Home Alone director Chris Columbus is part of a truly solid crop of American directors who excelled in the comedy space in the 80s and 90s — but he isn’t quite as fond of the comedic efforts that came after his work in the Home Alone franchise. In fact, he recently went as far as to call the other installments “really bad.”

"It's been revisited with really bad sequels," Columbus said while speaking at a screening at the Academy Museum recently. "Sorry to insult anybody, but they've completely f***ed it up. It started with Home Alone 3 and then it just went downhill from there; Home Alone 3 is sort of the best of the bunch of the bad movies."

He didn’t name drop any of the other titles specifically, but after Home Alone 3, there were three more sequels featuring different protagonists: 2002’s Home Alone 4, 2012’s Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, and 2021’s Home Sweet Home Alone. For Columbus, a big part of the problem was in the wirework, which gives a “false sense of the stunt" and makes the franchise’s classic stunts look unnatural.

That said, we could have a really great Home Alone sequel — if 20th Century Studios would just listen to original star Macaulay Culkin, who recently had an excellent idea for a legacy sequel film that he shared during a show on the A Nostalgic Night with Macaulay Culkin tour.

In his concept, his original character, Kevin McAllister, is an adult father. "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,” Culkin explained. “He won't let me in… and he's the one setting traps for me.”

Honestly, we think he might be onto something, so 20th Century, you should listen up. The original Home Alone is available to stream now on Disney+.

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

Nintendo recorded more than 30 minutes of extra conversations featuring Metroid Prime 4: Beyond's chatty companion characters that don't currently appear in the game.

The voice lines have now been datamined and uploaded to YouTube (thanks, VGC) where fans can listen in to long stretches of cut Metroid Prime 4 banter, recorded for the Galactic Federation troops Samus encounters.

Specifically, these conversations would have played out at Base Camp, between much-maligned mechanic Miles MacKenzie, and later NPCs such as the robot VUE-995, Private Armstrong, Sergeant Duke and Corporal Tokabi.

Listening in to the conversations, these are all non-essential chats that add to each character's backstory and personality. Most are designed to be humorous, such as the chats between hulking mech VUE-995 and Private Armstrong talking about working out, getting a tattoo-like custom paint scheme, and Armstrong's love of dogs. Armstrong even discusses her pet pooch back home, named Bowser.

Speaking with Sergeant Duke, VUE-995 is told he needs greasing up, as the other troops are complaining that he's squeaking. As a group, the team also discusses eating jerky. (There are no voice lines featuring Samus, for obvious reasons.)

It remains to be seen whether this dialogue is ever used for anything, or made available in-game via a future update. (Perhaps it's being saved for the launch of a New Game Plus mode?) Alternatively, the fact the dialogue has been cut could be a sign that Nintendo knew its cheery marines might come across as an odd fit in Metroid Prime — a series known for its themes of isolation, with a famously silent protagonist and little to no other dialogue.

Notably, Nintendo held back all mention of these characters' presence until a pre-release preview just a month from the game's launch date. Their inclusion then became a focal point of discussion among fans, and part of the game's critical consensus upon release.

"It doesn't take psychic powers to see the ideal vision Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was aiming for," IGN wrote in our Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review. "It tries to mix the excellent Prime formula with a character-focused story and a large hub world to explore. It doesn't quite reach that ambitious goal, with an outdated open desert area that mostly feels like padding and a cast of characters that provide both a handful of memorable moments and too much chatter at times."

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

Larian has confirmed that its upcoming role-playing game, Divinity, is indeed turn-based following speculation from the developer's fans.

Following the announcement of Divinity at The Game Awards, fans had wondered if it would follow 2023’s Baldur’s Gate 3 and prior games in the Divinity series by offering turn-based combat, or mark a significant shift for Larian and move to more action game-oriented combat. Confirmation that it is sticking with turn-based comes from a Bloomberg interview with Larian boss Swen Vincke.

“This is going to be us unleashed, I think,” Vincke said. “It’s a turn-based RPG featuring everything you’ve seen from us in the past, but it’s brought to the next level.”

Vincke took part in a round of interviews with the media following the announcement, and spoke to IGN in an interview of our own on what to expect from Divinity. Key points he made in our interview include:

• Divinity is a single-player game with cooperative multiplayer, as with Baldur’s Gate 3
• Larian has been working on Divinity for two years already, and it is now in full production.
• Larian owns Divinity, so it is free from the Dungeons & Dragons shackles it built Baldur’s Gate 3 with.
• Divinity is “bigger” than Baldur’s Gate 3.
• Divinity will “most likely” use early access prior to full launch, as Baldur’s Gate 3 did, but Larian is undecided.

Check out IGN’s Divinity interview with Swen Vincke for the complete lowdown. We've also got comments from Larian on Divinity's gruesome
reveal trailer, which was not designed to shock the audience. And be sure to check out everything announced at The Game Awards 2025 for more, as well as the winners list in full. And if you’re wondering what all this Divinity business is about, check out our handy explainer here.

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.

Ahead of the hotly-anticipated launch of Fallout Season 2 on Prime Video, a Samsung executive has discussed the optimal TV picture settings for watching the show — and even got Bethesda development chief Todd Howard asking questions of his own.

Optimal settings became part of the discourse around Stranger Things Season 5 after co-creator Ross Duffer called on fans of the Netflix series to turn off what he described as “garbage” TV settings because they “destroy the color” and present an image that is “not the filmmakers’ intent.”

So in a recent interview with Kevin Beatty, Head of Product for Samsung Gaming, Interactive Experiences, and Emerging Tech (Bethesda and Xbox recently announced a partnership with Amazon and Samsung to stream Season 1 for free on Samsung TV Plus), we asked him for his optimal picture settings recommendation for watching Fallout.

Bethesda chief Todd Howard was in the same interview, and he got pretty excited about the question. “I look this stuff up,” he said. “I want to know as well. This is the best question!”

Replying, Beatty pointed to HDR10+, the High Dynamic Range (HDR) format that uses dynamic metadata for scene-by-scene or frame-by-frame adjustments to color, contrast, and brightness. It's supported by major brands and streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, where Fallout Season 2 kicks off today, December 16.

“... HDR10+ and with AI processors now we are upscaling these things,” Beatty said. “And so, these are actual capabilities that exist in every single line that you're buying off the shelf, that is going to improve the experience when you're watching it on Amazon Prime.”

Determined to find out more, Howard asked a question of his own:

“No, but legit, backlight 20 or 11? I sit there and mess with it.”

Beatty responded: “Oh, well, I think it depends on the lighting of your room.”

At this point in the interview we’re told HDR10+ does this automatically. “Yeah, but sometimes it clicks it on and off,” Howard countered. “It's not the fault on your TV, I'm just saying.”

