With the chill of winter settling in, there’s no better excuse to bunker down and get stuck into some stellar titles at not-so-stellar prices. This latest round of discounts features genre greats, cult favourites, and a few under-the-radar gems, all primed for your backlog. Get scrolling to get saving!
This Day in Gaming 🎂
In retro news, I'm celebrating the 27th birthday of Gran Turismo, a game whose realistic handling and 150-car garage boggled my mind at launch. This was clearly no Ridge Racer. It basically taught pre-L-plater-me how to corner correctly with its 100-page instruction booklet. Nailing apexes, weight shifting, drifting—it filled my empty petrolhead up and made sure I'd learned by placing driving tests between me and its championships.
The impact the arrival of GT had on the evolution of racing games as we currently play them cannot be overstated. Polyphony's "real driving simulator" triggered a seismic shift in an entire genre and is one of the most influential games ever made. To this day, I can't enter my garage at home without hearing smooth jazz in my head.
On Nintendo Switch, Life Is Strange: True Colors is down to just A$25, a steal for a title whose lead character, Alex Chen, was originally pitched as mute, until the team at Deck Nine reworked her into one of the series’ most expressive and resonant leads. Also worth snapping up is The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles (A$23), which finally localised two previously Japan-only entries, complete with a character named Herlock Sholmes (!!).
On Xbox Series X, The Witcher 3: Complete Edition (A$36) delivers a fantasy RPG masterclass. Fun fact: CD Projekt Red designed Geralt’s beard to dynamically grow in real-time. Meanwhile, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2: Deluxe Edition (A$33) is seriously cheap nostalgia.
On PS5, Tales of Arise (A$32) shook up the franchise with its first major engine overhaul in years, while Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin (A$41) turned heads with its chaotic tone, an intentional choice by creative director Tetsuya Nomura to “go full meme.”
And for PC, Stellaris (A$14) offers intergalactic strategy with depth, while Screencheat (A$4) flips couch multiplayer norms by making screen-peeking not just allowed, but necessary.
USB Type-C might be the new standard, but what if your PC or laptop simply doesn't have enough of those ports? Here's a cheap and easy solution as long as you have older USB Type-A legacy ports. For a limited time, Amazon is offering a 4-pack of Elebase USB Type-A to USB Type-C Adapters for only $3.99 after you apply a $4 off coupon code "KLIMVVIG". That comes out to only $1 per adapter. The Elebase USB adapters collectively have nearly 55,000 reviews on Amazon with a 4.6/5 star rating and a respectable Fakespot "A" grade.
4-Pack USB Type-A to USB Type-C Adapters for $4
The package includes four pieces of the USB Type-C (female) to USB Type-A (male) dongles. These can be used for both data sync and charging but keep in mind that you're limited to USB 2.0 (480Mbps) bandwidth and 5V/3A charging speeds. These are perfect for connecting and charging your USB Type-C headset, keyboard, mouse, or any other peripheral that doesn't require high transfer speeds and doesn't support Power Delivery. In terms of build quality, these adapters deem durable enough; they're small so they won't protude much, and the casing is machined out of aluminum alloy. Of course for $1 apiece, they're practically disposable.
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.
If you're in the market for a new controller that works across multiple devices, you're in luck! Amazon currently has the 8BitDo Pro 2 controller with an official travel case included for 25% off the regular price. This is an excellent controller that works well with retro games thanks to its SNES-inspired design, but also features full grips and thumbsticks that work great with modern games, too. Check out the deal below for more information.
8BitDo Pro 2 Controller + Travel Case Deal
Like many 8BitDo products, the Pro 2 controller packs a ton of value into a controller for under $50. As the name implies, this is a proper "pro" controller with customizable back buttons and remappable buttons in the 8BitDo Ultimate Software app. It's compatible with a variety of systems including Nintendo Switch, PC, Steam Deck, iOS, and Android devices.
Since our review of the 8BitDo Pro 2 in 2021, the controller has received a major revision with the addition of Hall effect joysticks. This effectively eliminates controller stick drift, improving longevity of the components and making for a smoother experience overall.
While Nintendo hasn't outright confirmed whether all Bluetooth-enabled controllers will work with Nintendo Switch 2, it did confirm that the original Switch Joy-Con and Pro Controller are compatible, so it's likely that you'll be able to use the 8BitDo Pro 2, as well.
Will tariffs increase the price of 8BitDo controllers?
Since 8BitDo's products are manufactured and shipped from China, this may be the best price you'll find on this controller (as well as all other 8BitDo products) for the foreseeable future, as the tariffs on imported Chinese goods have already gone into effect.
8BitDo recently halted shipping to the U.S. after blaming U.S. tariffs for the suspension only to later back down and say it will continue shipping to customers. While we don't know for sure if prices will increase, it seems like the most likely outcome down the line.
Matthew Adler has written for IGN since 2019 covering all things gaming, tech, tabletop games, and more. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.
Attention, Aussies! DOOM: The Dark Ages and Harley-Davidson have teamed up for a special collaboration and created a custom jacket and helmet (pictured above) inspired by the DOOM Slayer. That’s cool and all, but the even better news? They’re giving them away, and you have the chance to win them.
Entering the giveaway couldn’t be simpler. All you have to do is go down to the comments of this article and answer this question: What would be your ultimate weapon if you were in DOOM? Do that between now and 10 a.m. AEST on 19 May, and you’re entered. That’s it. We'll pick our favorite answer, and that one winner will get both the jacket and helmet.
Now, there are some rules, of course. To win, you need to be at least 18 years old and a legal resident of Australia. And just enter one time — if you try to submit multiple entries, you could be disqualified. We’ll reach out to the winner to get details and figure out where to send the merch, so make sure you respond promptly when we get in touch. If we don’t hear back from you, we’ll move on to another winner.
For the full terms and conditions, you can check them out here. Best of luck to you!
If you've been waiting for a great deal on a high-end OLED TV, here's one you should seriously consider. Amazon is offering the 65" Samsung S90D 4K OLED Smart TV for just $1,097.99 shipped. This is the lowest price ever for this particular size and model and beats last year's Black Friday price by $200. This is an excellent TV for your PS5 or Xbox Series X. According to RTINGS, the Samsung S90D is a brighter TV than the popular LG C4 OLED TV with a wider color gamut, better color volume, wider viewing angle, and better HDR gradient handling.
Note: Walt's TV is the Amazon marketplace seller. They are an authorized Samsung reseller.
65" Samsung S90D 4K OLED Smart TV for $1,097.99
The Samsung S90D is the prior generation 2024 model. A new "S90F" model has been released for 2025, but it costs more than double the price. The S90D is equipped with Samsung's proprietary quantum dot (QD) OLED panel. QD OLED panels are brighter than traditional OLED panels without losing the color accuracy, range, and wide-viewing angles that OLEDs are known for. Compared to a traditional LED LCD TV, an OLED TV offers superior image quality, near-infinite blacks, near-infinite contrast ratio, and near-instantaneous response times.
OLED technology aside, the Samsung S90D also has all the features you'd want in a gaming TV. It has a native 120Hz panel that can be pushed to as high as 144Hz as well as four total HDMI 2.1 ports for running 4K at 120Hz on a PS5 or Xbox Series X gaming console. The S90D also supports variable refresh rate and auto low latency mode. This is an especially good complement to the recently released Playstation 5 Pro console since it can drive more games in quality mode (native 4K @ 120fps) than the standard PS5, which often needs to be set to performance mode (upscaled 4K).
The 65" Panasonic Z85 is a "budget" OLED TV alternative
If you're looking for something even less expensive, here's a rare chance to pick up a 65" OLED TV for just under $1,000. Starting this week, Amazon has discounted the 2024 65" Panasonic Z85 4K OLED Smart TV with Amazon Fire TV for just $999.99 with free delivery. The Panasonic Z85 TV uses a W-OLED panel instead of a quantum dot OLED panel so image quality won't be quite as good as the S90D. However, it's still an excellent future-proof gaming TV because it has a native 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 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.
The hardcover Batman: The Killing Joke Deluxe Edition is currently included in Amazon's limited time buy one, get one half off sale. Alan Moore's legendary graphic novel is one widely considered one of the greatest Joker stories in the Caped Crusader's history, and it's as accessible as ever at its current price of $10.71 (40% off) at Amazon.
Be sure to also check out more of our recommendations of books to get during this limited time sale as well.
Batman: The Killing Joke Deluxe Edition Is on Sale
Originally released in 1988, comics auteur Alan Moore, known for other graphic novel titans like Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and Swamp Thing, took Batman to new heights and created what we called "easily the greatest Joker story ever told". This hardcover deluxe edition is well worth its super low price tag. It comes with a slip cover with the iconic shot of Joker and his camera, beautifully recolored art by Brian Bolland, extra stories from Batman: Black and White #4 and Countdown #31, and a bunch of great illustrations and concept art from Bolland.
Other Comics Included in the Sale
The comic book and graphic novel section of Amazon's buy one, get one half off sale is unfortunately sparse, but there are still some great inclusions from both Batman and Marvel worth checking out. Tom King's Batman Rebirth arc is one of the best in recent memory and introduces a pair of complicated anti-heroes the Dark Knight must contend with. You can also pick up a couple of Marvel Premier Collection trade paperbacks, such as Frank Miller's Daredevil: Born Again just in time to get up to speed with the Disney+ series of the same name.
Former Dragon Age series executive producer Mark Darrah says he doesn’t feel EA and BioWare efficiently supported his team during the early development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
The ex-BioWare developer shed light on his time working on the legendary fantasy RPG franchise during a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel. His story recounts events that transpired throughout 2017 or, according to Darrah, “the most impactful 12 months in BioWare’s history.” He touches on not only decisions that affected the early development of last year’s Dragon Age game but how a change in attitude was tied to the final days of development on Mass Effect: Andromeda.
It starts in late 2016, when Darrah was moved over to the team that would handle the last stages of development on Andromeda. He says his “feeling at the time” was that the Dragon Age team felt “jerked around” and had “no support from BioWare or EA.” The hope was that Darrah could aid in getting Mass Effect out the door so the next Dragon Age could utilize more resources, though this ultimately didn’t quite pan out.
“This was the first time where we had this leadership discontinuity, where the person in charge of a project left that project to help someone else, some other project, while the project continued to run,” Darrah explained. “In the cast of Mass Effect: Andromeda, I don’t think the impact to Dragon Age was huge. It wasn’t very long, but it did set this precedent as this being a thing that we could do, and it’s not a good thing to do. It is incredibly dangerous to have a project run while it’s missing some of its core leadership.”
Mass Effect: Andromeda launched in March 2017 and, in Darrah’s own words, “it doesn’t go well.” Throughout this time, BioWare was still adjusting to a structural change that saw the team reporting to new leadership at EA that was “hyper interested” in its projects and plans. He calls the change dramatic, noting that the studio’s new bosses weren’t interested in continuing work on Mass Effect due to its recently troubled launch. However, Darrah didn’t feel like Dragon Age was getting the support it needed even after Andromeda was shipped.
The former BioWare lead says he approached current EA CEO Andrew Wilson and former EA executive Patrick Söderlund with his concerns and was reassured of Dragon Age’s importance to the company. While EA offered few resources in an attempt to maintain the studio’s work in the summer of 2017, Darrah along with the rest of the BioWare staff were told that studio veteran Casey Hudson would be returning. It was a major shakeup that staff was made aware of without notice.
“You have to remember: I am the second most senior person at BioWare,” Darrah said. “Casey was interviewed, and hired, and prepared to be brought back entirely without me being consulted in any way. Would me have being involved in the process have changed the decision? No, I don’t think it would have, but there is an immense amount of disrespect involved in making a hire of this impact, in making a decision of this import, without involving the second-most senior person at your studio in any way.”
Darrah then predicted that BioWare would shift its focus to Anthem. When his concerns were shared with EA, he was told that leadership was committed to giving Dragon Age the attention it deserved.
“As we all know, that’s not what happened at all,” he added.
EA’s interest in Anthem ballooned until its similarly troubled launch in 2019, all while Darrah felt his trust in the company was being “constantly hammered” and “constantly challenged.” Resources were continuously pulled away from what would eventually be known as Dragon Age: The Veilguard all the way through 2019, leading to what Darrah says were “fundamental” changes to the nature of the project.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
When it’s time to unplug, shut off the TV and reduce screen time, board games always have your back when it comes to scratching that lingering escapist itch and drive to continue playing. Luckily, there exist countless board game tie-ins to some of the most popular video games around, and we’ve collected some of our favorites here. Whether you’re looking for a long-term campaign or a quick to setup party game, these board games will let you continue living in these worlds when you need a break from technology.
After the release of Amazon’s Fallout series, now is the perfect time to explore the Wasteland right at your own kitchen table. To start, you’ll choose from various scenarios which will determine the map setup. Similar to the beloved open-world RPGs by Bethesda, tabletop players will uncover the map, build upon numerous skills, fight irradiated enemies, interact with different factions, and complete quests, all while battling for influence over the Wasteland. Very immersive and detail-oriented, this game is great for long-term sessions.
Slay the Spire: The Board Game
Probably the one video game on this list most deserving of a board game tie-in, Slay the Spire takes after its digital roots by having players take on the role of one of the provided heroes and go on a Roguelike deck-building climb through the Spire. Like the video game, players will choose from a number of different rooms each with their own characteristics that will affect their game; encounters, where you’ll fight regular enemies, elites, where you’ll fight even stronger ones, events, campfires, treasure, the merchant, and finally the boss. By the nature of Roguelikes, Slay the Spire is sure to give players hours of enjoyment as they try different characters, builds, and items each time.
The Bloodborne board game sees players take on the role of Hunter as they fight to vanquish the evil stirring within Yharnam. As a campaign board game, Bloodborne offers players endless replay value, as no two sessions should be too alike with its modular map tiles. Featuring hundreds of various cards, tokens, and game pieces, this macabre adventure will test players’ skill and decision making as they uncover the secret to the unyielding plague and fight to stop it. Immersion is at the forefront here, and the game’s highly detailed miniatures ensure that you truly feel in their shoes.
Resident Evil 2: The Board Game
The success of the Resident Evil 2 tabletop adaptation paved the way for Steamforged Games to create similar experiences covering both the original Resident Evil and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis’ stories. However, much like the video games, Resident Evil 2 is arguably its best entry. Faithful to the source material, the game has players work cooperatively as they take control of either Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield as they fight their way through hordes of zombies to make their escape in multiple available scenarios. Collect weapons, healing items, and keys as you navigate the environment, evade the undead, and solve puzzles. You can even use the iconic ink ribbons and typewriters to affect your sessions!
Pac-Man: The Board Game
From Buffalo Games, the arcade classic makes its triumphant tabletop return. Enjoyed in both cooperative or competitive modes, the player in control of Pac-Man aims to navigate the maze, chow down on pellets, and collect fruit while the players controlling the ghosts do their best to avoid or catch Pac-Man. Played on four metal tiles that make up the game board, it requires some initial assembly and setup, but repeat games are quick and easy to get started. The electronic Pac-Man figure even makes his iconic “waka waka” sound!
Tetris Board Game
Also made by Buffalo Games, Tetris is a competitive head-to-head game where players maneuver, rotate, and drop their tetriminos to get the highest score. Just like the video game, the next up piece is on full display, represented by a card, so players can plan their strategy accordingly. You earn points by completing lines, matching pieces to symbols on their tower, and completing specific achievements. Quick setup and play time makes this a great pick for parties and younger players.
Dark Souls: The Board Game - Tomb of Giants
Originally envisioned as content for the original Dark Souls board game Kickstarter campaign, the Tomb of Giants core set is a standalone adventure that’s great for newer players, and got its namesake from the infamous location familiar to players of the video games. Each player starts the game by choosing a class and gear, then starts navigating the catacombs, taking on skeleton archers, or resting at the bonfire. Actions are limited, so choose wisely. This game is very faithful to its source material, with its punishing combat and RPG elements that shine from the level up system. Tomb of Giants also features new playable characters and over a hundred new cards, all compatible with existing Dark Souls board game products.
