Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human developer Quantic Dream has given fans a brief update on its long-gestating Star Wars Eclipse, as it reveals plans for a separate competitive multiplayer project.
In a blog post published today, Quantic Dream chief David Cage revealed that the company had now decided to operate with multiple internal teams, "after years as a single-project studio" dedicated to single-player narrative-focused games.
Discussing its plans, Cage said Quantic Dream was now creating "something very different, a competitive multiplayer experience" that "may surprise our fans as it is very different from what we have done so far."
"Of course, development of Star Wars Eclipse continues," Cage confirmed, "and we are eager to share more with you in the future."
Announced in 2021 via a flashy cinematic trailer, Star Wars Eclipse has flown under the radar in the years since. Set within the franchise's High Republic era, Eclipse is expected to integrate Quantic Dreams' traditional story-based gameplay with an action-adventure game set in the Star Wars universe.
Beyond that, details on what to expect remain thin on the ground, and Quantic Dream has only commented on the project over the past few years to quash rumors of development trouble and delays, amid suggestions that the studio was struggling to hire staff following previous workplace allegations.
"Can I say it still exists? Because it exists," Quantic Dream marketing boss Lisa Pendse told IGN in 2023, when asked for an update on Star Wars Eclipse. "It's just not ready. It's simmering."
"Star Wars Eclipse has not been delayed because Quantic Dream never announced or promised a launch window for the title," the developer said in 2022. "Recruiting remains active as it works on Star Wars Eclipse, third-party publishing, and unannounced projects."
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
LEGO has kicked off a new interactive game that has fans working together to crack a code at the LEGO Code Break page. If the code is cracked by October 19, it will open a real-life vault in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, where TwitchCon is happening this weekend. Once the vault opens, you’ll have 36 hours to visit the Code Break page and enter the code that was used to open the vault. This enters you in a sweepstakes for a chance to win the grand prize: the contents of the vault.
The vault contains a bunch of LEGO sets based on Fortnite, Minecraft, and Sonic the Hedgehog, along with a game console, monitor, gaming chair, and streaming equipment. That’s hundreds of dollars’ worth of prizes, so most LEGO fans will probably find it worthwhile to follow along and enter the sweepstakes when it opens on October 19.
If you happen to be in the San Diego area this weekend (October 16 - 18), you can stop by Gaslamp Park to visit the vault in person between noon and 8 p.m. There, you can check out the vault, build and take home a mini LEGO gaming controller, see a bunch of gaming-related LEGO sets, and take pics with video game characters.
Even if you’re not in San Diego this weekend, you can keep an eye on the LEGO Code Break page and LEGO’s social channels for clues to uncover four hidden numbers, characters or symbols that form the secret code that will unlock the vault. You can also follow gaming creators Andre Rebelo (TypicalGamer), Alex Kushelevskiy (FORMULA) and Jess Adel (JustJesss), because they’ve partnered with LEGO to give clues to the code.
LEGO has been on a roll with major releases and announcements in recent weeks. The LEGO Back to the Future Time Machine set, coming January 1, has been a massive hit with IGN readers, because it looks great and only costs $27.99. The brick-building company has also announced four upcoming sets based on LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight; each set comes with a code that unlocks a gold skin for Batman or the various Batmobiles. Finally, plenty of new LEGO sets for October 2025 have been released, including the most expensive set ever made: the Death Star.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.
With Spider-Man now out of the way, and with a recently announced TMNT set to look forward to in 2026 as well, our eyes now look forward to November, when the new Avatar: The Last Airbender set will be hitting our shelves. There's some good news for those who missed out on the initial preorder phase as well, as some of the most popular products are now back in stock.
Magic's Avatar set is back in stock at Amazon, including the immensely popular MTG Booster Bundle. The bundle includes nine Play Boosters, 15 foil and 15 non-foil lands, 1 spindown life counter, and a Foil promo card. Notably, while it is also available again, it's also quietly gone up in price.
Amazon is now listing the booster bundle for $72.99, up $3 from its original $69.99 list price. It's not a giant increase, but certainly worth mentioning as it is a little shady to see.
With these being hard to come by recently, I'm fairly sure Amazon is banking on you not noticing the change, or just straight up ignoring it, even if folk like myself find the time to point it out. Although compared to $90 resale prices at sites like TCGPlayer, $73 isn't too bad when it comes to markups.
Still, it won't be long before it disappears again, so if you're desperate to own this one come November, I'd recommend preordering ASAP to lock it in (you won't have to pay a penny until it ships anyway).
Play Boosters boxes have also recently returned at Amazon. This is another one of the most popular picks for those preordering MTG x Avatar cards, so I'd snap it up ASAP to avoid missing out.
Once that's sorted, you're guaranteed 30 boosters to open, each containing at least 1 shiny Traditional Foil card and 1–4 cards of rarity Rare or higher, alongside the heart-racing possibility of finding special cards featuring beautiful borderless alternate art.
If you're seeking out any of the other Avatar x MTG products, you're best bet for the cheapest prices right now are also via Amazon and TCGPlayer. TCGPlayer is notable for being the best, and most trustworthy, resale site online for trading card games, and that is still the case for Magic: The Gathering as well.
While Amazon still has the Beginner Box in stock, it is currently lacking both the Scene Boxes, the Commander Bundle, and Collector Boosters. TCGPlayer is your best bet for these right now, and I'll leave a quickrun down of links and prices just below for your convenience.
Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.
Warning: This article contains full spoilers for South Park Season 28, Episode 1!
After another several-week hiatus, South Park is back with "Twisted Christian," an episode that takes square aim at billionaire and self-professed Antichrist expert Peter Thiel, PC Principal's increasingly popular, hypermasculine brand of so-called Christianity, and the current "6 7" craze. As usual, the show is casting a wide net in terms of its satirical content, but it manages to weave everything together into a pretty cohesive whole.
I might as well start with the weirdness surrounding the numbering of this episode. For whatever reason, Comedy Central and/or South Park Studios opted to break this new season in half. Rather than being the Season 27, Episode 6 we were all expecting, this is technically the Season 28 premiere. It's all semantics, really, but it does seem a bit strange to make that distinction when nothing about this episode feels like a premiere. It's not the start of something new, but simply the continuation of the show's ongoing Donald Trump/Antichrist saga.
But label it however you want. The important thing is that the series continues to build a surprisingly effective and focused storyline despite the numerous subplots and constantly shifting focus. This is really the inverse of 2016's storyline, where the show tried to weave a coherent narrative and got completely derailed by Trump's unexpected electoral victory.
As I've discussed before, those longer breaks in between episodes really seem to be making all the difference. Yes, it's not ideal for the show to be taking a week off in between episodes, much less the two weeks that have been happening lately, but it's ultimately for the best. It helps the series strike a better balance between staying topical and building an ongoing narrative that makes sense and properly builds from one chapter to the next.
"Twisted Christian" certainly succeeds there. The focus on PC Principal and his patently ridiculous brand of modern American Christianity feels like a logical extension of what's been brewing since the season premiere. Obviously, Jesus has been a recurring character since the earliest days of the series, but rarely has his presence felt this important and this downright hilarious. It only feels right for the show to call out the blatant hypocrisy of PC Principal and those like him, culminating in the obligatory scene where PC and Jesus throw down in a Cheesecake Factory bathroom.
From there, it's not too much of a stretch to draw in Thiel as a new player in this increasingly complex web. Thiel's obsession with the Antichrist is well-documented at this point, and he fits right in with this slowly unfolding saga where Satan is preparing to give birth to Trump's child. He even gets a catchy little theme song (it's no "James Cameron," but what is?). Again, the series is doing an impressive job of building up a larger conflict despite pivoting each and every week, and here we see the recent revelation about JD Vance's true motives carry forward in a big way.
Having already tackled Labubu's last month, now the series turns its attention to the other craze sweeping the nation's youth. As someone who has to endure a nonstop "6 7" barrage from his own children daily, it's certainly amusing seeing that nonsensical fad make its way into South Park. And much like Labubus, it's turns out the whole thing is part of a deeper, darker, more Satanic force poisoning the minds of today's youth.
I'm still trying to decide if Cartman works as the epicenter of the "6 7" numerology subplot, however. On one hand, it's nice just seeing the character back in the spotlight after taking such a backseat in recent episodes. Even by the show's modern standards, Season 27/28 has really been downplaying the kids in favor of the adult cast. It's about time one of the main four returned to the forefront of all of this chaos.
On the other, this is the one area where the series doesn't quite build on what's come before. The premiere really emphasized Cartman's disillusionment about the current political climate. If everyone feels free to behave like an Eric Cartman now, then what is his purpose? A compelling question worth exploring, to be sure. This feels like a sudden pivot for the character, and I'm not convinced this role couldn't just as easily have been filled by Stan or Kyle (neither of whom have been up to much lately). Let's just hope the South Park crew find a way of returning to Cartman's existential crisis before this new season ends.