Beatty added: “I think it also depends on your room though, right? If you're in a room that is well lit versus completely dark…”

At this point Howard made one thing very clear: “Not dynamic mode though, you turn that off. That's for stores.”

In Ross Duffer’s TV settings post, he expressed particular disdain for what he called the “worst offender of all: TruMotion, aka smooth motion, “or the dreaded soap opera effect.”

Then, Duffer added: “whatever you do, do not switch on anything called ‘vivid’ — because it’s going to turn on all the worst offenders, it’s going to destroy the color, and is not the filmmaker’s intent.”

We put Duffer’s comments to Beatty, and while he didn’t want to respond to them directly, he did say he understood where Duffer was coming from as a creative.

“I was mentioning to Todd, I came from Disney prior to Samsung, and so worked really closely with a lot of the creators, and so there is absolutely a bias on, this content has to look this good, and it has to have this type of color variation and sensitivity,” he began. “I think it really depends. I can't comment on necessarily Stranger Things 5, of what works best, but I would say though that HDR10+ generally speaking will improve it the most.”

And on Duffer’s comment on TruMotion specifically, Beatty replied: “Yeah. I could see where he's probably coming from, where he thinks that it's adding creative flexibility on top of what he's trying to come up with. And these are settings that people can turn off, if they want.”

Fallout Season 2 starts tonight, December 16, on Prime Video after Amazon brought the release date forward by a day. Check out IGN's Fallout Season 2 Episodes 1-6 review to find out what we think of it.

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.

For the Animal Crossing fans looking for new dialogue or major overhauls to what exists in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you may not want to hold your breath for the 3.0 Update or the Nintendo Switch 2 version. The announcement for anything new for the five-year-old game was already a delightful surprise (especially after Nintendo previously said they were done with major updates years ago), but there don't seem to be many secrets or surprises beyond what was shown in the reveal trailer. IGN was invited by Nintendo to get a hands-off look at what's coming to ACNH on January 15, 2026, and the roughly 25-minute demo confirmed certain ACNH fan factions' excitement and disappointment: namely, this one is for the decorators. That being said, as someone who does love decorating in Animal Crossing, this update is an exciting reason for me to play more regularly again.

The Switch 2 version's three main features aren't all that interesting, though the speed and graphical updates are pleasing. In the demo, I saw and had it confirmed that the Switch 2 exclusive Megaphone tool is limited to calling residents who can actually hear. So, it won't impact anyone inside a building, which makes it less useful for tracking down a particular character. Then, the final major benefit to playing on Switch 2 is being able to play with up to 12 people total in multiplayer, though that hinges on everyone in the session playing on a Switch 2. I feel lucky I know even three people still playing, leaving this update as the least impactful.

The hotel is by far the biggest change out of everything. It was explained that, like other facilities in ACNH, the hotel is something you'll unlock. Since it's tied to the pier, it cannot be moved and getting it is not optional. I didn't see what's involved in building the hotel, but once it's there, it'll receive season-appropriate decor like other facilities. Inside is the welcoming site of Kapp'n's family. The main activity you'll do in the hotel is decorating rooms similar to the Happy Home Paradise DLC, with the key difference being that you have a list of room themes to choose from (such as Ranch Room, Skyscraper Room, and plenty more) and are free to do what you will with it… or skip using a theme entirely and freestyle the design.

If you use a theme, you're provided a selection of items that match. Though unlike HHP, you're not required to use any specific items even if you do opt to use a theme. Then, when you're done, you'll receive a reward of the new hotel currency, tickets, once per day. You can keep decorating the eight guest rooms, but you won't receive any extra currency. Tickets can then be spent at the hotel gift shop that has hotel-related items along with new furniture, most of which I did not get to see. The other way to earn tickets is by crafting requested items for Kapp'n. The new bulk crafting feature wasn't shown in my demo either.

Tourists who stay in the hotel can roam your island in the customizable outfits displayed in the hotel, which helps to clearly identify them. Unfortunately, there wasn't much interaction with tourists in my demo. The one conversation with a tourist didn't make it clear whether or not they can be invited to stay on the island, though it was mentioned in the demo that if the visitor is convinced, they could potentially become a resident.

The four new characters coming to ACNH with 3.0 (two from Splatoon, two from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom) weren't present in the demo, though the items that get added to ACNH after scanning one of their respective series amiibo were. It was clarified that to get one of the new Splatoon or Legends of Zelda characters and the associated special items, all you need to do is scan any one amiibo from their respective franchise, rather than any specific amiibo. The items looked great peppered around the item, and it seems most of the items are interactive.

For those looking for even more decorating, Slumber Islands await. We unfortunately again didn't see much of the special Slumber Island space beyond what was shown in the reveal trailer. This feature requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. With that, you'll get access to three island save spots and can create a small, medium, or large island, with the large size being close to being the size of the normal island. The Animal Crossing community has come up with some amazing island designs over the years, and the Slumber Islands feature is primed to encourage even more of that. Whatever you've collected will be available on the Slumber Islands, and anything you do or use in the dreams won't impact your main island. It was confirmed during the demo that there won't be any new additional custom design save slots, though, so players will need to get creative with what's already available if custom designs are a key part of their island design process.

Our demo didn't show Resetti's new suite of cleanup services, all the new items coming with the hotel, or how much it costs to upgrade storage. There wasn't a chance to ask the developers questions either, so it's still unclear whether we should expect any other ACNH updates beyond this. I'm eager to see the patch notes whenever Nintendo releases them to see if there are any secret small quality of life updates or item updates for holidays (will we get a 2026 balloon arch for the New Year's event?), but, as I mentioned earlier, I'm skeptical we'll see any major changes other than what's been announced. Even still, I'm enjoying having a reason to return to my island and get it cleaned up for future tourists.

Miranda Sanchez is the executive editor of guides at IGN and a member of Unlocked. She's a big fan of stationery, reading, and bouncing between forever games. You can sometimes find her on Bluesky.

Three years ago, I sat down to watch Avatar: The Way of Water with one big question on my mind: Could James Cameron deliver a sequel to his 2009 blockbuster that’s worth a thirteen-year wait? Three hours and twelve minutes later, it was abundantly clear that yup, dude’s still got it.

Earlier this month, when I sat down to watch Avatar: Fire and Ash, I had a lot more questions. A couple were about loose ends from the previous film, but my more pressing queries were about the film itself. Would a new Avatar film after just three years pack as much of a punch as one that benefited from a middle schooler’s lifetime of anticipation? Also, Cameron’s made some of the best sequels of all time, but what does a James Cameron threequel look like? Well, three hours and seventeen minutes later, I didn’t have quite as definitive an answer to either of those questions… but I did have one huge smile on my face.