Cuphead: Fast-Rolling Dice Game
Much like its digital counterpart, Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game is an extremely fast-paced cooperative game where the object is to take out all the bosses using dice-heavy mechanics to deal damage. Setup is a breeze, as the structure of the boss deck never changes. The game begins with each player picking one of the four available characters: Cuphead, Mugman, Ms. Chalice, or Elder Kettle, and is then played through multiple rounds consisting of five phases, where players will set up their attacks and take on the boss. Rounds are timed, so pick your dice rolls carefully! Cuphead sports high replay value in that you can reup to beat your score and upgrade your abilities that carry over to future runs. See our Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game review for more info.
The Oregon Trail Card Game
Dying of dysentery has never been so fun. In this quick to setup and play card game, players work together to make it to Oregon without perishing. Sessions are relatively quick, as you will die hard and fast from the various Calamity cards waiting to spell your doom. Oddly challenging and very luck based, you win by making it to the end of the Trail by playing fifty trail cards. One downside is that if a player dies on the first turn (which is more common than you’d think), they have to sit out that entire session until the party either wins or all die. Regardless, it’s a great recreation of the source material and is sure to steal a few laughs.
Elden Ring: The Board Game
With Elden Ring Nightreign around the corner, what better way to prepare for FromSoftware's newest multiplayer outing than to dive into the offical Elden Ring Board game by Steamforged Games? This is a typical co-operative campaign board game, where you and up to three other players once again traverse the Lands Between, choose from a handful of familiar classes, take on deadly foes, and ultimately come out on top in a roughly 50 hour campaign. There are multiple playstyles available if that timeframe is daunting, and you can even play it solo. In our review, we gave it an 8, saying the game "captures the spirit of exploration, intense combat, and character progression, while maintaining the challenge fans expect."
Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game
After a tumultous development caused some delays, the Metal Gear Solid board game is finally here and is a great time. Another campaign-style experience, it retells the events of the original 1998 PlayStation video game, taking players through up to 14 different scenarios and giving them control of fan favorite characters like Solid Snake and Otacon. Each player gets fours actions per turn, and each character has unique skills to pick from. You'll unlock gear throughout your campaign like new weapons, equipment, and of course, Snake's iconic cardboard box. Difficulty throughout the different campaigns fluctuates, making this a great game for both board game veterans and newcomers alike.
Divinity: Original Sin the Board Game
Larian Studios captured lightning in a bottle once again with their tabletop adaptation of Divinity: Original Sin. While intimidating at first due to the amount of various cards, game pieces, and figures included (and the enormous box it all comes in), Divinity: Originial Sin is actually quite approachable for new players. Instead of traditional, clunky game boards, here they've included a hefty ringed book that details every scenario available to you and your party. Set up is quick and easy, and building your character is fun, intuitive, and in-depth - you'll pick from among four premade classes or you can build your own. You'll build out your characters, fight various bosses, grab weapons, and manage skills throughout a handful of different scenarios.
For deeper dives into specific board games, check out our Aeon's End buying guide, as well as our surprisingly huge buying guide for Carcassonne, one of the earlier board games to bring serious gaming depth to the populace.
Myles Obenza is a freelance commerce writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter @Myles Obenza.
Global Spotify streams for the 1986 tune shot up a staggering 182,000% in the two hours following the trailer’s premiere alone. Spotify numbers seem to have gone without an update since yesterday, as Hot Together still sits at just over 250,000 streams, though it sounds like that number will see a significant change in the near future.
“Grand Theft Auto cuts through popular culture like almost nothing else,” Spotify’s Global Head of Editorial Sulinna Ong said in a statement. “Music has been synonymous with the series since the very beginning, so it’s great to see fans both new and established connecting with an iconic track in this way.”
It’s now been 24 hours since Rockstar Games revealed its latest look at GTA 6, with the trailer itself already boasting an incredible 77.7 million views on YouTube at the time of this story’s publication. Hot Together’s newfound success is quite the sight to see, but it’s also far from a shock. When Rockstar’s latest saw its first trailer revealed in late 2023, the song it featured, Tom Petty’s Love Is A Long Road, saw a similarly massive boost in Spotify streams. Its popularity brought on such a moment for gamers that many began to spin theories about how it might connect to GTA 6’s story, though no such creativity has emerged for Hot Together – yet.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
Is GTA 6 Trailer 2 too good to be true? Some cast doubt on the small print shown at the end of the trailer that said it was captured on PS5, suggesting the footage came from either a PS5 Pro or a PC. Not so, according to Rockstar.
In a social media post, the developer said GTA 6 Trailer 2 was captured “entirely in-game” from a PS5, and not only that, but it contains “equal parts” gameplay and cutscenes.
Here's the statement in full from Rockstar:
Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 2 was captured entirely in-game from a PlayStation 5, comprised of equal parts gameplay and cutscenes.
With that in mind, it makes GTA 6 all the more impressive. The footage in Trailer 2 is astonishingly detailed, and, we now know beyond any doubt, running on a five year-old console. By the time of GTA 6’s May 26, 2026 release date, the PS5 will be five-and-a-half years old.
The developer wizards at Rockstar are working their magic once again, but their mention of gameplay in Trailer 2 also sparks questions about which moments it’s talking about here. The most obvious one, already picked up by the GTA 6 community, is what looks like a cutscene to gameplay transition moment when Jason enters his apartment.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
As part of Amazon's ongoing buy one, get one half off sale, you can pick up the incredible hardcover Lord of the Rings Illustrated Edition for $47.49 (47% off). This version contains all three Lord of the Rings books in one with beautiful illustrations by J.R.R. Tolkien himself, with gorgeous red pages that help it standout among others on your shelf. This oversized edition also comes with a slipcover jacket, two removable fold-out maps created by J.R.R's son Christopher Tolkien, and pages from the Book of Mazarbul.
Since this deal is part of Amazon's current book sale of buy one, get one half off, you can also choose from a variety of other popular titles and box sets for additional savings. Though, this is the only LotR illustrated edition in the sale.
Get The Lord of the Rings Illustrated Edition For Half Off
Also available and equally as eye-catching are the Hobbit and Silmarillion Illustrated editions. These versions also include dozens of handdrawn sketches, maps, illustrations by J.R.R. Tolkien and come in beautiful green and blue slipcovers. Notably, the Silmarillion Illustrated edition is not included in Amazon's buy one, get one half off sale, unfortunately.
These three illustrated versions of the epic fantasy classics are also available in massive deluxe editions. While these are also not part of the buy one, get one half off sale, they're currently at their lowest price in 2025. The deluxe editions are quarterbound and the pages are edged in gold to give it that premium, delicate feel and come with features not included in the regular illustrated editions. These can cost you up to a staggering $250, so now's the perfect time to pick these up for a discount.
Get the Whole Collection on Sale Now
For more Lord of the Rings, check out our review of Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power Season 2 to catch up before Season 3 is here. We gave it a 6 overall, saying "[Season 2] offers some dramatic action and deep pathos, but is dragged down by extraneous plots and characters."
There’s no shortage of great board games these days, especially those centered around animals and nature. Harmonies released into the wild in 2024 and immediately began turning heads with its satisfying gameplay and gorgeous artwork. It feels like the lovechild of Azul and Cascadia, blending Azul’s token drafting with Cascadia’s animal-centric theme and tile-laying mechanics. It fits comfortably in the cozy board game category and makes a great pick for couples and families alike; it's easy to teach, yet still offers enough strategy and meaningful decision-making to keep more experienced players engaged.
What's in the Box
Harmonies manages to pack quite a bit into a compact box, as you'll quickly realize when you lift the lid. Inside, you'll find three separate rulebooks in English, French, and German, along with QR codes that link to quick video overviews in English, French, German, and Italian.
Beneath the instruction booklets are four sturdy, double-sided player boards and a double-sided central board used for drafting tokens during gameplay. Each set of colorful wooden tokens comes packaged in its own plastic bag for organization during shipping, but you'll likely find it easier to store them all together in the included linen drawstring pouch. The tokens themselves are high-quality, surprisingly lightweight, and make a satisfyingly tactile sound as they rattle around in the bag.
The box includes a built-in organizer to keep components tidy before and after gameplay. One side of the organizer features a folding cardboard lid that holds a deck of Animal and Nature’s Spirit cards, along with a bag of small plastic orange and clear cubes that represent the animals. Like the box itself, the cards showcase vibrant, stunning artwork of various animals in their natural habitats.
Also included are four double-sided reference cards – one for each player – that summarize how each biome is scored and provide a quick count of how many wooden tokens exist in each color. A small, colorful scoring pad makes it easy to tally up points at the end of the game.
While the built-in organizer is a welcome touch, you’ll need to give the wooden tokens in the linen pouch a quick shake and settle to get everything to fit properly; otherwise, the lid won’t sit flush with the box. That said, setup and teardown are incredibly fast, as there aren’t too many components to manage overall. Once everything’s packed away neatly, the compact box can be stored either horizontally or vertically on a shelf without any worry of components shifting or spilling inside.
Rules and How It Plays
The goal in Harmonies is to create a series of interconnected habitats for your animals by drafting and placing tokens on your player board to earn the highest score. After a quick setup, the first player chooses a set of three randomized tokens from the central board and places all of them on their personal board in any arrangement they like. However, once a token is placed, it can't be moved for the remainder of the game.
What makes Harmonies stand out is the ability to stack certain tokens, introducing a sense of verticality to the board and offering additional scoring opportunities if specific conditions are met.
For example, brown tokens can serve as the base of a tree, but they don’t score on their own unless a green token is placed on top. Mountains, built using one to three grey tokens, only score if they're adjacent to at least one other mountain. Fields, represented by yellow tokens, score in pairs of two or more and can’t be stacked, while rivers (blue tokens) score progressively more points the longer you can connect them. Buildings are the most complex to grasp at first; they require a base token – either brown, gray, or red – topped with a red token, and they score a flat number of points if at least three uniquely colored tokens are adjacent.
While this alone would make for an interesting game, the real strategy emerges from drafting Animal cards. Each card features a specific configuration of tokens along the bottom that represents a unique habitat required by that animal. For instance, an alligator might need a swamp made up of a tree and a small river beside it, while meerkats prefer a rocky structure adjacent to a field.
On each player’s turn, they have the option to draft one of the five available Animal cards and add it to their tableau, along with a set number of animal cubes that indicate how many times the depicted habitat must be built. Each time you successfully create the habitat shown on the card, you remove the bottommost animal cube and place it onto your player board, matching the habitat as pictured. As you remove cubes, you’ll earn an increasing number of points.
There’s no penalty for failing to complete an Animal card, but since you’re limited to four cards in your tableau at a time, choosing strategically is important. While it may be tempting to grab a bunch of animal cards early, you may find it difficult to complete the required habitats and miss out on valuable points.
The real strategy in Harmonies lies in optimizing the layout of habitats on your player board – maximizing the number of Animal cards you can complete while also keeping the base scoring of each biome in mind. At its core, Harmonies is an elegant optimization puzzle that presents a fresh challenge each time you play. While each player is primarily focused on their own personal board, there’s still a fair amount of interactivity, as you can block opponents from drafting certain sets of tokens or Animal cards that would perfectly complement their habitats.
Harmonies is an elegant optimization puzzle that presents a fresh challenge each time you play.
At the end of each turn, players replenish the three tokens they took with a random draw from the pouch and reveal a new Animal card if they drafted one. This constant churn forces players to stay flexible – there’s rarely a chance to plan too far ahead, especially in higher player count games where more turns happen between your own. That unpredictability is exactly where Harmonies shines. Each turn carries a subtle urgency: you’re racing to complete as much as you can on your board before the game ends, all while juggling smart decisions and efficient token placement.
In the later rounds, it’s not uncommon to have a well-optimized player board that lets you draft Animal cards and score them immediately, without needing to build additional habitats. It’s a deeply satisfying payoff that rewards careful planning and can earn you some quick points as you push toward the end of the game.
The game ends when the pouch runs out of tokens or when any player has two or fewer unoccupied spaces left on their board, triggering the final round. After that, players tally up their points and declare a winner.
Once you're comfortable with the base game, there are a few optional elements you can add in to shake up the gameplay. The first is the inclusion of Nature’s Spirit cards. At the beginning of the game, each player drafts one of two cards, each of which tasks you with building and completing a specific habitat in order to unlock an alternate scoring method for a particular biome. For example, you might earn extra points for building larger clusters of a specific terrain type, or for reaching certain heights with mountains or trees. These cards introduce new scoring opportunities and encourage you to rethink your usual strategy.
There’s also a secondary side of the player board that changes how rivers score. Instead of creating one long, connected river, you’ll need to form islands by isolating sections of land with water tiles, adding another layer of spatial planning to the puzzle.
Harmonies also includes a dedicated solo mode that offers a light score-chasing challenge with some surprisingly crunchy decisions, all wrapped up in a quick 10–20 minute playtime. The goal in this single-player variant is to collect as many suns as possible – a total based on your final score, the board side you used, and whether or not you played with Nature’s Spirit cards.
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster is set to release exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 on the upcoming console’s launch date, June 5. A souped-up version of the 2012 Nintendo 3DS original, this remaster brings the JRPG into the HD era, with sharp new graphics, a redesigned interface, the ability to fast forward through sections, and more. The game is available to preorder now (see it at Target). Read on for the details.
Cheaper than you thought? It's cheaper than I thought it would be, anyway. That said, the price is probably owed somewhat to the fact that the physical copy doesn't include the game on the disk. It's a "game-key card," about which more below.
Note: This is a Game-Key Card
Some Nintendo Switch 2 games come on cards that contain the full game data. Others are more like a key to the game data, including this one. Game-key cards are physical cards that look basically like Switch 2 cartridges, but they don’t actually contain the game on them. Instead, you’ll need to insert the card into your Switch 2 and download the 11GB game from the eShop.
You can, however, still lend the game (via the physical card) to a friend, or sell it. But in order to play it, you will need to insert the game-key card into your Switch 2.
What is Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster?
When it first came out on 3DS, Bravely Default was something of a throwback RPG in that it featured turn-based combat and revolved around a group of heroes on a quest to find four crystals. The main draw of the game is the unique combat system that lets you save up turns in order to take multiple actions all at once. It also has a deep job system that lets you assign new abilities to each of your party members.
All of that is still present in this HD remaster, plus a number of other features. Now, in addition to the ability to fast forward through battles, you can breeze through cut scenes as well. You can still manipulate the encounter rate settings so you encounter more or fewer enemies depending on how you want to spend your time. There’s an online mode, plus new minigames.
More Preorder Guides
Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.
In 2024, indie developer VEA Games released Nikoderiko: The Magical World, their love letter to classic platformers. Now, they’ve released a Director’s Cut that refines gameplay and adds new content, and they’ve offered it as a free upgrade.
If you missed out on Nikoderiko the first time around, it’s a family-friendly platformer with an art style inspired by Saturday morning cartoons. It stars mongooses Niko and Luna and can be played in single-player or couch co-op. You travel through the game’s varied worlds on a quest to retrieve an ancient relic stolen from you by the nefarious Baron Grimbold, and you can team up with animal mounts to defeat his Cobring army and save the local tribes.
Since the release of the base version of the game, the dev team has received extensive feedback from players and worked to improve on as much as possible with the Director’s Cut.
“We have a lot of emails; I personally read and answer every email,” said Dmitry Smirnov, founder of VEA Games and director of Nikoderiko. “We tried to implement all the necessary features you asked for. There are a lot of ideas for the game and how to improve the game. It really helps us to make a good game a great game.”
One of the biggest improvements to the Director’s Cut is the expansion of its difficulty options, which target a wider range of players and experience levels. For hardcore players, there’s a new Hard Mode with level modifiers.
“It will push players,” Smirnov said. “There are more challenges, more hard but honest mechanics. We would like to give you the experience of a soulslike game in a family platformer.”
On the other end of the spectrum, Easy Mode has been made easier, lowering the barrier to entry for younger players or those new to gaming or the platformer genre. It is a family game, after all.
“We decided to make it more accessible for kids and younger players,” Smirnov said. “While we were developing Nikoderiko, it was nice to know that my kids will be able to feel the same impressions like I did in my childhood.”
Keeping with the theme of making Nikoderiko accessible to as many people as possible, the Director’s Cut adds text and voiceover options for several languages, including German, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. It also adds Steam Deck compatibility for the first time.
There’s also a new secret eighth world for players to unlock, with its own hidden treasures and new boss. With the new world comes new music from veteran composer David Wise, who composed the soundtrack for the base game. Wise has worked in gaming for more than 30 years and is probably best known for his composing work in the Donkey Kong Country series.
