Sega is pointing to consumer expectations for “definitive editions” as one potential cause behind lower-than-expected sales for some of its recent games.

As spotted by GameBiz, the Sonic the Hedgehog and Persona company opened up about its performance throughout the last few months during a Q2 financial briefing Q&A session with shareholders yesterday. The conversation (via Automaton) saw Sega address the thought process behind why sales for its new premium and free-to-play games failed to meet expectations despite generally positive reviews from critics and fans.

Sega says a number of elements could be contributing to disappointing returns, including competition from other releases within the same genre, as well as launch prices. The gaming publisher also suggested gamers could be passing on purchasing games at launch due to an expectation they will eventually be able to purchase “definitive editions” of those same titles further down the line.

Definitive editions, which typically encompass video game re-releases with relatively minor visual upgrades and additional content, have become a popular tactic for publishers to utilize throughout the last decade. Sega is no stranger to the idea either, especially when it comes to Persona and Shin Megami Tensei developer Atlus.

The studio has a history of pushing re-releases for games like Persona 4 and 5, which received Golden and Royal versions a few years after their initial launches. There’s also Shin Megami Tensei V, which originally released in 2021 and went on to come to more platforms with its Vengeance counterpart in 2024. Atlus’ latest, Metaphor: ReFantazio, released for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S late last year.

Sega didn’t specifically call out any game or franchise when pointing to its definitive edition theory. The company also generally seems hesitant to directly place the blame on any one factor for now.

“While we haven’t been able to pinpoint a precise cause of [the lower-than-expected sales performance], we believe the problem also lies in our marketing, which wasn’t able to sufficiently convey the appeal of our games to users,” a Sega spokesperson told investors.

It’s unclear if Metaphor: ReFantazio or any other Sega series will receive a definitive edition or equivalent re-release in the future. For now, fans are eagerly awaiting any news Atlus may have to share about Persona 6. A Persona 3 remake, subtitled Reload, launched early last year, with Persona 4 Revival set to give its sequel the same treatment sometime in the near future. Sega is also continuing to roll out new content for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, which launched in September.

If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

It may be one of the most influential and widely played online games, but Destiny 2 has been experiencing a rough patch as of late. And developer Bungie knows it.

"For years now, Destiny has been on this steady hardening of the core [audience],” explains game director Tyson Green. “More and more core players are staying and playing the game, but relatively few [new] people come into the game. There's a tightening and contraction, and this presents problems for a game that you're trying to maintain as a live service, especially when you want to keep serving those core players with great, compelling expansions."

Following the launch of The Edge of Fate expansion in July, Destiny 2 saw a slump in player activity. Not necessary due to the vision of its new storyline, but rather in how it redesigned the flow of power progression to see the campaign through. Since then, Bungie has been steadily working to make changes to build up its audience again, and the upcoming expansion, the Star Wars-themed Renegades, will mark the developer’s next effort to lay a better path forward for its evolving universe.

For many developers working on online games with live-service elements, calcifying player numbers has been a recurring obstacle. Often this can be simply a matter of time – Destiny 2 has been running for nearly 10 years now, and it’s inevitable that only the most dedicated will stay for the entire ride. But one of Destiny’s most recent hurdles is one of its own making: Bungie wrote an end to the story.

Since the first Destiny arrived in 2014, each new expansion and update has formed chapters of the Light and Darkness saga, a decade-spanning, lore-dense story. But with the 2024 expansion, The Final Shape, Bungie brought that saga to a finish. It did, of course, set the stage for what's next – another multi-year storyline with a brand new focus. However, much like the current state of the post-Endgame Marvel Cinematic Universe, this presented an issue for Destiny 2, where many long-time and casual players saw it as a natural end-point to their journey. As you can imagine, this has made further adventures a bit of a challenge to present as must-see experiences.

"The Final Shape brought things to a crescendo, where it's like a fantastic ending that tied off a lot of the threads,” says Green. “People were pleased and satisfied with what they played, and then the big [downwards] spike in population [came after]. That happened because we ended the saga. So you get what you pay for, right?"

“That wasn't the plan from the business perspective,” Green continues. “We still want to keep making Destiny; we still have many stories to tell in this universe. There are still lots of things to do, and we have to keep building the game. Unfortunately, it was not gracefully managed, but we had to try something."

The first steps toward providing a compelling reason to return to Destiny following the end of the Light and Darkness saga arrived in July’s The Edge of Fate expansion, in which Bungie laid the groundwork for its next major storyline, titled the “Fate saga”. It transported players to a new region of space, where they came into conflict with the enigmatic Nine faction. This new campaign introduced new story threads and twists that shook up the lore of the series, and was an intriguing setup for the next phase of Destiny 2. However, the expansion received mixed responses from dedicated players – and struggled to bring in new ones. The most controversial change was the refreshed power levels and a steeper grind that made progression more daunting than intended, creating hurdles for reaching higher-end activities.

Green is frank in his assessment of The Edge of Fate. He recognises that the expansion didn't deliver a more satisfying way for players to advance their characters – a hard, but necessary lesson for the development team to take in.

"We looked at the problem that we had [after The Final Shape], and we said, 'We think there's a route here,' which is leaning into more systems of pursuit, getting new tiers of gear, armor sets, and power progression, and things like challenge customization," Green said. "These things that can allow a core audience of players to really say, like, 'I'm really gonna take this game and put it through its paces, and get good rewards for it.'

“It sounds great on paper, but it didn't work,” he admits. “I think we've been taught a bunch of hard lessons about what our players want, and there are really two kinds of live games: those that listen to the players and respond, and those that don't. And we don't want to be a dead live game, we want to keep building Destiny. So we're listening to our players, and what our players are telling us is that they don't want to chase a simple number that goes up, they want real rewards."

Following The Final Shape's release, Bungie announced a change to its release plans for major expansions. Instead of a single annual release, the developer would deliver two mid-sized expansions per year, each with seasonal events. With the upcoming Renegades expansion, Bungie has an opportunity to showcase its realigned power progression, which has been steadily built over recent updates, while also delivering a new campaign that celebrates Star Wars and the Destiny universe.

According to Green, the new release model has allowed the team to be more flexible with adapting to feedback, which has aided the development of Renegades. This new expansion not only re-evaluates the current game flow and the controversial system changes made earlier in 2025, but also presents a new campaign that hits at the same tone of the 2018 expansion, Forsaken, and a darker-edged Star Wars story that's filled with blaster weapons and lightsabers to acquire.

"One of the advantages that the new release model gave us, which is two expansions a year, means you can experiment more within those individual expansions – you can try different things," Green said. "So we saw what we wanted to do with a 'space western' revenge story, and we figured, let's do it in that one, let's aim for this. So we took the idea of Star Wars as total inspiration and built a Destiny expansion around it; that's kind of how we always do it. In this case, I think it comes through much more richly, because it's being more deliberate with its influences and style, but it's still fundamentally a Destiny expansion."

From my hands-on time with Renegades, it’s clear that Bungie took away valuable lessons from The Edge of Fate's release and post-launch content. I found the new campaign to be more direct in its objectives and offered a fairly generous power grind that focused more on engaging with new activities than on grinding for rare gear to move power levels up by a tick. It also touches upon classic Destiny by reintroducing a more developed version of the faction system. Many thoughtful changes really invigorate the Destiny 2 experience, but the question remains whether this will bring back players in droves.

It's a type of challenge that has become very common for live-service games in 2025. And while the Destiny series has been influential on other games, it's now in a similar position to many of its imitators. Still, Bungie sees this as an opportunity to reassess what Destiny 2 can be. When reflecting on Destiny 2's current state, core creative director Ben Womack is confident in the current roadmap, and believes that, by re-thinking the rules, it will build a new future for the game going forward.

"When you're making something new, you often have a bunch of conventions and boundaries that you have to consider, especially for games that have been around for a long time like Destiny," he said. "It's tempting to stick to those conventions as being the boundaries of the rules, but the truth is that you need to re-examine all of them every single time when trying to really create something special and make a splash. This is especially true when working with Lucasfilm.

“We looked at how we made the sandbox stuff we've done, we now have blaster weapons that will stay with us going forward, seeing how the [lightsaber-like] Praxic Blade turned out, and we have the various new syndicates that turned out well. There are things that we definitely wouldn't have done, but we had to accept and push past those usual boundaries to do these things, and as long as it's still fun and people are responding to it, and the feel is there, then it's the right decision."

As Destiny 2 gets closer to its tenth anniversary, the shared world action-RPG is currently at something of a crossroads. Following the end of The Final Shape, many players struggled to keep up with the steep power grind and evolving saga set up by The Edge of Fate. It's hard to deny those clear stumbles with Destiny 2 in 2025, but there's still so much potential for strong storytelling and slick action within the growing universe of Bungie's satisfying online RPG.

And that's what makes the upcoming Renegades expansion an interesting next step for Destiny 2. It not only seeks to realign the ascent to greater power for players but also expands the universe with a pulpy, sci-fi storyline that leans right into the influence of Star Wars. After getting an early hands-on experience with Destiny 2: Renegades, I got to appreciate the way that developer Bungie is rethinking Destiny 2's power grind, and how they're getting players to embrace the scoundrel's life as they navigate the shifting battle zones of the new Lawless Frontier.

Renegades picks up after the events of The Edge of Fate, with The Drifter warning the Guardians of a threat led by a new Cabal faction known as the Barrant Imperium and a mysterious fallen guardian named Bael. Embarking on a new mission without support from the Vanguard, The Drifter and other returning allies will form alliances with the growing network of syndicates within the new Lawless Frontier – all to take on the Barrant Imperium, fight back against the fallen guardian, and uncover the larger conspiracy that The Nine are working towards.

What's interesting about the story with Renegades is that it's simultaneously the next phase of Destiny 2's ongoing Fate saga – setting up changes to the galaxy's power dynamics – yet it's also an expansion that pays deep homage to the Star Wars series. It's not so much the Star Wars universe invading Destiny 2, a la Fortnite, but rather Destiny 2 leveraging its own lore for its take on a Star Wars story.

According to game director Tyson Green, Destiny 2: Renegades taps into a similar conceit to the Forsaken expansion and its space western revenge plot. But the opportunity to collaborate with Lucasfilm on a Star Wars crossover allowed them to take it further with a compelling crossover for the Renegades expansion. "One of the advantages that the new release model gave us, which is two expansions a year, means you can experiment more within those individual expansions – you can try different things," Green said. "So we saw what we wanted to do with a 'space western' revenge story, and we figured, let's do it in that one, let's aim for this. So we took the idea of Star Wars as total inspiration and built a Destiny expansion around it; that's kind of how we always do it. In this case, I think it comes through much more richly, because it's being more deliberate with its influences and style, but it's still fundamentally a Destiny expansion."