Avatar: Fire and Ash picks up immediately after the events of The Way of Water. Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and the rest of the Sully family are mourning the loss of their eldest son, Neteyam (played by Jamie Flatters in The Way of Water). They’ve finally been accepted into the Metkayina clan, but aside from the looming threat of retaliation from the RDA, there are a couple factors preventing them from properly settling down. For one, Jake’s favorite form of grieving involves preparing for war with the humans, an interest the Metkayina clan doesn’t share. Two, they have a kid who can’t breathe. Their adopted son, Spider (Jack Champion), still needs a rebreather to survive in Pandora’s atmosphere, and they only have one backup battery – which, to put it lightly, is stupidly risky. So, Jake makes the unpopular call that Spider should go live with other humans, and to soften the blow, proposes that they make a family vacation out of it by hitching a ride with the nomadic airborne Tlalim clan, aka the Wind Traders.

Aside from all the grieving, Fire and Ash looks and feels very similar to The Way of Water in the early part of the film. While that’s by no means a bad thing, it’s initially lacking in the spectacle, novelty, or for lack of a better word, “newness” I was hoping for from another Avatar. However, that quickly changes with the arrival of the Wind Traders. The Avatar movies have always been a visual feast, but an armada of vessels suspended from enormous flying jellyfish-like Medusoids pulled by cephalopodian Windrays literally and figuratively blows the more familiar imagery out of the water, especially in 3D on a huge screen.

Cameron has always had a flair for large-scale spectacle, but I was equally impressed with the shots of the Wind Traders hocking their wares. In terms of narrative or action, nothing particularly exciting takes place in these shots, but they’re so densely packed with detail, activity, and stuff that I sat forward in my seat. If you’re not as impressed by baskets and gourds at a Na’vi swap meet as I am, don’t worry, the Fire Nation shows up soon enough.

They are the Mangkwan clan – a ruthless and quite literally godless group of Na’vi led by Varang (Oona Chaplin), who is one of the highlights of the film. Chaplin’s performance is properly terrifying, and her whole crew looks and acts more like denizens of Mordor than Pandora. Varang has no qualms about breaking Eywa’s laws, and is extremely eager to get her hands on human weapons. And you know who has access to a lot of those, and a similar penchant for torching Na’vi villages? Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang). Naturally, they hit it off like gasoline and an open flame.

When Quaritch showed up in the first film, I didn’t think he was anything to write home about. Lang gave a decent enough performance as an extremely hateable badass, but when it was announced that he was attached for all four sequels, it didn’t move the needle for me. His performance in Fire and Ash, however, has elevated him to one of my favorite villains in recent memory, especially in his scenes with Chaplin. The two of them don’t chew scenery – they devour it like a five-course meal.

Another character who unexpectedly grew on me was Spider, which is good, because he’s basically the linchpin of the whole film. In The Way of Water, he’s introduced as the annoying neighborhood kid who’s always hanging around, somewhere between The Simpsons’ Milhouse Van Houten and Eli Cash in The Royal Tenenbaums. In Fire and Ash, Spider is part of the family, and I found Champion’s performance to be fully endearing, resembling the combination of earnestness and obnoxiousness that Cameron brought out of Edward Furlong’s John Conner in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Speaking of which, Cameron has given us some of the most badass moms in movie history. Neytiri definitely kicks some ass in The Way of Water, but it pales in comparison to one particularly explosive sequence that puts her right up there with Ellen Ripley in a Power Loader or Sarah Connor racking a shotgun one-handed. Zoe Saldaña has always been a highlight of these films, but she’s in top form here.

My one hangup about Fire and Ash, if you can even call it that, is that it gave me a sense of déjà vu. Some of the visuals and story beats tread very close to those in the previous films, to the point that it almost felt like deleted scenes or alternate takes intercut with new material. But, looking at Cameron’s past work, it’s safe to assume this is a feature and not a bug. George Lucas once described the Star Wars prequel trilogy’s relationship to the original by saying, “it’s like poetry, they rhyme.” I would argue that Cameron’s sequels have a tendency to amplify and echo; rather than taking a familiar concept, theme, or visual and presenting it as a flipped mirror image, his sequels take something we know and present a grander, more operatic version. “Once more, with feeling,” as the saying goes. Fire and Ash is the first “Part 3” he’s ever done, so I wasn’t sure how it’d shake out. Does it get louder? Does it rhyme? Does it do something completely different?

Watching The Terminator and Terminator 2 back to back, they both open on tandem time travelers, escalate into shootouts and truck chases, then culminate in factory showdowns. Alien and Aliens both feature a crew investigating a distress signal on LV-426, taking some casualties, and misreading a motion tracker with terrifying results before featuring a tense final sequence in which a flamethrower-toting Ripley rescues a loved one before blowing a xenomorph stowaway out of an airlock. In both cases, these similarities are obscured by better effects, incredible action sequences, great characters, and the delightful twist that unlike in the first film, where a scary android character tries to murder the heroine, this time the android is her friend instead.

The Way of Water didn’t subvert Avatar as much as it did submerge it. Jake’s training sequence and rite of passage to join the Omatikaya clan in the first film happened all over again, underwater with the Metkayina. But The Way of Water does have its share of little twists too, In the first film, Jake earned the Omatikaya’s respect by bonding with the vicious killer pterodactyl everyone fears and respects; in the second, Jake’s son is shunned when he bonds with a huge murderer whale that they all fear and hate because of complicated politics, like, one time. In both cases, the big cool animal shows up in the final battle and saves the day.

This is a spoiler-free review of Fallout Season 2’s first six episodes, which start streaming weekly on Prime Video from December 16.

Amazon bet big on the weird apocalypse when it decided to turn Fallout into a TV show. With its kitchy “atompunk” visuals, near-overwhelming amounts of lore, and b-movie violence sitting as equals next to rich conspiracy plots and complex character work, it had every chance of baffling general audiences… and ran the classic risk of annoying the game’s loyal fanbase with even the smallest changes to the established fiction. But that bet paid off. And what do you do when you win big? You go to Vegas. Or, at least in the nuclear wastes of tomorrow, you go to New Vegas – the setting of what many consider to be the best game in Fallout’s long history.

With such a move comes risk again: it’s no easy thing to create something that can stand up to the reputation of one of the greatest RPGs of all time. But while showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet don’t hit the jackpot immediately, this second season quickly finds its identity, and it’s a more authentic adaptation of New Vegas than I ever expected. The writing team has shaped this year’s story around competing factions and figureheads, the game’s flagship feature, making for a tinderbox of a season that’s overflowing with warring tensions, difficult decisions, and backstabbing betrayals. I’ve only been able to watch six out of the total eight episodes ahead of the season’s premiere, but even if the conclusion turns out to be less appetising than a 200-year-old box of Yum Yum deviled eggs, this will still have been a largely worthy follow-up to one of the most surprising success stories in video game TV.