“On my fourth birthday, I got a present and it was Donkey Kong Country,” Smirnov said. “I always loved to play with my brother, and it changed a lot of my direction in life, because I was very inspired by the graphics and the mystical and atmospheric music.”
In addition to all the new content in the Director’s Cut, it also refines what was already there. Graphics have been upgraded, animations have improved, and performance has been optimized across all platforms.
If you’ve already bought Nikoderiko, the Director’s Cut is available as a free update and is compatible with your previous saved games, so you don’t need to start over. For the achievement hunters, the update adds new trophies and achievements on the appropriate platforms.
If you haven’t picked it up before, the Director’s Cut has replaced the base game on all platforms, so buying it now will get you the expanded version. It’s available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Amazon Luna, so it’s safe to say you probably have access to it. It's also offered on sale pretty regularly, so you can always wishlist it on your preferred platform and buy it when it's at a price you're comfortable with.
For the collectors among you, a physical release was recently announced and is scheduled to release on August 22. The base game will be available on its own, and there will also be a Collector's Edition that comes with the game, David Wise's soundtrack on CD, and an official artbook with around 100 pages.
For more information, check out the game’s official website or join the community on Twitter for updates.
Developer Sandfall Interactive has announced that the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 soundtrack has managed to top Billboard album charts in the weeks since its release.
As fans continue to flock to the mega-hit turn-based RPG, one element that seems to have almost everyone pleased is its music. It’s been a specific highlight for those discussing Sandfall’s debut title on social media, and now, that praise is being reflected across Billboard.
Head to the Billboard website and you’ll find that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 currently sits atop both the Classical Albums and Classical Crossover Albums charts. Sandfall also revealed that the soundtrack has managed to make a mark at 13 on the Official Soundtrack Album chart and 31 on the Official Album Download chart. It means players are gravitating to more than just the experience’s story and gameplay as its dreamlike tunes back the entire adventure.
The Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 soundtrack is comprised of more than 150 individual tracks, with many boasting hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify. It’s the epic Lumière that has established itself as the most popular track, though, as it has nearly 1.9 million views on YouTube and a little more than 1.9 million streams on Spotify.
A video game resonating with music fans in such a way is no doubt a feat to be proud of, but it’s especially impressive considering the soundtrack was handled by composer Lorien Testard, who, as Sandfall stated in an interview with BBC, was discovered on SoundCloud.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
With so many great games coming down the pipeline, now's a great time to hop on the Xbox Game Pass bandwagon. If some titles joining the catalog this year have caught your eye and you're itching to join in on the fun, you can choose between one or three month Game Pass Ultimate membership options at Amazon. Unfortunately, there aren't any discount deals available at the moment, but we'll update this when a new one drops.
You can learn more about options for signing up, what's coming soon to Game Pass this month, and the big releases still to come below.
While there aren't any deals available at the moment, we've included where you can buy a one month Game Pass Ultimate membership above at Amazon. This will set you back $19.99. Amazon also has a three month Game Pass Ultimate membership option available for $59.99, if you want to stock up on a few months to get you started.
What's Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass?
Game Pass has a nice rotation of new titles to play every month. If you're curious about what's in store for the start of May, we've got you covered. The Xbox Game Pass May Wave 1 lineup is:
Dredge(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – May 6 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2(Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 7 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
It's important to note that the Game Pass Standard tier (available for $14.99/month) does not give users access to day one releases - that's exclusive to the Game Pass Ultimate tier. If you're looking to play big Xbox exclusives and other new games on the day they release, you'll need to be subscribed to Game Pass Ultimate.
What Games Are Leaving Xbox Game Pass?
Unfortunately with new games joining the catalog it means a few must take their leave. Below, we've listed the games that'll be leaving Xbox Game Pass on May 15.
Brothers A Tale of Two Sons (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Chants of Sennaar (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Dune: Spice Wars (Game Preview) (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Hauntii (Cloud, Console, and PC)
The Big Con (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Biggest Games Releasing on Xbox Game Pass
Xbox's Summer Showcase last June was a massive success, revealing an incredible amount of new games coming to the platform. The showcase included Doom: The Dark Ages, Perfect Dark, Fable, Gears of War: E-Day, and so many more. But which of these titles will appear as day-one releases on Game Pass? Thankfully, quite a few! Including all of the previously mentioned titles.
The latest big release on the platform is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. In our review, IGN's Michael Higham said, "Wearing its inspirations on its sleeve, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 paints itself into the pantheon of great RPGs with a brilliant combat system and a gripping, harrowing story."
If you're looking for even more savings on all things Xbox, have a look at our roundup of the best Xbox deals. There, we've highlighted all of the latest and greatest discounts on the platform, from incredible game deals to fantastic offers on high-quality headphones. Or, if you'd rather see what's going on with other platforms, check out our roundups of the best PlayStation deals, the best Nintendo Switch deals, and our overall roundup of the best video game deals.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
The road from page to small screen for Daredevil: Born Again was rife with tweaks and rewrites, but it turns out the series that made it to air ultimately had one episode left untouched: Episode 5, the one that, believe it or not, just so happens to be star Charlie Cox’s “least favorite” of the entire season.
“I dunno if this is of interest, but I will say this amongst all of this, there was one episode we didn’t change at all,” Cox explained in a recent interview with The Playlist.
“It’s the episode in the bank, and that was part of the original [shoot]. We shot that before the strike. That was part of the original [draft], and just for my money, I wasn’t into it.”
Cox revealed to the outlet that he “pushed back against it as much as I felt was possible.” The episode in question features Cox’s character Matt Murdock (also known as the titular Daredevil) getting caught in the throes of a bank robbery while attempting to land a loan for the law firm he shares with partners Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll).
“That feels like a 1970s game,” Cox told the outlet of what he thought of the episode. “Too much technology these days for that to work. And also, I didn’t think the actual device used for the theft was sophisticated enough.”
That said, the actor also acknowledged that despite his own preferences, fans seemed to really enjoy what the episode had to offer.
“I really pushed back on the episode, and yet I hear from so many people that they love that episode. So, it just goes to show you just don’t know. It’s so subjective,” Cox added. “Everyone’s taste is different. And I’ve heard that that episode is one of the highest-rated. Internally, when they do their ratings, it’s one of the highest-rated Disney shows that they’ve had.”
Indeed, we loved Episode 5. In our Daredevil: Born Again Episodes 5 and 6 Review, we said: "It’s all just so well done. I can’t remember the last time a Marvel show had me wearing such a big smile the entire episode and had me completely captivated from start to finish. This episode also achieves something very important given the lack of Daredevil thus far: it shows what makes Matt Murdock such a unique and amazing hero, even when he’s not in costume."
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
It had been hoped that Warzone's cheating problem would improve following Verdansk’s release, but the honeymoon period has well and truly come to an end, with players reporting that cheaters are back in force.
“Geegees Cheaters...it is your game now. Enjoy,” declared redditor Patient-Author-2960. “Big congrats to all the cheaters for finally conquering the game again and donkey punching Verdansk. You guys really stuck with it, grinding those walls and aimbots to perfection. It must feel amazing to dominate lobbies without any actual skill. Welcome back.”
Amid this fresh wave of negativity, Activision has published an anti-cheat update from its Ricochet team, recapping what’s gone on with Season 3. Activision failed to address this apparent rise in Warzone cheating, but did outline the work it has been doing to address the problem of cheating generally across Warzone and Black Ops 6.
“Our commitment is to keep cheaters out of the game and, for those who make it past our initial systems, identify and remove them as quickly as possible,” Activision said.
“The Ricochet Anti-Cheat team is hard at work taking on would-be cheaters throughout the game, including those looking to steal leaderboard glory.”
Activision said it had shut down five more cheat makers since its last progress report (this is on top of the 20+ it’s shut down since Black Ops 6 came out last year), and had “disrupted” over 150 cheat sellers in the same period.
It said it had protected over 10,000 accounts that had a potential suspicious account link in Season 03 (Activision recently forced players to verify they are in control of an account if someone attempts to link a new PC account to an Activision ID). It’s also added Replay Tech Preview, a new tech that helps examine replays for faster investigation, and added new elements to the Death Widget, making KillCams clearer for players.
“The Season 03 update has made a strong impact against cheat makers and resellers,” Activision insisted. “For example, as we announced recently, Ricochet Anti-Cheat quickly detected a cheat provider that came back online after weeks of downtime, resulting in a large-scale ban wave against its customer base, forcing it offline once again.
“We’ve continued to cause chaos in the cheat marketplace and have hit a milestone of disrupting over 150 cheat resellers – shutting them down or rendering their software ineffective. And we’re not slowing down.”
Earlier this week, we detected a cheat vendor that was offline was attempting to return. Today, we shut them down (again) by issuing a large-scale ban wave against their customers.
Activision highlighted new account creation, which is a tactic cheaters use when they get booted from Warzone. This, Activision said, is “a reality” for all free-to-play games like Warzone, but it’s targeting new accounts and is now seeing “strong” results. On average from the period between Season 02 through Season 03, new accounts are banned within four matches when they cheat, Activision said.
New anti-cheat systems and upgrades are coming throughout Season 03 Reloaded – specifically with Ranked Play online in Call of Duty: Warzone – as well as upcoming seasons, Activision continued.
“Our team’s commitment remains the same. While threats continue to exist, we’re focused on strengthening the barriers to make cheating in Call of Duty a fool’s errand, eliminating as many cheaters as possible before they can impact a match, and hunting down and removing any cheating account that makes its way into the game as quickly as possible.”
Meanwhile, Activision said it has issued cease and desist demands to several companies that create and sell third-party hardware used to cheat in Call of Duty games.
“We have already seen compliance from some of the companies we’ve contacted; however, we will continue to pursue other device makers in the market, globally, as well as people that create scripts to manipulate Call of Duty game code,” Activision warned.
“These devices and scripts used to cheat in our games are not welcome. Call of Duty does not endorse the use of these products. Any account that utilizes these devices on PC or console for the purpose of cheating will be permanently banned.”
“No anti-cheat system can eliminate all threats, but we continue to deliver updates to take the legs out from under cheat makers by banning their users, forcing them offline, and reducing the time to detection for accounts that make it into the game,” Activision concluded. “Today and into the future, the Ricochet Anti-Cheat roadmap continues, with new updates being developed and deployed on a regular basis.”
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
If you've been waiting for one of the more affordable Blackwell cards to come back in stock at a reputable retailer, here's your chance to pick one up at list price. Amazon currently has the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5070 Windforce OC 12GB Graphics Card exclusively for Amazon Prime members for $609.99 with free shipping. This is an excellent GPU for gaming at up to 1440p with high framerates and supports the latest DLSS 4 technology.
Update: For a limited time, get a voucher for the upcoming Doom: The Dark Ages game with purchase.
Note that the suggested launch price of a GeForce RTX 5070 card is $549.99. There are a few models at that price point but they have been extremely hard to find in stock. This Windforce model is priced higher because it's an OC version. That said, this is currently the lowest price you'll find for a standalone 5070 GPU.
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5070 Windforce OC GPU for $609.99
Compared to the previous generation GPUs, the RTX 5070 performs comparably with the RTX 4070 Super. We wish there was a bigger generation improvement in raw performance, but the RTX 4070 Super was already an excellent card for 1080p and 1440p gaming. It also came in at a launch price of $599.99, which is only $10 less than the price of this Gigabyte 5070 model. None of this even matters anymore because it's impossible to find an RTX 4070 Super GPU for sale (at least at this price). The RTX 5070 does look and perform better than the RTX 4070 Super in games that support DLSS 4 and multi-frame generation, and it's a more future-proof card that will improve with driver optimizations.
Step up to the RTX 5070 Ti if you plan to game in 4K
The RTX 5070 GPU will be taxed if you plan to game in 4K. At that point, I'd recommend stepping up to the RTX 5070 Ti. This card is pretty much on par with the RTX 4080 Super but with the extra advantage of DLSS 4 multi-frame generation support. Walmart currently has an MSI model for $899.99. MSI is one of Nvidia's biggest AIB manufacturers around and it happens to sell its own products on the Walmart online marketplace under its subsidiary brand name "Raideals."
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The Nintendo Switch 2 launches in less than one month, so you should know that it may use some of its new features to record your audio and video chat sessions.
Nintendo clarified its intentions on the privacy policy section of its website (as spotted by NintendoSoup). It’s a recent change that might impact how players utilize devices such as the Switch 2 in their homes and on the go, as Nintendo says it “may” use your information to “provide a safe and secure environment for certain of our services.”
“Our services may allow you to create, upload or share content such as text, images, audio, video, your nickname and user icon, or other content that you create or is licensed to you,” the Your Content section of its privacy policy says.
“With your consent, and to enforce our terms, we may also monitor and record your video and audio interactions with other users. When you use any of our services that include these or other similar capabilities we may collect your content in accordance with our terms of use and this policy.”
It's worth noting Nintendo's line about needing the user's consent to monitor and record video and audio, which suggests there will be an opt-in button when setting up the Switch 2.
Still, it's an important update fans should be aware of as we inch toward the launch of the Switch 2, which is slated to arrive June 5. A new Nintendo console means new features, and this time around, one focus for the architects behind the hardware involved giving players more multiplayer communication options. Leading the charge on this initiative is a new C button, which allows users to instantly start chatting with friends across Nintendo’s online network.
Pressing the button allows players to speak with friends via a microphone built into the Switch 2 itself. Screen sharing is also available to those who wish to replicate the feeling of couch co-op with buddies outside of your play area, as is video streaming for those who purchase the new camera accessory. Video options, specifically, seem to be relatively low quality but still do the job of broadcasting your face – and potentially your environment – to your friends.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor 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).
For a limited time, Amazon is currently offering a buy one, get one half off sale on tons of different books. This sale includes anything ranging from cookbooks to young adult novels, biographies to fiction, and even some literary classics and self-help books. This sale is only limited to physical books, so this is a great way to catch up on stories or books you've missed over the years for cheap, as well as fill out your ever-crowding bookshelves. Here are some of the best books included in the sale!
While there are some great gift ideas in here, make sure to check out our guide to more Mother's Day sales for additional options.
Book Collections on sale
Included in the sale are collections of some of the best fiction around. You can pick up Sarah J. Maas' entire A Court of Thorns and Roses saga, Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games book trilogy with the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes included (her most recent novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, can be purchased separately but is still part of this sale), and deluxe pocket book-style printings of the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Biographies
You can also pick up a wide variety of autobiographies in this sale. A notable inclusion is My Next Breath: A Memoir by Jeremy Renner, where the actor details his harrowing near-death snowplow accident in 2023. He also breaks down his career, from playing Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to his iconic role in The Town. I'd also recommend Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction, which was adapted to film in 2018 and starred Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet.
Film and TV Source Material
If you're like me, you might enjoy diving into the source material of your favorite adapted shows and movies. Verity by Colleen Hoover is a fantastic thriller with some unpredictable twists with a film adaptation currently in production. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides fits this same bill. Then there's Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, author of the Martian and the much weaker Artemis that also has a film on the way starring Ryan Gosling. Finally, I highly recommend The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, as the Hulu adaptation is currently in its final season.
Literary Classics
English nerds, this sale is for you. You can pick up some timeless literary classics for super cheap. Many of these are interesting foils to current world events, so now is the best time to dive in and experience these stories. George Orwell's 1984 and Animal Farm are both available in their 75th anniversary printings. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is under $10 in paperback, and the Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (a personal favorite of mine) is a must-read.
Hulu has been around for a while and, for our money, it's one of the absolute best streaming services available. From great movies like Anatomy of a Fall and Prey to excellent television series like the Golden Globe-winningShogun, Abbott Elementary, and The Handmaid's Tale there is always something awesome to watch. We've also got the highly-anticipated Alien: Earth series on our radar this year, even though a release date is still to be announced.
How to Get The Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max Streaming Bundle
The Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle can be purchased on any of the three streaming services and starts at $16.99/month for the ad-supported tier or $29.99/month for ad-free access across all three platforms. If you're looking to cut down on streaming costs and currently own all three of these, this is an excellent bundle to invest in. It'll save you quite a bit compared to what you'd pay for the three of them separately per month - 43% on the ad-supported plan and 42% on the ad-free plan.