Finally, it's worth pointing out that this episode really doubles and triples down on the scathing Trump satire, amid everything else going on. Regardless of your political leanings or your desire to actually see Trump dropping his pants and spreading his legs in an abortion clinic, you have to admire the show's willingness to push the envelope that far. And you can't not laugh at that Towelie cameo. As usual, it should be interesting to see how the Trump Administration reacts to this latest, highly unflattering portrayal.
Aziz Ansari's Good Fortune is a funny, sharp, and sweet time at the ol' multiplex. It's an endearing, perceptive life-swap movie that uses modern trials and tribulations to cleverly upend the It's a Wonderful Life cliche, while still finding a smart and natural way to embrace it.
Parts of Good Fortune almost feel like a writing challenge in their own right: How do you make someone appreciate their life in the throes of late-stage capitalism? Well, Good Fortune not only solves this puzzle but it also delivers a wonderful -- and less common for modern times -- big-screen comedy along the way.
We haven't heard from Ansari in a minute but he'd already proven himself to be a powerful force behind the camera a decade ago with two superb seasons of Netflix's Master of None (and that engaging third spinoff season he created with Lena Waithe). He's back here with Master of None co-writer Alan Yang (Parks and Recreation) for a high-concept joke that still feels rooted in a relatable reality. Good Fortune's honesty makes it a rare comedy that also feels rewarding.
Keanu Reeves, hilariously leaning into his beloved doofus persona, plays low-level Los Angeles angel Gabriel, charged with saving people from car accidents due to texting and driving. He becomes fixated on rock bottom Arj (Ansari), who he sees as a lost soul in need of saving. Only... that isn't Gabriel's job. And that particular job's a lot more complicated than he realizes. Arj lives day to day, using task-finding apps to barely feed and clothe himself. Living in his car, Arj begins a trial run as an assistant for wealthy do-nothing tech bro Jeff (Seth Rogen). But when Gabriel decides to intervene in Arj's life, everything spirals into a witty, insightful mess.
Keanu Reeves, hilariously leaning into his beloved doofus persona, plays low-level Los Angeles angel Gabriel.
The always-great Keke Palmer is also on hand in a strong supporting love-interest role, as Arj's co-worker trying to unionize the staff, though if you're looking for a better display of her comedy chops, one that played in theaters and also did well, check out One of Them Days from earlier this year. Palmer and Rogen were actually holdovers from Ansari's canceled-mid-production movie from a few years back, Being Mortal, so Good Fortune fees like even more of a triumph considering it miraculously rose from the ashes of a previous project.
Seeing Good Fortune with a theater packed with a bunch of people who, presumably, hadn't seen the trailer, made for an even better experience. The story has a few more wrinkles than the trailer reveals, sure, but it was clear that many viewers weren't anticipating anything specific and were loving the ride. So it's an option -- go in as blind as possible. Don't even watch the videos embedded in this review.
It makes sense that Ansari and Rogen would work very well together on screen, but the surprise joy here is how well Keanu's Gabriel fits into the mix. It's a delightful trio of well-meaning dudes who are forced to examine their lives, errors and all. Even Jeff, the rich bastard who just gets to have playtime every day, isn't a bad person. He's just ignorant, with huge blind spots. Gabriel, though, really is the key ingredient here. His enchanting innocent presence allows, basically, the film to explain why the world sucks to a child.
Not to get too heavy here at the close, but there's a James Baldwin quote that resonates loudly these days, and rests at the heart of Good Fortune, which is "Anyone who has ever struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is to be poor." This is what the rich, entitled bootstrap brigade always refuse to recognize. The sheer time and energy it takes to eke by. Good Fortune layers this in nicely, wrapping it up in a warm, charming blanket. Just as sci-fi and horror are used to comment on society and the human condition, Ansari does the same through comedy with Good Fortune.
It feels like fans have been waiting forever for Microsoft to enter the handheld gaming PC fray. The day has finally come: the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are now available – at least in theory. You’ll have no problem getting your hands on the standard Xbox Ally, as it’s still available at several retailers. But unless you preordered the more-powerful Xbox Ally X, you'll have to wait for a restock. It’s currently sold out at all three retailers where it had been available for preorder.
That said, the Xbox Ally is a worthy handheld in its own right, and it's available for a significantly lower price. It's selling out, too, however. So if you want it, now's the time to buy.
The Xbox Ally X runs on the AMD Ryzen Z2 A Processor. It has 16GB RAM, a 512 GB SSD, and a 60Wh battery. Both devices have a 7” FHD (1080p) IPS display, 16:9, capable of 500 nits, 120Hz refresh rate, with FreeSync, Gorilla Glass Victus, and DXC Anti-Reflection.
The Xbox Ally X runs on the more powerful AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme Processor. It comes with 24GB RAM, a 1 TB SSD, and an 80Wh battery.
Despite the Xbox branding, these handheld devices aren’t actually Xbox consoles in any real sense. They’re handheld gaming PCs. They can’t play your entire Xbox library. They can’t play discs at all, so physical games are out, and they can’t play any game that’s not available on PC. Here’s what they can play:
Digital games labeled “Xbox Play Anywhere”
Game Pass games (subscription required)
Xbox Cloud Gaming (subscription required)
Games on your Xbox Series X|S console via remote play
Compatible PC games purchased from other storefronts (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, etc.)
That major limitation aside, Xbox Ally devices can play games from a lot more storefronts than an Xbox can. They can run games from Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and any other PC gaming storefront.
Best MicroSD Cards for ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X
The Xbox Ally X is the only one we’ve reviewed so far, so you’ll have to wait to see how the standard Xbox Ally holds up against it. But the Xbox Ally X got a glowing 9/10 review. In it, IGN editor and handheld gaming PC expert Jaqueline Thomas writes: “The Xbox Full Screen Experience alone would probably be enough for me to recommend the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X to anyone looking for a new handheld gaming PC. But the fact that it’s so comfortable to use and performs so well is just icing on the cake. All it really needs now is a couple of software updates to really refine the Full Screen Experience and it will be a device for the history books.”
If you pick up either of these devices, you’ll probably want to peruse the best Xbox Ally X accessories. There, you’ll find all sorts of additional items to upgrade the experience, from microSD cards and screen protectors to cases and docks.
Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.
So what's the latest? Online preorders for MTG x Avatar are selling out fast, with Amazon now limited to just a few sealed products left at the time of writing.
It won't be long before the rest disappears, so we're recommending preordering ASAP to lock in your preorder and avoid disappointment, as you won't have to pay a penny until the new Universes Beyond set ships in November. Otherwise, follow @IGNDeals to stay informed on upcoming restocks before release day.
Play Boosters and Bundles
Play Boosters return, but things are a little up in the air(bender) at the moment because individual packs aren’t available just yet, at least in the US, who can only preorder a box of 30 packs for $209.70 at Amazon for now. Still, we're expecting this to be one of the most popular picks for those preordering MTG x Avatar cards, so snap it up ASAP to avoid missing out.
Once that's sorted, you're guaranteed 30 boosters to open, eaching containing at least 1 shiny Traditional Foil card and 1–4 cards of rarity Rare or higher, alongside the heart-racing possibility of finding special cards featuring beautiful borderless alternate art.
As is the case with Spider-Man (and most Magic sets), there’s a new Bundle coming, too. This $72.99 set includes nine Play Boosters, 15 foil and 15 non-foil lands, 1 spindown life counter, and a Foil promo card.
Beginner Box
For the first time since Foundations, a Beginner Box will offer an entry-level product for Avatar fans who want to check out Magic: The Gathering.
It will offer Jumpstart decks that can be mixed and matched to allow players to learn to play as Aang or Zuko. It costs $34.99, and can be preordered at Amazon right now.
IGN's Tom Marks has also previewed the Beginner Box, awarding some high praise to the latest introductory MTG box, saying: "...if you’re an Avatar fan who is curious about what this crossover entails but is intimidated by the three-decade old reputation Magic carries around with it, it’s hard to think of a better place to start than this."
The idea is simple: Players take two packs of cards, put them together, and make an instantly-playable deck. It’ll be available in Booster Boxes or as individual packs.
Each includes a series of cards to be displayed together to make a scene, but also a trio of Play Boosters to help kickstart your collection. Amazon has them for $41.99 each.
Both are currently sold out, stay tuned for more updates.
Where Are The Commander Decks?
Commander’s Bundle Explained
As with Marvel’s Spider-Man, there are no Avatar Commander Decks, but a new product type, the Commander’s Bundle, aims to fill the gap somewhat.
This bundle costs $109.99, contains 9 Play Boosters and one Collector Booster, and also includes classic Commander staples like Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Swiftfoot Boots, and more.