On the surface, it can come off as an extended series of cheeky references, and it initially took me some time to get used to the visual homages to Star Wars iconography – such as a near one-to-one recreation of the opening of A New Hope, complete with movie-accurate sound effects. But I got more into it as it went on, and I appreciated the attempt at trying to make a front-facing mash-up of sorts. I especially had a blast hopping into a giant walker to mow down foes. So far, it feels like a good fit, and honestly, much of the Star Wars aspect fits, given that Destiny and most modern sci-fi and fantasy media already have Star Wars DNA baked in.

In keeping with the Star Wars connection, Renegades also introduces the Blaster weapon variant, and just like Han Solo's and Chewbacca's guns from the movies, the Blasters hit hard and can fire quickly. They're essentially laser weapons that require venting to avoid overheating, which is a fair tradeoff considering how useful they can be in a fight. To be clear, these aren't totally new weapon archetypes, but rather new guns with a twist, some of which are variants of older guns like the Sweet Business exotic. But the added wrinkle of venting guns in between downtime does change up firefights a bit, and it can be super satisfying to tear into enemies with a Gatling Blaster rifle that feels right out of The Clone Wars.

By far the most unique weapon to acquire is the exotic Praxic Blade, Destiny 2's take on the lightsaber. Though similar to Destiny 2's existing power swords, the Praxic Blade is an exotic special weapon that deals heavy damage and grants guardians the ability to deflect incoming enemy fire, and can even be thrown like a boomerang to deal ranged damage. It's a very satisfying weapon to use, and the exotic quest to acquire it was a strong mission that made me feel like I was taking on a trippy Jedi challenge. I don't use swords too often in Destiny 2, but I ended up using the Praxic Blade a lot more than I thought I would, given how useful it was against crowds. Also, playing as my Warlock really allowed me to live out that Jedi fantasy within Destiny.

Unlike The Final Shape and The Edge of Fate, the primary campaign of Renegades takes a less guided approach and doesn't steer you into the core missions to make progress. Outside of the key story missions that will take you to bespoke locales, the majority of the action in Renegades focuses on building up your reputation within the Lawless Frontier, where you'll take on various missions ranging from smuggling, sabotage, and bounty hunts of key targets. Your new home base is the Tharsis Cantina on Mars. In this social space, you and other guardians will build up your reputation with the different syndicates vying for power within the Lawless Frontier.

Unfortunately, the expansion doesn't introduce a new destination to explore. It instead focuses on building up the Cantina social space and the excursions into the new battle zones across Mars, Europa, and a remixed Venus in the Lawless Frontier activities. This does make for a smaller scope, but I felt more engaged with how I could take my time before jumping into new activities, which focus on solo or fireteam missions fighting rival syndicates.

One of the new systems in the Cantina is the Syndicates, three factions vying for control of territory across the Lawless Frontier. In keeping with the scoundrel fantasy, you'll have to decide which of them you'll work with to build up a reputation and unlock rewards. My favorite faction was the Tharsis Reformation, a Vex sect that broke away from the machine hivemind and gained its own sentience – and it also wears its own jackets to showcase its individuality.

The syndicates are an interesting addition, and it really helped to showcase the Cantina as a fully realized den of scum and villainy – and you can even bribe characters within the social space to get tips on secrets within the Lawless Frontier. But what I really liked about the Syndicates in particular is that they felt like a more developed version of the Faction system from Destiny 1. In Renegades, you're actually helping these syndicates amass power within the Lawless Frontier, which will unlock bonus Renegade abilities to use in the field and more specialized gear. This especially comes into play with some missions that focus on contested territories, which require you to take on priority contracts to help your chosen syndicate secure them.

Speaking with core creative director Ben Womack, he stated that a valuable lesson learned was that it's necessary to think beyond boundaries and try to expand upon the usual structure and tone when necessary. The opportunity to make a Star Wars-themed Destiny 2 expansion helped the team rethink elements of the game's signature style and structure.

"I think my big lesson that I learned is that when you're making something new, you often have a bunch of conventions and boundaries that you have to consider, especially for games that have been around for a long time like Destiny," Womack said. "It's tempting to stick to those conventions as being the boundaries of the rules, but the truth is that you need to re-examine all of them every single time when trying to really create something special and make a splash. This is especially true when having a partnership with Lucasfilm. We looked at how we made the sandbox stuff we've done, we now have blaster weapons that will stay with us going forward, seeing how the Praxic Blade turned out, and we have the various new syndicates that turned out well. There are things that we definitely wouldn't have done, but we had to accept and push past those usual boundaries to do these things, and as long as it's still fun and people are responding to it, and the feel is there, then it's the right decision."

I was really impressed with how chaotic and exciting the Lawless Frontier jobs were. These PvE-focused missions feel like stepping behind enemy lines, where you have to complete dynamic objectives. It really kept my team constantly on the move, and once the job was complete, we had to make one last sprint to the exfil to complete the mission, or else suffer the consequences. One of the big twists with these missions is that you can activate new Renegade abilities to call in support drops. I was able to summon a vex shield for protection, call in an aerial bombardment, or even activate battle armor to dish out to help even the odds.

Depending on what difficulty you're playing on, the challenge can really ramp up quickly, especially when playing on a mission that allows for enemy player invasions. Much like the Gambit mode, a lone rival player can step into your squad's game and take you out to earn rewards for their syndicate. You can opt out of missions with invasions. Still, it does present a fascinating and unnerving twist to the missions, and you're not totally punished for getting wiped out by a particularly devious player who can get the jump on you.

Of course, gaining power and earning the new gear to develop your guardians is the big drive for playing Destiny 2. Unfortunately, players struggled to keep up with The Edge of Fate's shifting power levels and steep grind, leading many longtime players to move on. During our hands-on, the developers were candid about how they handled that approach in the previous expansion, and one of the larger updates coming with Renegades is realigning the game's power approach so it won't require as many hurdles to overcome.

Along with a refocused loot pool that will be a bit more generous and balanced with getting players powered, there are also new and refreshed activities and pinnacle ops for players to take on, which include more difficulty tuning options for players who want to maximize their chances for gaining solid loot. Along with 300 new storage slots in the vault, the portal menu and its variety of noteworthy missions to tackle will also see a refreshed version of the Seasonal Hub, which offers additional rewards for players to acquire by completing daily and weekly challenges that will give more incentive to dive into the activities of the hubs. This system was introduced in The Edge of Fate, but Renegade's updated version is easier and more inviting to engage with.

According to the game director, they took the criticism to heart following the release of The Edge of Fate and have been steadily releasing updates to make the next expansion one that keeps players engaged and not frustrated by the grind.

"We looked at the problem that we had and we said, 'We think there's a route here,' which is leaning into more systems of pursuit, getting new tiers of gear, armor sets, and power progression, and things like challenge customization," Green said. "These things that can allow a core audience of players to really say, like, I'm really gonna take this game and put it through its paces, and get good rewards for it. It sounds great on paper, but it didn't work. I think we've been taught a bunch of hard lessons about what our players want, and there are really two kinds of live games: there are live games that listen to the players and respond to them, and then there are dead ones. And we don't want to be a dead live game, we want to keep building Destiny. So we're listening to our players, and what our players are telling us is that they don't want to chase a simple number that goes up, they want real rewards."

Though I wasn't able to get a sense of the larger pursuit of power with my limited hands-on time, I did appreciate that Destiny 2: Renegades feels a bit more generous with its loot quality and ways to move up. Those pain points in Edge of Fate made the progression a slog, but with Renegades, I found myself getting a lot more into the flow – plus I really liked that it allowed me to get the Praxic Blade fairly early on. However, I do worry that D2's new direction with the Portal hub continues its menu-heavy focus. It's convenient, for sure, but it's also a bit of a headache to navigate, and it lessens the motivation to visit the various social spaces and destinations.

So far, Destiny 2: Renegades feels like a proper step forward for the live-service pioneer's next chapter, making for a more player-conscious experience. It's certainly not looking to reinvent Destiny 2 with a new sprawling campaign, but rather, realign its approach to getting players back into the right flow that doesn't feel like a drag. Along with the new Star Wars-inspired campaign that taps into it, it could end up being the right kind of course correction that Destiny needs – plus it's fun to see a Star Wars story play out in the Bungie’s universe.

Wendy's is offering small Frostys for 67 cents on Black Friday as a nod to the viral ‘6-7’ meme.

The offer for the fast-food restaurant' chain's frozen dairy dessert will be on Black Friday (Nov 28, 2025) via the Wendy’s app or online.

Wendy's is leaning into the ‘6-7’ meme after it went viral just in time for kids to return to school. It involves saying the words six and seven while moving your hands — palms up — up and down.

Wendy's is leaning into the 6 7 meme this Black Friday, selling their iconic Frostys for just 67 cents. Will you be picking one up? pic.twitter.com/C1ugrsBQur

— IGN (@IGN) November 24, 2025

Where does the meme come from? It’s all a little fuzzy. Rapper Skrilla might have had something to do with it. Skrilla's 6 7 (which may be in GTA 6) blew up earlier this year on TikTok and Instagram. It's a slang term referring to gun violence but became popular when it began appearing in clips about basketball players like LaMelo Ball, who is 6ft 7 inches tall. It then went viral when a boy known as the 67 Kid used it in a meme, and now kids the world over are saying it.

What does the 6-7 meme mean? Well, nothing really. But kids get a real kick out of saying it whenever they hear an adult say six and seven, or they see the numbers six and seven together... anywhere.

But even as the 6-7 meme starts to wane, as all memes eventually do, Wendy's is leaning into it for Black Friday, selling its iconic Frostys for just 67 cents.

If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

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.

As part of PlayStation's Black Friday sale this year, Sony has marked down every available DualSense color by $20 - including limited edition controllers that hardly ever see any discounts. After Sony quietly increased the price of all DualSense controllers last year, this sale should help ease that sting a bit.

The DualSense controller sale is running through December 18 while supplies last. I have a feeling many of these colors will sell out by then (especially the limited edition models), so if you've been meaning to replace your aging DualSense, or add another to your collection, now's the time.

$20 Off Every DualSense Controller Color

Most DualSense controllers are between $55 and $60, depending on color, for Black Friday this year – that's $20 off the regular price. DualSense controllers rarely go on sale as it is, so any discount is better than paying full price.

The cheapest options are going to be the standard white, Midnight Black, Gray Camo, the Galaxy Collection (Cosmic Red, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple) and the Sterling Silver colors for $55, while the newer colors, including the Chroma Collection that released earlier this year, are $60.

Limited Edition DualSense Controllers Are Also $20 Off

Limited Edition DualSense controllers rarely go on sale, so this is a great opportunity to add one of these designs to your collection for $5-10 more than a standard DualSense. The most recent releases are the Ghost of Yotei limited edition gold and white controller and the updated Astro Bot controller, which now features a cheerful smile on the Touchpad.