Hulu deal for students — Get Hulu (With Ads) for just $1.99/month
If you're a student enrolled in a university (a US Title IV accredited college or university, per Hulu's website), you can sign up for Hulu (With Ads) for $1.99 a month. That's an excellent deal if you're a student, saving you $8 on the usual monthly price.
Hulu subscription tiers
Hulu is available in a couple of different tiers. The least expensive option is the ad-supported tier, which comes in at $9.99/month. This gives you access to everything exclusive, tons of movies, Hulu Originals, children's programming, and more. If you want to ditch the ads, the ad-free plan is $18.99/month.
Hulu: Bundle to Best
If you want a more affordable option when it comes to a Hulu subscription, you can't go wrong with a bundle, and Hulu has several to choose from:
Hulu + Live TV (With Ads) —Hulu + Live TV (With Ads) is $82.99/month and includes Disney+ and ESPN+. It also gives you access to more than 75 channels with live TV and unlimited DVR functionality. The Hulu + Live TV plan also has a three-day free trialto test out the service.
Hulu + Live TV (Ad-Free) —The ad-free version of Hulu+Live TV is $95.99/month and comes with ad-free versions of Hulu and Disney Plus, although ESPN still shows ads.
Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic —This is the most economic bundle. It will set you back $10.99/month and comes with subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu. It lets you stream on multiple devices at once and comes with ad-supported versions of both Disney+ and Hulu.
Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic —This bundle adds ESPN+ into the mix alongside Disney+ and Hulu, bumping up the price to $16.99/month. You can also download and watch select content on ESPN+ at this level.
Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium — This bundle is $26.99/month and comes with ESPN+ (with ads) and ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu. You can also download select content across all three streaming services.
What can you watch on Hulu?
There is a bonkers amount of shows and movies you can watch on Hulu. Let's start at the top and simply talk about the verticals on offer with the base subscription, because if we also talk about what is available via Disney+, ESPN+, or live TV, we'll be here forever. (You can also sync up Hulu with Max to gain access to things like Succession and House of the Dragon.)
Here's what you get:
Network and Hulu Original television shows (AMC, Adult Swim, ABC, A&E, FX, etc.)
Movies (HBO, Hulu Originals, anime films, etc.)
Sports (NHL, Soccer, MLB, Auto Racing, NFL, College Football, PGA, Tennis, etc.)
News (ABC News Live, Good Morning America, World News Tonight, 20/20, The View, etc.)
Hulu television
Hulu has some amazing shows, both those that are finished and many which are ongoing. For comedy, there are plenty of options to choose from, including New Girl, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, What We Do In The Shadows, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Broad City, Abbott Elementary, and so much more.
There are also some big Hulu originals to watch, including The Bear, The Old Man, The Handmaid's Tale, and Only Murders In The Building.
As far as animated fare, there are modern adult classics like Rick and Morty and Bob's Burgers, as well as Futurama, Family Guy, and King of the Hill. Anime staples like Cowboy Bebop are also available. And if you want to bring more youth-friendly fun, Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, Adventure Time, and Curious George are just a small sample of what Hulu has available.
For a limited time, Amazon is offering the popular INIU 10,000mAh USB Power Bank with 20W Power Delivery for just $9.35 after clipping a 50% off coupon on the product page. INIU power banks have solid reviews and are less expensive than equivalent Anker models. This particular product has 1,900 reviews on Amazon with a Fakespot "A" rating. Fakespot grades reviews based on how trustworthy they appear to be.
INIU 10,000mAh Power Bank for $9.35
This INIU power bank features a 10,000mAh (37Whr) capacity, which can charge a Nintendo Switch OLED from completely empty to full about 1.9 times, an iPhone 16 about 2.2 times, and an iPhone 16 Pro Max about 1.7 times. It's equipped with three outputs: one 20W PD USB Type-C port, one 12W USB Type-C port and one USB Type-A ports that support QuickCharge 4. The USB Type-C PD port can charge Nintendo Switch at its fastest rate, which is 18W. It will also charge the iPhone 16 at nearly its fastest rate (ChargerLAB has shown that the maximum rate caps at 30W for the Pro Max).
With a power bank this small, you don't need to worry about being stopped at airports. The 10,000mAh capacity is well below TSA's 27,000mAh carry-on limit. The INIU power bank is also slim and compact so it's unlikely anyone will take notice in the first place. If a TSA official actually does take the initiative to test the wattage, you are well in the clear.
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.
Even decades after its original run, Dragon Ball Z remains one of the most popular anime series ever released. Who doesn't love watching colorful, muscular heroes battling it out with the fate of the entire world at stake?
Even as the franchise continues to grow thanks to Dragon Ball Super and the recently concluded Dragon Ball Daima, we feel now is a great time to celebrate classic DBZ and its most iconic heroes and villains. Let's count down the best characters from the show's long run, from Frieza to Vegeta to Goku.
Note: This list only covers Dragon Ball Z, not the original Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, or Dragon Ball Daima!
13. Mr. Satan/Hercule
Dragon Ball Z has a number of designated comic relief characters, but it's hard to top Mr. Satan (or Hercule, if you prefer the Funimation dub). This bombastic, self-aggrandizing fighter is only too happy to keep taking credit for the Z crew's victories, which leads to him becoming the world's most beloved celebrity by the end of the series. But on some level, we can't really blame the guy. By human standards, he actually is pretty powerful, and it's not his fault he has to try to compete with Saiyans and Namekians. Besides, he got the chance to fight a resurrected Hitler in the Fusion Reborn movie, and that has to count for something.
12. Majin Buu
As the final main villain of the series, Majin Buu doesnt quite hold up to previous baddies like Frieza and Cell, but he's still pretty imposing in his own right. He's by far the most powerful of the many fighters Goku and friends square off against in the series. What really makes Buu stand out is the fact that he has so many forms, each with their own personality and motivations. Every time our heroes think they've achieved the power necessary to conquer this ancient evil, he transforms and resets the game board all over again.
11. Videl
She may be a relatively late addition to the series, but Video definitely ranks among the show's best female characters. It's a lot of fun watching her friendship/romance with Gohan develop in the early course of the Buu Saga, especially as Videl butts heads with the equally headstrong Chi-Chi. It also quickly becomes clear that Videl is the powerful, noble fighter her father wishes he could be. She's not able to contribute much as the Buu Saga wears on, but Videl remains one of the best later additions to the DBZ saga.
10. Bulma
Bulma isn't quite as central to the Dragon Ball Z saga as she is the original Dragon Ball, but she's still a character worth highlighting. The rare science dork amid a sea of musclebound fighters, Bulma is always happy to save the day with a handy gadget or three. Where would our heroes be without her trusty array of Capsule Corp. accessories? Bulma's unlikely romance with Vegeta also proves to be one of the series' more compelling subplots. She's come a long way since her very first team-up with Goku.
9. Android 18
While the line between good and evil is usually pretty well defined in the DBZ-verse, there are exceptions. Android 18 is certainly one such case. One of the world-conquering androids Future Trunks is sent to warn our heroes about, 18 quickly proves herself to be more than just a killing machine. Her independent streak and sarcastic sense of humor reveal a deep-seated humanity Dr. Gero couldn't quite snuff out. By the end of the series, 18 has given up her original programming in favor of starting a family with Krillin. It's a shame the series never shows us more of how that relationship developed, but 18 nonetheless ranks among the series' more intriguing and nuanced characters.
8. Cell
The ultimate creation of Dr. Gero, Cell is a creature who has near limitless growth potential. What is most interesting about him, though, is that he is willing to wait for characters to reach their full potential. He could simply kill everyone with his immense power, but often he is seen stalling and waiting, as he wants to battle the heroes of Earth when they are at their true potential.
If not quite the greatest villain in DBZ history, Cell is certainly responsible for some of the series' best moments. Who can forget the tragic death of Android 16, spurring Gohan to unleash his true power? And don't forget the dramatic final showdown, when the late Goku returns to help his son finally destroy this all-powerful threat to humanity.
7. Krillin
You really can’t make a list about Dragon Ball Z without including Krillin, Goku’s longtime friend and training partner. Although his power is quickly outpaced by Goku during the events of Dragon Ball Z, Krillin is always around and ready to fight, even if it often does mean he gets beat up. In fact, Krillin's poor fighting record has become a bit of a running joke at this point. The most memorable of his many deaths occurs at the hands of Frieza, something Krillin himself has never forgotten. However, it was not entirely in vain, as his death served to spark the initial Super Saiyan transformation in Goku. He may never be the strongest, or the most... alive, but Krillin is always there for his friends, and that’s what makes him number seven on our list.
6. Trunks
Trunks is unique among the DBZ fighters in that he appears in two completely different forms over the course of the series. We first meet Trunks early in the Cell Saga, as a battle-hardened teen warrior from the future with a dire message. Trunks makes quite the first impression, handily dispatching both Mecha-Frieza and King Cold with a few lightning-quick sword slashes, and he continues to gain new layers over the course of that storyline and the tie-in movie, The History of Trunks.
Later, fans meet the younger version of Trunks, a boy no longer burdened by growing up in a hellish world of evil androids. Along with his BFF Goten, Trunks is the source of endless comedic relief during the Buu Saga. Whichever version you prefer, he's a worthy addition to the series' cast.
5. Piccolo
Piccolo did quite the 180 over the course of DBZ. It's easy to forget he was the main villain in the final story arc in the original Dragon Ball. Piccolo slowly morphs from Goku's mortal enemy to reluctant ally to outright friend over the course of the series. Whatever differences the two warriors might once have had, Piccolo is redeemed after taking a strong interest in young Gohan, helping nurture his pupil's immense hidden power. Piccolo is also notable for being the one non-Saiyan character who can keep up with the likes of Goku and Vegeta, thanks mainly to his habit of fusing with fellow Namekians like Nail and his doppelganger Kami.
4. Gohan
Goku's older son Gohan could potentially be the strongest fighter in the series. Sadly, that potential is never fully realized, as he would rather live his life as a pacifist, only fighting in times of true need. Even with that mentality, though, Gohan has been involved in some of the largest and most memorable moments of the entire franchise. We are teased throughout the series that his inner potential is greater than anyone's, and we see an example of this when he becomes the first Super Saiyan 2 in order to defeat Cell. His potential is further unlocked during the Buu Saga, when he gains the ability to go into an Ultimate form, totally separate from his Saiyan forms. Perhaps he never truly eclipses his father in terms of power, but in many ways Gohan is the true heart and soul of DBZ.
3. Frieza
He may not be anywhere near the most powerful villain by the series' end, but Frieza's capacity for evil is unrivaled. Frieza and the rest of his family rule over a massive space empire, and they clearly prefer to do so with an iron fist. Even before meeting Goku, we learn that Frieza has destroyed countless worlds, killed millions of people and was responsible for the destruction of Planet Vegeta, the homeworld of the Saiyans. Once we do meet him in the series, his evil ways are further displayed as he kills and tortures the people of Namek to obtain their Dragon Balls. He kills Krillin, and in his last act, destroys the planet Namek in an attempt to kill Goku. Years after his original debut, there has still been no villain who can match Frieza’s ruthless, evil ways, and for this reason he makes it to number three on our list.
2. Goku
Goku is the main character of the Dragon Ball saga, and it only makes sense he'd rank very high on this list as one of the most recognizable anime characters. Time and again, Goku proves himself to be the hero his adoptive home planet needs. He always digs deep and finds a new reservoir of strength or a new level of Super Saiyan-hood to overcome the mightiest opponents the universe has to offer. No one, not Frieza, Broly or Buu, can truly defeat the ultimate Saiyan warrior.
Goku is also a fundamentally good guy. He wants nothing more than to train hard, prove his mettle and come home to a good meal. Maybe that makes him simpler and less complex than his archrival Vegeta, but you have to admire Goku's consistency over the years.
1. Vegeta
No character experiences a greater or better-defined arc over the course of Dragon Ball Z than Vegeta. When we first meet him, this prince of the lost Saiyan Empire is a planet-destroying bully come to conquer Earth. But over the course of the series, Vegeta evolves from foe to reluctant friend of the Z Fighters. He even settles down with Bulma and starts a family. But even when he turns over a new leaf, Vegeta has a habit of putting his rivalry with Goku ahead of the planet's best interests.
Vegeta is the series' greatest character because he's also the most fascinating. He's cursed to always be second best. No amount of high-gravity training or death-defying schemes will allow Vegeta to stay ahead of Goku for long. But that doesn't stop him from trying, and that's why we love him.
Do you agree with our picks? Does the #1 choice make you want to go Super Saiyan? Sound off in the comments below! You can also check our selection of Dragon Ball Z action figures to add them to your collection.
Note: this article was originally published on 9/16/2021 and updated on 5/7/2025.
One of the great things about Elden Ring has always been the diversity of playstyles it enables, and one of my favorite playstyles is loading up on Strength, grabbing the largest weapon I can find, and crushing foes with posture-breaking jumping attacks and charged-up heavy strikes. If that’s you too, then allow me to introduce you to the Raider in Nightreign (see the video below).
While the Guardian — the other big burly class with lots of health and an affinity for big weapons — is more focused on defense with a shield as a starter weapon and an ultimate ability that can mitigate damage for the entire party for an extended period of time, the Raider is designed as an absolute offensive powerhouse.
The most important ability of the Raider is Retaliate, which initially may not seem like a very strong skill on its own — it’s just two stomps that deal a bit of physical and poise damage. But the real magic is that thanks to the Raider’s passive, he cannot be knocked down while doing Retaliate. This means that the Raider basically has a free damage-soaking technique that will let you totally armor through pretty much any enemy or boss attack, with the added bonus of that weak second stomp getting replaced by an extremely powerful punch that will stagger even the largest enemies, if you manage to absorb an attack that would’ve done a substantial amount of damage.
Then there is the Raider’s ultimate, Totem Stela, which has him slamming the ground and causing a large totem to erupt, dealing big damage to anything around it. Like all of the other Ultimates in Nightreign, this is an incredibly powerful technique that can alter the tide of a fight. Not only does it deal big damage, but the totem is climbable, giving both you and your teammates either a safe place to lay low, or a vantage point to hit. In addition to that, it also gives everyone a damage buff as well, meaning it's one of the first ults you’ll want to coordinate using so that the rest of the team can benefit from it.
Of all the classes I've played in Nightreign, the raider was the one I had the most fun with.
The Raider starts with the Raider’s Greavtaxe, which is a pretty solid starting weapon that deals some fire damage and has the “Endure” skill affixed to it, which basically gives you another way to absorb and power through enemy attacks in case Retaliate is on cooldown. Still, you’ll definitely want to find a better weapon as the nights get closer, and large strength-scaling weapons are definitely the Raider’s go-to style of weapon.
Of all the classes I’ve played in Nightreign, the Raider is definitely the one that I’ve had the most fun with. It’s the one that is most well-suited for one-on-one battles, which is appropriate because its Remembrances (we’ll talk about those later on in the month) have you fighting in one-on-one boss fights in a sort of gladiatorial arena, which is a nice change of pace.
That's all for our hands-on impressions of Nightreign's classes, but stay tuned all throughout the month in depth looks at the mechanics of Nightreign, along with interviews with the developers, and more as IGN First continues on.
Mitchell Saltzman is an editorial producer at IGN. You can find him on twitter @JurassicRabbit
Discover the secrets at the heart of a mysterious Monolith in Empyreal, a single-player third-person action RPG from UK indie developer Silent Games. In Empyreal, you play as a lone mercenary who has made their way to a distant planet with the aim of helping the Expedition delving inside the Monolith, defeating the enemies within and uncovering the secrets of the universe. With level-changing items, unique weapon archetypes and multiple questlines, how you explore the Monolith is up to you – here are five things to know to prepare you for Empyreal.
CARTOGRAMS
Within the Monolith are four Quadrants, each housing a variety of crafted levels for you to explore. While the level layout of the Quadrants remain the same, the enemies, loot, boss and number of lives change depending on the Cartogram you select. At their core, Cartograms are level-altering items that are looted from enemies or given to you by NPCs – the random attributes they apply affect each level and dictate the loot players will find throughout the level, the number of lives they have (known as Reset Charges), enemy types and the enemy boss, as well as the loot the boss can drop once they’re defeated.
The randomised nature of Cartograms means players will experience a new adventure every time they enter the Monolith – and be sure to explore every inch of the level to find all the loot it offers, as Cartograms can’t be re-entered after completion or after losing your Reset Charges. Don’t worry about failing any story-essential ones though, those Cartograms can be entered no matter how many times you fail.
