zombies or dive roll through a second-story glass window and land on both feet unphased. But the greatest heroes don’t just leave their legacy behind, they impart their wisdom and experience on the next generation in the hope that they will grow to become as great, or even greater, than they ever were. That’s how legacy sequels bring together their original and new cast members, and we see that in action with Leon and Grace, a skittish FBI agent who enters into Requiem’s instantly threatening story with fear and trepidation.
Grace begins her journey quite literally stumbling around in the darkness, holding a crude knife in a shaky hand and struggling to survive. But by teaming up with Leon while also confronting her own past traumas, she slowly becomes a strong, resilient, fully capable star of her own. She might never go full blown action hero like her mentor, and that’s okay, but it’s exciting to think her story may just be getting started. What we see between her and Leon is a torch passing ritual, a necessary chapter in any ongoing story where characters are allowed to age naturally, reach the end of their tale, and eventually even die.
That’s not to say I would turn down any more adventures with our old friend Leon in the future, of course. I love the guy, and I think there’s still a lot of gas left in his tank. I just don’t know if I want to play a video game where he’s 80 years old and I need to upgrade his hip replacement every time he attempts a spin kick. Then again, for all of the ways Requiem handles an aging legend gracefully, Resident Evil has long been a franchise where body mutating mega viruses and super serums allow once-human characters to return bigger and stronger than ever, even after getting axed apart or blown to smithereens with nukes. So hey, maybe next time Leon’s in town he’ll be looking a little less like a hot uncle.
But until they jump that zombie shark (and this series literally has one of those, named Neptune) I’ll gladly take more Grace and Leon games in the future. And seeing how well Capcom handled an older Leon opens up all kinds of possibilities for other classic Resident Evil characters to return with a few more grey hairs. After all, Resident Evil Requiem never makes any mention of Claire Redfield (outside of a reference on a charm) so here’s hoping she shows up in some DLC or even gets to star in the next mainline game. Either way, it’s great to see a series I’ve loved for so long find so many great ways to stay alive and thriving while so many other classic franchises shamble along long past their expiration dates, like the rotting, festering zombies that Leon - and now Grace - are so great at defeating.
Not only are Universes Beyond sets like Final Fantasy and The Last Airbender still Standard Legal, but Edge of Eternities might be one of the most tragically underrated sets of the last few years - and its booster box is in stock, and even discounted at Amazon right now.
For that price, you’re getting 30 packs of Play Boosters, which equates to $4.66 per pack - almost a dollar less than the list price.
It would mean nothing if the set wasn’t great, though, but thankfully, there are some fantastic ones here. We’ve got a full rundown of the most popular purchases, but with Icetill Explorer, Quantum Riddler, Cosmogrand Zenith and more, there are plenty of great options.
So, why the lack of buzz? In two, hyphenated words: Spider-Man. In pushing to build hype for its first full Marvel set, Wizards of the Coast started showcasing cards from the Universes Beyond: Marvel’s Spider-Man set in July 2025 at San Diego Comic-Con.
It makes sense to show them off there, sure, but Edge of Eternities launched on August 1. Not only did Spider-Man’s card reveals trample all over those from Edge of Eternities, but Wizards couldn’t stop talking about the set even after Edge of Eternities arrived.
This writer bought a Play Booster box for Spider-Man instead of Edge of Eternities, and let me tell you - this deal might be the best way to fix that mistake.
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.
Resident Evil Requiem voice actor Nick Apostolides has said that "half the fans would want to hang me" if he picked a side between Leon S. Kennedy's main love interests.
Warning! Spoilers for Resident Evil Requiem follow:
The question, asked by PC Gamer, follows Requiem's revelation that Leon is seemingly married. Concept art for Leon wearing a wedding band can be unlocked within Requiem, while its ending appears to show the grizzled agent putting his ring back on, having kept it in a pocket for safe keeping.
Now, Apostolides has been asked what he'd like Leon to do next after the events of Requiem ("settle down for once") and whether he'd like Leon to settle down with long-term love interest Ada Wong, specifically.