For those looking for a more premium gaming experience, the DualSense Edge is also $30 off in both white and black colors. PlayStations "pro" controller offers interchangeable thumbstick modules to combat stick drift, customizable back buttons, and deep integration with the PS5's software to create and swap between profiles with ease.

Some other standout deals during PlayStation's Black Friday sale include $100 off PS5 consoles and PlayStation VR2 bundles, markdowns on dozens of PS5 games, as well as savings on PlayStation Portal and PlayStation Plus memberships.

Elsewhere this Black Friday, there are major sales happening at just about every retailer, including Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target. We'll be highlighting the best deals all week long, so make sure to check back often so you don't miss out.

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.

Kirby has been so many different things since he first floated into our lives in 1992. Besides his dozens of transforming copy abilities, he’s been split into four differently-colored Kirbys, turned into yarn, warped into a ball we controlled on the DS touch screen, and so much more. And now that he’s hopped back on the Warp Star with the release of Kirby Air Riders on Nintendo Switch 2, we thought it was the perfect time to look back at the history of the pink puffball. Here are IGN’s top ten Kirby games of all time.

10. Kirby and the Amazing Mirror

Two iconic Nintendo heroes were split into four different versions of themselves on the Game Boy Advance: Link in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords and Kirby in Kirby and the Amazing Mirror. The latter is a 2004 GBA platformer that took advantage of the system’s link cable functionality to allow four players to adventure together, calling each other on a cellphone to regroup if they ever got split up. Just make sure the batteries don’t run out! And even if you played Amazing Mirror on your own, it stands out thanks to its lite Metroidvania setup. Rather than adventure through linear levels like pretty much every other Kirby platformer, Amazing Mirror’s branching paths let players explore levels in different orders at their own pace.

9. Kirby’s Dream Land 2

Before becoming an industry celebrity thanks to the Super Smash Bros. series, Masahiro Sakurai directed the humble Kirby’s Dream Land on Game Boy. Back in those days, Kirby was white instead of pink (at least on the North American box art), and he didn’t have copy abilities! But the 1995 Game Boy sequel, Kirby’s Dream Land 2, improved on everything the first game set up, bringing Kirby Adventure’s copy abilities into the fold, and introducing the iconic rideable animal friends like Rick the hamster. It’s a classic example of a bigger, better sequel, and our pick for the best game in Kirby’s original Dream Land trilogy, even though we really love the pastel art style of Dream Land 3 on Super Nintendo.

8. Kirby: Triple Deluxe

Kirby’s debut outing on 3DS took full advantage of the handheld’s screen, as Kirby: Triple Deluxe (a wordier way to say Kirby: 3D) sees Kirby platforming in the foreground and background in very unique ways. Its main hook is the Hypernova ability, which makes Kirby suck harder than he’s ever sucked before, essentially turning his stomach into a black hole. This is used in all sorts of clever puzzles, including one level where Kirby eats an entire train like it’s a light snack. It also introduced one of my favorite subgames in the series: Dedede’s Drum Dash, a rhythm game where Kirby’s best frenemy bounces to the beat in stages set to familiar Kirby tunes.

7. Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland

Kirby’s Adventure is an important entry in the franchise, as it’s responsible for introducing copy abilities. And it wasn’t just two or three; Adventure came out swinging with more than 20 different powers for Kirby to steal from enemies, setting the blueprint for every Kirby game to come. It also established both minigames and Kirby’s longtime rival, Meta Knight, as staples for the series. This NES classic got remade as Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land on the GBA in 2002, which we’re picking as the definitive version because of its improved controls and additional content it brought with it, like the bonus Meta Knightmare mode, where you can play the whole campaign as Meta Knight — another new wrinkle that would become commonplace in future Kirby games,. But shoutout to the NES Kirby’s Adventure cover, where Kirby is literally eating the box art and revealing the endless void that lies underneath.

6. Kirby’s Epic Yarn

Kirby’s Epic Yarn is probably the easiest game on this list – which is saying a lot, given the general approachability of almost all of the Kirby series – but it’s also one of the most charming. Developed by Good-Feel instead of series steward HAL Laboratory, Kirby’s Epic Yarn transforms the pink sphere into, you guessed it, yarn, completely changing the aesthetic and overall gameplay. There aren’t traditional copy abilities – instead, this Kirby simply morphs himself into a yarn submarine, car, or parachute as he travels with the adorable Prince Fluff through an arts and crafts-themed world. It’s relaxing, beautiful, and fits in right alongside the best Kirby games despite being so different.

5. Kirby Air Riders

Kirby Air Riders is only a few days old, but it’s already one of the all-time franchise greats. After more than two decades away, Masahiro Sakurai returned to the franchise he created to take another crack at Kirby Air Ride, which was a fun but somewhat underbaked experiment back on the GameCube. And Sakurai didn’t let any part of this second chance go to waste, creating a definitive sequel that feels like the ultimate realization of its simplistic one-button racing formula. Air Riders is packed with modes, unlockables, and tons of little details that show how much love and attention went into its development. The racing is frantic and fun, but the star of the show is still City Trial; the battle mode / collectathon hybrid that’s a wonderful throwback to local multiplayer modes from the N64 and GameCube days. Its unconventional controls aren’t going to be for everyone, but if you go along for the ride, you’ll find a fantastic Kirby game that’s brilliantly unique.

4. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe

Return to Dreamland on Wii was the first traditional home console Kirby platformer since Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (which we love but narrowly missed out on our top 10). It delivered the classic Kirby adventuring fans were craving, but introduced fun new copy abilities like Leaf and Water, had multiple well-hidden collectibles to track down in each level, tasked players with mastering every copy ability in its challenge rooms, and a lot more. Most importantly, it’s a blast in local multiplayer, allowing up to four friends to play the entire campaign together as either Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight, or Bandana Waddle Dee. Return to Dreamland got a fantastic deluxe treatment on Nintendo Switch, adding a bonus epilogue and a ton of returning subgames from across the series, complete with dozens of achievements to chase, so we’ve gone with that version here.

3. Kirby Super Star Ultra

Sakurai is known for stuffing his games full of side modes that all build around the same gameplay foundations, and that tradition started in Kirby Super Star, the Super Nintendo classic that hosted a small handful of bite-sized adventures to run through. These were repackaged and expanded upon in the excellent DS remake, Super Star Ultra, which brought everything back and added even more, continuing the tradition of a Meta Knight campaign established in Nightmare in Dreamland. Super Star’s biggest strength, though, is its sheer variety: collecting every last treasure in The Great Cave Offensive, racing to eat more treats than Dedede in Gourmet Race, or infiltrating the Halberd as terrified crewmates discuss the best way to stop Kirby. Every mode offers its own flavor, and it all comes together to create the strongest game of Kirby’s early days.

2. Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Every game series takes a different approach when transitioning from 2D to 3D, and fittingly for this franchise, Kirby kept things delightfully simple by keeping its formula largely intact as it made the jump. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a fantastic realization of classic Kirby platforming in a 3D space. Kirby hops, floats, and dodges just like you’d think he would, and the upgradeable copy abilities work seamlessly. Its most memorable new addition is Mouthful Mode, which lets Kirby wrap his enormous mouth around a car, staircase, or even a vending machine, making for fun puzzle platforming that proves this isn’t just a retread of Kirby’s greatest hits. The Forgotten Land also takes some inspiration from the 3D platforming greats, such as Super Mario and Banjo-Kazooie, by sprinkling hidden collectibles and secret objectives across every level, and it’s a joy for completionists to hunt down every last Waddle Dee to send back to town.

1. Kirby Planet Robobot

The best Kirby game of them all is Kirby: Planet Robobot, an unassuming sequel to Triple Deluxe on 3DS that turned out to be his finest adventure. That’s largely thanks to the Robobot armor, a hulking mech suit Kirby pilots across the campaign, complete with its own unique copy abilities. While Triple Deluxe’s Hypernova and Return to Dreamland’s Super abilities felt more like gimmicks relegated to setpiece moments, the Robobot armor is seamlessly integrated into the stages, leading to fantastic puzzles with the most depth, variety, and challenge in the series, especially if you’re trying to collect everything. Robobot expands upon Triple Deluxe’s foreground and background platforming and features some of the coolest settings in the series, as a mechanized Planet Popstar is just a great idea that ties each world together. Robobot is an absolute treat, and we can only hope that Nintendo rereleases it on Switch or Switch 2 sometime soon so more people can experience the best Kirby game of them all.

There you have it – IGN’s top ten Kirby games of all time. Would you inhale this list, or spit it out? Are we leaving off your favorite? Drop a comment and let us know. For more Kirby, check out our review of Kirby Air Riders, or our Nintendo Voice Chat podcast that posts new episodes every Friday on the IGN Games YouTube channel and your favorite podcast app. And for everything else Nintendo, stick with IGN.

Logan Plant is the host of Nintendo Voice Chat and IGN's Database Manager & Playlist Editor. The Legend of Zelda is his favorite video game franchise of all time, and he is patiently awaiting the day Nintendo announces a brand new F-Zero. You can find him online @LoganJPlant.

Tron: Ares will ride onto digital platforms for rent and purchase — including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home — on December 2.

The film will also be getting a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and DVD release just over a month later on January 6, 2026. Disney is also releasing a limited-edition Steelbook DVD which will include custom packaging and artwork. The DVD set will have some bonus features for fans to dig into as well, including deleted scenes and five featurettes.

According to Variety, the first is The Journey To Tron: Ares, where star and producer Jared Leto and director Joachim Rønning, as well as other cast and crew members, discuss visuals, stunts, costumes, and sets. The next is Lightcycles On The Loose, where Rønning goes into detail on one of most action-packed sequences in the film and explains how ILM artists were involved in the process.

The third featurette is called The Artistry Of Tron: Ares, and in this one, Rønning and Leto “unpack key moments and the striking visual, sonic and artistic philosophies that drive the storytelling both in and out of the Grid.” The fourth behind-the-scenes clip is called Cast Conversations, where performers in the film reveal their process and “personal insights” about working on the movie. Finally, the last featurette is called “The Legacy of Tron,” which explores the entire franchise and highlights easter eggs and cameos throughout.

In addition to the physical media coming from Tron: Ares, fans will also soon be able to snag a Tron franchise three-movie collection, which will include the original 1982 film and the fan favorite 2010 follow-up film starring Olivia Wilde and Garrett Hedlund.

Something interesting to note about the release of Tron: Ares: Disney appears to be respecting the theatrical window to the degree not many studios are willing to right now. Tron: Ares took 53 days to become available to audiences in their homes with the digital release and the Blu-ray/DVD window is even longer at 88 days.

The digital and Blu-ray release comes after Tron: Ares flopped at the global box office, raising questions about the future of the franchise.