WEAPON ARCHETYPES
Inside the Monolith are fearsome automatons that stand in your way - how will you dispatch them? Well, that depends on your weapon. Empyreal features three weapon archetypes, and each one has its own unique move set and offers a variety of different ways to play. The Glaive is a fast-paced, acrobatic weapon that relies on deflecting and dodging. The Mace and Shield is the slower, more defensive option where you can absorb damage and send it back to enemies. Last up is the Cannon, a ranged weapon with three ammunition types – performing perfect reloads to switch between ammo is a skill you’ll have to master to mitigate being vulnerable in close-combat.
Empyreal doesn’t lock players into a specific class, so as you explore the Monolith and pick up new weapons and equipment you’re free to switch it up and try out a new archetype when you’re preparing between Cartograms. So while you’ll likely find a weapon that fits your playstyle, sometimes a weapon loot drop might be so good you have to try it out.
ABILITIES
Beyond weapons, abilities are the next essential tool in your arsenal to overcome the challenges posed by the Monolith. Abilities are designed to be used often and in combination with each other in fun and inventive ways. The number of abilities on hand at any one time is limited to four, plus one ultimate, so it’s best to strategise about what works well together. For example, Drain Essence is an ability that greatly reduces enemy HP for a short time, while Pommel Strike inflicts stunning damage – use both together, followed up by a ‘coup de grace’ finishing move, to make short work of an enemy.
Making an effective build with abilities that reflect your playstyle is possible due to Empyreal’s lack of skill tree – players aren’t locked into rigid progression, so feel free to mix and match abilities and discover what works best for you.
QUESTLINES
Just because you’re a lone mercenary doesn’t mean you're alone. In between trips to the Monolith you’ll spend time in the Hub, a central area filled with members of the Expedition exploring the planet. Visit the merchants to pick up new items and upgrade gear and speak to NPCs to hear their stories and uncover more about the world of Empyreal. Each character has their own personal questline which you can follow and help with, with each of them having multiple endings depending on your actions – you can even fail them outright.
Help these members of the Expedition with their branching stories by speaking with them or bringing them gifts and not only will you uncover more about the origins of the Monolith, but you’ll be rewarded with passive abilities and gear sets which will help in combat.
ASYNCHRONOUS MULTIPLAYER
Empyreal is a single-player game, but the asynchronous multiplayer features mean you can feel like other players have got your back. After defeating an enemy boss, a tear in the aether will appear. Interacting with the tear will let players donate the highest-rarity piece of gear they’ve looted in the Cartogram, which is randomly gifted to another player once they complete their own Cartogram. It might leave you at a slight disadvantage, but the receiving player will see the gear’s stats massively increased and therefore be even more helpful to its recipient.
Players can also gift Reset Charges to defeated players, giving them another chance when they’re on the brink of death. You can also buy and sell Cartograms at the Trading Post in the Hub if you’re looking for particular loot drops, and help friends rather than strangers by directly sending items through the in-game mail.
Want to know more about Empyreal? There’s no better way than playing the game itself, which you can do when Empyreal launches on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on 8 May 2025.
Considering what it offers, Disney Plus is one of the best streaming services on the block. From classic Disney animated films to the latest Marvel shows and Star Wars movies, excellent kids' programming like Bluey, and so much more, Disney Plus puts an incredible range of high-quality viewing options at your fingertips. And with so much to check out, including season 2 of Andor - we recently gave the third chapter of the second season a 10/10 - you'll want to find a plan that best suits you. We're here to help.
At the moment, one of the best Disney Plus bundle deals available is the massive Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle. This starts at $16.99/month to get you all three streaming services with ads. It's one of the best bundles available at the moment, but we've included more Disney Plus bundle deals worth exploring below. If you're looking for more streaming deals from other services, check out the best Hulu deals and bundles and the best Max deals.
How to Get the Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max Streaming Bundle
The Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle can be purchased through any of the three streaming services and starts at $16.99/month for the ad-supported tier or $29.99/month for ad-free access across the three platforms.
If you currently own all three and want to cut down on costs, this is a great way to bundle them together and save big on what you'd pay for them separately per month – 43% on the ad-supported plan and 42% on the ad-free plan.
What Is the New Paid Sharing Plan on Disney Plus?
In an effort to crack down on password sharing, Disney has unveiled a paid sharing plan for individuals outside of your household. Basically, anyone using your account that's not within your household will have to be added as an "Extra Member" to your account. This costs an additional $6.99/month for the ad-supported Basic subscription and $9.99/month for the Premium ad-free plan, and only one Extra Member slot is available per account. You can learn more from Disney's paid sharing explainer here.
What Are the Different Disney+ Subscription Tiers?
Disney+ is available in a couple of different tiers. You can get the least expensive option (called Disney+ Basic) for $9.99/month, which gives you access to everything except the ability to download select shows to watch on the go. This tier is ad supported. If you want to get rid of ads and be able to download certain shows, you can spring for the $15.99/month or $159.99/year Disney+ Premium package.
What Are the Different Disney+ Bundles?
Want a way to save on your Disney+ membership? Bundles are a great, affordable way to go. As far as bundles go, there are two ad-supported bundles and two ad-free bundles. Here's the breakdown:
Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic is $10.99/month and comes with subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu. This plan lets you stream on multiple devices at once and comes with ad-supported versions of both services.
Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium is $19.99/month and comes with Hulu and Disney+ with no ads. It also includes Disney+ Premium features like the ability to download shows to watch on the go.
Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic adds ESPN+ (With Ads) to the mix alongside Disney+ (With Ads) and Hulu (With Ads), bumping up the price to $16.99/month. You can also download and watch select content on ESPN+ at this level.
Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium is $26.99/month and comes with ESPN+ (With Ads) and ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu. You can also download select content across all three streaming services.
Disney+ Gift Cards
If you want to help someone out and give them a gift that will keep on giving, gifting a one-year Disney+ card is a great way to go. It provides all the great things Disney+ offers and it costs a fraction of what it would take to buy even a small sampling of those movies physically.
What Can You Watch on Disney+?
There is a bonkers array of shows and movies you can watch on Disney+. Let's start at the top and simply talk about the verticals on offer here with the base subscription.
Here's what you get:
Disney
Pixar
Marvel
Star Wars
National Geographic
Disney on Disney+
On the Disney front, you have awesome classic movies like The Sword In The Stone, Robin Hood, 101 Dalmations, Hercules, and Sleeping Beauty, modern classics like The Princess & The Frog, Tangled, and Frozen, and a wide range of animated shows, including Phineas & Ferb.
You also gain access to a ton of vintage content like Escape to Witch Mountain, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Love Bug, and a whole lot more. The Disney Junior section is home to absolutely top tier animated shows like Bluey (which, for my money, is worth the price of admission on its own).
There's way more on offer, too, including a ton of Muppet movies, new live-action films and adaptions, nature programs, documentaries, Pirates of the Caribbean, and musical programs featuring Taylor Swift (like her wildly popular The Eras Tour), Elton John, Ed Sheeran, and more.
Pixar on Disney+
When it comes to computer generated films, Pixar stands alone. Kicking off the revolution with Toy Story, Pixar has consistently put out fantastic films, and they are all here. From the Toy Story series to Finding Nemo, Cars, and more recent hits like Inside Out 2, there is a ton to love.
Beyond even that, there are incredible shorts like Bao and Party Central, as well as a wide range of originals and series based on major films, such as Dory's Reef Cam, Forky Asks A Question, Cars On The Road, and more.
Marvel on Disney+
The MCU has become a true juggernaut, and there are many viewers who subscribe to Disney+ purely for access to nearly the entire MCU lineup of films and shows.
Whether you are a fan of the blockbuster action films, you are an appreciator of the classic 90s runs of "Saturday morning" cartoons like X-Men, or you are currently vibing to the funky theme of the 1981 Spider-Man series, there is a ton of Marvel to enjoy on Disney+. And with new movies and shows being added to the MCU all the time, including most recently Deadpool & Wolverine and Your Friendly Neigborhood Spider-Man, there is always more coming.
Star Wars on Disney+
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a film that changed everything. The original Star Wars is a seminal sci-fi fantasy work that inspired generations of creators, but there is still nothing quite like that far away galaxy. Disney+ grants access to all things Star Wars, including the remastered versions of the original trilogy (hopefully some day they'll add the theatrical cuts, too), as well as the prequels and sequels.
You can also stay up-to-date on all the latest shows, including The Mandalorian and the critically-lauded Andor, which some viewers say is "the best Star Wars has ever been." There are also fantastic short series like Star Wars Visions, and longer-form series like The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, Young Jedi Adventures, and a whole lot more.
Edward Berger’s sensational papal thriller Conclave took moviegoers by storm last year, showing a side of Catholicism that most people simply have never been exposed to: the ritualistic election of a sitting pope. Now that Cardinals from around the world are about to participate in an actual conclave for real, it seems as though the power of film is on full display... because some of the real life religious leaders who will participate have looked to the film for guidance.
According to a papal cleric involved in the conclave ritual who spoke to politics and current events outlet Politico, Berger’s film — which stars legendary actor Ralph Fiennes as the dean of the College of Cardinals, otherwise known as the leader of a conclave — is being seen as “remarkably accurate even by Cardinals.” The cleric also remarked that “some [Cardinals] have watched it in the cinema.”
Pope Francis died in late April, less than six months after the film was released. His death triggered the conclave process, in which 133 high-ranking clerics of the church throughout the globe will meet in the Sistine Chapel to petition and vote for the next leader of Catholicism worldwide.
The majority of those who will be in Rome beginning on Wednesday, May 7 were appointed by Pope Francis himself, and thus have never participated in this ritual before — so it’s actually not all that surprising that the film would give them some insight they otherwise might have a hard time getting, especially those from smaller and more remote parishes throughout the world.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
Whether you're looking to save on games, storage, or accessories, there are plenty of Nintendo Switch deals to check out right now. We've gathered up some of the best Switch deals currently available, including discounts on Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 and Super Mario RPG. You can see these deals and even more of our favorites at the moment below. For more updates on the latest discounts, follow @IGNDeals on Twitter/X.
Nintendo Switch 2 Preorder Information
The Nintendo Switch 2 is currently out of stock at numerous retailers right now, but don't let that get you down. If you're still hoping to get your hands on Nintendo's new console, bookmark our Nintendo Switch 2 preorder guide to stay up to date on restocks. For instant updates on what's going on, it's also worth following @IGNDeals on Twitter/X and Bluesky. Keep in mind that My Nintendo Store's preorder invites will be sent out tomorrow, May 8, onwards.
Best Nintendo Switch Game Deals
While Woot's Spring Sale is still going strong - with great deals on Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1, Super Mario RPG, and more - Amazon's also offering some great discounts at the moment. This includes deals on Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics and Life Is Strange: Double Exposure. You can see those deals and many more of our favorites above.
Preorder the LEGO Mario Kart Set - Out Soon!
While not a deal, the Mario Kart LEGO set that dropped on MAR10 Day this year is up for preorder, priced at $169.99 andreleasing very soon on May 15. Complete with 1,972 pieces, this set features the man himself in his Standard Kart. It also comes with a display stand to show it speeding off among your collectibles.
Best Switch Micro SD Card Deals
The best Switch SD card should be fast and reliable. Therefore, you're going to want to opt for a micro SDXC UHS-I U3 A2 V30 memory card. That's a lot of random letters, so to save you a bit of time we've left our top suggestions and deals below for your convenience. We've also included a selection of Switch 2 compatible MicroSD express cards if you're planning on picking up the brand new console.
Switch 2 Compatible MicroSD Express Cards
Best Nintendo Switch Accessory Deals
Whether you're looking for a new controller or case for your Switch, there are quite a few different accessory deals that are worth checking out. Here, we've listed just a few of our favorite discounts at the moment, including a deal on a two-pack of amFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protectors for $8.99 for the Nintendo Switch 2. This is a great deal to take advantage of to pick up a little bit of added protection for the new console.
Looking for a new power bank to keep your Switch charged up? Thankfully, there are some nice deals to check out at the moment. Our favorite picks right now are over at Amazon, where the INIU power bank has gotten a great discount down to $15.99 and the Anker 737 has dropped down to $87.99.
When Should You Buy a Nintendo Switch?
The short answer is that you should buy a Nintendo Switch whenever there’s any kind of sale, regardless of the time of year. Amazon will likely offer the same console bundles on any other sale as it will on Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day, so there’s no real reason to wait if you’re in need of a Nintendo Switch.
That being said, there are sometimes some unique bundles and promotions during Black Friday that you won’t find any other time of the year. They usually include additional games (like the famous Mario Kart 8 bundle) or Switch accessories for free, but quantities tend to be limited. As always, do your research into the seller before you make a purchase and keep in mind that the Nintendo Switch 2 is coming soon.
With how expensive gaming is getting in 2025, we're trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We've got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as PlayStation and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand-new offers. If you're trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Lionsgate debuted the first trailer today for The Long Walk, an upcoming survival thriller directed by Hunger Games franchise veteran Francis Lawrence and based on the first novel written by Stephen King (under his then-pseudonym Richard Bachman).
The Long Walk is set in a dystopian near-future where a group of young men join a competition to walk as far as they can for as long as they can without stopping. The last one standing wins. What about the ones who can’t keep walking? Two warnings are given; the final one is a bullet. No matter the pain, no matter how grueling the journey, you walk or you die.
Watch the first trailer for The Long Walk below:
The film stars Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza) as Raymond Garraty and David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus) as Peter McVries, while Mark Hamill goes to the dark side as the sinister Major, leader of the competition’s military escort. Hoffman is the son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who Lawrence directed in three Hunger Games films.
Here’s what Francis Lawrence told me this week about bringing The Long Walk – which the director calls “one of my favorite, if not my favorite, Stephen King book” – to the big screen. (This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.)
From The Hunger Games to The Long Walk
Francis Lawrence: I think what I really loved, and especially because this is way pre-Hunger Games, was I love the conceit. I think part of it is just the idea of walk at a certain pace and how long can you go without dipping below that speed, and what do you do when you need to eat, when you need to drink, when you need to go to the bathroom, and in the middle of the night when you're getting tired and dozing off and all of that. I think when you have that kind of a conceit, you get the audience to imagine themselves in the character's shoes, no pun intended, to really try and imagine themselves what it would be like and whether or not they could do it.
The thing that I really love and loved from the very beginning, and that's the thing that I think this movie is really about, is the relationships between all these young men. And it's one thing that really differentiates from The Hunger Games. Of course, there's relationships that are formed in those movies too, but this one is really about the camaraderie of these boys, and that's the heart and soul of the story of the core ensemble, but really of McVries and Garraty, the sort of two leads of the movie. And it was that that really, really sold me because they felt like real grounded, authentic young men. Stephen King wrote this when he was very, very young, but those relationships and that dialogue still holds up today. I think it's so timeless and the relationships are timeless. I just found it to be a really beautiful story, which is a weird thing to say with how intense it is and how violence it is. I think it actually is quite beautiful because of the relationships.
How Difficult Is it to Shoot a Movie That’s All Walking All the Time?
Francis Lawrence: We shot this movie chronologically and that's not something that I've ever gotten to do. There's just no movie that's been built in a way that sort of afforded me that opportunity. But because of the nature of this movie, these young men gather, they all meet each other, and once they start walking, every day, the location changes and you're in a new scene. And so we could choose chronologically, and I did worry a little bit in the very beginning about how I shoot these guys, how I block them, how do you shoot them walking, talking, doing all these things. And what I realized that the important thing is in this, again, is the camaraderie, as it's the heart of the story. … I have to really focus on the characters and what the characters are going through physically, psychologically, emotionally with one another, seeing the degradation over time and over days and after nights and when the group's whittling away.
Another thing that also helps is the change of locations [and] what is the kind of weather of the day, which is something that we are very much sort of at the whim of. If a scene was written as a rainy scene but we show up and it's 100 degrees out, it now turns into a scene about sweltering heat. And that's another thing that happens in these sequences. So, you have this variety: it could be early foggy morning, it could be raining, it could be 100 degrees, there could be bugs. There's all these different things that are happening and that make each of the sort of scenes and sequences have different emotional values. And that's really what I focused on, as opposed to just trying to get fancy with how do I shoot them walking.