At its core, Fallout Season 2 is once again focused on the journeys of three people. The quests of Ella Purnell’s Lucy MacLean and Walton Goggins’ The Ghoul have combined, and together they trek across the Mojave wasteland and into New Vegas itself in search of their respective families. It’s a road trip that takes a little while to get into gear – across the first couple of episodes the duo finds themselves in overfamiliar territory – but when things do step up, the resulting character development is strong. That’s particularly true of The Ghoul, who now needs to wrestle with his hollowed-out sense of morality in the face of potentially being reunited with the people he loves. Lucy’s evolution is a little more typical of this kind of fish-out-of-water scenario, as she’s forced to adapt to a more ruthless world while trying to hold onto her humanity, but Fallout’s distinct personality keeps this all very entertaining – there’s violence and drugs aplenty for our wide-eyed heroine to contend with this year.

After having been a close companion of Lucy in Season 1, Aaron Moten’s Maximus spends most of his time with the Brotherhood of Steel this year, which significantly shifts the faction’s role in the story. Now in control of the Cold Fusion relic, the Brotherhood is a major player throughout the entire season, rather than just the backdrop for Maximus’ story. In fact, the ruthlessly ambitious aims of Elder Cleric Quintus (Michael Cristofer) threaten to overshadow Maximus’ own development within the first couple of episodes, and remain central to the plot as the season unfolds.

That’s not to say Maximus is demoted from his protagonist status. The brewing conflict between the Brotherhood’s uneasy alliance of members acts as a stage upon which he can be both part of a greater power-armoured ensemble as well as a lead character – he’s kept in line as one of Quintus’ dogs in the season’s opening act, but as a visitor (Kumail Nanjiani) from Boston’s Commonwealth chapter of the Brotherhood shapes him, he’s able to shape the faction in return. Maximus may feel a touch more like a cog in a greater machine this time, but he’s clearly the largest gear.

While Lucy and The Ghoul’s journey is very clearly the season’s central throughline, and Maximus’ struggles with the Brotherhood is the parallel support beam, the show’s scope has undeniably expanded beyond the trio that defined the first season. Now structured more akin to Game of Thrones, there are multiple other concurrent storylines that make Fallout feel like the story of the wasteland itself as much as it is the tale of its key characters. All of this does make for a very packed season, and there are inevitable casualties.

There’s no clearer example than the interconnected vaults 31, 32, and 33, which remain a consistent part of the show despite Lucy’s distant departure. Each bunker now has its own storyline, the most pressing of which is the unfolding conspiracy of 31 and its army of frozen Vault-Tec middle managers, discovered in last year’s finale by Moisés Arias’ Norm MacLean. But while it feels significant, that story fights for space against the seemingly inconsequential plotlines unfolding in vaults 32 and 33. An intriguing mid-season reveal suggests maybe better things are still to come and that we haven't been totally wasting our time, but this is outweighed by a lot of trivial baffoonery. I do very much like Fallout’s comedic approach to its clueless vault dwellers, but it so far feels like this was a joke best left in Season 1.

Out on the surface, there are further stories that deal with the New California Republic and Caesar’s Legion, two significant factions from the New Vegas video game. While the Legion is notably well realised and both groups are elegantly woven into Lucy and The Ghoul’s larger journey, long-time fans who have been waiting 15 years to see more of these factions may well be disappointed that they have, at least within the context of the first six episodes, little bearing on the overall plot, and are only in the spotlight for a single chapter. There’s also no attempt to choose which one of New Vegas’ many endings is “canon”, although I’d argue it was a wise decision to not get tied up in all those details. The narrative solutions Wagner and Robertson-Dworet have devised to sidestep such a problem are strong, and the Legion’s current situation in particular feels like it’d make an exceptional questline in a theoretical New Vegas 2. The NCR gets dealt a weaker hand, but that’s made up for by the way they’re utilised as part of The Ghoul’s story – these factions are used to enrich the journeys of the main characters, rather than be significant players themselves.

There is one New Vegas figurehead that does get to take the spotlight, though: Robert House. The new antagonist of the pre-apocalypse flashbacks, he’s played to slimy perfection by Justin Theroux. Fallout keeps its cards close to its chest with regards to House’s motives, and while fans will already know what his deal is, the involvement of The Ghoul’s former self, Hollywood star Cooper Howard, means there’s still plenty of original, unpredictable material interacting with the established lore.

In my review of Season 1, I wrote that I found Maximus to be Fallout’s most compelling lead, as his deep flaws made him the show’s most complex character. That continues to be true in Season 2, where Maximus’ weaknesses see him crushed and manipulated by a number of other forces, and his attempt to find some kind of a redemption arc is one of the strongest throughlines. However, I suspect by the time the finale’s credits roll, The Ghoul will have ascended to become my favourite of the season. He’s given much more depth this time around, with rare-but-vital flashes of vulnerability. There’s a stronger sense of connection between The Ghoul and Cooper, emphasised by the smart crosscutting of scenes across the timeline that help draw parallels and establish contrast between the man he was and the monster he’s become. Goggins is, as before, exceptional at portraying both sides, but he’s particularly strong during the flashback sequences, where he’s forced to wrestle with his wife’s involvement in the looming apocalypse, and how he could play a role in stopping it… if only he gives into a more violent path.

While Goggins is on track to be this year’s undisputed headliner, everyone pulls their weight. Particularly enjoyable this time around is Kyle MacLachlan as Hank MacLean, whose larger, quirkier role allows him to be very, well, Kyle MacLachlan. Any details about his activities in the Mojave wasteland are strictly off-limits in a spoiler-free review, but there’s a lot to dig into from as early as the first episode, with fascinating links established between him, Lucy, and a number of other characters.

While characters remain Fallout’s most valuable triumph, all the efforts that go into building the world around them continue to be top-shelf in this second season. The initial excitement of seeing the video games’ iconic designs rendered in live-action has admittedly worn off, but it’s still great to see the many newly realised places and creatures. Much has been made of the Deathclaw, which was teased during the credits of Season 1’s finale, and the big, bullish brute doesn’t disappoint. But there are other, even nerdier joys - among them the old T-45 power armour and the television-faced Securitron robots, both lovingly built by an incredibly talented prop department. There’s similar skill demonstrated by the set builders, too, with locations like the Lucky 38 casino and Dino Dee-lite Motel appearing exactly as you remember. They’re not just authentically realised, but smartly employed to create a bond between show and game: I certainly got a kick out of seeing Lucy metaphorically wear the beret of New Vegas’ beloved marksman, Boone, by making a sniper’s nest in the mouth of the motel’s giant model T-Rex, Dinky.