But, it's already sold out at Amazon. We're expecting preorders to go live at Best Buy soon, which will be your best betat securing the Commander Bundle over the coming days.
Collector Boosters
We know Collector Boosters will return. They’ll be available in boxes of 12 packs. Expect them to be the best place to get rare, chase cards, but to cost considerably more than Play Boosters.
They are also highly likely to sell out fast, so snag these up ASAP to avoid disappointment. While the rest of the set has gone live for preorder, we haven't yet had the Collector Boosters go live just yet.
UK Preorders
Curiously, Amazon UK has more products available than any other retailer at the time of writing.
Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay.
As the debate over the price of Grand Theft Auto 6 rages on, one developer of the original Saints Row — itself heavily inspired by GTA — has said he hopes Rockstar charges $100 for it, insisting it’s the only game in the world that can get away with it.
Strauss Zelnick, boss of Rockstar parent company Take-Two, is often asked how much Rockstar will charge for what is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch of all time. And each time he’s asked, Zelnick dances around the question, pointing to delivering value for customers.
Adding fuel to the scrutiny is the industry's recent jump from $70 to $80 for some games. If Nintendo is charging $80 for Nintendo Switch 2 games like Mario Kart World, and Microsoft, as many expect, jumps to $80 for its games from next year after backtracking on doing just that this year, then it's hard to see GTA 6 priced any cheaper.
Fans often baulk at the idea of forking out $100 for GTA 6. But according to Chris Stockman, the design director of the first Saints Row game, GTA 6 “deserves” to be $100.
In an interview with Esports Insider, Stockman responded to the suggestion that GTA 6 will be the first $100 video game.
“They’re the only ones that can get away with it, Stockman said. “I don’t think it’s a rising tide that floats all boats. I think that there’ll be a tremendous amount of backlash if everyone switched to $100. Not all games are created equal. I think GTA is the only one that can get away with it, and I hope they do. I really hope it’s $100. I think it deserves to be $100.
“The scope and magnitude of this production deserves that price tag, but not everything is treated equally. It would be a disaster if everyone tried to match them.”
Stockman here is saying the sheer scope of GTA 6 will be of a magnitude higher than any video game before it. Certainly it’s rumored to have the largest development budget of all time. Rockstar has barely shown any of the game, so it’s unclear exactly how big and varied an experience it will be. But it seems like a safe bet that barring the worst disaster in video game history, GTA 6 will rewrite the record books when it comes to critical and commercial acclaim.
But is the world ready for the jump to $100? Earlier this year, a $100 GTA 6 was mooted by Epyllion CEO and analyst Matthew Ball in a lengthy presentation on the state of gaming in 2025. Near the end of the presentation, Ball said that “some gamemakers hope GTA 6 will be priced at $80 to $100, breaking the $70 barrier and helping $50 titles to move up to $60, $60 to do $70, $70 to $80 etc."
“Packaged game prices have never been lower in real terms than they are today — even though budgets are at all-time highs and player growth is stalled,” Ball wrote. “GTA 6 could re-establish packed video game prices after decades of deflation despite rampant cost growth.”
Price is just one of the many unanswered questions swirling around GTA 6. Another is what Rockstar plans to do with GTA Online. Could the company charge more for access to GTA Online? Will it be a standalone free download? Could Rockstar sell a subscription? Will Rockstar and Take-Two really keep GTA Online available at no additional cost, as before?
Hopefully it won’t be long before we get answers. GTA 6 is due out May 26, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Let's start things off with the Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box (ETB). You're getting nine Mega Evolution booster packs, one full-art foil promo card featuring Riolu or Alakazam, 65 card sleeves, 40 energy cards, a player’s guide to the Mega Evolution expansion, six damage-counter dice, one competition-legal coin-flip die, and the collector’s box to hold everything.
MSRP is $49.99, but these run at a 100% markup right now, and the market price sits around $90-$100 at the time of writing. So, while Amazon does have this in stock, it is also listed at market price ($99.99), not MSRP. There's a small "discount" on this, bringing it down to $92.65, which is actually the best price going right now.
It's good for those who have the cash and want an easy and reliable free delivery. You might even have some gift card credit leftover you want to use. (Note that you're randomly selected either the Mega Gardevoir or Mega Lucario ETB when buying from Amazon; you don't get to pick.)
The Mega Evolution Booster Bundle is in similar situation, and in stock for $59.99 at Amazon. That's still around a 100% markup from the MSRP of $29.99. It includes six Mega Evolution boosters, which works out at almost exactly $10 per pack.
Still, if those prices arent what you're looking for, you're next best bet for finding Booster Bundles for the new set is via trusted resale sites like TCGPlayer. Right now, it's available for around $52-$54. It's a small saving compared to Amazon, but still a saving nonetheless.
Finally, there's also the new Pokémon TCG: Mega Latias ex Box, listed for $42.18 from Amazon right now, and including a foil promo card featuring Mega Latias ex, an oversized lenticular of the same card, and four Mega Evolution booster packs.
ETB pricing is almost neck and neck with Amazon and TCGPlayer right now, so you may be better off opting for Amazon, at least while there's stock and a tidy discount. Perfect for anyone riding the Pokémon Legends: Z-A hype this week as well.
Best Mega Evolution Chase Cards
UK: Where to Buy Mega Evolution
Pokémon TCG: Upcoming Black Friday Deals
The closer we get to the November, the more likely you are to see the word "Black Friday" peppered across your every waking moment. Pokémon TCG deals during the Black Friday sales are a complicated beast, as it's unlikely you're going to find much at all that's actually below its original MSRP.
If you're looking for something more immediate, the best advice I can give is to consider Amazon's Prime Visa Card. If you're a Prime Member already, you'll bag a $150 gift card (that you can immediately use to buy Pokémon cards if you so wish), and up to 7% cashback on purchases using the card. It's a little niche, but, if you don't mind the credit check, it's not a bad deal at all.
If you're not keen, for now you're better off holding out for another Walmart+ drop like the one that went down most recently. In case you missed the news, Walmart was granting early access to rare elusive TCG sets as part of its Collector Con sale.
There was also Phantasmal Flame preorders, including ETBs for $55, another giant saving considering these go for $150+ resale right now as well. There was a bunch more included as well, such as action figures, Magic: The Gathering sets, and more, but you get the gist.
The idea is that after that early access period, the deals will then be made available to the wider public who don’t have Walmart+. However, given how quickly almost any MSRP-priced stock sells out, most items are typically gone way before general buyers can even get a sniff.
If you don't want to miss out on the next one, alongside any of Walmart's upcoming Black Friday deals (which they also put on early access for), I'd suggest picking up a Walmart+ membership when you can.
It's $12.95/mo, or $98 annually, and offers a range of benefits beyond early shopping privileges. Members receive free delivery with no order minimum, savings on fuel, access to Paramount+ or Peacock at no extra cost, and additional perks such as pharmacy delivery and discounts at selected partners.
Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.
Note: Pokémon TCG pricing is incredibly volitile and any mention of sale pricing is indicative of the current market rate for the aforementioned products.
For example, Pokémon Elite Trainer Boxes are meant to sell for around $50-$60 MSRP, but instead retailer at around $100+ post launch.
There are few games as revered as the original Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
This prequel entry in the stealth-action series transported players back to the height of Cold War espionage to prevent nuclear armageddon, and the PS2 game still holds up today through its themes and memorable boss fights.
But, thankfully, there’s an easier way to play this adventure nowadays, too, since Konami released Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater back in August - a fun remake that brings everything up to an incredible new visual standard.
And, just a couple of months on, the game’s Collector’s Edition has gotten a surprising discount at Amazon, with the stacked box coming in at $168.85 - down from the original $199.99 list price.
Snake Eater’s Collector’s Edition Discounted, But Is It Worth It?
The controversy behind this collector's edition takes a little explaining, so let's dig into what's included and we'll get there. This set come with the game itself (which isn’t a given with some collectors' editions these days), but you get a bunch of tidy memorabilia, too. That's a good start.
There’s the fake ID badge Snake uses to break into a restricted area, and a stitched patch for the Fox Unit insignia. There’s also a rubber patch for the opening Halo jump, too, but the biggest draw is supposedly the terrarium diorama.
Well, only if you don't look too closely, as the model featured has received some fair criticism for looking a lil' cheap considering the cost. Dubbed "John Metal Gear" by fans, the Snake model does leave you a little wanting in the quality department.
Still, if you don't mind that, there's still plenty here for fans to get their hands on while it's a little less expensive - just don't say that I didn't warn you!
Extra digital goodies are also packed in, including bonus outfits for Snake, including a gold version, Snake in glasses, and even a frog mask. This includes Snake skulking in the long grass while his equipment bag hangs from the tree above, taken from the opening of Virtuous Mission. Add to that the steelbook case, which includes art from the original PS2 release and you’ve got plenty for collectors to get excited about.