The hope with Tron: Ares was that it would reboot the Tron franchise 15 years after the last entry and usher in a wave of sequels. Those hopes now appear in doubt. IGN’s Tron: Ares review returned a 5/10. “Tron: Ares somehow forgets where it came from and relentlessly revisits the original, only making the latest version of the Grid paler by comparison,” we said. For what it’s worth, check out IGN’s Tron: Ares Ending and Post-Credits Scene Explained feature to find out how it sets Tron 4 up.

If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.

Sony has announced its next batch of PlayStation Plus Monthly Games, due to arrive for subscribers in December 2025.

Notably, the list includes this year's LEGO Horizon Adventures, the family-friendly retelling of the franchise's first entry (that's also notable for bringing the PlayStation franchise to Nintendo Switch).

Also included in next month's offerings is the decidedly non-family friendly Killing Floor 3, a first-person shooter where you and other co-op buddies hunt down bioengineered creatures of a more disturbing nature. (IGN's Killing Floor 3 review returned a 7/10.)

If you're still not over the spooky season, then you should look no further than The Outlast Trials, which developer Red Barrels itself describes as a game featuring "mind-numbing terror." IGN's The Outlast Trials review surfaced with another 7/10, saying The Outlast Trials had "all of the gory appeal of a cheesy horror movie." Which is to say some, but also that it's something of an acquired taste.

If you want something a little less creepy, the stylish but tense extraction shooter Synduality Echo of Ada features mechs and a cool sci-fi premise. IGN's Synduality review returned, you guessed it, another 7/10, praising its mech-based gameplay but saying it was a bit of a grind to get to its best bits.

Next month's final game is Neon White, the even more stylish shooter-meets-visual novel featuring angst-ridden assassins. IGN's Neon White review awarded the game an 8/10, praising its "airtight level design and fantastic sense of momentum."

PlayStation Plus December 2025 games lineup:

• Lego Horizon Adventures (PS5)
• Killing Floor 3 (PS5)
• The Outlast Trials (PS4, PS5)
• Synduality Echo of Ada (PS5)
• Neon White (PS4, PS5)

As a reminder, existing subscribers have until next Monday, December 1 to add this month's PlayStation Plus Monthly Games to their libraries, including Stray, EA Sports WRC 24 and Totally Accurate Battle Simulator.

Anything you're keen to play?

If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

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

The impressively detailed Illustrated Editions of The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and the Silmarillion are all discounted on Amazon and included in the retailer's buy 2, get 1 free deal. These are the definitive way to read J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth epic, with fully reset and corrected text that's consistent with his original vision. They also come with dozens of illustrations, hand-drawn maps, and various notes and about the history of the vast lore.

If you already own the illustrated editions, we published a handy Lord of the Rings gift guide with plenty of other Tolkien-inspired goodies right in time for the Winter holidays.

The Lord of the Rings Illustrated Editions Sale at Amazon

The illustrated versions of these legendary books come in a jacketed hardcover binding, complete with the full texts, color illustrations and maps, notes, and so much more. To activate the deal, you just need to add three eligible books to your card and the least-expensive one will be discounted from the total price. So in this case if you buy all three, you'll be saving an extra $39.78 on all of the books on top of the already discounted sale price.

The Lord of the Rings Illustrated Edition

Cyberpunk 2077 has sold a whopping 35 million copies, CD Projekt has announced. Sales of the five-year-old sci-fi action RPG were boosted recently by its release on the Nintendo Switch 2 as well as Mac devices.

Reporting its latest financial results, chief financial officer Piotr Nielubowicz confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 had reached 35 million copies ahead of The Witcher 3 in the same period since its release. Cyberpunk is currently CD Projekt’s main source of revenue, Nielubowicz added, due to the expansion of the game's availability. Cyberpunk was also added to PlayStation Plus, boosting new players and further encouraging sales of the expansion, Phantom Liberty.

In its financial briefing, CD Projekt said it was “laying the foundations” for Cyberpunk 2, outlining plans to scale up its development teams in Boston, Warsaw, and Vancouver and through to the end of 2027. 135 people were working on Cyberpunk 2 as of October 31, 2025, up from 116 at the end of July.

We know very little about Cyberpunk 2, although in May, Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith teased some previously unknown details when he was asked about the scope of his involvement with what was then known as Project Orion, back at the Digital Dragons 2025 conference.

Pondsmith admitted he wasn’t as involved this time around, but said he had reviewed scripts and had been to CD Projekt to check out the ongoing work.

“Last week I was wandering around talking to different departments, and seeing what they had, ‘Oh look, this is the new cyberware, what do you think?’ ‘Oh yeah, that’s pretty good, that works here.’"

And then, the morsel on the sequel: that it features a brand new city in addition to the Night City we know from Cyberpunk 2077. Pondsmith described this new city as “like Chicago gone wrong.”

“I spent a lot of time talking to one of the environment guys, and he was explaining how the new place in Orion, because there’s another city we visit — I’m not telling you any more than that but there’s another city we visit. And Night City is still there. But I remember looking at it and going, yeah I understand the feel you’re going for this, and this really does work. And it doesn’t feel like Blade Runner, it feels more like Chicago gone wrong. I said, ‘Yeah, I can see this working.'”

It’s worth pointing out that Pondsmith’s comments do not necessarily suggest the Cyberpunk sequel will feature a future Chicago, rather a city that has the feel of a dystopian version of the city. It may well be a take on future Chicago, but that isn’t confirmed based on these comments. There is also some debate about whether Cyberpunk 2 will expand upon the Night City that’s in Cyberpunk 2077 or feature a new version, and the extent to which it is playable.

In September, speaking with IGN while promoting his movie Good Fortune, Keanu Reeves said that he wanted to be part of the sequel to CD Projekt's 2020 game. “Absolutely. I’d love to play Johnny Silverhand again," Reeves said when asked if he’d be interested in revisiting his legendary rockstar terrorist character in Cyberpunk 2. Pondsmith later said he'd worked out a way to make it make sense, and has told the much-loved actor: “contact me.”

It sounds like we'll have to wait some time to find out. CD Projekt is of course focusing on The Witcher 4, and CD Projekt co-CEO Michał Nowakowski has suggested Cyberpunk 2 won’t be out until at least 2030. According to the company's latest official figures, 447 staff were working on The Witcher 4 — a figure slightly up from the previous quarter. Overall, CD Projekt enjoyed strong revenue and profits as its games continue to sell.

If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

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.

It's happening people! The house of mouse has kicked off its Black Friday sale with up to 30% off toys, soft toys, clothing, pajamas and even adult loungewear. Of course there's some Christmas goodies thrown in for good measure, and most importantly, a shopping bag. That's right people, this bag for life bargain is going to blow your mind.

Disney Store Black Friday Event

Christmas Deals

Disney Christmas merchandise is always awesome, and you're guaranteed to find something you love to put on your Christmas Tree or put on display this year. Whilst I wouldn't reccomend putting the shopping bag on your tree, it would be on-brand for a Disney Christmas. I'd probably use it to put presents in for Father Christmas to pick up.

There's a full 30% off the Tinker Bell Christmas Tree Topper, coming in hot at £31.50, it lights up too. £12 off the Home Alone Jumper is well worth a spot in your Christmas Jumper lineup this year too. £28 for one of the best quotes in family film history is worth every penny.

If you want something different to decorate your Christmas Tree with, the Mickey Mouse Icon White Snowflake Light-Up Bauble is £13 off, which is a 46% discount down to £15. I thought Disney Store Black Friday was only up to 30% discount?

Well this gorgeous MIckey and Minne 2025 Christmas Glass Droplet Tree Ornament is 30% off at £16.80, down for £24. It's a proper unique decoration or gift, and it'll probably start off a new collecting obsession.
A Lightsaber Advent Calander people, I don't even need to try with that one, that's awesome.

The Muppets Christmas Carol is one of my earliest core memories as a kid, and I also remember crying my eyes out seeing the Ghost of Christmas Future, such happy times. But I'll 100% be picking up the light-up ornament of Kermit and Miss. Piggy, just for the nostalgia alone. And the Gonzo Cushion is ridiculously ugly, which means it's perfect for Christmas time.

Soft Toy Deals

It's such a shame we don't have nationwide Disney Stores anymore, I used to love taking the kids in to pick out a new soft toy every now and again for a treat. But that doesn't mean you can get yours a couple of cuddly treats in time for Christmas Day with these Black Friday deals.

No doubt someone you know is a Stitch and Angel fan, and you can get a 52cm version of each for £20 each at the moment. They feature a "soft feel" finish, which means they're all nice and fuzzy and great embroidered details the kids (and adults) will love. Just to clarify, that a half-meter Stitch teddy bear for 50% off is usual £40 price tag.

Infact most of the soft toys in the Black Friday sale are £20 or below, including the pure evil that is Lots-O-Huggin' Bear from Toy Story. Or you could get a 67cm Mickey and Minnie for £40, guess how much they are each?

Bath Toy Deals

Mums and Dads all know how valuable it is having toys for the bath, it just makes life so much easier. Each of these sets are £14, knocked down from £20 and includes Frozen, Disney Princess, Cars, Moana 2 and Toy Story. They all come in a little bucket to chuck them in after bathtime too, which again is extremely useful for babies, todlers and stumps that can't/won't tidy up.

Toy Deals

Here's where it starts getting good, the toys! Of course Toy Story is dominating this section. Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie and all your favorites are here. I remember when the first Toy Story released, that Christmas Buzz Lightyear was the hottest toy on Earth. Luckily my Mum and Dad booked a trip to Disneyland Paris, and their were hundreds of little Tim Allan's.

The Cinderella Doll, Horse and Light Up Carriage toy is a great deal, £21 off or a full-fat 30% down from £70. Every penny saved helps on the run up to Christmas, and this is a fantastic main present for your little princess.

Looking for a budget Disney Princess gift instead? How about Ariels Palace Micro Playset for £14, down from £20. Remember Polly Pockets? Think that but with Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian.

Kids Costumes

I can't make it any clearer that these are childrens costumes and you all need to calm down. With the exception of Spider-Man, it seems that ever sindle Disney Princess costume has been knocked down to £24.50 from £35 , which is a cheeky £10.50 saving that can go towards Cinderellas Glass Slippers or Elsa's boots for example. Even Belle is flogging her flippers in this Black Friday sale.

Kids Pajama Deals

Christmas isn't Christmas without new Pajamas, and that goes for the adults too (more on that next). If you've never got a set of jammies from the Disney Store before, they'll last until they grow out of them, and they're always so soft and cosey, perfect for this time of year. They're all down to £14 or lower from around £20, including Spider-Man, Lightning McQueen and Frozen, although I'd try defrosting them before making you kids wear them. I should look for a job writing Christmas cracker jokes, I'm wasted here...