I wanted to be really anchored with the boys, and that meant that we were always moving with them. So, there's very few shots. There's some sort of establishers that are sort of long lens shots from a distance, but usually we are right there in with the boys moving along with them three miles an hour down stretches of highways and roads and things like that. So, when you're doing that and you're really in the mix, there truly is really only a handful of angles that you can use to convey what we want to convey.
Walk a Mile (or 350) in My Shoes
Francis Lawrence: Physically, it took a toll. I think somebody clocked in that, in the movie, they walk like 336 miles over 4 or 5 days or something, and we walked probably close to 350 miles making the movie. I will say I think that was good for the actors and they really embraced it. But what was fascinating, and this actually really mirrors the characters, these are young men and with not fully formed frontal cortexes, right?
So, they come in like, "Oh, this is going to be great. We're all going to do this movie where we're walking, and then we love these characters," and they're all gung ho, just like all the guys are at the beginning of the movie and the gun goes off, they start walking and a week into it, they're all like, "What the fuck have we gotten ourselves into?"
We're walking three quarters of a mile for every take in certain scenes, and then going back to one and doing it again and doing it all day, and there were blisters and sunburns and people had to learn how to wrap their feet. But when you see some people limping, it was because they were wiped out and people lost weight, and it was pretty incredible.
Casting Star Wars Hero Mark Hamill as a Stephen King Villain
Francis Lawrence: I've been a fan since I was a kid. I mean, I saw Star Wars when I was seven, and so that was just a huge movie for me. I think anybody in my generation is just so changed by witnessing the Star Wars movies. So, he's an icon and a legend, but I will say it was the later ones. It was the J.J. [Abrams] Star Wars where I saw him and I hadn't seen him in so long, and there was just this kind of weariness to him and a gravitas to him that, quite honestly, I didn't know he really had.
But I did also know that he had done a ton of voice work, and I don't think a lot of people really know how much voice work he's done. And he has real command over dialect and the kind of tone and the timbre of his voice and things like that. And I thought, "God, you know, there'd be something really interesting about him playing this part." Because I didn't want to go down the route where you get some real military guy, usually a military consultant and just sounds official. And I wanted somebody, again, with more complexity that just had kind of a weariness to him, but with gravitas.
He and I had a great Zoom [chat] and discovered that he had, as a kid, moved around from military base to military base with his family, and he knew these guys, these types of guys, and so he could just kind of go into this kind of mishmash of various people he had met over the years as a child and kind of conjured up his version of the Major. But it was just fantastic to work with him. But I think it was really him in J.J.'s movie [that] sort of shifted my view of the kinds of roles that he could play.
The Long Walk opens in theaters on September 12th.
2-in-1 laptops that are aimed at gamers are already a rarity, let alone Windows-based gaming tablets, but that's exactly what the new Asus ROG Flow Z13 delivers and it's more than a little impressive. Featuring AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ 395, it offers gaming performance that rivals dedicated laptop graphics cards while also offering much better battery life and portability. A proper gaming laptop will still be a better choice for most gamers due to price alone, but the ROG Flow Z13 is a showcase for how far integrated graphics have come and what we can expect from them in the future.
Asus ROG Flow Z13 – Design and Features
The ROG Flow Z13 is a 13.4-inch Windows tablet that includes a detachable keyboard. Imagine a Microsoft Surface pulled straight from the universe of Blade Runner, and you'll be on the right track for its aesthetic. It's significantly thicker than the Surface, measuring a hair over a half inch at its thinnest point, and is adorned with the cybernetic tracings the ROG brand has become synonymous with. There's even a small viewing window that reveals the circuit board inside, illuminated with RGB backlighting that earns it some extra style points.
The added bit of thickness is forgivable when you look at its significantly more powerful internals. This is far more than an average tablet or even an average gaming tablet at that – rather it’s a proper PC that takes shape in tablet form, and that demands extra cooling which accounts for its thicker yet still portable size. There's little you can't do with it thanks to its powerful processor and impressively fast memory, and that includes dedicated gaming that doesn't force you to turn the settings to their minimum or drop the resolution just because it uses an integrated GPU. Make no mistake, the Asus ROG Flow Z13 is the dream gaming tablet in that it is a high-performance gaming laptop with a detachable keyboard.
Asus has more than just gamers in mind, however. You can tell that by its configurable memory, which can go all the way to 128GB if you have the cash to pay for it. That's significantly more than most gaming laptops can even support, let alone be configured such straight from the factory. But here, Asus presents us with a device aimed squarely at the cross-section between gamers, digital artists, 3D modelers, video editors and content creators more broadly, as well as anyone who wants to run local large language models (LLMs). It's also a good fit for students and professionals with deep pockets. Bring a stylus of your own, and it becomes an exceptional tool for handwritten notes.
All of this doesn’t come cheap. The model we were sent, which includes the minimum amount of RAM (32GB) and storage (1TB), will set you back $2,299. Doubling the memory to 64GB brings the price to $2,399 and the full 128GB version runs a steep $2,799. Of those three, the 64GB model feels like the best middle ground, since an extra $100 for an additional 32GB of memory isn’t a bad deal.
The flip side is that the system isn't upgradable after the fact. The RAM is soldered into the system as part of the CPU package which is how it’s able to achieve its exceptionally fast 8,000Hz memory speed. Its storage can be upgraded and is surprisingly easy to access with a small latch on the back of the screen. There's only a single slot, however, so if you upgrade, you'll also need to reinstall Windows and all of the laptop's stock applications over again. It also only supports the smaller M.2 2230 size, which, as of this writing, only goes up to 2TB.
Price and upgradability aside, the ROG Flow Z13 is a state-of-the-art 2-in-1 in many different ways. It has a premium fit and finish with an all-aluminum chassis, with plentiful venting to exhaust heat from the bottom and the sides. There's a built-in kickstand on the back to keep it upright, with heavy-duty metal hinges capable of holding it upright at very narrow angles. It has great connectivity options (with two USB-C ports, and USB-A 3.2 port, HDMI 2.1 out), and the buttons for onboard controls along its sides feel solid and tactile.
The included keyboard cover is also very good, which attaches magnetically to the screen very easily and stays put once it's in place. I was able to reposition the tablet any way that I liked without the keyboard case ever coming off. It's able to lock in at a slight angle, which I found more comfortable for typing, or lay completely flat to get rid of the small amount of flex in its typing experience.
It's one of the best keyboard case typing experiences I've had thus far, with solid travel and tactility in each keystroke, as well as per-key RGB backlighting. It also includes a large touchpad with integrated buttons that works reliably and didn't cause any ghost gestures throughout my entire testing period.
The display isn’t OLED, but it’s a good example of how good a high-quality IPS screen can look. You may expect a product of this caliber to go with OLED, but its screen is bright, fast, and vibrant while also lacking any risk of image burn-in or the haloing issues common to mini-LED displays.
Spec-wise, the display checks all of the right boxes. It has a high pixel density with its 2560x1600 resolution (the 16:10 version of roughly 1440p) and looks exceptionally crisp. It’s rated for a peak brightness of 500 nits with a 1,500:1 contrast ratio, and runs at a smooth 180Hz refresh rate. It covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color space and is Pantone and Dolby Vision certified.
The star of the show is its processor – the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 is the latest entry in AMD’s AI-enabled processor line. The Max+ indicates its higher level of performance versus the already impressive HX series (including the HX 370 that I’ve reviewed in multiple systems at this point). It’s a 12-core, 24-thread CPU with a max clock speed of 5.0GHz and a whopping 76MB of cache – far more than is typical on a mobile processor like this one.
It offers gaming performance that rivals dedicated laptop graphics cards while also offering much better battery life and portability.
That cache is important because it directly translates into performance. The larger the cache store, the more data the processor can store and access rapidly, which is exactly what you want for gaming. Likewise, the chipset is designed to provide the processor with a direct line to the system’s memory. It’s how Asus was able to achieve such a high speed and why it’s not upgradeable by the end-user.
The true ace up its sleeve, however, is its integrated graphics chip: the Radeon 8060S. It’s the first iGPU we’ve tested from Asus’s Strix Halo RDNA 3.5 lineup, and it’s more than a little impressive with its 40 compute units and boost clock speed of 2900MHz. For 1080p gaming, its performance lands around the RTX 4060 laptop GPU while using significantly less power, generating less heat, less noise, and allowing the ROG Flow Z13 to be as lightweight and portable as it is. For the people who would consider a high performance 2-in-1 in general, it’s a big benefit that lends the device far more utility than it would otherwise have.
As a result of its efficiency, and the need for portability, Asus equipped the Z13 with a 70WHr battery. It’s nowhere near the largest at this price point but given the AI Max+ processor and less power-hungry hardware elsewhere (such as the screen when compared with OLED), it’s able to offer similar battery life in day to day tasks and better battery life than a typical gaming laptop can when actually running games.
Another point in its favor is its generous selection of ports for a tablet. Often, tablets have one or two USB Type-C ports and little else. Here, you get those two ports (both USB-C 4 with DisplayPort and PD support), a 10Gbps USB Type-A, a full-size HDMI 2.1, a microSD card reader, and a headset jack. There’s also a port for the system’s 200-watt power brick – something you’ll need to unlock Turbo performance mode but isn’t necessary for its standard performance mode and recharging the battery over USB-C.
Since it’s a laptop as well as a tablet, it includes cameras on both the front and back. The rear-facing camera is 13MP but isn’t very sharp. It’s one of the few areas of the system that feels like an afterthought, but it’s also the most likely piece to see regular use in the whole system. The front facing camera is 5MP and is definitely sharper, but struggles a bit with challenging lighting and bright windows. It will work for meetings and classes, however, but I wouldn’t use it for streaming or making videos personally.
Finally, the speakers on the laptop are decent and free of distortion even on their highest volume but lack some of the body found on Asus’s normal gaming laptops. I was impressed at the amount of detail they were able to present at max volume, but when pushed to its limit, it can sound a touch shrill. They can certainly work in a pinch for videos or gaming, but like usual, a solid gaming headset or pair of earbuds is going to offer a better experience.
Asus ROG Flow Z13 – Software
The ROG Flow Z13 uses Armoury Crate and Asus's ScreenXpert software for its configuration. Both programs should feel very familiar if you've ever used Armoury Crate for other devices before. They aren't difficult to come to grips with, but I will say that the implementation of ScreenXpert has been the best I've experienced of any Asus laptop yet.
Beginning with Armoury Crate, the first screen you're greeted with is a dashboard that also has toggles for the system's different performance modes. On this screen, you can get a quick look at your GPU and CPU usage, fan speeds, memory usage, and remaining storage, as well as toggle different features like disabling the Windows key or Alt-Tab. You can also view storage and memory utilization as well. Going one tab down takes you to a more in-depth configuration menu that also has toggles for different functions like enabling the Windows key or touchpad, and Modern Standby Assistant.
There are also tabs within this menu to configure the system's lighting. There is no per-key RGB backlighting, but it is able to display a static color or several different preset animations for a bit of extra flair, and the same is true of the window on the back of the system. If you have other Asus peripherals, it's also compatible with Aura Sync to quickly align the lighting for everything at once.
Further down in the tabs is a screen configuration section called GameVisual. Here you can choose between a number of different preset color configurations, similar to a gaming monitor. You can also choose the color temperature between very warm and very cool (although this isn't measured in Kelvin, but instead in a gradient slider). There is also a dropdown menu to choose your color space between sRGB, DCI-P3, and Display-P3 for content creation. This is especially useful because of how well-suited the ROG Flow Z13 is to different creative pursuits.
ScreenXpert takes the form of a toolbar that, for the most part, can mitigate having to open Armoury Crate. A floating icon lives on the right side of your screen and, when tapped, opens up a selection of configuration options, including the system's performance mode, on-screen keyboard, microphone settings, task groups, as well as a battery monitor for any connected devices you might have.
If all you're worried about is changing the performance mode, rest assured that there's still a dedicated hotkey on the detachable keyboard for changing this without opening the software at all. Still, I found the sidebar to be useful and easier to use than the full-fledged Armoury Crate suite.
I won't bury the lede: The Asus ROG Flow Z13 is a powerhouse. Its processor is, frankly, excellent, and there is very little that it can't handle with ease. The integrated GPU is also fantastic, offering performance that you would usually need to invest in a dedicated GPU to achieve.
On the flip side, for the same or less money, you could easily get a high-performance laptop with an even better graphics card. The Flow Z13 is an expensive device, and the efficacy of its integrated GPU, while interesting, will very likely mean less than pure gaming performance for many different gamers. It's not a device for everybody, and it's not designed to be for everybody. But for the particular audience that would consider buying a high-performance gaming 2-in-1, it's just about as good as it gets at the moment.
Getting into performance, we test all of our systems with a selection of synthetic and real-world gaming benchmarks. Our games are set to ultra settings and utilize upscaling unless otherwise noted. At 1080p, upscaling is set to quality mode. At 1440p, it's set to balanced mode. We've recently reworked our testing regimen and methodology. So, thanks for bearing with us as we build up our test data.
Beginning with synthetic benchmarks, things are as you would expect from an APU with a good integrated graphics chip. The results are decent but not mind blowing or class-leading. At this point in the testing, I admit that I was a bit worried, but in real world gaming, things take a turn for the better.
I’ve mentioned in prior reviews that we have recently changed our testing methodology and are rebuilding our data set with a new suite of benchmarks. Since the other laptops I’ve tested with this new suite have dedicated GPUs, they don’t offer a fair comparison, so I also ran it through the old test routine to analyze how it compares to lower level GPUs and APUs.
It's an impressive achievement that sets a new standard for integrated graphics.
Looking at the game data set, there’s not a lot of point of comparison, so looking at the Flow Z13 on its own, we can see that it performs decently overall but you’ll still get much more bang for your buck with a dedicated gaming laptop if that’s all you’re after – remember, these results are at Ultra settings on a system that lacks a dedicated GPU. Outside of benchmarking, you would almost certainly turn down the settings in any of these games, so there’s room for every title here to play smoothly.
(Unfortunately, Red Dead Redemption 2 consistently crashed during the benchmark, so that test was left out but will be updated here as I figure out what’s causing the CTD error.)
To get a better picture of how it performs more broadly, I ran the laptop through a range of other gaming tests and compared it to my older RTX 4060 laptop so you can get a better view of Strix Halo series’ performance. These tests were run at Ultra settings, and to keep things simple, I left ray tracing and upscaling disabled across the board. For an iGPU, the performance is phenomenal and trades blows with the RTX 4060 mobile. It still won’t make sense for many people considering the form factor with its higher price point, but as a long-time tech enthusiast, it leaves me genuinely excited at what’s coming.
An important thing to note about performance compared to the RTX 4060 is that it is very dependent on the game and the additional settings you use, particularly when it comes to rendering techniques like DLSS with Nvidia and FSR with AMD, and ray tracing tech.All things considered, the Radeon 8060S is better matched against the mobile RTX 4050. And for an integrated GPU, that’s really impressive.
Frame rate is only one piece of the equation, too. Because it’s not running a power-hungry extra component, its efficiency is also much better than a competing gaming laptop even with a lower performance. Realtime gaming uptime on battery varies depending on how demanding the game you’re playing is (I averaged around 90 minutes playing World of Warcraft, for example). For a more standardized test, I put the laptop through its paced with Procyon’s Battery Benchmark, and it lasted 9 hours and 26 minutes.
The other benefit is the low fan noise. Though you can certainly hear the Z13 when its fans are running at full tilt, it's still quieter than most gaming laptops with comparable hardware. I was able to play games sitting next to my wife on the couch as she enjoyed the latest episode of Virgin River on Netflix. As a husband that has caught side-eye due to the loudness of gaming laptops before, I was relieved to find it much more reasonable for use in close proximity with others. I would take this into a college library without a second thought.
The fact that the Z13 is a 2-in-1 means it has to make certain compromises that impact its usability, but thanks to its solid keyboard folio case, it works perfectly well as a normal laptop most of the time. Now, there's no way around that a folio cover is never going to beat a dedicated high-quality laptop keyboard, but as mentioned earlier, it’s a fantastic folio keyboard with a great trackpad to match.