Though, the deal only applies to the PS5 version - the Xbox version is still over $200. So, there's not any specific reason why the PS5 version is discounted, there could just still be an overabundance of stock that Amazon is looking to shift. But for now, anyone who wants to pick up the packed collector's edition for PS5 can do so, and with a tidy 16% discount to boot. What a thrill!
Our reviewer Michael Higham gave the remake 8 out of 10 in his review, saying “Between its old-school stealth-action gameplay and engaging spy-thriller story, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater largely succeeds as a faithful, visually impressive remake of the 2004 classic.”
Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay.
This article contains contributions from Robert Anderson.
The Pokémon world can feel a bit idyllic at times to imagine, especially when you think of the free universal healthcare via magic healing machines provided to all Pokémon at any Pokémon Center. Since the very first games, these Pokémon Centers have been staffed by a roster of completely identical women (skin, hair, eyes, expression, everything!), all known in the anime as Nurse Joy.
But in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, for the first time, working Nurse Joys can be a little different.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A introduces unique Nurse Joys at every Pokémon Center for the first time in a Pokémon game. While the first one you're likely to encounter looks like a fairly standard Joy, every woman staffing a Center has slightly different features: different skin tones, different eyes, different mouths, and different eyebrows. They're all still in the same uniform and still sporting the same red loopy pigtails, but they now are giving a lot less pre-1980s Rockette.
This is in keeping with one of the features I've really enjoyed about Z-A so far: its character diversity. In past Pokemon games, towns could start to look a little samey, as every character of a single trainer class would have the exact same features copy-pasted. That has started to change in more recent games, but Scarlet and Violet took a bit of a step backward by dressing most of its cast in samey uniforms, again creating the illusion that every character looked the same.
In Z-A, though, not only do NPCs all have different facial features, their outfits can change things up a bit too. You still might see a couple of matching characters here or there, but I've spotted athletes sprinting through town in different colored workout gear, and artists with different colored aprons. It's a small touch, but it adds a lot to the feeling that Lumiose City is actually populated by real people and not a lot of weird clones.
So congrats to every woman who didn't look exactly like the original Nurse Joy in Pokémon Red and Blue (read: every woman), the job is now open to you, if you want it! Sorry to the gents though, as I still haven't seen any men in the profession. Hopefully next game we can move into the 21st century on that front.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Back to the Future's iconic Marty McFly guitar scene contains a number of timeline conundrums fans have noted many times over the years. But chief among them is a mistake that revolves around the iconic guitar McFly plays during his performance of Earth Angel and Johnny B. Goode.
Marty borrows Marvin Berry's Cherry Red Gibson ES-345 in the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. While most viewers are blissfully unaware of the guitar’s significance, hardcore Back to the Future fans and guitar aficionados often point out that in the real world, the Gibson ES-345didn’t exist until 1958 — three years after the year in which Back to the Future is set.
Fans have long wondered why Marty didn’t use the Gibson ES-350T, which was released in 1955 and played by Chuck Berry himself, instead. Now, in his new memoir, Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum, Michael J. Fox has addressed the mistake.
As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Fox described the timeline gaffe as "a temporal inconsistency that guitar aficionados and Back to the Future fans have pointed out again and again."
"Granted, this is noteworthy only for the thousands of Future heads who clock every detail in the movie and parse every quirk in the timeline continuum,” he continues.
It turns out that the guitar’s inclusion is not an intended Easter egg. Fox revealed: “the film's art department simply picked the ES-345 because it evoked the iconic wine-red axe that Chuck Berry famously duckwalked across stages all over the world."
Indeed, Fox sounds entirely unfussed about the whole timeline debate around Back to the Future, saying: "both the '55 and '58 versions of the Gibson electric are rare and beautiful instruments; for me, it makes little difference which I played. I've always loved the Gibson E line: big, imposing guitars yet hollow-bodied and therefore lightweight. Even a little guy like yours truly could sling 'em and fling 'em and still make 'em sing."
Since you made it this far, you're probably interested in Back to the Future's timetravel shenanigans (we know Ant-Man is!). So you might already know that the same guitar scene also features what's called a 'bootstrap paradox.' Marty plays Johnny B. Goode in 1955, which inspires Chuck Berry's cousin, Marvin, to call Chuck and let him hear the song, inspiring Chuck to write and release the song in 1958, after which Marty heard the song, learnt how to play it, and traveled back in time to 1995 to debut it to the world and Chuck Berry himself. Still with us? Don't worry if you're left scratching your head; it's just a harmless timetravel joke from Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale.
In June, Fox and Gibson launched a search for the ES-345 after it went missing following the release of the film. “We need your help, we’re trying to find the guitar I played in Back to the Future,” Fox told fans in a video released on YouTube to support the search. “It’s somewhere lost in the space-time continuum, or it’s in some teamster’s garage.”
As for Fox, he’s officially returned to acting after retiring five years ago, and will appear on the hit Apple TV+ dramedy Shrinking. It’s his first role since 2020’s The Good Fight. The supporting role Fox plays on the series is a special one as his character lives with Parkinson’s disease, which Fox has also lived with since his diagnosis in 1991. The actor was interested in working on the series after he discovered lead Harrison Ford’s character was diagnosed on the show.
Image credit: Gibson TV / YouTube.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Marvel fans now have a date for the return of Daredevil: Born Again, which will air its second season on Disney+ early next year.
The horned superhero's second season will premiere on March 4, 2026, Disney has now confirmed, just days after it screened a teaser trailer at New York Comic-Con.
Season 2 will see a long-awaited return for Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones, plus an expanded role for Deborah Ann Woll's Karen Page, and an appearance by Elden Henson's Foggy — who only had a brief shot (sorry) at making an impression in Season 1.
While last weekend's New York Comic Con trailer was meant to be kept under wraps, the footage appeared online after accidentally being posted (then deleted) by Krysten Ritter herself. A series of quick shots revealed that Matt Murdock and Karen Page have rekindled their relationship, before their happy reunion is plunged into peril. Vincent D'Onofrio is, of course, back as Wilson Fisk, while Wilson Bethel is also set to return as the murderous Bullseye.
"I obviously can't say very much," Wigutow told IGN of Daredevil: Born Again's upcoming second run, "but it's a very big muscular season that revolves around Fisk in office as mayor. There's a lot of political intrigue and palace intrigue.
"What I think is really awesome about the season is that ultimately... [we have] all these moving pieces and this big kind of canvas of New York City, but at the end of the day, it's about these two characters that you care about most, almost the two face-to-face in a playground," he continued. "That's the idea. They hate each other, but they need each other. And how do they get through that? That's ultimately what it all comes down to. And I think we did a really fun job of delivering that."
Hallmark's brand new Halo 3-themed Christmas ornament is now up for preorder at Amazon, and it looks absolutely stunning. It features a 3D Master Chief leaning out from the front cover of the iconic Xbox 360 game case, and measures approximately 2.75in height, 3in width, and 1in length. It's listed for $24.99, and it's shipping on October 20, 2025.
Pairing this up with the Master Chief might be the move, if you don't mind the cost of picking up both, especially since the Xbox 360 ornament features light and sound effects, even playing the Halo 3 theme tune.
Otherwise, my next favorite ornament from Hallmark right now isn't Christmas-themed, but more aptly, Halloween.
It's the spooky season right now, and the Halloween Pikachu ornament features the adorable Pokémon decked out in a pumpkin costume. It's such a delight, and also up for $24.99 right now.
IGN Deals' Instagram commenters also already love the look of the new Halo 3 ornament as well, with a slew of comments saying something along the lines of "shut up and take my money!"
I can certainly see why, Hallmark has been producing some absolute banger gaming ornaments these past few years, and the 2025 line up is pretty stellar as well.
These don't light up or make sound like the Star Wars holo-chess diorama, so the prices are much more tolerable. I'll definitely be picking up the Link ornament when December rolls around.
Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.
Nintendo has responded to reports that its servers were recently breached by hacking group Crimson Collective, and has claimed that no development or business information was taken.
In a statement to Japanese newspaper The Sankei Shimbun, Nintendo suggested that any breach had been minimal, and limited to servers simply hosting its websites.
Last week, Crimson Collective claimed it had breached Nintendo's servers, and an image purporting to show a long list of Nintendo development files was widely shared on social media. "We have not confirmed any leak of personal information, and there has been no leak of development or business information," Nintendo's statement today reads.
IGN has contacted Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for comment on this week's further spread of information derived from the Teraleak, but has not heard back.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Japanese video game developer Tomonobu Itagaki has died aged 58.
Itagaki, best known for creating the Dead or Alive series and for reviving the Ninja Gaiden franchise in 2004, had asked a close friend to publish a 'final words' message on his Facebook page in the event of his death. It went live hours before his passing was confirmed by friends.