Adult Loungewear

Oodies are expensive, but these Oversized Lounge Hoodies aren't, £28 knocked down from £40 by Goofy (The one with severe anger issues that Walt killed and replaced with the daft one). And and you want to be ridiculously cosey this Christmas, you'll also have to get the Fantasia Weighted Throw, It's only £38.50 down from $55 and it counts as a lifting session at the gym. Stay swole this Christmas with Disney's Black Friday deals!

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.

Stranger Things creators the Duffer brothers have revealed the four episodes they recommend rewatching ahead of the release of Season 5 on Netflix.

Ross and Matt Duffer told The Hollywood Reporter that the four episodes, below, are key to understanding where the story goes in Season 5, which kicks off on November 26.

The four Stranger Things episodes are below:

• Season 2, Episode 4, “Will the Wise”
• Season 2, Episode 6, “The Spy”
• Season 4, Episode 7, “The Massacre at Hawkins Lab”
• Season 4, Episode 9, “The Piggyback”

Matt Duffer told THR that Season 2 “is when we really started to build out the mythology and started to dive into everything, and how this was going to be an ongoing [series]. That’s where we started to really plant the seeds for the mythology, and I think probably that’s why that is as relevant as it is.”

Ross pointed towards the Season 4 episode, The Massacre at Hawkins Lab, which “starts unveiling some of the Upside Down mythology and starts giving some answers, and, of course, all the stuff with Henry (Bower) and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) continues to resonate throughout Season 5.”

Earlier this month, the Duffers promised fans that Season 5 would finally answer one of the biggest questions left hanging since Season 1 made its explosive debut a decade ago.

Warning! Spoilers for Stranger Things follow:

This isn’t about an explanation for what the Upside Down is; Matt and Ross Duffer have already said the fifth and final season will reveal all on Stranger Things’ hellish alternate dimension. This is about the kidnapping of Will Byers, played by Noah Schnapp.

Stranger Things began with the mysterious disappearance of Will, and Season 5 will finally answer why he was kidnapped and brought to the Upside Down in the first place. ‘Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers’ is the first episode of Stranger Things and the first episode of the first season. It was written and directed by the Duffer Brothers and premiered on Netflix on July 15, 2016, along with the rest of the season.

For years fans have theorized about why Will was kidnapped, rather than simply killed like so many others. What happened to him when he was in the Upside Down, and to what end? The first five minutes of Stranger Things Season 5, which Netflix has released, starts to answer those questions. We see a de-aged Will terrified in the Upside Down and running for his life from the Demogorgon. While Will puts up a valiant fight, he is eventually dragged to the lair of Vecna himself. It’s here that things get strange, as Vecna summons vines to prop Will up. Vecna then pumps some sort of substance through a tendril and into Will via his mouth. Will does not look like he’s enjoying the experience.

Clearly, whatever is inserted into Will is designed to take him over in some capacity and potentially become a part of the Upside Down itself. It’s all part of Vecna’s master plan, of course. “At long last,” Vecna says, menacingly. “We can begin. You and I, we are going to do such beautiful things together, William. Such beautiful things.”

If you’ve watched Stranger Things you’ll know that Will's mother Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Chief of Police Jim Hopper (David Harbour) eventually find Will and bring him back to our world, although he is much changed. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ross Duffer said that fans should go back to Season 2, Episode 6, called ‘The Spy,’ to help them understand what’s going on. This is, Ross said, “the most important episode,” and shows Will “working, in a way, for the Mind Flayer.”

In The Spy, Will is brought to Hawkins National Laboratory. At one point, a severed tendril from the tunnels is burnt, causing Will to experience pain. Will later points soldiers in the direction of a place the monster doesn’t want him to see, which turns out to be a trap. Will says "he made me do it" because "they upset him." Will, it seems, is the spy.

Season 5 begins in the fall of 1987, near the anniversary of Will’s disappearance in the Upside Down. “So much of the season was built around the idea of coming full circle, answering many of the questions that were posed all the way back in Season 1,” Matt Duffer told EW. “I think the two biggest questions that we didn’t really answer in Season 1 that we do answer this season is ‘what is the Upside Down, truly?’ and ‘why was Will taken?’”

“We reveal really everything about the Upside Down, all of which was planned out in season 1,” Matt added. “It was fun to finally pull back the curtain on all of that.”

Here’s the official blurb on Stranger Things Season 5:

The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.

Stranger Things Season 5 debuts on Netflix in three parts, with the first four episodes arriving for the Thanksgiving holiday on November 26. The next three episodes premiere on Christmas, and the series finale will debut on the streamer and in over 350 theaters nationwide on New Year’s Eve.

Stranger Things Season 5 release dates:

• VOL 1 - November 26, 5pm PT
• VOL 2 - Christmas, 5pm PT
• THE FINALE - New Year’s Eve, 5pm PT

If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

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.

A fresh update for the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy app has added a new startup Easter egg, alongside the arrival of several more retro titles.

Switch Online subscribers can now update their Game Boy app to Version 3.0.0, which adds the ability to view the original boot screen of your preferred Game Boy title when loading up a game.

If you've set your app to play the game as if on Game Boy, then it's the OG Game Boy startup screen that you'll see. If you've selected Game Boy Pocket, then you'll see that instead. Finally, if you're playing with your app set to Game Boy Color mode, you'll get that startup screen — colors and all.

So, how to see this Easter egg for yourself? Well, it's as easy as holding the left control stick on your Switch console when loading the app. Sound familiar? Yes, this is the same Easter egg and unlock mechanism that Nintendo previously added to the Switch Online's Game Boy Advance app.

(And yes, Switch 2 owners, if you want to view all the GameCube startup noises, you can also unlock those too.)

Finally, today's latest regular Switch Online catalogue update adds four more games to the service for subscribers, listed below.

• Battletoads (NES)
• Ninja Gaiden 2: The Dark Sword of Chaos (NES)
• Bionic Commando (Game Boy)
• Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters (Game Boy)

Anything take your fancy?

If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

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

I probably could have held off on writing this until what I like to call "Black Friday proper," on Nov. 28. But I've already seen several top offers fall into the shadow realm, never to return. I've got a sneaking suspicion that my top Black Friday picks will soon meet a similar fate.

Don't get me wrong, there are still some brilliant offers up for grabs, with some of 2025’s best games dropping to $30 or less, while plenty of other big PS5, Xbox, and Switch releases from the past couple of years are also heavily discounted (at least for now).

That's been massively helped by Walmart, which has stocked up on some of the best Black Friday discounts going this year. Yet, with retailers like Amazon and Best Buy still refusing to auto price-match most deals, once Walmart sells out, we likely won't see some of these low, low prices again for a while.

So, writing this article, I am.

You might have already seen my $20 or less roundup, which is still packed with heavy hitters from the last few years and perfect if you want maximum bang for your buck. Some deals are so good, they even feature in this article as well. But I've also tried to keep things as fresh as possible for returning readers.

I've also got you covered if you're looking for a more comprehensive roundup of the best video game deals for Black Friday. My advice is to snap up the following games up ASAP, because once they're gone, they're gone.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Artwork for Fortnite's new Chapter Seven era has seemingly teased a crossover with LEGO Ninjago, and confirmed a return for the game's dreaded Cube.

While LEGO already has a deep integration with Fortnite, the addition of Ninjago characters into the game will prove interesting — as it remains to be seen whether the characters will appear as non-LEGO versions. Indeed, this teaser simply shows a set of golden nunchuks belonging to Ninjago hero Jay, without the character himself being present.

Lego Ninjago's characters are, obviously, LEGO minifigures — but in Fortnite, playable characters always have a regular (non-LEGO) skin version as well. Perhaps we'll see a full, human-like version of Jay make its debut? Or perhaps fans will be allowed to run around Fortnite's battle royale as over-sized LEGO figurines (this seems less likely).

The final reckoning is finally headed to streaming. Tom Cruise’s supposed final outing as Ethan Hunt, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, will be available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ on December 4, just in time for a big holiday watch.

Alongside Cruise, the film stars returning cast members Simon Pegg and Hayley Atwell, Shea Wigham, Angela Bassett, Ving Rhames, Eassi Morales, and Pom Klementieff. Several new folks joined the fray as well, including Tramell Tillman, Hannah Waddingham, Katy O’Brien, Nick Offerman, and Holt McCallany.

The film, which is the eighth in a 29-year-franchise that began with Brian de Palma’s Mission: Impossible in 1996, picks up after the end of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning and continues to follow Hunt and his associates as they try to destroy the Entity, an immensely powerful AI program, before the bad guys nab it.

Final Reckoning premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in an out of competition screening and then made its way to theaters days later on May 23. Interestingly enough, the last time Cruise attended Cannes with a project before that was for Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, so it’s kind of funny (in a great way) that his latest appearances at the prestigious film festival were for high-octane commercial action projects.

Chris McQuarrie directed the film from a script he co-wrote with Erik Jendresen. McQuarrie directed the three previous installments of the franchise — 2015’s Rogue Nation, 2018’s Fallout, and 2023’s Dead Reckoning — so it was fun to see him take the helm for Cruise’s last outing as an elite spy.

IGN's Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning review returned a 6/10. We said: "The action thrills, but the soapy tone keeps greatness just out of reach for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning." Be sure to check out IGN's Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Ending Explained article to find out if this really is the end of Tom Cruise's M:I series.

If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.

“GTA 6 ALERT – EXTREMELY SERIOUS SITUATION,” reads the X / Twitter post from the Zap Actu GTA6 account. The supposed gameplay clip of Rockstar’s upcoming surefire blockbuster is brief, but, if true, a shocking leak indeed.

Of course, it’s not true. It’s not a leak. It’s not even real gameplay. It’s yet another AI-generated GTA 6 “leak” video viewed by millions that remains live across social media, which seems unable to do anything about it beyond the odd community note.

The tweet below, published yesterday, November 25, has gone viral, securing 8 million views in just over 24 hours. Below it, a community note warns against its authenticity, but that appears to be doing little to dull its impact. And it is far from the only one. The same Twitter account responsible for this “leak” has published a number of similar clips in recent months, some of which which have a huge number of views, all in a desperate bid for followers and Discord members.

🚨🚨 GTA 6 ALERT – EXTREMELY SERIOUS SITUATION 🚨🚨

A new and highly disturbing leak has just surfaced on TikTok before being taken down only minutes later — but the damage is already done. The video allegedly showed a real gameplay moment where the player is controlling Lucia,… pic.twitter.com/iSD4duGEPu

— Zap Actu GTA6 (@zapactugta6) November 25, 2025

Based on the replies, many Twitter users are taking these leaks at face value. It’s a problem GTA 6 has faced for some time now, which probably comes as little surprise given the intense excitement and thirst for new information on what is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch of all time. But it is far from the only video game to suffer from this problem. Indeed, video games are not alone in this, either.