The laptop works best when used on a desk where the kickstand can hold it at the proper angle. I appreciate that Asus gave a lot of room for adjustment here and that the hinge for the kickstand is very stiff. It's not quite as good when used on your lap. The kickstand had a tendency to press into my legs, and it never felt as steady as a normal gaming laptop. It's also hit or miss whether it will work with your height-adjustable laptop stand. Depending on its design, the kickstand may not be able to offer enough contact to hold the screen up. On others, where it's more of a solid platform, it works fine though your mileage may vary.
Where it shines best is when you detach the keyboard entirely and connect a controller. This form of tablet mode shows off its finesse and is akin to gaming on a portable monitor and makes the Flow Z13 feel much more like a portable gaming console than a 2-in-1. It was a lot of fun playing Baldur's Gate 3 this way and even World of Warcraft with a separate mouse and keyboard on a small laptop desk.
Though it is a bit bulky and thick compared to the Microsoft Surface Pro Gen 11, it's one of my favorite devices to carry in my backpack with the keyboard cover folded up. Its compact dimensions allow it to slide in a bit like a textbook and as I mentioned in an earlier section, I would much rather trade an extra few millimeters of thickness for the massively improved performance that the ROG Flow Z13 is able to provide.
Disney has announced that it will officially be opening its seventh theme park and resort in Abu Dhabi on the waterfront of Yas Island with the help of Miral.
As detailed by Disney Parks Blog, this new theme park will be fully developed, built, and operated by Miral, which is Abu Dhabi's "leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences" and is responsible for other such experiences on Yas Island like Ferrari World, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, and SeaWorld Yas Island.
Disney and its Imagineers will still be heavily involved in the project and will "lead creative design and operational oversight to provide a world-class experience." Furthermore, Disney's CEO Bob Iger said in Disney's Q2 2025 Earnings Call that the company is investing no capital but will still get royalties.
"So, there isn't any ownership," Iger said. "We own our IP and license it to them is essentially the agreement."
This new theme park resort in Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati - combing Disney’s iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture. ✨ https://t.co/M1GHeYgr4H#YasIsland… pic.twitter.com/IyjODlj9ar
“This is a thrilling moment for our company as we announce plans to build an exciting Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, whose culture is rich with an appreciation of the arts and creativity,” Iger also said in a statement. “As our seventh theme park destination, it will rise from this land in spectacular fashion, blending contemporary architecture with cutting-edge technology to offer guests deeply immersive entertainment experiences in unique and modern ways.
"Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati – an oasis of extraordinary Disney entertainment at this crossroads of the world that will bring to life our timeless characters and stories in many new ways and will become a source of joy and inspiration for the people of this vast region to enjoy for generations to come.”
While we didn't learn too much more about this new park, it was confirmed that it will be anchored by Disney's first-ever modern castle. In a piece of concept art shared with the announcement, it looks like the castle will be a tower of glass or crystal with some stunning architecture. The tagline, 'A whole new world awaits," also hints at Aladdin being part of the park.
Disney has been seriously discussing this project since 2017, but Iger mentioned in an interview with ABC News that it was "crystalized" last year.
Iger also spoke to CNBC and discussed a bit about the timeline of this project.
"We’re not pinning down a date yet,” Iger said. “It typically takes us between 18 months and two years to design and fully develop and approximately five years to build but we’re not making any commitments right now.”
Iger then noted that around 1/3 of the world's population lives within about a four-hour flight of the UAE, which is also home to the largest global airline hub in the world that sees 120 million passengers traveling through Abu Dhabi and Dubai every year. This also will fill in nicely in the world map of Disney Parks, as it will fill the gap the company has in the Middle East region.
“Abu Dhabi is a place where heritage meets innovation, where we preserve our past while designing the future,” His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman at Miral, said. “The collaboration between Abu Dhabi and Disney demonstrates the remarkable results of combining visionary leadership and creative excellence.
"What we are creating with Disney in Abu Dhabi is a whole new world of imagination — an experience that will inspire generations across the region and the world, creating magical moments and memories that families will treasure forever. Through the development of unique attractions and experiences, Abu Dhabi continues to be a destination of choice for the world.”
When this park is complete, Disney will have Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris, Honk Kong Disneyland Resort, Shanghai Disney, and this currently unnamed park in Abu Dhabi.
Josh D'Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, added that this resort will be the "most advanced and interactive destination in our portfolio."
“This groundbreaking resort destination represents a new frontier in theme park development,” D’Amaro said. “The location of our park is incredibly unique – anchored by a beautiful waterfront – which will allow us to tell our stories in completely new ways. This project will reach guests in a whole new part of the world, welcoming more families to experience Disney than ever before. Ultimately, it will be a celebration of what’s possible when creativity and progress come together.”
A new month means a new Humble Choice lineup, and there are some great options available to kickstart May. Leading the charge this month is The Thaumaturge followed by Amnesia: The Bunker and Evil West, plus five more. This month also comes with one month of IGN Plus for free, which is a great bonus on top of the collection of PC games you get to add to your library. Alongside IGN Plus, there are 8 games in total that you get to keep forever for $11.99 when you sign up to become a member, which we've listed out below.
Humble Choice Games for May 2025
The Thaumaturge - Deluxe Edition
Amnesia: The Bunker
Evil West
Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
STAR WARS: Bounty Hunter
Ultros
Corpse Keeper
One Month of IGN Plus
Humble Choice is a great monthly membership for PC players. Each months offers up a brand new selection of PC games to choose from, which you can opt to take or skip the month if nothing interests you. On top of that, you also get 20% off in the Humble store and 5% of your membership even supports a charity, which is Comic Relief USA's Red Nose Day in May.
A month of IGN Plus is a nice little treat in this month's Humble Choice as well. With IGN Plus, you'll get some cool bonuses including unlimited use of IGN’s in-game maps and guides, free games, and ad-free access across the site. It's a nice bonus.
If you're looking for even more game deals, there are plenty worth exploring right now. In our individual roundups of the best PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch deals you can see some of our favorite discounts at the moment across video games, hardware, and accessories. Our overall roundup of the best video game deals can also point you towards the highlights from each platform alongside some more great PC game deals.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
Oh, the girls are fighting. Marvel Studios recently revealed a whole new side of Thunderbolts*, the one that comes after that asterisk — and now, it's doubled down on what it started and brought it into the social media world.
Marvel has now added a copyright symbol to some of its social media bios for the official Avengers pages — which plays perfectly into the post-credits scene for Thunderbolts*.
Warning! Spoilers for Thunderbolts* follow.
Spoilers for sure, but this new team formed in Thunderbolts*, which have been dubbed The New Avengers, is clashing with Sam Wilson’s team, the one he began to build during Captain America: Brave New World. And in the film’s post-credit scene (brought to you by the Russo Brothers via the set of Avengers: Doomsday), we see that Sam has in fact copyrighted the Avengers name, so like I said earlier, the girls are fighting.
Shortly after Thunderbolts* debuted in theaters on May 2, Marvel Studios revealed that the asterisk at the end of the movie’s title actually referenced the project’s secret title: The New Avengers. To mark the occasion, the cast unveiled a new poster for the movie that features the new name — and naturally, the move has been a bit divisive, both in the real world and now, in-universe.
It’s clear the social media gimmick is most likely a hint for what’s to come between the Avengers and the New Avengers. Needless to say, this little dispute between heroes is going to be a key player in the overall story as we move forward within the MCU, especially considering many of the members are also part of the immense cast of Avengers: Doomsday.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
When you have a series that's consistently gotten new games for almost 40 years, you have to think about how younger generations will be able to play them. That, and, of course, thinking about your bottom line, has led every publisher to lean more and more into multiplatform releases. On top of PC ports, Square Enix has released a decent amount of remasters and special editions of the Final Fantasy series specifically for Nintendo's handheld.
The Final Fantasy games hitting Switch isn't entirely unprecedented. The connection between Final Fantasy and Nintendo dates back to the series’ infancy, when the first game debuted on Nintendo's Famicom system in 1987. In fact, the first six mainline Final Fantasy games debuted on Nintendo platforms before Square Enix jumped to PlayStation as the series’ primary platform with Final Fantasy 7.
With Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth's PC launch and a solid Magic: The Gathering expansion bringing Final Fantasy back into the spotlight in 2025, plenty of people are hoping to dive into the series for the first time. Below, we’ve compiled a complete list of Final Fantasy games available on Switch and a look at what's coming to the Switch 2.
How Many Final Fantasy Games Are Available on Switch?
There are 20 Final Fantasy games you can play on the Switch — 12 mainline games, one prequel, and seven spinoffs. These games have been split into two sections below: mainline games (ordered by original release date) and other games (ordered by Switch release date).
Every Mainline Final Fantasy Game on Switch
Final Fantasy 1–6 Pixel Remaster
The first six Final Fantasy games are all available on Switch as part of Square Enix’s Pixel Remaster collection. Each game has been overhauled with new graphics, rearranged soundtracks, updated UIs, and new galleries for players to explore the creatures, illustrations, and music from all six games. If you're interested in diving into the original Final Fantasy experience, this is the best way to do it.
The Pixel Remasters are available individually ($12–18 USD/each) or as part of the six-game Final Fantasy I–VI bundle ($75 USD). If you're looking at the games individually, I'd recommend FF6, as it has one of the more immersive storylines.
Final Fantasy 7
One of the series’ most beloved games, Final Fantasy VII, is also available on Switch. This is not a remastered version of the game but rather a port of the 1997 original with three extra features: a 3x speed mode, the ability to turn battle encounters off, and a battle enhancement mode to make encounters easier. While the newer remasters, Remake and Rebirth, introduce modern action RPG mechanics to Cloud Strife's battle against Sephiroth, the Switch edition of FFVII is one of the best opportunities to experience what made the original PlayStation game so impactful.
Final Fantasy 8 Remastered
The series’ next entry is also available on Switch as Final Fantasy VIII Remastered. This updated version was released in 2019, 20 years after FF8 originally debuted on PlayStation. Additions to the remastered version include a 3x speed mode, the ability to turn off random encounters, and battle assist options to lessen the difficulty of combat.
Final Fantasy 9
Final Fantasy IX on Switch, like FFVII before it, is a port of the original RPG, which, despite not being quite as "famous" as Final Fantasy VII, is considered to have one of the best storylines in the series. The Switch version includes a few extras compared to the 2000 original, including high-speed and no-encounter modes, an autosave feature, and HD cutscenes and character models.
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is a bundle of Final Fantasy X and its sequel X-2 (the series’ first-ever direct sequel). The two games feature over 100 hours of RPG content, according to IGN sister site How Long to Beat, and include upgraded graphics and reworked audio (with the ability to switch back and forth between the new and original sounds).
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Skipping the now-shuttered MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, the series’ next mainline game available on Switch is Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age. The Zodiac Age, a remaster of the 2006 original, features HD graphics and a re-recorded soundtrack, as well as the Zodiac Job System, an increased battle tempo, an optional high-speed mode, and autosave functionality.
Final Fantasy 15 Pocket Edition HD
Final Fantasy XIII and XIV: Online are not available on Switch, which brings us to Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition HD. It’s the latest mainline game available on the platform, as FFXVI is still only available on PS5 and PC.
Final Fantasy 15 Pocket Edition HD is an abridged version of the original game with cartoonish character models, simplified combat, a reduced skill tree, and fewer side quests. Pocket Edition HD does, however, retain the full FFXV story, boys on the road and all.
Other Final Fantasy Games on Switch
World of Final Fantasy Maxima (2018)
World of Final Fantasy Maxima, co-developed by Square Enix and prolific Japanese developer Tose, came to Switch with new content and the subtitle ‘Maxima’ two years after it was first released on PS4 and Vita. It’s an accessible RPG aimed at younger audiences that combines the series' Active Time Battle system with the ability to capture Mirages (i.e., creatures) to use in battle.
Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy! (2019)
Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy! is a remastered version of the 2007 Wii game Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon. This Final Fantasy spinoff is a turn-based RPG with randomly generated dungeons and a buddy system that allows players to bring other creatures or characters along for the dungeon-crawling chaos.
Collection of Mana (2019)
This collection of three Mana games is on this list due to its inclusion of the 1991 Game Boy game Final Fantasy Adventure. Despite beginning as a Final Fantasy spinoff, the Mana series dropped those ties with the release of its second game, Secret of Mana, and has since remained an independent franchise.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition (2020)
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition is an enhanced version of the 2004 RPG/dungeon crawler originally released for GameCube. Crystal Chronicles for Switch features a cute aesthetic, online co-op, and the addition of English voiceover for the first time. It’s a graphical improvement upon the original that also added new areas, monsters, weapons, and a higher-difficulty option.
Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend (2020)
Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend compiles three Game Boy games: Final Fantasy Legend I–III. We’ve included these games in service to creating a comprehensive list, though these are only Final Fantasy games in name; the SaGa games belong to an independent franchise of RPGs inspired by but not necessarily connected to Final Fantasy. The first three SaGa games were given the Final Fantasy name to capitalize on the brand recognition with western audiences.
The collection adds a high-speed mode and Switch-specific enhancements like adjustable screen magnification and the ability to play with your Switch oriented vertically (when in handheld mode, with Joy-Cons detached).
Crisis Core –Final Fantasy VII– Reunion (2022)
A prequel to Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core –Final Fantasy VII– Reunion is a remastered version of the 2007 PSP RPG. The game stars a young warrior named Zack Fair, whose connection to Cloud and FFVII is revealed throughout the story. Reunion features remastered graphics, new character and background models, fully voiced dialogue, a newly arranged soundtrack, and a refined battle system.
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line (2023)
A rhythm game that celebrates the music of Final Fantasy, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line launched with 385 tracks from across the Final Fantasy series, though that has since grown to include music from other Square franchises for a total of 505 tracks. The Final Fantasy music pulls from 46 games, according to Squre, including FFI–XV. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line features over 100 characters and online multiplayer support for up to 8 players.
Chocobo GP (2023)
Chocobo GP is a Final Fantasy-themed kart racer developed by Arika (Tetris 99). While there are better kart racers available on Switch, Chocobo GP is a fun respite from the more involved RPGs that make up the majority of the Final Fantasy franchise. Like other kart racers, it features time challenges, tournament-style races, and options for multiplayer racing.
Upcoming Final Fantasy Games on Nintendo Switch
The most recent mainline Final Fantasy release is Final Fantasy XVI, which has yet to see any variant or equivalent release on Switch. We probably won't see a new mainline FF game on PlayStation or Switch anytime soon, as Square Enix's current focus is its three-part remake of Final Fantasy VII. Final Fantasy VII Remake was released on PS4 in 2020, followed by Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PS5 in 2024, and both have since made their way to PC.
Square Enix recently confirmed that all of the Final Fantasy VII remakes will be making their way to the Nintendo Switch 2. While the new Nintendo console is set to release on June 2, there's no official word on when to expect Final Fantasy VII Remake Integrade or Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on the platform.
Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.
It's almost surreal to ride a drop pod down to the surface of one of EVE Online's tens of thousands of planets in the upcoming shooter tie-in, EVE Vanguard. I've flown by them hundreds of times in the many years I've been playing the venerable spaceship MMO, but usually at astronomical distances. I always wondered about what was going on down there. I would make up stories about it in my head. Now I have a high-powered space rifle in my hands and I'm experiencing the universe up close and personal. And while it was a very, very build that couldn't show off a lot of the bigger promises, to my disappointment, there are some promising hints already.
As a quick caveat, the footage you're seeing is still from an early build and a lot of things, including the weapon and enemy models, are not final. CCP just announced that Vanguard will be going into Early Access in Summer 2026, so we've still got a while to wait. Also, the portion we actually got to play was only the session-based shooter maps themselves, and not the career and progression stuff that will be taking place back in space. But I got to talk to the devs about both, so we'll get into a bit of each here.
What, exactly, is a Vanguard? Well, like most things in EVE Online, it's some esoteric high concept sci-fi that can seem a little bewildering at first. Your character is a semi-immortal "infomorph" – which is to say a digital human consciousness that lives in cyberspace. I guess you could say you're something like Johnny Silverhand from Cyberpunk 2077. To fight on the front lines of New Eden's many wars, you upload yourself into a powerful war clone, which is purpose-grown from a fresh soup of biological matter for each mission. They're not free, but you can call down a new one in the middle of a mission if the one you're in gets blown up, explaining how you can respawn over and over.