As with the first season, Fallout likes to effectively wink into the camera whenever it’s doing something video game-y, and there’re multiple good examples of that across these six episodes, such as Lucy walking herself through options A, B, and C when faced with a sticky situation, all of which translate to the different branching pathways of a choice-driven RPG like Fallout. Previous video game adaptations have failed at paying homage to their parent medium – see Halo’s bizarre first-person battle sequences – so it’s great to see Fallout continue to successfully remould its foundations into a new format.

After the mammoth success of Baldur's Gate 3, many fans and the industry at large were eager to learn what developer Larian Studios would announce next, and we finally got that answer at The Game Awards 2025 with the reveal of a brand new game in the Divinity series. Divinity is the next big a turn-based RPG from Larian, and it looks to be just as sprawling in scope and gruesome in its brutality as the developer's previous release.

Shortly after the reveal, IGN interviewed Swen Vincke, founder of Larian Studios and game director of Baldur's Gate 3. Along with sharing his thoughts on that viral tease for Divinity ahead of The Game Awards 2025, he also spoke about the lessons learned from the success of Baldur's Gate 3, and why it was important for Larian to return to the series that built the developer.

Be sure to check out everything announced at The Game Awards 2025 for more, as well as the winners list in full. And if you’re wondering what all this Divinity business is about, check out our handy explainer here.

Editor's Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and readability.

IGN: Firstly, were you surprised by how quickly fans kind of figured out what that mysterious statue was and that it tied in to you all?

Swen Vincke: With the speed with which they discovered the statue? Well, Geoff Keighley tweeted it, so we're not surprised by how it turned out after that. I mean, I actually thought we were gonna make it, that it wasn't gonna leak until the show. But yeah, bureaucracy was against us because it was too fast [and too close to the show]. Normally, it takes more time for something like that to be filed, and here they filed really, really fast.

Resident Evil fans are worriedly discussing new screenshots of fan-favorite character Leon S. Kennedy, which look to feature an ominous-looking mark on his neck.

The past week has been a rollercoaster for Leon fans, with leaked artwork confirming the character's long-rumored presence in Requiem, followed by his official unveiling in a trailer at The Game Awards last Thursday.

But now there's concern for Leon's future — as fans analyse screenshots from Capcom's latest trailer that seemingly show a dark, bloodied wound on the hero's neck, and following a comment from Resident Evil: Requiem producer Akifumi Nakanishi who stated that Leon is hiding "a big secret."

IGN has revisited last week's official Resident Evil Requiem trailer that aired during The Game Awards, and enhanced the screenshots you can see below.

Valve has outlined what's new in Dota 2 patch 7.40 and provided a rundown of its latest hero, Largo.

"Dota is an ensemble cast, but keen observers looking through the collection of rogues, wizards, druids, and knights (not to mention two characters named 'ranger') may have noticed the absence of that most maligned of hero classes: the bard. At least, up until now," Valve teased, before introducing Largo himself.

Largo is the shamanic head of the bardmonk order, and unlike bards that "sing about current events and chord changes," he "tailors every song to his exact circumstances, raising his allies' spirits or, if necessary, their foot speed as they run toward battle (or away). As a frog, his prehensile tongue has, shall we say, all kinds of tricks."

One such trick is his Catchy Lick, in which he targets someone, licks them, pulls them back a short distance, and applies a basic dispel. If they're an ally, he pulls them out of harm's way, and if they're an enemy, his tongue deals damage. By dispelling an effect from a target, Largo gets a brief health regen, too. He can also fire froglings that stomp the ground every second, dealing damage and ministuns, and minimize ally mana costs with his Croak of Genius skill.

His ultimate skill is Amphibian Rhapsody. To be honest, with a name as incredible as that, I don't even care what it does, but for those wondering, it's essentially a mini-rhythm game.

"Largo gets ready to groove," Valve explains. "He is disarmed and his ability bar switches to three song abilities, each with different effects. Songs are only effective if strummed on the beat.

"Every time he strums successfully, he gains a stack of Groovin'. Each stack gives him bonus armor and reduces the mana cost of every song, but he loses a stack if he misses a beat. Stacks linger for a short duration when Largo's song ends."

As is tradition, the full patch notes are so huuuge they're too big to publish on Steam itself, but you can find them on the Dota 2 website right here.

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

Point Break is reportedly getting a TV show set 35 years after the events of the iconic ‘90s movie.

Deadline reports that AMC is developing a TV series based on the 1991 film starring Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Lori Petty, and Gary Busey.

Point Break, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, follows rookie FBI Agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) who goes undercover to infiltrate a gang of Southern California surfers led by the charismatic Bodhi (Patrick Swayze), who are suspected of pulling off bank robberies as the "Ex-Presidents.” Utah ends up drawn into their adrenaline-fueled lifestyle, and falls for a surfer girl named Tyler (Lori Petty).

According to Deadline, this new TV series revolves around “a dangerous heist crew with ties to the Ex-Presidents gang.” It's set in 2026, 35 years after Point Break's 1991 setting. The series is from Dave Kalstein, whose credits include Amazon’s Daniel Dae Kim thriller Butterfly, and CBS’ NCIS: Los Angeles, ABC’s Quantico, and USA Network’s Treadstone. That’s all the information we have right now. There’s no word on new characters, a new cast, or whether Keanu Reeves himself might pop up in some fashion.

This isn’t the first attempt to revive Point Break. A 2015 remake came and went without making much of a splash at all. IGN’s review returned a 5/10. We said: “Point Break gets the stunts right, but is lacking everything else needed to make an enjoyable film experience.”

Hopefully this new TV series fares better.

Photo by Richard Foreman/Fotos International/Getty Images.

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.

The announcement of both Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider: Catalyst has sparked retcon speculation among the franchise's fandom.

At last week's The Game Awards, Catalyst’s first trailer was immediately followed by the reveal of Legacy of Atlantis, a “reimagining” of the original 1996 classic. Built with Unreal Engine 5, Legacy of Atlantis is due out next year as the franchise marks its 30th anniversary, with Catalyst set to follow in 2027.

While some, quite naturally, suggest starting at the beginning makes sense given the anniversary, others are wondering if the announcement of the new game means the team has to go back and retcon some aspects of Lara Croft's story to make sure everything makes sense in the character's 30-year-old canon timeline.

"There are many theories about why the reimagining of TR1 is happening. Some say it’s only because of the 30th anniversary but I personally think it’s happening because it HAS to happen. We’re entering a new unified timeline where some things need to be retconned and some need to be reimagined," suggested X/Twitter user Merychxrry.

"This kind of reimagining will likely need to happen for every mainline game, but especially for these four story-heavy titles: Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness, Tomb Raider: Legend, and Tomb Raider: Underworld.