Last Words
The light of my life is finally fading.
The fact that this message has been posted means that the time has finally come. I am no longer in this world.
(I am entrusting this final post to someone important to me.)
My life has been a series of battles. I kept winning.
I have caused a lot of trouble, too.
I am proud to say that I followed my beliefs and fought to the end.
I have no regrets.
However, I am filled with regret that I was unable to deliver a new work to all my fans. I am sorry.
"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Team Ninja's first leader, Tomonobu Itagaki. We will carry on the philosophy and creativity that Itagaki-san began and continue to create games that many gamers will enjoy. Our deepest condolences for his loss."
James Mielke, co-founder of Tigertron and BitSummit, took to social media to say: “RIP, senpai. You will always be a ninja.”
“Today I lost someone who was truly like a brother to me,” Mielke said. “I am gutted to the core. I guess I can say so now that it's on his Facebook page. He even listed himself as my actual brother on Facebook. Anyone who knows me knows how close we were. RIP, senpai. You will always be a ninja.”
Tekken chief Katsuhiro Harada posted on X / Twitter to express his disbelief at the news.
No way, Itagaki-san you said, “Let’s grab a drink sometime,” didn’t you? I don’t believe it. I don’t.
saw Tomonobu Itagaki has passed away— a rare breed of ronin auteur developer; uncompromising, chaotic, unforgettable
I grew up inspired by his work and had a few chances to encounter him in the E3 halls… May his influence burn in every creator who still believes in going all in pic.twitter.com/rl26OwyKOL
RIP Tomonobu Itagaki, the legendary creator of Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive. Here's a video from 17 years ago where I interviewed him about Ninja Gaiden II for Xbox 360. pic.twitter.com/Wqgzo6cFad
Born in 1967, Itagaki joined Tecmo in 1992, originally to handle the graphics for Tecmo Super Bowl. Itagaki's brash nature wasn't fully seen until he started on his own Dead or Alive series in 1998, which featured female characters with strategically-placed "bounce" physics and more than a passing resemblance to SEGA's Virtua Fighter, a series he has mentioned being a fan of.
When Dead or Alive 2 arrived for the Dreamcast, the graphical leap shone a light on Itagaki and Team Ninja, and the outspoken developer — who became well known for wearing shades at all times — never shied away from commenting on industry trends. Itagaki's Ninja Gaiden launched as an Xbox exclusive in 2004, breathing new life into the hardcore action game franchise. He went on to release Ninja Gaiden Black, considered by some to be one of the greatest action games of all time. Nintendo DS game Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword, and Xbox 360 exclusive Ninja Gaiden 2 followed.
Itagaki split from Tecmo as part of a heated and very public breakup on June 2, 2008. After resigning from his role, he released a public statement alleging unpaid completion bonuses, with a complaint filed in the Tokyo District Court on May 14, 2008.
He later founded Valhalla Game Studios with several Team Ninja members and released Devil's Third. Itagaki stepped down from Valhalla in 2017 and went on to form Itagaki Games in 2021. At the time, Itagaki said he had spent the prior four years teaching game development to a younger generation. However, he felt that he wanted to "make a game again and just established a company for that purpose."
Itagaki's death comes just days before the release of Ninja Gaiden 4, an action sequel he had no involvement with.
Image credit: Tomonobu Itagaki / Facebook.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
All of these are set to be released on November 14 this year as well, so thankfully, you only have about a month to wait before you can get your hands on them. Get your preorders in at the links below before they sell out.
Disney Lorcana Whispers in The Well Expansion Revealed
On top of the expansion, two new Disney Lorcana playmats are releasing on the same day.
One of these is a delightful playmat featuring a design of Mickey Mouse, while the other features Jasmine from Aladdin. At the moment, they are both available to preorder for $19.99 a piece.
If the big booster box has caught your eye, it comes with 24 booster packs that each contain 12 randomized cards. Illumineer's Trove, on the other hand, comes with 8 booster packs alongside six damage-counter dice, six card dividers, one lore counter, and a card storage box.
If you're not looking to splash out on these big sets, though, the single booster pack will just set you up with 12 cards. As for the single-player decks, these come with 60 cards (including two foil cards of the characters featured on the front of the package), 11 damage tokens, a bonus booster pack, and a rulebook.
South Park has abruptly brought Season 27 to an end after just five episodes, and kicked off Season 28 with a new episode dubbed Twisted Christian.
Season 28, Episode 1 — the sixth episode of South Park broadcast this year — hit Comedy Central on October 15. Season 27 has enjoyed big ratings and sparked much debate, but it has suffered an erratic release schedule. The first two episodes arrived on the standard weekly schedule, but then the series switched to a biweekly schedule before the delayed fifth episode, which now goes down as the series finale, aired three weeks later on September 25.
Now, three weeks after that and without explanation, South Park is back with Season 28. The expectation was that Season 27 would have 10 episodes — now it will be five for Season 27 and five for Season 28. Future episodes of South Park will air every two weeks through December 10 (October 29, November 12, November 26, and December 10).
Twisted Christian: Cartman is possessed and may be the key to stopping the Antichrist.
Watch an all-new episode of South Park tonight at 10/9c on Comedy Central and next day on Paramount+. pic.twitter.com/tSht6Emj6z
Comedy Central had delayed the Season 27 ender just hours before it was due to air, with co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone insisting the blame lay at their door. “Apparently when you do everything at the last minute sometimes you don’t get it done,” the pair told Variety. “This one’s on us. We didn’t get it done in time. Thanks to Comedy Central and South Park fans for being so understanding. Tune in next week!”
Parker and Stone create each episode week-by-week, which makes for a chaotic production but topical shows. But they had switched to a biweekly schedule for Season 27, with the elongated production time allowing the pair more room to work on each episode, something Paramount was reportedly happy with.
It’s worth noting that during their San Diego Comic-Con 2025 panel, which took place the day after the Donald Trump-skewering Season 27 opener aired, Parker said the pair were unsure what the next episode would be, revealing the decision was “super stressful.”
The delay sparked speculation that the episode was pulled out of fear of reprisal following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, an ally of Donald Trump who was shot at a Utah university on Wednesday, September 10. Comedy Central had pulled the scheduled repeat of South Park Season 27, Episode 2, titled Got a Nut, in which Eric Cartman cosplays as Charlie Kirk, becomes a right-wing podcaster and issues messages similar to those used by Kirk in the past as he "masterdebaters" college graduates.
Kirk had responded to the episode at the time in a TikTok post, calling it “hilarious” and even saying “South Park gets this right. I think they've been watching a lot of Charlie Kirk videos.” He added: “We have a good spirit about being made fun of. This is all a success, this is all a win. We as conservatives, we have thick skin, not thin skin, and you can make fun of us and it doesn’t matter.”
Some MAGA conservatives had hit out at South Park, drawing a line between the show and Kirk’s murder. But in a new interview with The Denver Post, Stone insisted alleged censorship had nothing to do with the decision, and reiterated the prior statement.
“No one pulled the episode, no one censored us, and you know we’d say so if true,” Stone said. “We just didn’t get it done. When you always cut it close, sometimes you mess up. That’s the price of being a procrastinator.”
As for Season 28 Episode 1, it mocks Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel, the ‘6 7’ craze, and continues the overarching storyline about Trump and Satan’s baby. Cartman, who like the other kids at South Park Elementary is obsessed with saying ‘6 7,’ is believed to be possessed by the Antichrist. Peter Thiel apparently knows just what to do. Meanwhile, disenfranchised school counselor Jesus goes on a nightmarish double date as he wrestles with PC Principal’s take on Christianity.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
LEGO has released a lot of new sets in 2025 and some of them are already getting discounts. Target just launched a sale on LEGO that includes some surprisingly good deals from popular franchises like Harry Potter, Wicked, Minecraft, and more. There's a lot to choose from in this sale, but the most notable discounts are the popular new sets that actually came out recently.
It's not often that you see newer releases get these types of discounts. Usually we'll start seeing price cuts a year or more after a set comes out or when LEGO is close to retiring it, so to see such substantial discounts this early is definitely noteworthy. If you're looking for a new build to buy ahead of the holiday season, these deals are definitely worth checking out before they're gone. The sale is currently set to end on October 18.
New LEGO Sets on Sale at Target
Target is offering up to 30% off LEGO sets right now, but that doesn't mean that everything in the sale is getting the maximum discount. Some of these sets, like the Minecraft Creeper, have only dropped in price by 20%. Because these sets are still new, though, any discount at all is a great deal. Almost all of the sets I've featured here have never actually dropped in price until now.
The LEGO Wicked Bookends at 30% off is a discount I didn't think I would ever see, let alone only one month after it was released. This set was put on backorder at the LEGO Store almost immediately after it came out and has been incredibly popular since then. I actually had the chance to build this set myself last month and loved the experience. It works great as both a LEGO build and a functional pair of bookends.