Last month, IGN reported on physicist Brian Cox, who went public with complaints about YouTube accounts that had used AI to create deepfakes of him saying “nonsense” about comet 3I/ATLAS. Similarly, Keanu Reeves recently hit out at AI deepfakes of the John Wick star selling products without his permission, insisting "it's not a lot of fun." In July, it was reported that Reeves pays a company a few thousand dollars a month to get the likes of TikTok and Meta to take down imitators.

In 2023, Tom Hanks warned fans that an AI version of his likeness was being used without his consent in an online advert for a dental plan. Last year, Morgan Freeman thanked fans who alerted him to AI-generated imitations of his voice online after a series of videos created by someone posing as his niece went viral. And in May this year, Jamie Lee Curtis was forced to appeal to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an Instagram post because she couldn’t get the company to pull an AI-generated ad that featured her likeness for “some bullshit that I didn’t authorize, agree to or endorse.”

What is the solution here? In July, YouTube was said to be preparing to update its policies to crack down on creators’ ability to generate revenue from “inauthentic” content, which is made easy to produce on a massive scale with generative AI. While propelled forward by the great YouTube algorithm, you've probably stumbled across a fake trailer or two. The hope was that YouTube would be able to crack down on the channels that pump out this sort of low-effort content, but a cursory glance at YouTube shows this has yet to happen.

Without legislation forcing content built by generative AI tools to include labels clearly marking it as such, or laws preventing deepfakes without permission, fans will continue to be misled by bad actors. And as generative AI technology improves, so it will become harder to distinguish between the fake and the real.

Can anything meaningful be done? Last month, the Japanese government made a formal request asking OpenAI to refrain from copyright infringement after Sora 2 users generated videos featuring the likenesses of copyrighted characters from anime and video games.

Sora 2, which OpenAI launched on October 1, is capable of generating 20-second long videos at 1080p resolution, complete with sound. Soon after its release, social media was flooded with videos generated by the app, many of which contained depictions of copyrighted characters including those from popular anime and game franchises such as One Piece, Demon Slayer, Pokémon, and Mario. Despite the prostetations of the Japanese, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has declared Sora 2 videos using copyrighted characters "interactive fan fiction."

Zap Actu GTA6, meanwhile, doesn’t seem bothered by any potential backlash, and is posting even more fake GTA 6 “leaks.” Their latest, published just a few hours ago at the time this article went live, already had 220,300 impressions. In their Discord, which is slowly gaining new members, one person who joined today questioned everything they were doing, saying: "If it's AI, that's disrespectful to the fans, friend @ZapActu." ZapActu has yet to respond.

If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

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.

Oni Press' Hobtown Mystery Stories series of graphic novels has developed a cult following in recent years, as these books essentially ask the question "What if Stranger Things were produced by A24?". These supernatural mystery tales all center around the small city of Hobtown, a place where cults, conspiracies, and curses are just a daily part of life.

With the third volume in the series, The Secret of the Saicer, out in bookstores and comic shops now, IGN can exclusively debut a new preview of the book. Check it out in the slideshow gallery below:

The Secret of the Saucer is written by Kris Bertin and drawn by Alexander Forbes, with colors by Jason Fischer-Kouhi. Here's Oni's official description of the book:

In Hobtown Mystery Stories: The Secret of the Saucer, the lines between conspiracy and reality become intertwined like never before during the town’s highly contested mayoral election. There’s the arrival of an unexplained, unidentified flying object, a chaotic and unhinged Ape Lord, and an outbreak of literal backward thinking. The high school Teen Detective Club should be at the forefront of the case but is rife with conflict and its own crisis of leadership as the sleuths become increasingly paranoid. Is there anyone they can trust?

“Imagine if A24 re-made Stranger Things and you begin to understand the ambition of the strange and surreal story that Kris Bertin and artist Alexander Forbes have undertaken,” said Oni Press Editor-in-Chief Sierra Hahn in a statement. “There’s a multi-generational mystery, a supernatural mini-man, and a ragtag group of teen detectives. I genuinely love this series. Hobtown Mystery Stories just might be the best-kept secret in comics. These graphic novels are a personal obsession for me and soon they will be for you, too.”

Hobtown Mystery Stories: The Secret of the Saucer is available in stores now. You can order a copy on Amazon.

In other comic book news, find out who dies in Marvel's One World Under Doom finale, and learn about Dark Horse's new ongoing He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy has a new gameplay trailer that shows off an Ogryn called Cogg, one of a number of companions players will have at their disposal during the events of the upcoming cRPG.

Developer Owlcat Games is following up its well-received Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader with the promising Dark Heresy, due out across Windows PC (Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store) and consoles (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S). This time you play an Inquisitor who battles heresy and corruption. Expect intricate investigations, a turn-based combat system, and choices that carry grave consequences. Like Rogue Trader, Dark Heresy gives Warhammer 40,000 Baldur’s Gate 3 vibes.

Cogg is an Ogryn, hulking brutes who are so dull-minded that they don’t even get to be one of the tools in the box, sharp or otherwise. They are intensely loyal to the Emperor and his Imperium of Mankind, however, so can usually be relied upon to smash things when the Astra Militarum point them in the right direction.

Cogg, however, isn’t your typical Ogryn. He’s been fixed with a rare cortex implant which makes him what’s called a Bonehead, capable of following complex orders and even showing flashes of intelligence. That’s for the best, given he’s one of your companions in Dark Heresy.

Here’s the official blurb on Cogg:

Cogg is a member of the Abhuman subspecies called Ogryn: sturdy, strong, and not very intelligent, these mutated giants are fiercely loyal to the Imperium of Mankind. While still not the brightest bulb in the gothic chandelier, Cogg is a quicker thinker than most of his brethren thanks to his Biochemical Ogryn Neural Enhancement (BONE) and cranial implant. He served in the Astra Militarum shock troops as an unstoppable killing machine, impervious to obstacles or injury.

After a tragic incident he is left stranded in Hive Sibellus — doomed to fade away until the Inquisitor steps in to bless his life with new purpose.

The Warhammer: 40,000: Dark Heresy alpha launches on Steam on December 16, so you’ll be able to give Cogg a whirl for yourself. He’ll be fully voiced upon release, Owlcat said, although his voice actor has yet to be revealed. Players can join the alpha by contributing to the development process and becoming a founder on the Owlcat Games website. Alpha access is one of the rewards included in the $79 tier and the $289 Collector’s Edition.

Other companions include loyal Imperial subjects such as a veteran Guardsman from the death world of Catachan and a bird-like Kroot mercenary.

It’s a busy time for Owlcat and Warhammer 40,000 video games generally. Owlcat recently announced a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Rogue Trader. There are ongoing updates for Darktide and Space Marine 2. Looking further ahead, Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II, Dawn of War 4, and Space Marine 3 are all in the works.

If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

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.

Nintendo’s latest console, the Switch 2, is steadily building a library of amazing games, but which are the best? Well, here are what we think are the 15 most essential games to spend your time with on the handheld/home console hybrid.

As for our criteria, we’ve chosen not to go with just any game that is available on the Switch 2, and instead have selected only those that have been specifically created for Switch 2 and were not previously available on the original Nintendo Switch (well, with one single exception). Basically, we’re not counting upgrades of years-old Switch 1 games, such as Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, or Kirby and the Forgotten Land, etc, but you will find the odd multiplatform in this list that’s arrived on Nintendo hardware for the first time

Does that make sense? I do hope so. Anyway, let’s get on with it and reveal our picks for the Top 15 Best Nintendo Switch 2 Games.

15. PowerWash Simulator 2

PowerWash Simulator 2 is very much a sequel that abides by the mantra, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. A relaxing set of levels that are ever-expanding in size and complexity, scrubbing and soaking this new bunch of impossibly grimy vehicles, buildings, and furniture is the perfect way to spend a relaxing evening in with your Switch 2. It’s just good, clean fun.

14. Pokémon Legends: Z-A

With Legends: Z-A, it finally feels like Pokémon is really finding its feet when it comes to adapting the series’ classic template for a 3D world. Not just another monster-battling RPG, Z-A makes the bold decision to remove turn-based combat completely and replace it with a much more dynamic real-time system. It may take a little getting used to, but it is a genuine evolution of the now 30-year-old formula that is more than welcome. With improved performance thanks to the Switch 2’s superior power, the best way to play this latest Pokémon adventure is on Nintendo’s latest console.

13. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment

Koei Tecmo returns for another bite of the Hyrule Warriors apple, following up 2020’s Age of Calamity with Age of Imprisonment, which serves not only as a muso action spectacle, but also a prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Its story may not reach the heights of the best of the Zelda series, but the satisfaction found in its combat is undeniable, and this time the hardware can keep up with the action. All that makes it one of the best Switch 2 exclusives so far.

12. Ball X Pit

Brick-breakers are practically as old a video game genre as you can find, but none have ever quite done it like this. Ball X Pit borrows from the kaleidoscopic pixel mayhem action of Vampire Survivors and translates that score-chasing sensation into a selection of superpowered balls of wild variety that can be bounced off against enemies until they all fall down and clear the path along its steadily scrolling screen. Throw a light bit of settlement management into the mix, and you’ve got one of the hardest Switch 2 games to put down.

11. Kirby Air Riders

A sequel to 2003’s Kirby Air Ride certainly wasn’t on our Switch 2 bingo card for this year, but perhaps even more surprising is that it's genuinely great. Perhaps that shouldn’t come as a shock, though, due to legendary Kirby creator and Smash Bros. supremo Masahiro Sakurai being behind the wheel of this combative racing game that borrows as much from Smash as it does Mario Kart. Looking for a bit of chaos? Try out Kirby Air Riders on your Nintendo Switch 2.

10. Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

A cosy combination of action-adventure RPG and life sim management, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time hits a perfect sweet spot for the Nintendo Switch 2 in the absence of a brand-new Zelda adventure or Animal Crossing town to spend time in. We’re going to bend our rules ever so slightly here, as it did first release on the original Switch and other consoles on May 21, 2025, before making its way to Switch 2 as a day one game with enhanced visuals, but we think it's worth it to shout out a treat of a series that has been criminally underplayed.

9. Mario Kart World

Mario Kart World takes some risks as it barrels out of the confines of the series’ familiar circuit surroundings and out onto open roads for the first time. A mixture of colourful and expansive courses and open-world time trials and challenges, World changes up the Mario Kart methodology in the most impactful way since Double Dash hit the GameCube. A day one Switch 2 release, it's destined to be one of the console’s most-played games for the rest of its lifespan.

8. Split Fiction

Hazelight Studios has become the go-to place for co-op games over the past few years thanks to A Way Out, It Takes Two, and, now, Split Fiction. You and a friend take control of authors Mio or Zoe, who dive in and out of sci-fi and fantasy worlds conjured from their creative imaginations. It's a feast of varied gameplay design and a true test of teamwork. Available to play both online and locally, it’s a great fit for the Switch 2 and its pair of detachable Joy-Con controllers.

7. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

Being able to play CD Projekt Red’s dense and detailed sci-fi RPG on a Nintendo handheld seems like it should almost be illegal, and yet you can do exactly that. Now a far cry from the state it arrived in during the rockiest of launches, Cyberpunk 2077 has been retooled and refined into the fantastic open-world action RPG that it is today, with the vibrant Night City playing host to a tale of underworld revolutions and corporate-level betrayals. When you also throw in the magnificent Phantom Liberty expansion as part of this ultimate edition, then you’ve got one of the greatest RPGs of recent years in the palm of your hand, whenever and wherever you want it on Switch 2, even if it may not run quite as smoothly or look as stellar as it does on other platforms.

6. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake takes two classic RPGs and brings them into the modern age to beautiful effect. Both games are given a welcome facelift here, but successfully retain the retro magic that made them both so beloved when they were first released way back in 1986 and 1987, respectively. Nearly four decades on, they’ve never been more playable, and are among the best games you can now play on your Nintendo Switch 2.

5. Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles

A remaster of 1997’s Final Fantasy Tactics, 2025’s The Ivalice Chronicles has recently become the definitive way to play one of Square’s most acclaimed RPGs. Its tactical battling system is as tight as it ever was, with some welcome tweaks only making it kinder to engage with, along with a graphical boost that still captures the charm of the PlayStation original. Now fully voiced-acted, its story full of intrigue and conspiracy is ready to be enjoyed by a whole new generation of players, and is a perfect fit to be enjoyed in the Switch 2’s handheld mode.

4. Deltarune

A chapterised follow-up to Toby Fox’s beloved cult-classic, Undertale, Deltarune picks up where its predecessor left off in terms of subverting the RPG genre and delivering something wholly singular. Heartfelt and often hilarious, its story captivates from start to finish, with its unorthodox approach to battling just one of the many ways it surprises through inventive gameplay systems. To say much more would be a spoiler. With more chapters still planned to be released as free updates, Deltarune promises not only to be one of the Switch 2’s best games right now, but long into the future, too.

3. Hollow Knight: Silksong

It was also going to be difficult to live up to the hype that built up during Hollow Knight: Silksong’s long, long development, but somehow, developer Team Cherry didn’t disappoint. Hornet’s snaking metroidvania world is littered with unwelcoming locations filled with even less inviting enemies and pesky platforming, but it is one that also begs to be explored. Yes, it’s punishing, but equally as rewarding, with secrets lurking in hidden corners and behind every challenging boss fight. The satisfaction found throughout is nearly unparalleled on the Switch 2.

2. Donkey Kong Bananza

Donkey Kong Bananza finally gives Nintendo’s most famous ape a 3D platformer that can proudly sit alongside its Mario counterparts. In turn, it also gave Switch 2 owners one of the very best games to play on their new consoles. A delectably destructive smashathon, DK Bananza borrows elements and ideas from Super Mario Odyssey, but breaks them down and reshapes them into a Donkey Kong context brilliantly. With numerous worlds begging to be sculpted in your image, and hundreds of precious bananas to be uncovered, platformed, and puzzled their way to, it's a real showcase for what this new generation of Nintendo can look like, while never once forgetting to root itself in that decades-old wild creativity.

1. Hades 2

A Switch 2 console exclusive, Hades 2 somehow manages to improve on its masterful predecessor as developer Supergiant Games evolved the idea of its narrative-led roguelike action to God-tier levels. Melinoë’s journey to the depths of the underworld and the heights of Mount Olympus is layered with detail, whether it be in its intricate weapons and skill systems, or the majesty of its striking art direction that pops both on a big TV screen or on the Switch 2’s handheld display. The peak of its genre, Hades 2 is hard to tear yourself away from, and, simply put, the most fun you can have on your Nintendo Switch 2 right now.

And those are our picks for the best Switch 2 games that you can play right now. What have been your favourites so far? Let us know in the comments! Hungry for more Nintendo? Then check out our list of the Top 100 Best Nintendo Games of All-Time.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

Macaulay Culkin isn’t just open to a new Home Alone movie, he has a killer idea for it.

The 1990 Christmas movie classic is one of Hollywood’s most enduring films. It starred a 10-year-old Macaulay Culkin as the quick-thinking Kevin McCallister, who defends his home from thieves by setting dastardly traps that tore Joe Pesci’s Harry and Daniel Stern’s Marv to bits in Tom & Jerry style comedic violence.

The similarly successful Home Alone 2: Lost in New York followed two years later and saw Culkin, by this point a child star, reprise his role as Kevin. But he skipped the subsequent, less well known sequels: 1997’s Home Alone 3, 2002’s Home Alone 4, 2012’s Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, and 2021’s Home Sweet Home Alone.

Now, over 30 years since he last played Kevin, the 45-year-old Culkin has expressed interest in returning to the world of Home Alone, and has even revealed his idea for the sequel. Speaking during his “A Nostalgic Night with Macaulay Culkin” tour, as reported by Variety, Culkin confirmed he “wouldn’t be completely allergic” to returning as Kevin in a Home Alone sequel, insisting “it would have to be just right.”

Then, the pitch:

“I kind of had this idea. I’m either a widower or a divorcee. I’m raising a kid and all that stuff. I’m working really hard and I’m not really paying enough attention and the kid is kind of getting miffed at me and then I get locked out. [Kevin’s son] won’t let me in… and he’s the one setting traps for me.”

So, instead of Kevin defending his home from robbers, he becomes the robber in a role flip. Culkin added: “the house is some sort of metaphor for our relationship.” In the movie, Kevin would have to “get let back into” his son’s heart. “That’s the closest elevator pitch that I have,” he said. “I’m not completely allergic to it, the right thing.”

But will Culkin get the chance to make this pitch? In August, Chris Columbus, who directed the first two Home Alone movies, said he didn’t want Hollywood to return to the series.

“I think Home Alone really exists as, not at this timepiece, but it was this very special moment, and you can’t really recapture that,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “I think it’s a mistake to try to go back and recapture something we did 35 years ago. I think it should be left alone.” Also in August, Columbus issued his verdict on which is best, Home Alone or Home Alone 2?

In the shorter term, Culkin voices Cattrick Lynxley in Zootopia 2, and is set to star in Fallout Season 2 on Prime Video.

If you're hunting for the best offers this week, we're actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full Black Friday hub, or check out our relevant pages for PlayStation, Nintendo, and Xbox deals.

Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage.

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.

NBA Jam has remained one of the most iconic basketball video games since its release in the ‘90s, but Tim Kitzrow, the actor behind its announcer, says he only made “like $800-and-change” when recording his lines.

The voice behind “boomshakalaka” opened up about his history as a sports gaming voice actor during a recent conversation with The Escapist. Kitzrow’s career includes voicework for NFL Blitz, MLB Slugfest, and even themed pinball machines, but it’s his work on the over-the-top NBA video game that many believe has stood the test of time.

While many lines from his play-by-plays likely still ring in the minds of ‘90s gamers who dropped coins into the original arcade experience, it’s “boomshakalaka” that is remembered by most today. Despite its staying power, Kitzrow looks back at the string of syllables as more of “a gift from the gods” than a carefully considered quote.

“A fellow in the studio, John Carlton, was listening to Sly & The Family Stone,” he explained. “The song I Want to Take You Higher. The chorus is ‘boom shaka-laka-laka, boom shaka-laka-laka’.”

Kitzrow continued: “He goes, ‘Hey Tim, say boomshakalaka’. Now, me being a basketball guy – I watched every game on TV with Marv Albert – I’d never heard anyone say ‘boomshakalaka’. I’m just trying to get the reference, like, ‘What the hell are you talking about? This is not a basketball term.’ I said, ‘What is this?’ He goes, ‘Just say boomshakalaka… like that.’”

Now, 32 years later, boomshakalaka is still the kind of celebration basketball fans love to quote. At the time, though, Kitzrow’s work on NBA Jam seemed like any other voice acting gig. Without an agent and his pinball work usually netting “a few hundred bucks at best,” he says his work on Midway’s sports video game seemed like any other job.

“It was $50 an hour,” Kitzrow said. “Same as the pinball. I’d go in, do a couple of sessions – maybe 15 hours total – and that was it. I wasn’t smart enough, savvy enough to know the business, to go, ‘Gee, these games make a lot of money, maybe I should make more than $50 an hour.’”

It wasn’t until after NBA Jam launched to tremendous success that Kitzrow realized he may have been denied an easy layup.

“When the game came out and I found out it made a billion dollars, that’s when I realised I’d made like 800-and-change, maybe something like that,” he said with a laugh. “I thought, ‘Well, I’m probably being underpaid. I might want to raise my rate.’”

NBA Jam went on to receive numerous re-releases on various platforms. The series eventually saw releases from Acclaim Entertainment and EA, too, including 2003 and 2010 reboots, in addition to its Midway run.

Kitzrow returned to provide his work as one of the most excited announcers in games in many of the offshoots as they arrived through the years. He also managed to bring back some of his most iconic lines for a sports-themed Easter Egg in Bethesda Softworks’ Rage 2. Next, football fantasy fans can expect to hear him in Mutant Football League 2, which leaves early access with a full launch for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S December 10.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Paris-based game developer Reissad Studio has launched the first major update for its Unreal Engine 5 FPS, Bodycam, since its 2024 early access launch.

The team, which has grown to include more than 100 people, detailed all of the changes included in the new update in a post on its Steam community page. It marks the first major update for the multiplayer shooter since launching for PC two summers ago and aims to improve performance and stability while fleshing out the Zombie Mode with new content.

Reissad says it spent recent months gathering feedback in hopes of tackling a “massive amount of bug fixes,” as well as other performance improvements across the board. The goal is to set a more solid foundation with more updates going forward, with the last year mostly focusing on smaller updates and hotfixes. Other talking points – such as servers, anti-cheat, and a “full UI rework” – are in the works for the future and “remain very high priority.”

“We know that optimization and stability were non-negotiable for our community, and this update represents the first major fulfillment of that promise," Reissad studio director Luca Dassier said in a statement detailing the company's commitment to continuous development. "By migrating to Unreal Engine 5.5 and establishing a dedicated internal QA team, we have fundamentally strengthened our development foundation. This structural growth, supported by additional staffing, ensures we can consistently deliver high-quality, game-changing updates throughout the Early Access period. We are actively listening and committed to making Bodycam the ultimate visceral FPS experience."

Bodycam players will notice the major update also comes with Village, a new location the studio calls its “biggest Zombie map to date,” along with Zombie spawn and behavior tweaks. Though Reissad says it still sees Zombie Mode as secondary to the core multiplayer offering, players are told to expect more Zombie content in the future, with today’s update also adding a new crossbow weapon. The new CQB Powergun multiplayer map, meanwhile, is based on a real-world airsoft location in France.