"You might ask, 'Why not TR2-3 first?' Well, they’re not story-heavy. As much as I’d love to see them remade, we first need to unify these four story-focused games. Otherwise, it would take too long to reach them, and their stories would need to be retconned."

As Mery added, the order itself likely doesn't matter — "it could be 4 and 6 first, then Legends and Underworld, or vice-versa" — but since the assets for Legacy of Atlantis will be available first, "it shouldn't take too long to produce these games."

"That is actually genius!" replied one commenter, while another said: "Yes! This exactly!" "I feel like LOA is a test, like the [Resident Evil 2] remake was, suggested someone else. "TR1 was the safest choice they had for a reimagining because of its simple story."

As game director Will Kerslake recently told GamesRadar+, Catalyst fits into the timeline after the events of Tomb Raider: Underworld. The most recent games, known as the Survivor reboot trilogy — 2013's Tomb Raider, 2015's Rise of the Tomb Raider, and 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider — are still considered as part of Croft's origin story.

While the news of the recasting was a surprise for some, actor Camilla Luddington — who portrayed Lara Croft in the Survivor Trilogy — shared a bittersweet Instagram post about her time as the lead this week, saying she loved the fans and Croft will "forever be a part of [her]." Alix Wilton Regan will now play Lara Croft in both Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider: Catalyst.

Meanwhile, there's the upcoming Amazon TV show to consider. The live-action Tomb Raider Prime Video series, which will star Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner, will “reinvent the franchise on a massive scale” and will interconnect “live-action television series and video games into a unified storytelling universe.”

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

Copyright takedowns are targeting what appears to be a leaked version of Marvel's first Avengers: Doomsday trailer, which is now being snapped out of existence across social media.

Uploads of the video file began yesterday, and were initially easy to find across social media. But today, copyright notices have replaced numerous instances of the file on X and reddit, and the original video is nowhere to be seen YouTube.

Warning! Potential spoiler for the Avengers: Doomsday trailers follows:

As for the video itself, it features a blurry first glimpse at a returning character not seen since the last Avengers movie: Steve Rogers, the original Captain America, played once again by Chris Evans.

The trailer begins with a figure on a motorbike pulling up to a familiar-looking 1950s house, which Marvel fans may recognize from Avengers: Endgame's closing scene. Inside the house, the figure is revealed to be Steve Rogers, as he folds away his Captain America uniform and picks up a young baby. On-screen text then reads: "Steve Rogers will return in Avengers: Doomsday."

Marvel is, of course, yet to formally announce that Steve Rogers will be part of Doomsday's story. But filming reports from this summer appeared to show this same house being secretly constructed, sparking speculation of the character's return. Fans also spent a good deal of time analysing recent photos of Evans' real-life arms, and noted that he appeared to have gotten his physique Captain America ready.

When asked about not being part of Doomsday filming, Evans previously offered the following answer which did not specifically deny he was part of the movie: "Yeah, I talk to [the cast] all the time," Evans told ScreenRant in June this year. "It's where Pedro [Pascal] is right now. I mean, it's sad to be away. It's sad to not be back with the band, but I'm sure they're doing something incredible, and I'm sure it's going to be that much harder when it comes out and you feel like you weren't invited to the party."

Narratively, Rogers' return would make sense. The character was last seen living happily in the 1950s with Peggy Carter, having presumably completed his final mission of returning the Infinity Stones to their original places in the timeline. Unpicking this happy ending might prove controversial, but story-wise there's certainly room for Rogers to be involved in years of further adventures before he hands over his shield as an old man — something Endgame also showed.

Rogers' mission of returning the Infinity Stones may also explain why he's in Doomsday, the finale of Marvel's Multiverse Saga which has seen numerous heroes repeatedly meddle with parallel universes despite dire warnings of the consequences (looking at you, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Wanda, Captain Marvel, Loki...). It's easy to see how Cap's antics could rope him into fixing a larger multiversal problem he unwittingly contributed to.

Doomsday could also be used to explain how Rogers managed to get back to the main MCU reality in order to hand his shield over (according to MCU time-travel rules, he should technically be in a new branch of reality instead). It's a minor plot point in the grand scheme of things, but one that Avengers director Joe Russo hinted back in 2021 that he and his brother Anthony had considered as a clear idea for more story featuring Steve Rogers.

"One thing that's clear that Anthony and I have discussed, I don't know that we've discussed this publicly at all, Cap would have had to have travelled back to the main timeline," Joe Russo said. "That's something that, yes, he would have been in a branch reality, but he would have to travel back to the main timeline to give that shield to Sam Wilson."

Of course, there are also far more straightforward reasons for Steve Rogers' return. The character was one of the original Avengers and played a key part in the $2.7 billion-grossing Avengers: Endgame. Having the original Captain America back will undoubtedly be a huge audience draw, especially for those who have lost interest in Marvel over the past few years amid a string of underwhelming entries in its Multiverse Saga (and some highlights, looking at you Thunderbolts*).

Having Evans back alongside his former co-stars Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Hemsworth (Thor) would undoubtedly help cement Doomsday as an Avengers-level movie event (while also simultaneously highlighting Disney's failure to replace its previous leads with similarly beloved stars in the years since).

Disney is expected to officially release the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer this week, attached to its latest blockbuster Avatar: Fire and Ash. A recent report suggested that four separate trailers would launch over four weeks, in a move designed to encourage repeat viewings of Avatar and keep audiences entertained with a series of big reveals. Confirmation of Steve Rogers' return would certainly be a strong start.

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 Resident Evil Requiem from The Game Awards finally confirmed that Leon S. Kennedy will return as the game’s second playable protagonist. Although he has aged a bit since we last saw him, Japanese fans have been taking to social media to praise Leon’s suave, older look.

Slated for a multiplatform release on February 27, 2026, Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth mainline title in Capcom’s survival horror series. It will introduce new main character Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst who is investigating a series of mysterious deaths that seem to be linked to Victor Gideon, a former Umbrella Corp. researcher. While it seems that Grace’s parts of the game will play more like typical survival horror, the new trailer, below, gave fans a peek at Leon’s more action-orientated zombie-battling gameplay, complete with chainsaw. “Grace’s gameplay style is based on Resident Evil 2, whereas Leon’s is based on Resident Evil 4,” director Akifumi Nakanishi revealed in a recent interview with Denfaminicogamer.

Although Leon has always had his fans, the D.S.O agent’s middle-aged incarnation is getting much praise from Japanese speaking users on X. He’s already being affectionately called ikeoji (literally, “hot uncle” — a cool and attractive older guy). “Leon’s gradually becoming a hot uncle” one user mused. Sharing some screenshots, another user chimed in with “Leon’s aging in a cool way.” Another user summed up: “Resident Evil 9’s Leon is too hot. He’s 49 in this (as of 2026)? He’s so suave."