Another new set included here that I have hands-on experience with is the LEGO Chomping Monster Book of Monsters set. I had the chance to build it back in June and found it to be a great option for both kids and adults. It was released alongside a bunch of other Harry Potter sets back in June, but wasn't nearly as popular as the Hogwarts Express Book Nook that came out at the same time. At 20% off, it becomes dangerously affordable at that under $50 mark.
In addition to Harry Potter and Wicked sets, there are actually quite a few Minecraft builds featured in this sale. Of these discounts, the price cut on The Creeper set and the Advent calendar are the most notable. The Creeper has been one of the bestselling Minecraft sets since it came out back in June and the Advent calendar is currently at its lowest price ever. Both are great options to give as gifts to the Minecraft fan in your life this holiday season.
More Ways to Save on New Sets
If you're looking for savings on a new set that isn't included in this sale, the LEGO Store is currently having a double points event right now. You won't get a direct price cut, but you will be able to earn twice as many points on your purchase and those points can be used for discounts later on. You need to be a LEGO Insider to take advantage of this promotion, but it's free to join. This offer ends on October 20.
Keeping on top of the Marvel Cinematic Universe wasn't too complicated back in the day. There was a little bit of Iron Man in Hulk, a little bit of Thor in Iron Man, and so on. Each teaser arrived one at a time, but now, deep into The Multiverse Saga, the MCU has expanded so much that there are tons of unresolved plot threads that might be resolved in upcoming films and TV shows... or might not.
A lot's happed in the MCU in the last three years since this article was originally posted. Even with Marvel Studios reining in its content and putting everything behind the moneymakers for the time being (see: the next three movies being Spider-Man, Avengers, Avengers), we still got closure, or follow-ups at least, to some of the MCU loose ends that were dangling back in 2022. And if they haven't been addressed yet, they might be in the next couple of films. So let's check in on The Council of Kangs, Hercules, White Vision, Blade, and other big names, while also circling back to the likes of Skaar, Xu Xialing, that Symbiote glob, and more...
Unsolved MCU Loose Ends
The Council of Kangs
Even though the Kang story (which originated in Loki Season 1) was followed up on in Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania (and on Loki Season 2), the Council of Kangs was a whole new unresolved issue. And this particular cliffhanger stands a good chance of remaining a loose end forever given actor Jonathan Majors' exile from the MCU. They could recast Kang, since we're just dealing with variants now, but more likely, with the full pivot to Doctor Doom and the switching Avengers titles from The Kang Dynasty to Doomsday, this will just get swept under the rug. Still, they could do something to snip and clip this thread quickly.
What did the council create? Do they have their own multiverse? Do they know that Loki is in charge of the multiverse now? "He Who Remains" and the TVA he created basically killed the multiverse to promote and nurture just one timeline, in order to prevent cosmic mayhem. But now Loki's acting as the Temporal Loom, so it's all okay. Anyhow, it's all very unclear and there's a good chance we'll never see this one play out.
Dane Whitman Uncovers the Ebony Blade
Following his girlfriend being kidnapped by a Prime Celestial, Dane Whitman decides he can't just sit and do nothing and so he steps back into his family's dark past. Opening a chest with the inscription "Death Is My Reward," he reveals a sword wrapped in bloody bandages that appears to respond to him. Before he can touch the weapon, however, a mysterious voice from behind asks: "Sure you're ready for that, Mr. Whitman?"
The man behind the ominous question is none other than Mahershala Ali, who is slated to star as the famed vampire hunter in an upcoming MCU Blade movie. Dane becomes the cursed Black Knight in the comics, and in addition to seeing him suit up in armor, we're now also looking forward to him teaming up with Blade, perhaps for the MCU's version of the Midnight Sons.
Of the various loose ends in Eternals, when the film was first released this felt like the easiest to come back to since a Blade movie starring Mahershala Ali was already scheduled. But it's been in development hell ever since being announced in 2019. Wesley Snipes' line in Deadpool & Wolverine about being the only actor who will ever play Blade was intended as a joke, but it's feeling more and more like a manifestation.
The Eternals Being Kidnapped
After managing to stop the birth of a Celestial, things don't go the Eternals' way after Arishem the Judge appears and abducts Sersi, Kingo, and Phastos. This leaves Makkari, Druig, and Thena to search for them among the stars when none other than Thanos's brother (in the comics at least) appears. Eros (played by Harry Styles), joined by his troll companion Pip (voiced by Patton Oswalt), declares he knows how to get the other Eternals back.
We're still waiting on any sort of Eternals follow-up. There's a good chance we may never see this team again, unless they also eventually get confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday.
The Venom Symbiote
Eddie Brock, Venom's host, showed up (thanks to multiverse shenanigans) in Spider-Man: Far From Home. While this appears to have been just a fun cameo in a film full of fun cameos, Brock's appearance actually has some pretty significant knock-on effects as a piece of the Venom symbiote remains on Earth.
As is the case with most heroes and villains, there has been a ton of different versions of Venom throughout the comics’ history. The MCU hasn’t confirmed any plans to introduce it at the moment, so whether it becomes a straight villain by bonding with Eddie Brock, blends with Spider-Man akin to the original live-action film, or does something else entirely, we just don’t know.
Spider-Man’s iconic black suit was first introduced in Secret Wars -- a major event from the comics that sees some of Marvel’s most iconic characters face off -- so perhaps Avengers: Secret Wars would be a sensible moment to reintroduce it and finally deliver the MCU's version of Spider-Man's black suit.
Sharon Carter Infiltrating the U.S. Government
After a lot of back and forth, Sharon Carter seemingly gives up her role as the Power Broker at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as she returns to the States and takes up her old position as a secret agent. But in the ultimate double- (triple-?) cross, Carter makes a dramatic exit and informs her criminal friends back in Madripoor that they now have direct access to the U.S. government.
Originally, we predicted Carter reappearing in Captain America: Brave New World but, alas, she did not. Will we ever see her again? Unclear.
The Ten Rings' Beacon
Wong appears to be building his own Avengers as, at the end of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, he recruits Shang-Chi and Katy. He introduces the new heroes to Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner, and the group discovers that the Ten Rings are acting as a beacon, "sending a message" to an unknown place and person.
Yup, we're still waiting on this and, basically, all-things Shang-Chi. (But we know he'll be back in Avengers: Doomsday at least!)
Xu Xialing Taking Over the Ten Rings Organization
With her father gone and brother back in the States, Xu Xialing takes over the Ten Rings organization at the end of Shang-Chi. With Razor Fist and Jon Jon at her side, she declares they "have a lot of work to do" before the camera moves away to reveal the modernized version of her base.
With Shang-Chi returning in Avengers: Doomsday, will we get a follow-up to any of the leftover mysteries from his movie?
Moon Knight's Third Personality
Two's company and three's a crowd for Mark Spector and Steven Grant as a third split personality, Jake Lockley, appears at the end of Moon Knight, having made another deal with the Egyptian god Khonshu. Though the series ended with Spector and Grant freeing themselves of Khonshu, it looks like Lockley has brought them straight back into the chaos.
But will we ever even see Moon Knight again, let alone his Lockley persona?
Doctor Strange and Clea
A lot happens at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The film closes, first of all, with Strange falling to his knees in pain before a third eye opens on his forehead. During an end-credit scene, however, it seems that Doctor Strange has come to terms with it. The true teaser comes as the mysterious Clea (Charlize Theron) appears and tells Strange that he's caused a multiversal incursion and they need to go and fix it. Opening a portal to the Dark Dimension, both Strange and Clea step in.
In the comics, Clea is a sorceress from the Dark Dimension and the niece of Dormammu, Strange’s first major foe. The incursion is also directly linked to the aforementioned Secret Wars, meaning this interaction could be a potential tie-in later on, but regardless, will the duo be the focus of a potential third Doctor Strange film?
A sub-category of "America Chavez Training at Kamar-Taj" is Spider-Man's Ned Leeds being able to make magic portals, insinuating he has natural magical abilities. Of course, America Chavez was originally in No Way Home and was the one making portals, so when she was taken out of the story, Ned was a last-minute replacement. So while it would be fun to see Ned also training at Kamar-Taj, he'll probably just stick to MIT.
Hercules Versus Thor
Despite Thor piercing his chest with a thunderbolt in Thor: Love and Thunder, Zeus is still alive and kicking, or at least alive and barking orders. But he doesn’t attempt to hunt down Thor himself; instead, he sends his son Hercules (played by Ted Lasso's Brett Goldstein) in his place, likely setting up a new antagonist for the God of Thunder.