"I would just love to see him kind of settle down for once, maybe open an ice cream parlor," Apostolides said. "I think he deserves a little break, a little vacation, and maybe still fight zombies once in a while."
But would Leon be settling down with Ada? "I don't know, I feel like I could get into big trouble for saying that," Apostolides replied. "Half the fans would want to hang me."
The question of who Leon might be married to has been hotly-debated by fans this week, as Requiem (perhaps by design) leaves the question open. Could it be Ada, who Leon once said was "like a part of me I can't let go"? The pair have a spiky relationship throughout the series, though there's undeniable tension there.
Indeed, an IGN poll published earlier this week shows far wider support for Ada to be Leon's wife than any other popular candidate, including Claire Redfield. The co-star of Resident Evil 2 was Leon's partner during the Raccoon City incident, though has arguably shared less screentime with Leon throughout the series overall.
And while Apostolides isn't officially picking a side, he did admit he was an Ada fan. "Hate her all you want," he said of the character, "but Leon wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for her. I think she saved him three, four times. Give her a little break, I don't hate her."
IGN's Resident Evil: Requiem guide will help you every step of the way through RE9. Take note of these key tips and tricks before you get started, and focus on finding these important items early. Plus, our comprehensive walkthrough will make sure you don't miss a single Bobblehead or file as you try to survive from the Rhodes Hill Chronic Care Center all the way to Raccoon City.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
It’s another great month for new book releases, with a slew of fantastic stories from some of our favourite authors - such as T. Kingfisher, Ava Reid, and Abby Jimenez - as well as several exciting debuts.
As always, I’ve included a wide array of genres. So, whether you’re looking for a fast-paced YA dystopian, an eerie fantasy, a disturbing psychological thriller, a gothic retelling, or a gory body horror, there is something for every kind of reader.
To the Death by Melissa Welliver
Release date: March 26
If, like me, you’re always on the lookout for books that conjure up a similar feeling to The Hunger Games (or even The Last of Us, according to the Amazon listing), Melissa Welliver’s To the Death sounds like it could fill the void, especially as we patiently - or not so patiently - wait for Sunrise On The Reaping to hit our screens later this year. Add in zombies, and this is easily one of our most anticipated reads of the month.
The story follows Astrid, who is just trying to survive after a virus broke out on the island that she lives on. However, the mainland is watching the island’s every move, turning their lives into a reality TV show. But what does the victor win, you might ask? Well, a ticket off the island. So, when she finds herself paired up with another islander who has secrets of his own, they must fend off the other contestants and the undead, with only one person winning at the end.
Hooked by Asako Yuzuki, translated by Polly Barton
Set in Japan, it follows Eriko and her seemingly perfect life. On the outside she has it all - a good family, a beautiful apartment and a stable job - yet no one realises just how lonely she is. It’s because of this that she finds herself turning to a popular lifestyle blog, written by Shōko, for a bit of comfort.
Unlike most people in her country, Shōko not only embraces but highlights her messy life, with her disorganised home and convenience-store dinners taking centre stage. But things take a turn when Eriko befriends Shōko after tracking her down at her favourite restaurant. What happens when obsession and companionship collide? And what will Eriko do to hold onto this new friendship? We can’t wait to see this one pans out.
Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher
Release date: March 24 (US), March 26 (UK)
After quickly becoming an immediate auto-buy author for myself, T. Kingfisher is back with their first new book of 2026, and in this Southern gothic we join scientific illustrator Sonia as she finds herself at rock bottom. That is until the reclusive Dr. Halder offers her a position illustrating his vast collection of insects. With her moving to his manor house to do so, it almost sounds too good to be true, and that quickly becomes apparent when she arrives.
From the mysterious disappearance of her predecessor, who was also Dr. Halder’s wife, to the bizarre behaviour of the nearby animals, things get weird in a very good way. It’s the kind of story, filled with creepy crawlies, parasitic maggots and wild experiments, that will have you squirming in your seat. Or, at the very least, feeling like you can’t quite shake the feeling of something crawling over your skin.