Fans are also getting inspired to draw Leon’s new look. “Leon in Resi 9’s new trailer is too damn fine,” said one user, posting the following fan art. “He’s aging in such a wonderful way, while retaining his coolness. I’m really looking forward to meeting this Leon,” enthused another user. “He’s turning into a hot older guy, like Keanu Reeves!” said one commenter.

RE9新トレーラーのレオンが良すぎて。 pic.twitter.com/PIkrWuylo1

— □ (@dbox_2525) December 12, 2025

Other eagle-eyed trailer viewers have noticed that Leon seems to have some kind of rash on his neck, prompting concerns that he has been infected. While many seem to be enjoying middle-aged Leon’s looks, others are worried as to whether he should still be fighting off mutants at his age, with one person saying: “I love Leon, but they should let him rest.” In the previously mentioned Denfaminicogamer interview, Resident Evil Requiem’s director revealed that Leon has a “major secret” that will have significant implications (but he’s keeping quiet on what exactly that is).

コメントで教えてもらったけど
レオン..感染してるのかい？...#バイオハザードレクイエム pic.twitter.com/6GY05WqofY

— それいけジェットでやってみよう！ (@neko_sougo) December 12, 2025

Legendary Japanese game developer Hideki Kamiya also weighed in on Leon’s new appearance and how some of Capcom’s beloved characters are getting long in the tooth. “Uncle Leon, at the very least, I would like for you to live happily in your old age,” Kamiya commented, sharing a timelapse of Leon’s aging face. In response, another user wrote that, although they were fine with game characters getting older, they hoped that Resident Evil and Devil May Cry characters could receive the happy ending they deserve. Replying to this, Kamiya mused: “Even if Dante became happy, won’t he always be poor?”

レオンおじさん…せめて老後は幸せに暮らして欲しい… https://t.co/EzsvnVHp54

— 神谷英樹🍀 Hideki Kamiya🍀 (@HidekiKamiya_X) December 12, 2025

Resident Evil Requiem’s devs have already revealed that switching between playing as Grace and Leon will be like “jumping into a cold bath after a hot sauna,” such is the contrast between the tense survival horror sneaking and Leon’s no-holds-barred action. According to director Akifumi Nakanishi, there will be an almost equal split between newcomer Grace and fan favorite Leon. "Although he’s a character who carries a lot on his shoulders, we took a lot of care in refining him into an 'ikeoji',” Nakanishi concluded. "The reactions to the trailer on that front have made us happy (laughs).”

Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.

Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 4 is finally here, and it makes a long list of gameplay and balance changes, as well as CPU/GPU improvements, load reduction, and the optimization of "PC-specific processes and addition of options and presets to reduce processing load."

Its development roadmap — detailed last week — hopes to address the myriad issues impacting the PC version. Despite director Yuya Tokuda's commitment to stability and improvements, dissatisfaction persists, and even with new content and seasons, fans remain unhappy with the state of the game.

Capcom said Title Update 4 introduces "an array of performance improvements across all platforms," focusing on CPU and GPU optimization and reducing processing load "with more than 100 under-the-hood improvements, among others."

"We'll follow this up in January with a PC-specific update with even more improvements, and are looking into further optimization for implementation in the February content update," the team explained last week. "We're committed to making Monster Hunter Wilds a great experience for all players. Thank you for your patience and continued support."

Monster Hunter Wilds Update 1.040 patch notes:

Major Additions and Changes

Monsters

• Arch-tempered Jin Dahaad has been added. (It will be made available in a future Event Quest.)
• Gogmazios has been added. Reach HR 100+ to unlock an extra mission that unlocks Gogmazios.
• Additional 9★ tempered monsters (Doshaguma etc.) will be added as event quests.
• Tempered (9★) Rathalos will now roam the Scarlet Forest, Oilwell Basin, and Wounded Hollow at Hunter Rank 100 or above.
• For quests with two or more targets, the minimum quest time has been raised, resulting in longer quest durations overall. For existing saved Investigations, if the quest time falls below the new minimum time, it will be adjusted accordingly.

Player

• Added new Support Hunters—Griffin (Great Sword), Nightmist (Light Bowgun), and Nadia—which will become available to join quests after completing the main mission "A Hunter's Pride." Nadia will only be available during a limited-time seasonal event, excluding certain quests.

Story Progression

• The extra mission "An Ancient Resting Place" has been added. (This mission becomes available after having completed the main mission "A First Cry" and reaching HR 100.)
• The extra mission "Ghosts Pay No Heed to Tomorrow" has been added. (This mission becomes available after having completed the extra mission "An Ancient Resting Place.")

Bases and Facilities

• A new Festival of Accord event will be held from December 19, 2025 to January 14, 2026.
• The following features will be temporarily modified during the Festival of Accord: the Handler's Outfit; Seikret decoration; the Diva's song list; the Grand Hub decorations; the Canteen's menu; Barrel Bowling; and Barrel Bowling Bombs.
• In the Grand Hub, The Diva's song list has been updated.
• Added new pin setups to Barrel Bowling.
• Added options to upgrade to and reinforce Gogma Artian Weapons at the Smithy.
• Added an option to perform Transcendent armor upgrades at the Smithy.
• In the Reinforce Artian Weapons menu at the Smithy, the default sorting order in the weapon selection list has been updated, and new sorting criteria have been added while existing ones have been adjusted.
• In the Dismantle Artian Weapons menu at the Smithy, new sorting criteria have been added for the weapon selection list while existing ones have been adjusted.
• When smelting Armor Spheres and ore at the Smelting Foundry, the Smelting Points obtained from certain monster materials has been increased.
• Added new sorting options for the following categories at the Quest Counter:
  Investigations: Most Attempts Left / Least Attempts Left
  Lobby Member Quests: No Passcode / Newly Started Quests / Open Member Slots
• Adjusted the ordering of completed side missions within the Recommended sort option for Optional Quests at the Quest Counter.
• Adjusted the ordering of quests displayed under SOS Flare Quests, Lobby Member Quests, and Link Member Quests at the Quest Counter so that quests set to Auto-accept appear before those set to Manual Accept, making Auto-accept quests easier to identify."
• Added a Quest Last Played quick access option to the Quest Counter menu.
• Removed the Settings category from the Quest Counter menu. Settings can now be accessed directly via a shortcut button which varies by platform.
• When beginning a Field Survey or saving as an Investigation from the map, a Begin Survey prompt has been added to the summary and the corresponding tooltip icons have been adjusted.
• Added a feature that sends an important message notification at the start of a quest to remind players to use a Lucky Voucher. (This notification can be toggled on or off in the Quest Counter Settings.)
• Added an option to reset settings to their default in the Training Area.
• When opening the Customize Radial Menu screen from the Start Menu, the game will now automatically detect the input device in use and display the appropriate controller or keyboard-specific screen.
• Adjusted the display of monster icons, bonus rewards, and quest difficulty to improve visibility for the following Environment Overview events:
  – Monsters troubling settlements
  – Multiple target quests
  – Pack quests