Thor and Hercules have been long-time rivals in the comics, with their relationship ranging everywhere from mortal (or immortal maybe) enemies to teammates in the Avengers, so at this stage of the MCU when the universe appears to be expanding in infinite directions, we’ll just have to wait and see which end of the spectrum Hercules settles on.
Ms. Marvel the Mutant
Though we were first told that Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan was a djinn, and that her power came from within, it turns out she’s even more special than that as her bestie Bruno revealed she’s actually a mutant. Technically he says her genes contain something “like a mutation,” but considering the X-Men animated series theme song played over the top of the scene, it’s pretty clear this is step one on a likely long journey to the MCU fully introducing mutants.
It's hard to say how this revelation about Kamala’s mutation will eventually lead to the introduction of iconic X-Men like Wolverine and Cyclops—especially because she was originally introduced as an Inhuman in the comics—but at least we know they’re finally on the way to the MCU proper.
Three-Hulk
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law saw the expected addition of, well, She-Hulk to the MCU, but it also threw a curveball by introducing a third Hulk at the very end. At a casual family barbecue, Bruce Banner shows up to introduce Skaar, his long-lost son from the planet Sakaar. There isn’t much to go off since the new character didn’t even have a line of dialogue, but as always there’s plenty of comic book material to speculate on.
Skaar has a particularly tragic backstory that intertwines with the Planet Hulk and eventual World War Hulk comic book arcs, in which Hulk is (sort of) banished from Earth and sent to Sakaar before returning in a rage to destroy it. The MCU has obviously gone in a different direction with Banner, but the inclusion of Skaar opens up some potential to return to these beloved comic book storylines.
The Man-Thing Cinematic Universe
Werewolf by Night is arguably the most unique Marvel Cinematic Universe entry so far, and fans could be forgiven for thinking the black and white horror-esque short wasn’t related to the flashy fighting seen in films featuring Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and so on. It therefore may come as a surprise to learn that Man-Thing, the giant, swampy, tentacle-covered, well, man-thing, has actually appeared in the MCU before, at least partly. Before Hulk took to the gladiator arena in Sakaar, Man-Thing was seemingly a Champion there, and a statue commemorating his success can be seen in Thor: Ragnarok.
As for where he or Werewolf by Night’s title character will show up next in the MCU, no one really knows! Werewolf by Night’s executive producer Brian Gay has confirmed Man-Thing will definitely make a return, but as for when or where, even he says he doesn’t know. The character hasn’t appeared in too many comic book crossovers either, but has featured in the X-Men before, meaning it just as well could be the MCU’s mutant era when we next see him.
Riri's Deal With Mephisto
After debuting in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) returned as the star of her very own series, Ironheart. And the first season ended with Riri, in a swerve, accepting Mephisto's deal, which then brings her BFF Natalie back to life, returned to the garage where she was killed.
Yes, years after everyone was adamant for weeks that Mephisto was controlling the events in Westview in WandaVision, Sacha Baron Cohen shows up as Mephisto (after the show teased Dormammu) during a time when... Marvels Studios is actively decreasing its peripheral content. So it's unlikely now that we'll get a Season 2 of Ironheart and it's possible we'll never watch Riri try to free herself from Mephisto's dark magic.
However, Mephisto's such a big Marvel character that Cohen could reprise the role in some other project. It would probably just be un-Riri-related.
Samuel Sterns' Warning
Granted, this post-credit scene in Captain America: Brave New World felt tremendously tacked on. It's just Sam Wilson confronting an imprisoned Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) and Sterns seeing bad things ahead, using his brain to run through the probabilities. In fact, this felt a lot like the Lex Luthor moment at the end of Batman v Superman when he predicted the coming of the evil cosmic overlords because Superman died.
"We'll see what happens when you have to protect this place from the others"... Not the best stinger, admittedly. Haven't our heroes already protected the Earth from "others"" The Chitauri? Ego? Thanos? The Celestials? This felt pretty flat so just take it as a blanket warning about... things.
Soon to Be Solved MCU Questions (We Think)
Where's Namor?
One plot thread teased in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever didn’t focus directly on the Wakandans themselves but instead their underwater contemporaries. After Namor is defeated by Shuri and pledges loyalty to her rule, what appears to be a no-strings-attached allegiance quickly turns out to be another play for power. Facing complaints from Namora, Namor explains that he plans to use Wakanda’s unsavoury relationship with the rest of the world as a catalyst for Talokan’s own takeover.
Actor Tenoch Huerta is one of the many, many folks returning for Avengers: Doomsday, so stayed tuned on this one...
So Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and the government have decreed that the New Avengers are the Avengers. Sam Wilson, who decided at the end of Captain America: Brave New World to reform the Avengers (which was, at first, President Ross' idea), disagrees. So does the internet. Bucky tried to talk to Sam about it and "it went poorly." Sam has now filed for copyright of the Avengers name. So why is Sam so adamant about keeping the name Avengers? Why can't he just give his new team a different name? Does he even already have a new team assembled? Why is this the straw that breaks the Bucky/Sam back? Also, what adventures have the New Avengers been up to in the year-plus following Thunderbolts?
This has gotta come up in Avengers: Doomsday which, after all, is an Avengers movie.
The "Huge Space Crisis" and the Arrival of the Fantastic Four
Thunderbolts ends with the arrival of the Fantastic Four's ship, presumably piloted by Reed and the gang (though we're not 100% on that yet). But even before this, Yelena mentions a "giant space crisis" so something is already going on that others are dealing with, leaving the New Avengers hanging out to dry. We assume the Fantastic Four have arrived because of said crisis, with hopes of thwarting said crisis, but maybe... they're a byproduct of this crisis?
We can guess that the crisis involves the multiverse... and then also extrapolate that it's Doom and young Franklin Richards at the center of it, but we'll need confirmation. How much of the Doomsday movie will be spent showing us everything leading up to this moment -- with the missing 14 months on Earth and then also over in the Fantastic Four's universe -- and how much will be spent after? We'll have to see!
The Extent of Franklin Richards' Powers (and Doom's Plan)
In the comics, Franklin Richards is arguably the most powerful human being in any and all universes, able to just think anything into reality. The MCU's Franklin will likely be cut from the same cloth, which has gotta be why Robert Downey, Jr.'s Victor von Doom breaks into the Baxter Building to greet him (and steal him?). But what is Doom's plan? What does he hope to gain and how much does he even know bout Franklin's abilities?
Also, because it wasn't mentioned in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, what is Doom's relation to the Fantastic Four? Is he already an arch-villain and personal nemesis of Reed Richards, or is he just an isolationist despot who never shows up to represent Latveria in summits?
Regardless, this is probably all at the root of the "space crisis" from Thunderbolts.
How Will Deadpool Officially Join the MCU?
Deadpool & Wolverine was technically an MCU movie in so far that it acknowledged the MCU and involved the TVA. Deadpool is given an offer to join the MCU but in the end he decides to save his own reality and stay there. But Ryan Reynolds is in Doomsday, and while we don't know how big a part he has, we assume this means Deadpool will actually interact with actual MCU folks and not the remnants of Fox superhero movies from two decades ago.
How does he get to the MCU? Is he a Nexus being, capable of hopping universes, like America Chavez? Is that why he can break the fourth wall and have meta moments? He does actually appear in the MCU in Deadpool & Wolverine because he has a job interview with Happy Hogan. How did he get there? It's never explained and it's just used as a way to set the scene inside Wade Wilson's head and where he's at emotionally with Vanessa and his overall life goals.
In the end, the "how" of it all may not matter. Everyone's gonna wind up in the same stew so there are dozens of ways to account for Deadpool shaking things up with the Avengers and Fantastic Four and the X-Men.
Scorpion's Revenge on Peter Parker
Here's another thread we assumed might never return... a pre-Scorpion Mac Gargan confronting Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton) in prison at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming. Especially after Toomes got sucked into Sony's dumb Spider-villain-verse and wound up chatting with Jared Leto's Dr. Michael Morbius (how did he have Vulture gear? Why didn't he care about never seeing his family again?).
Anyhow, Michael Mando's Gargan is officially in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, so the character's coming back for more. What would make this even better? Bringing Toomes back too and completely forgetting his stint in Morbius entirely.
White Vision Taking Off
While this version of Vision was just built to basically be a government weapon, his conversation with Wanda's magical recreation of the original Vision caused a complete reboot. White Vision gained all of the original's memories and declared himself to be the true version before having an identity crisis and flying away to parts unknown.
Though it happened through different means, White Vision in the comics was also born after the original was pulled to bits, and Marvel's got a whole new show called Vision Quest in the works that's focused on the character. The series lands in late 2026 on Disney+, with Paul Bettany returning to the dead Vision body that was resurrected using Wanda's chaos magic in WandaVision -- the end result of S.W.O.R.D. Director Tyler Hayward's Project: Cataract.