On a scale from random cannon fodder to Master Chief, the devs said you can think of war clones as not exactly superhuman, but more like the absolute peak of human ability an elite athlete could achieve. They are renowned across the galaxy, and running into another player-controlled Vanguard on a deployment is meant to feel like a mini boss fight.
Suit Up
Vanguards gather in bastions, which CCP says you could think of almost like The Continental from John Wick. I swear I'm not trying to shoehorn in more Keanu references here. It just happens! It's neutral ground to shop, swap stories, and pick up new contracts, represented by a virtual space where you'll be able to physically walk around and interact with other mercs' avatars. As someone who was devastated when EVE Online removed the ability to walk around in stations, I was particularly pleased to hear this.
The really cool thing, though, is that these bastions exist out in the same universe where EVE Online players are zipping around in their spaceships. The initial ones will be NPC-controlled, but it will eventually be possible for players to attack, build, and even own their own bastions. CCP hopes specific bastions might develop a reputation as the place you go if you really need a job done right. And similar to how EVE has "high sec" space where NPC law enforcement protects new players and "low" or "null sec" where players are free to PvP to their heart's content, new Vanguards will also be able to choose where they end up based on how interested they are in fighting other players.
Hair Trigger
One of the biggest changes in philosophy EVE Vanguard has undergone since its reveal back in 2023 is how the guns themselves are being designed. We're moving away from sleek, understated military sci-fi into what the designers called an homage to the "golden age" of shooters, citing inspirations like Doom, Quake, and Unreal. There is still your standard space rifle, which comes in a few different faction variants. But I also got to play around with an energy shotgun with ricocheting projectiles that can fire in a spread pattern, or a single, massive orb of destruction if you hold down the fire button for a couple seconds.
As more of a long-range enjoyer, my favorite was this high-powered sniper rifle that features the ability to hold your breath to line up a perfect shot. While the model is clearly unfinished, the reload animation of swapping out the little focusing crystal is slick and memorable as well. Like in EVE Online, almost everything is gathered and crafted by players, too. Even in a mission, I had to loot some corpses and spend a bit of time with my portable fabricator to top up my ammo. Mining and industry will also be a part of the Vanguard experience. It will even be possible to specialize in it – though the devs warned me that you'll probably want to bring some backup with combat skills if you do.
For now, EVE Vanguard is still a lot of "wills," "shoulds," and " hope tos." It is playable, and the gunplay feels a bit unpolished still, but satisfying.
You might see me switching weapons with a debug menu in the video at the top of the page, which was just for the demo. Eventually, we'll be picking our loadout from the deck of our own battlebarge ahead of a deployment. This will also let us pick which kind of war clone to spawn, and we were told they will eventually come in all different shapes and sizes for different specializations. Vanguard will also have a bit of separation from the main EVE Online economy. Notably, you don't buy guns and ammo with ISK, which is the main currency for the starship jockeys, since it wouldn't make much sense for a rifle to cost the same as a frigate.
There absolutely will be ways for players of both games to work together and benefit one another symbiotically, though. Some materials Vanguards can access planetside might not be abundant in space, for instance. Another example I was given likened it to Star Wars: Rogue One or Return of the Jedi, where an elite ground team might have to take down a shield generator so the fleet above can attack a fortified station.
Nightmare Fuel
The enemies here are also a work-in-progress. Using placeholder models, they spawn in small groups and mostly keep their distance, but I did get caught a couple times by a flanking attack from an unexpected direction. We got to see some concept art of one of the PvE enemy factions, Mordu's Legion, though, and they are extremely unsettling. These cyborg space mercs who have their heart ritually removed as part of their initiation will come in several different ranks, with some being able to direct the others on the battlefield.
On any given deployment, you might end up running into these NPCs and other players. These arenas are massive, open-ended, and varied, a combination of procedurally-generated terrain and handcrafted battlegrounds featuring the wreckage of some of EVE's recognizable starships. In this mission, there was debris actively streaking through the atmosphere as we fought, which was a really awesome touch.
For now, EVE Vanguard is still a lot of "wills," "shoulds," and " hope tos." It is playable, and the gunplay feels a bit unpolished still, but satisfying. The environments are impressive, and the weapon designs are diverse and bombastic. It's just hard to get the full picture without actually experiencing how it will tie into the EVE Online shared universe or the social features, which are definitely the most exciting part of the whole idea. For that we'll have to wait until the middle of next year when Early Access warps in, at which point both games will be connected at last.
Pokémania 2025 continues to be a struggle as the year goes on, but some restocks are actually coming in at near retail pricing.
The Paradox Rift Elite Trainer Box is back in stock at Amazon for $52.60, amongst some other restocks, but this ETB stands out for being more accurately priced than most sealed Pokémon TCG products right now.
There's also an epic deal on the Pokémon TCG Classic box that celebrates the base set and the original Wizards of the Coast era of the TCG.
Pokémon TCG: Paradox Rift (Iron Valiant)
This Elite Trainer Box includes nine booster packs from the Paradox Rift expansion, along with a full-art promo card featuring either Scream Tail or Iron Bundle.
The set also comes with 65 Iron Valiant-themed card sleeves, 45 Energy cards, a player’s guide, and gameplay accessories like dice and condition markers. It's a good option for players who want a strong introduction to the Paradox Rift lineup with a focus on Violet-exclusive designs.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic
This usually retails for around $399.99, so this is a brilliant deal. The cards have a different back design, so unfortunatley they're not tournament legal much like the World Championship decks. This is for Wizards of the Coast era of Pokémon trainers who want to relive how the Pokémon TCG worked back in the late 90s. This set includes:
3 60-card decks starring classic Pokémon Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise
3 deck boxes
3 sets of card sleeves
1 two-player game board
1 toolbox case with randomize
2 sets of damage counter cones
2 sets of condition markers
More Pokémon TCG Restocks
This is one of the better deals to come out of Amazon recently, considering that they currently think $265.99 is an appropriate retail price for a Surging Sparks booster box worth around $140 off the digital shelf. It's also around $15 cheaper than the Shrouded Fable ETB at Amazon too, which is a product of equal value as far as retail pricing goes.
The Top Paradox Rift Cards
If you're after pulling the top chase cards from Paradox Rift without buying loads of ETBs and booster packs, why not just grab the single cards instead? Bar Groudon Illustration Rare, the top cards in this set can be bought for either the same price or $10 to $20 less. Overall, buying singles will save you a small fortune.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
Genshin Impact is one of the most popular gacha games in the world. The free-to-play action RPG from HoYoverse lets players spend a virtual currency called Primogems to have a chance (a “wish”) to obtain rare characters of varying power. It’s a microtransactions system that has proved controversial, but a money-spinner for the developers, generating billions of dollars in revenue over the years.
In most games of this type, the amount of money you have to spend to eventually pull a character is withheld from the player — and you can see why given the poor odds available. But now, HoYoverse has updated Genshin Impact to do just that, revealing front and centre just how much needs to be spent.
The Genshin Impact shop now tells U.S. players how many pulls you’re getting with each purchase (you can buy wishes directly with a direct conversion rate displayed) and how much you need to spend to guarantee pulling a character, which varies between $1.98 to $475.20. The figure is based on the base prices of the pulls (without bonuses) and if you hit the max pulls to guarantee the character (180 pulls).
So, while the posted figure assumes the highest possible price if you intentionally don’t buy the higher value (and more expensive) bundles, you could face spending nearly $500 pulling just one character in Genshin Impact.
Players have reacted with a mix of disbelief and positivity at the transparency.
“Whole thing is weirdly.... Transparent,” said redditor Zion-plex. “You see it clear as day, 100 bucks 50 pulls every time staring at you (whales think or maybe don't even care they ‘know’ the math). Man, that'll sting, even for those who can and will spend, there's a lot of mental suppression that goes on.”
”Unmitigated positive,” said Whilyam. “The only people helped by obscuring costs are the ones who want to take advantage of people or make it easier for people with addictions to justify spending money.”
“I think it’s harder to justify the spending with abysmal conversion rate visible with your eyes,” added Mtboomerang. “I think the biggest problem with addicts is they follow the emotion then they will calculate. With the conversion rate visible now, their logic will shut their emotion down in time before they are deep in emotion abyss trying to come up with a reason.”
“Good changes that should be standardized for all Gachas and other similar games with gambling/loot box type mechanics,” said mikethebest1.
Some players are now calling on HoYoverse to just let Genshin Impact players buy characters directly, given they now know how much it could cost to obtain them through the gacha system.
“I wish they would just freaking sell the damn characters,” said yuusharo. “Horse armor works on me, I’d pay a freak ton on these games if I knew I’d get what I wanted every single time.
“Instead, the vast majority of their revenue comes from a tiny percentage of players exploiting gambling tendencies, preying on people like vultures. I hate it, I feel so gross whenever I succumb to that.”
So, why has HoYoverse added this layer of transparency to Genshin Impact now? It’s because it lost a court case against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) back in January that resulted in a ban on selling loot boxes
The age verification process will be rolled out to all U.S. players by May 20. If you don’t provide your age information by July 18, 2025, you could see your account suspended, the developer warned. If the verification is not completed by July 20, 2026, the personal information of your HoYoverse account will be deleted permanently.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Looking for codes for Wagarashi? We've got you covered. When you take on the newly released Naruto-inspired fighting game, these active codes will give you Clan Rerolls, and more.
Working Wagarashi Codes (May 2025)
20KFavourites3! - Clan reroll
20KFavourites2! - Clan reroll
20KFavourites! - Clan reroll
12500LIKES! - Clan reroll
BugFixes4! - Clan reroll
BugFixes3! - Clan reroll
BugFixes2! - Clan reroll
BugFixes1! - Clan reroll
ElementRR2! - Secondary Element reroll
ElementRR1! - Primary Element reroll
Expired Wagarashi Codes (May 2025)
2MVISITS!
10KLIKES!
15KFavorites!
8000LIKES!
SMALLUPDATE1!
SMALLUPDATE2!
SMALLUPDATE3!
6000LIKES!
5000PLAYERS5!
5000PLAYERS4!
5000PLAYERS3!
5000PLAYERS2!
5000PLAYERS1!
3000PLAYERS5!
3000PLAYERS4!
4000LIKES!
3000PLAYERS3!
3000PLAYERS2!
3000PLAYERS1!
3000LIKES!
2000PLAYERS5!
2000PLAYERS4!
2000PLAYERS3!
2000PLAYERS2!
2000PLAYERS1!
2500LIKES!
2000LIKES!
1600LIKES!
1250LIKES!
1000PLAYERS5!
1000PLAYERS4!
1000PLAYERS3!
1000PLAYERS2!
1000PLAYERS1!
1000LIKES!
bigwaga11
SorryForShutdown
DIAMONDWAGA6
DIAMONDWAGA5
bigwaga10
400
bigwaga9
DIAMONDWAGA4
bigwaga8
DIAMONDWAGA3
DIAMONDWAGA2
DIAMONDWAGA1
bigwaga7
How to Redeem Wagarashi Codes
Load up the Wagarashi Roblox experience and play the game until you reach Rank 5
Look in the top left corner for the icons that will open your inventory, the shop, server list, etc.
Click on the icon that's the second one from the right. It's in between the door and the server icon
This will bring up a box that says "type code here".
Enter the code and press submit.
Why Isn't My Wagarashi Code Working?
There are two main reasons why your code might not work when you submit it. Some codes are for Roblox are case-sensitive, so just copy it directly from this article and paste it in. We test each and every one of the codes before adding them here to make sure they're working. Just be sure when you are copying them from here that you don't include any extra spaces. If one has snuck in there, just remove them and try the code again.
If you're taking them directly from the article, and they're still not working, the other possibility is that they're expired. When a code has expired, it will say this as soon as you enter it.
How do I get More Wagarashi Codes
We check for new codes for Roblox experiences regularly, so if you want to stay up to date with codes for Wagarashi, be sure to check back here. Alternatively, you can join the dedicated Wagarashi Discord Server and look for codes there!
Lauren Harper is an Associate Guides Editor. She loves a variety of games but is especially fond of puzzles, horrors, and point-and-click adventures.
Nintendo has opened up a new wave of preorders for the Mario Kart World Switch 2 bundle (see here), for £429.99, alongside the standard Switch 2 for £395.99, releasing on June 5, 2025.
No invites are required, and you can purchase right away directly from My Nintendo Store UK at the time of publication. We'll keep you updated with any changes.
It's limited to one order per customer, and you'll need a paid Nintendo Online Membership to add the new console to basket.
You can buy a 3-month membership for £6.99 at Amazon right now, and redeem the code immediately on your account.
Everywhere else is out of stock right now, so Nintendo is your best bet of securing the console at this moment in time.
Make sure to follow our Twitter/X and BlueSky IGN UK Deals pages to be notified of more news.
You may notice that some item listings are in French, but these items will still go to your address in the UK. We assume the error is due to an onboarding issue on Amazon's side that will hopefully be resolved soon.
Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza also aren't currently showing within the complete collection via Nintendo's Amazon page, but each is still available to preorder for £74.99 and £64.99, respectively.
While the US has been out of luck with more Nintendo Switch 2 preorders since they went live, UK seems to be fairing at little better, at least for now.
After stores like Argos jumped the gun and made their limited units of Nintendo's new system available to order, it's been like the wild west as others surprise us with stock allocations at random times... before selling out in a matter of minutes.
To help you on your quest, you can find the individual store links listed below, and individual Switch 2 product pages listed in the catalogue above—as some are still being active despite being out of stock, while others have been taken down until more units are available.
These include those for both the base Nintendo Switch 2 and the bundle, including a download code for a digital copy of Mario Kart World. The retailers we've found selling Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are as follows:
While the hub page for the NSO Memberships does mention the service does have a 7-day trial available for those who have never subscribed, it also specifically states that said trial cannot be used to purchase premium items like the Switch 2.
Among all of the other retailers, we have found Amazon UK's to be the best in terms of default pricing and delivery, since you not only do not have to pay until dispatch, but you'll also get free delivery with Amazon Prime.
Meanwhile, while Argos only allows you to pay immediately, you can connect your Nectar card to earn points to redeem for money off future orders.
That said, almost all other retailers offer free delivery in at least some fashion—either after spending a certain amount (e.g. Argos at £100), or going click & collect (e.g. Jacamo when spending over £30).
Between the 12 remaining stores, the only retailer of which we'd say will give you a raw deal on a Nintendo Switch 2 by comparison is GAME—who will charge you an extra £4.99 minimum for delivery no matter your basket size, even if you choose to collect it from a store.
GAME have tried to take the sting off this policy by offering customers who spend over £100 a £5 in-store voucher (but only with the store delivery option). With that, we would only recommend pre-ordering a Nintendo Switch 2 from GAME if they at one point become the only retailer with stock and you want to secure a pre-order as soon as possible for peace of mind.
Get £10 Off the Nintendo Switch 2, Games & Accessories at Argos
If you don't mind paying immediately, however, Argos has become the best place to buy Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, games, and accessories, thanks to a £10-off offer available until the 18th of June.
After signing up to recieve marketing promotions from the retailer, you can be sent a unique one-use code to get £10 off an order when spending over £60. This fits perfectly with both the Switch 2 console and games.
For example, you could pay only £385.99 for a base Nintendo Switch 2 instead of £395.99. On the other hand, we found codes sent to signed up users expire within around 12 days, so you'd have to bank on Switch 2 stock becoming available within that timeframe—or chancing it by trying to sign up on the fly, but the website then may become unstable whilst dealing with floods of traffic.
Alternatively, you could use your code right now to get £10 off physical games & accessories like Mario Kart World (£64.99 instead of £74.99), Donkey Kong Bananza (£54.99 instead of £64.99), or the Switch 2 Pro Controller (£64.99 instead of £74.99).
If you have multiple emails, though, you can do both. Argos' offer only allows you to redeem one £10-off code per order, but you can use multiple one-use codes for different orders on the same account—even if one was generated for another email address.
So, for example, you can use your main Argos account email to sign up for market promotions, and use that code to pre-order Donkey Kong Bananza at £10 off. Then, you can sign up for marketing promotions again for a second email address, and use that code to get £10 off a Nintendo Switch 2 if and when stock becomes available
In the meantime, increase your chances of pre-ordering a Nintendo Switch 2 by following our Twitter/X and BlueSky IGN UK Deals pages to be notified of only console restocks as soon as they're available.
Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.
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