Bodycam dropped into Steam Early Access June 7, 2024, as a tactical multiplayer FPS with what Reissad calls a “true body-camera view in Unreal Engine 5.” We gave it a 5/10 review upon its launch.

“Bodycam’s early access version is an interesting proof of concept for a good looking, GoPro-view shooter, but has little else to offer once the novelty wears off,” we said at the time.

You can see the Bodycam November 2025 update patch notes below.

Bodycam November 2025 Update Patch Notes

Patch Notes (Summary)

PERFORMANCE & OPTIMIZATION

• Migrated from Unreal Engine 5.2 → 5.5, fully adapted to Lumen and Virtual Shadow Maps (VSM).
• Optimized GPU and CPU usage across all major maps.
• Reduced draw calls, dynamic render targets and shadow complexity on multiple maps.
• Cleaned redundant sublevels, merged meshes and lowered texture streaming overhead.
• Improved shader complexity and light culling to reduce overdraw.
• Reduced Slate tick in the Play Menu frontend from 4.3 ms → 0.66 ms.
• Lowered Play Menu memory usage from 250 MB → 180 MB.
• Optimized asynchronous texture loading and streaming for both UI and environments.
• Part of our team is now dedicated to GPU optimization to ensure we improve the rendering pipeline.
• Efficiently integrated Virtual Shadow Maps across all maps (CQB, Rome, Bomb House, Airsoft, etc.).
• Switched around 90% of textures to Virtual Textures with proper LODs and compression settings.
• Improved texture grouping, compression and global texture memory usage.
• Re-baked lighting passes across all maps to align with VSM + Lumen.
• Optimized post-process effects and volumetric fog for better visibility and depth.
• Improved load times and streaming consistency overall.
• Polished props, materials and set dressing for better visual cohesion.
• Improved settings management and input responsiveness.
• Continued cleanup of legacy systems and deprecated logic.
• Achieved higher and more consistent frame rates on Paintball, Logistics, Hospital, CQB, Public Pool, Airsoft, Bomb House, Russian Building, Shooting Range, Rome.
• Fixed FSR 3 so it now applies the correct screen percentage.
• Enabled FSR Frame Generation when DLSS is active, without requiring FSR 3.

BUG FIXES & STABILITY

• Fixed the lobby crash when hosting or loading a game after a friend invite (previously the most common crash).
• Fixed Bodycam friends detection (green squares) not displaying correctly.
• Fixed several cases of incorrect scores shown on the TAB scoreboard.
• Removed duplicate players appearing in the friends list UI.
• Fixed Steam invite issues preventing disconnected clients from rejoining sessions.
• Resolved softlocks during map loading on certain maps (for example Paintball and Hospital).
• Fixed a UI bug that could show "Defeat" after actually winning a match.
• Restored missing sections in the server list and improved friend visibility in lobbies.
• Fixed spawn bugs, stuck players and invalid collisions across multiple maps.
• Fixed several map collision issues and player stuck spots.
• Resolved a voice chat initialization crash.
• Fixed replication errors when the host or client disconnects: clients now properly return to the lobby.
• Fixed weapon switching and camera issues when cycling between weapons.
• Resolved an infinite loading bug in the locker shop.
• Fixed round win or loss desync in online matches.
• Fixed multiple input rebinding issues introduced during the engine migration.
• Fixed missing bomb sounds and invalid event triggers in multiplayer logic.
• Fixed bots being immobile on certain maps (Airsoft, CQB, etc.).
• Fixed bots that never reloaded their weapons.
• Fixed multiple map vote issues: black screen, players kicked out, host stuck in freecam, etc.
• Fixed freecam spawns on Rome in Team Deathmatch and Bodybomb.
• Fixed unbalanced teams when hosting with friends in Teams mode.
• Fixed all issues related to end of round and match screens:
  • "Victory" incorrectly displayed as Defeat for clients.
  • Score or result not appearing at the end of a round.
  • Wrong label "Round Lost" despite a victory.
  • "Round" displayed instead of "Match" on the end screen.
• Fixed a ragdoll issue where some players stayed stuck in ragdoll and never switched to spectator.
• Improved handling of two player games to avoid weird edge cases in team assignment.

GAMEPLAY & SYSTEMS

• Added the Crossbow, first introduced in the new Zombie Village map.
• Expanded Zombie spawn and behavior systems with improved wave pacing, loot areas and special enemy types.
• Added a map voting system at the end of matches.
• Updated Sprint to work as a toggle instead of requiring the key to be held.
• Comprehensive fixes to the input binding system:
  • Keys already in use now properly display a warning message.
  • The "Reset inputs" and "Clear / Reset" buttons work as expected.
  • It is once again possible to bind the O key.
  • The Pause Menu now opens correctly with Escape in both packaged and standalone builds.
  • Fixed an issue where a night vision message could pop up when rebinding certain keys.
• Improved zoom and camera navigation in several interfaces for smoother, more natural movement and focus.
• Limited weird player rotations when turning the head too far to the sides or looking too high or too low while opening certain interfaces.
• Posthumous grenade kills (kills after you die) now award the correct points.
• Adjusted bomb timer to avoid rounds ending too quickly.
• Bots now defuse the bomb correctly after the player dies.
• Fixed and validated several achievements or trophies and their in-game tracking.

ZOMBIE MODE

• Fixed zombie audio replication so clients hear the correct sounds in online sessions.
• Fixed a severe FPS drop when zombie sprinters spawned.
• Sprinters are now easier to identify by sound, with an increased audio range.
• Added and tuned a specific audio cue for both sprinters and the scarecrow.
• Reworked Mystery Box SFX for a more satisfying feel.
• Fixed an issue where sprinters might fail to spawn correctly during the first wave.
• Fixed multiple cases where zombies got stuck or despawned incorrectly on Village (windmill tower, doors, specific areas).
• Fixed a crash related to explosions on the Village map.
• Adjusted the zombie clothes system and several end of wave sounds (for example bells firing multiple times).
• Fixed a bug where snow could appear incorrectly on players.

MAPS & ENVIRONMENT

• Added the new Village (Zombie) map.
• Added the new CQB Powergun multiplayer map.
• Airsoft: a few fixes plus a new staircase to improve flow.

Multiplayer maps (CQB Powergun, Paintball, Public Pool, Rome, Russian Building, etc.)

• CQB Powergun
  • Large optimization and polish pass (Tech Art, collisions, lighting).
  • Fixed bots getting stuck on CQB.
  • Fixed footstep sounds on metal surfaces such as stairs.
• Paintball
  • Fixed a broken wall material.
  • Completed a full Tech Art validation and fix pass.
• Public Pool
  • Fixed a Hardpoint that was inaccessible to players.
  • Completed a Tech Art validation and fix pass.
  • Corrected overly dark starting lighting.
  • Polished Hardpoint locations for a better gameplay flow.
• Russian Building
  • Fixed walls and environment elements.
  • Fixed a sky that was too bright at night.
  • Corrected a Hardpoint that did not function correctly.
  • Fixed a starting state where the map could be too dark.
  • Restored the characteristic blur effect, now applied consistently across all maps for visual cohesion.
  • Fixed a spot where players could get stuck when reentering via a wooden plank.
  • Removed a leftover "trailer bot" that spawned by mistake on the map.
• Warehouse
  • The map is no longer locked in debug mode without bots and is playable again.
• Worn House, Hospital, Asylum, Bomb House, Shooting Range, The Backrooms
  • Full Tech Art passes (collisions, materials, lighting, readability).
  • Added or fixed missing Hardpoint locations on several maps.
• Airsoft
  • Fixed bots that were immobile on the map.
  • Completed Tech Art validation plus a post process polish.
• General
  • Fixed several stuck spots for players across different maps.
  • Improved Village and background areas with more foliage and visual detail.

UI / UX

• Integrated full aspect ratio scaling and partial controller support for all menus.
• Optimized Play Menu performance using asynchronous texture streaming.
• Added new Play Card visuals and data assets for map and mode selection.
• Implemented a functional Pause Menu with proper layering and back navigation.
• Redesigned the input rebinding interface for Unreal 5.5's Enhanced Input System.
• Optimized font scaling and unified global UI visuals for consistency.
• Fixed scoreboard, map voting and match end displays so they are consistent and reliable.
• Fixed scaling issues on non standard resolutions and aspect ratios.
• Fixed a bug where the rank UI appeared blurry due to the blur effect.
• Fixed player nameplates not correctly following players.
• Improved global visibility by fixing eye adaptation issues that could break player visibility.
• Fixed the Bodycam detection icon (green square) so it displays correctly again.
• Improved the overall behavior of the Escape key, menus and global navigation (map list, back button, etc.).
• Long player names (for example from Steam) no longer break UI layouts.
• The Score Tab now shows clearer information about the match state (time left, win conditions, etc.).
• Fixed the Back button that could break navigation and clear the map list.
• In the shop, when scrolling, the first item of the newly visible area is now automatically selected for smoother navigation.
• When editing a class, the camera no longer zooms out to the full weapon and instead stays focused on the edited element.
• Additional eye adaptation fixes were made to further improve visibility.

AUDIO & VFX

• Integrated new footstep, impact and melee sound effects.
• Removed looping bird and ambient noise clutter on several maps.
• Balanced the global audio mix and adjusted sound occlusion, especially on Village.
• Added end of wave audio cues and new voice lines for zombie spawns.
• Fixed greybox VFX that appeared after the Unreal 5.5 migration.
• Updated Niagara particles for blood, muzzle flashes, debris and impacts.
• Reworked blood decals and improved their reflections in the lighting.
• Enhanced post process visual feedback such as motion blur, depth of field and chromatic aberration.
• Added the Main Zombie Theme.
• Rebalanced:
  • Global reverb and environmental ambience to make maps feel more coherent.
  • Footsteps and surface variations.
  • Bullet impacts, fly by and ricochet audio to boost immersion.
• Improved environmental ambience and audio on Village.
• Adjusted wind sounds while turning and restored several blood related particles to get a feel closer to the previous versions.
• Fixed audio parameters that were not applied correctly on some sounds.

NETWORKING & MULTIPLAYER

• Improved the host to client disconnection flow: clients now consistently return safely to the lobby.
• Fixed incorrect game mode transitions in some cases.
• Enhanced replication performance and reduced lag spikes during player updates.
• Improved lobby and matchmaking flow with better state synchronization.
• Optimized server travel and reduced session recreation times.
• Fixed disconnected clients that could not join a new host.
• Fixed duplicate entries for a single player in the lobby.
• Fixed an issue where map voting could kick players and put the host into freecam.
• Fixed a bug where joining or rejoining a lobby could cause an infinite loading loop.
• Fixed several issues with player names displayed in the TAB score and end screens.
• Completed VOIP QA checks to stabilize and validate voice chat behavior.
• Fixed nameplates replication so they track players correctly for all clients.
• Adjusted edge cases where two player matches could behave strangely with team assignment.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

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