Vision Quest stars Bettany, James Spader as Ultron, Emily Hampshire as E.D.I.T.H, Orla Brady as F.R.I.D.A.Y, Todd Stashwick as Paladin, and Faran Tahir reprising his role as Raza from the first Iron Man movie (guess he wasn't killed by Obadiah Stane after all!).
Forgetting Peter Parker
Following his multiversal adventure in Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker made the world a better place for everyone but himself. The world forgot him, meaning he lost his man in the chair Ned and his girlfriend M.J. Though Parker almost goes to his best friends with the full story, he sees how happy they are and decides not to. But surely it can't end there, right? That would be too sad.
Yeah, this will all be directly dealt with in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, releasing July 31, 2026.
Love and Thunder
As his latest adventure points out, Thor has lost a lot of people, but he seemingly gains someone as he adopts Gorr the God Butcher’s child, Love. While this probably isn’t her real name (Thor obviously isn’t called Thunder either), the pair’s adventures will seemingly shape the future of the Norse god’s MCU adventures.
As for what these will entail, nobody really knows, as Love is a completely fresh character that doesn’t exist in the comics. In the short amount of time we see the two hang out, we learn that Love has some pretty advanced super powers, and she’ll seemingly use them to join Thor in battle as they travel the universe fighting baddies. Maybe she could eventually join America Chavez on the Young Avengers.
Thor becoming an adoptive dad to Gorr's daughter at the end of Thor: Love and Thunder was a fitting, fun ending for the God of Thunder's MCU exploits. It doesn't really need following up on, though Chris Hemsworth is returning for Avengers: Doomsday, so it's possible we'll see where Thor and "Love" are at in their adventures. Of course, we don't even know if Hemsworth is playing the MCU's Thor or some other multiversal Thor. Or any Thor, actually.
Note: This story was updated on Oct. 15, 2025, with the latest information about the MCU. It was originally published on July 12, 2022.
Ever thought of replacing your gaming headset with a pair of earbuds? Amazon has dropped the price of the Steelseries Arctis Gamebuds from $199.99 all the way down to $127.99 shipped after a hefty 36% off instant discount. This is by far the best deal I've seen (the previous lowest price being $160) and this earbud is our front-runner for the best dedicated gaming earbuds of 2025. This particular model is compatible with PlayStation 5 and PC.
Steelseries Arctis Gamebuds Down to $127.99 (was $200)
I don't see as many gaming-specific earbuds as I do gaming headsets. In fact, this is Steelseries' first product release in the category. What makes this earbud more gaming focused is that it can be paired with a mobile app (for console, you use the Steelseries GG software for PC) preloaded with over 100 different audio presets customed tailored to specific video games and genres. Each earbud contains a 6mm neodymium magnetic driver that can simulate bass and spatial audio effects. Also, the Gamebuds connects to your PS5 or PC over a fast and reliable 2.4GHz wireless networking with the included USB Type-C dongle. No headset is complete without a built-in microphone, and the Gamebuds has a decent one, although not nearly as good as an extendable boom mic.
The Gamebuds can be used outside of gaming, of course. Like any good pair of in-ear buds at this price point, the Gamebuds features Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and active noise cancellation. Three different sized eartipsa are included for a more customized fit. The battery life is below average at 10 hours, but a charging case is included that extends playtime to 40 hours before needing to recharge.
I have a pair of these myself and quite like it. I prefer these over standard headphones on hotter days, because my ears sweat profusely when I use traditional over-ear headsets. Not so with these Gamebuds.
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 Wrap reports that Trevorrow will also co-write the screenplay with Joe Epstein (The Idol).
A sci-fi counterpart to another Hanna-Barbera production, The Flintstones, The Jetsons aired for three seasons (a total of 75 episodes) on ABC from 1962-63. The show was set in a future where flying cars, moving sidewalks, and robots were the norm.
The animated sitcom followed George Jetson (the role Carrey will play), an employee at Spacely's Space Sprockets who resides in Orbit City with his wife Jane, kids Judy and Elroy, dog Astro, and their sarcastic robot maid Rosie.
Hollywood has been trying to adapt The Jetsons as a live-action movie since the 1980s with Paramount, Universal, and Warner Bros. all taking a crack at the project at various points.
The last time the beloved cartoon graced the silver screen was in 1990’s Jetsons: The Movie, an animated feature film directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.
Bowflex isn't the only option when it comes to adjustable dumbbell sets. PowerBlock is another trusted brand at a much lower price point. For a few days only, Woot! (owned by Amazon) has discounted the PowerBlock EXP Stage 1 (5 to 50lb) adjustable dumbbell set to just $249.99, which is currently $150 less than the Bowflex SelectTech 552 dumbbells.
For those who need more than 50 pounds of weight per dumbbell, PowerBlock also offers expansion kits that can increase the maximum weight to 70 pounds or 90 pounds. Both kits – Stage 2 (50 to 70lb) and Stage 3 (70 to 90lb) – are also on sale at Woot! for $129.99 each. Amazon Prime members get free shipping; everyone else will pay $6 for flat rate shipping. That's reasonable when you consider the fact that the package is going to weigh over 100 pounds.
PowerBlock Adjustable Dumbbells (up to 90lbs per Dumbbell)
Each dumbbell in the base PowerBlock EXP Stage 1 set is adjustable from 10 pounds all the way to 50 pounds. You can adjust the weight in 5-pound increments with just a turn of a dial, and the plates are all neatly contained and take up far less floor space than an entire rack of individual dumbbells. A stand isn't included; there's currently one on sale, but if you're on a budget, any sturdy stand or table will do.
One great feature of these PowerBlocks is that once you're ready to move beyond 50 pounds, you don't have to go out and buy an entirely new set of adjustable dumbbells. The expansion kits allow you to seamlessly add even more weight to your existing PowerBlocks - all the way up to 90 pounds - at a very reasonable cost.
The quality of these PowerBlock dumbbells are great. I've tried them myself and they are every bit as solid and well built as the Bowflex SelectTech. Just about every piece that matters is made out of metal, not plastic. The handles are rubber coated so your grip won't slip and the weight adjustment dial is smooth and intuitive. PowerBlock backs these dumbbells with a five-year warranty. If after five years you still haven't given up on your workout regimen, kudos to you.
Free weights are a great choice for anyone who wants to work out at home but is limited on space. A pair of dumbbells is all the equipment you need to get access to a wide range of exercises that can target just about every muscle in your upper and lower body. Supplement your free weight exercises with cardio and other workouts that use your own body weight as resistance (like pushups, burpees, or squats) and you may never need to purchase more equipment.
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.
2K has reaffirmed its support for 3rd-person action roguelike shooter Project Ethos, and has appointed the former executive producer for Apex Legends as the new studio head of developer 31st Union.
This news was shared with employees today in a town hall followed by an internal memo, the latter of which was shared with IGN by 2K. The memo, written by 2K president David Ismailer, states that Ben Brinkman will take over as studio head of 31st Union beginning Monday, October 20. Brinkman will oversee Project Ethos development as the game is "reimagined" "with a renewed vision" after the game's 2024 playtests revealed a need for "a more distinct identity."
Here's an excerpt from the memo:
The community feedback from last fall’s Project ETHOS playtest was enlightening. It affirmed the promise of a roguelike shooter but told us we still had work to do. It uncovered the need for a more distinct identity.
It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to heart and reimagined Project ETHOS with a renewed vision - one that’s poised to deliver on its promise to our players
Our confidence in Project ETHOS grows every day. To further the incredible progress you’ve made, I’m excited to welcome Ben Brinkman as the new Studio Head of 31st Union. After several months of conversations, Ben officially joins us on Monday, October 20.
Brinkman joins 31st Union directly from EA, where he had previously been working as executive producer on Apex Legends since 2020, following six years at Treyarch on Call of Duty. IGN has reached out to EA for comment on what this means for Apex Legends, and who will be taking over Brinkman's former role.
Project Ethos was first announced in October of last year as a free-to-play, third-person, hero extraction shooter with some roguelike elements. It's being developed by 31st Union, a studio founded in 2019 by ex-Sledgehammer Games co-founder Michael Condrey and originally referred to as 2K Silicon Valley. We previewed Project Ethos at the time, and liked it fine, but said it "fails at being a new experience that players will crave over and over again." Other outlets shared similar feedback, that the game was fun enough but didn't do anything significant to stand out in a crowded genre.
31st Union has been quiet on the Project Ethos front since then, but in February this year, Kotaku reported that Condrey was fired by 2K Games due to the lukewarm reception of the game. At the time, 2K reassured employees it would continue to support the project.
This news indicates that 2K is indeed making good on its promise to continue to support Project Ethos, even amidst ongoing concerns that the audience for online, multiplayer shooters - especially extraction shooters - is worn out. But it may be a while before we get another update given the wording of the email.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
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