The Brides by Charlotte Cross
Release date: March 19
Will we ever tire of a good vampire story? We don’t think so. And this month sees an enthralling reimagining of Bram Stoker’s Dracula in The Brides. Weaving together the stories of four women, the three who became the brides of Dracula and the fourth who managed to escape, it leans into the Gothic atmosphere and setting while utilising diary entries and letters to push the narrative forward.
And if you happen to be familiar with the 1897 classic, you’ll also recognise John Seaward, with his perspective coming to the forefront, alongside a toxic sapphic relationship and a journey from London to Budapest that will definitely draw you in.
Innamorata by Ava Reid
Release date: March 17
We’re always excited whenever a new Ava Reid book is announced, and Innamorata sounds like another hit from the fantasy author. The first book in what will be The House of Teeth Duology, it follows the last two living descendents of the aforementioned House, heiress Marozia and her cousin Lady Agnes. And it is Agnes who must avenge her family’s fallen honour by recapturing the secrets of death magic.
To do so, she must marry off Marozia to Liuprand, the heir to the conqueror’s throne. However, things aren’t that straightforward, especially when the one thing that Agnes must not do is fall in love. Yet, the building passion between Agnes and Liuprand could threaten to fell them all.
Nothing Tastes as Good by Luke Dumas
Release date: March 31
If you happen to love a good horror book, and body horror at that, Nothing Tastes as Good should certainly be on your radar. At over 300lbs, Emmett has struggled with his weight his entire life. And it doesn't help that he lives in Southern California where suntanned six-packs are the norm. So, he has nothing - or everything, depending on how you look at it - to lose when he signs up for a clinical trial for the new weight loss treatment, Obexity.
And while Emmett quickly starts shedding the weight, with his life seemingly changing for the better, there are a few side effects. Of course, there’s the overwhelming cravings. Then, is it strange that he can no longer account for long stretches of time, or that some of the people who were particularly cruel to him have started to disappear? At the same time police are hunting for a cannibalistic killer. Surely that’s just a coincidence, right?
This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum
Release date: March 10 (US), March 12 (UK)
Blending a few different genres, This Story Might Save Your Life centres around Benny and Joy. Best friends and podcast hosts, they take a deep dive into some of the most outrageous and unbelievable near-death experiences each week, all while adding their trademark life-affirming humour to the mix.
However, when Benny arrives one morning to record their next episode and finds an empty house in complete disarray, with Joy - and her husband Xander - nowhere to be seen, they become entangled in their very own survival story. With Benny being the prime suspect in a case where it’s looking increasingly unlikely that Joy and Xander will be found alive, what secrets have the BFFs been keeping from their listeners, and each other?
The Truth About Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent
Release date: March 12
We can always count on Liz Nugent to bring us an all consuming and disturbing mystery thriller, and as you might expect from the title, this story revolves around Ruby Cooper. Now, it’s actually quite tricky to sum up or tease this book without giving too much away. All we can really say is that when Ruby is sixteen years old she is involved in a shocking incident that upends and affects her and her family’s life for decades. And what follows is an unflinching tale of trauma, grief and some seriously dark themes.
Let’s just say, it’s the kind of book that will have you simultaneously speeding through it, while throwing your hands up in frustration quite a few times, as Liz successfully introduces yet another character you will no doubt love to hate.
The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez
Release date: March 24
There are so many brilliant romance books being released this month. From Liz Tomforde’s latest sports romance, In Her Own League, to Elle Kennedy’s Love Song and Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles. But the one that captured my heart and attention has to be Abby Jimenez’s The Night We Met. And if you’re looking for some serious yearning between the two main characters, look no further.
The story follows Larissa and Chris, who appear to be the perfect match for one another. The only issue, Chris is her boyfriend’s best friend and they both know that if either of them were to share how they feel, or even think about acting on it, it would upend their lives and friendships forever. If only she had chosen to get a ride home with Chris instead of Mike on, you guessed it, the night they met. Can they just be friends, or is the risk of hurting one of the closest people to both of them worth potentially blowing up their lives? It is worth mentioning, that even though this is the second in a series, it can be read as a standalone.
Connexion