System

• CPU/GPU optimization will be implemented across all hardware by:
  – Applying frame distribution, reviewing collision detection, and reducing the number of simultaneous effects to optimize processing time.
  – Reducing the overall load by eliminating unnecessary processing.
  – Implementing over 100 performance improvements for players, monsters, Seikret, Palicoes, NPCs, GUI, effects, gimmicks, and more.
• When a communication error message is displayed, player movement and camera control will now remain available.
  Note: Depending on your settings in Open Menu Controls, player movement may still be disabled.
• The Hunter Friends list will now display in order of most recent login time.
• SOS Flare Quests will now include Arch-tempered monsters as targets.
  Note: These are treated as separate targets compared to regular monsters.
• The following Event Quests can now be accepted even during offline mode:
  – A Silent Flash (Arch-tempered Rey Dau)
  – These Roots Run Deep (Arch-tempered Uth Duna)
  – Be Cursed, Ye Shadowy Flame (Arch-tempered Nu Udra)
  – Planetes Protocol (Savage)
• 2 Dragon Ammo can now be obtained during one round of crafting.

Miscellaneous

• Made adjustments so that the player can no longer be pushed by the handler while in Photo Mode.

Bug Fixes and Balance Adjustments

Bases and Facilities

• Sorting armor by skill now also highlights the individual armor pieces that have the skill.
• The "Equipment Skills" sort criterion in the Equipment Box now only displays available skills possessed by equipment you own.
• Equipment appearance loadouts now include an option for registering the currently applied hair design data.
• Layered armor in the Equipment Appearance menu can now be filtered by α and β types.

Monsters

• Fixed an issue where, if the player moves locales after the Jin Dahaad notification appears (indicating that Jin Dahaad is moving from the Iceshard Cliffs to Rimechain Peak) but before Jin Dahaad completes its move, the Jin Dahaad quest will fail to spawn.
• Fixed an issue with the High Purrformance Barrel Puncher where Focus Strikes were not contributing correctly to the combo count.
• Fixed an issue where Uth Duna's veil destruction animation could be canceled by another action, causing the veil to remain intact.
• Fixed an issue where canceling Arkveld's Unleashed state (in which its chainblades sweep out in a wider area) during certain actions would fail and instead restore the damage required to cancel the state.

Player

General

• Increased the max elemental values possible for the player's status.
• Reduced the size of the reaction when performing a Perfect Guard against an attack that would cause a small knockback when guarding.
• You can now chain from a Perfect Guard reaction more quickly into certain actions after performing a Perfect Guard against a powerful attack when using the sword & shield, great sword, lance, gunlance, charge blade, or heavy bowgun.
• Fixed an issue where the Hook Slinger's range would be reduced when the capture net is equipped.
• Fixed an issue where there was not enough guide info displaying when the player receives a restraining attack from a large monster.
• Fixed an issue where the player would move much more quickly than intended during certain actions.
• Fixed an issue where using The Blackest Night behind a Giant Ice Chunk during Jin Dahaad's powerful attack could cause the player to still take damage from the attack.
• Fixed an issue where you could take damage from the Palico's Water Gun reaction when carrying a Barrel Bowling Bomb.
• Fixed an issue where certain inputs during the Pumpkin Head gesture could prevent you from being able to dash.
• Fixed an issue where the Water Gun gesture could not be performed when equipped with Omega's Sword or Omega's Rod.
• Fixed an issue that would cause the player to thank Support Hunters at unintended times in response to their support actions.
• Fixed an issue that prevented the Fender collaboration gesture from appearing correctly to other players during online play.
• Fixed an issue where the player's longsword would not sit correctly in its sheath when performing the pose Battle-Ready Pose (Extra).
• Fixed an issue where canceling the Pumpkin Head gesture under certain conditions would temporarily cause the player's hair to disappear.

Great Sword

• Raw damage and elemental scaling for Charged Slash, Strong Charged Slash, and True Charged Slash have been increased.
• Fixed an issue preventing the player from guarding again for a while depending on whether any directional inputs occurred after a Perfect Guard.

Long Sword

• Special Sheathes will now take longer to be automatically deactivated if the player is waiting during a Special Sheathe.
• Spirit Release Slash will no longer hit captured monsters.
• Fixed an issue preventing the player from unsheathing their weapon for a while if there is no directional input after a Spirit Release Slash.

Sword & Shield

• Adjusted the hitbox of Perfect Rush to make it easier for some inputs to land.
• Forward Slash raw damage has been increased.
• Forward Slash now combos into Lateral Slash more smoothly than before.
• Perfect Guard now transitions into a regular Guard slightly more quickly.
• Perfect Guard now combos into a Lateral Slash slightly more quickly.
• Fixed an issue where the Sidestep Slash behavior during Focus Mode differed depending on the control type settings.
• Fixed an issue that prevents you from performing basic actions after drawing your weapon from a stationary position.

Dual Blades

• The amount of weapon sharpness consumed while performing Focus Strike: Turning Tide or Turning Tidedrill has been reduced.
• Made adjustments to keep Demon Boost Mode active even after sheathing your weapon.
• You can now exit Demon Mode mid-movement after performing a Demon Dodge in Demon Boost Mode.
• Fixed an issue where the Focus Strike: Turning Tide action was canceled after deflecting off certain monster parts.
• Fixed an issue with Type 2 Directional Controls that prevented you from moving in the intended direction after dodging in Demon Mode.

Hammer

• During a Follow-up Spinslam, you can now use movement inputs to extend your movement distance during the attack.
• Fixed an issue where portions of Focus Blow: Earthquake were dealing fixed raw damage.
• Fixed an issue with Type 2 Directional Controls where moving in certain directions after an Overhead Smash would cancel the movement.

Hunting Horn

• Performance Beat raw damage has been increased slightly.
• Fixed a bug where the performance effects and attack timings were misaligned with player actions during certain performances.

Lance

• High Thrust III and Mid-Thrust I, II, and III raw damage has been increased.
• Grand Retribution Thrust and Double Counter-thrust raw damage has been increased.
• Triple Thrust raw damage and elemental scaling have been increased.
• Perfect Guard now chains into other actions more quickly.
• The damage reduction rate for large guard reactions during a guard or Perfect Guard has been increased.
  Note: The Guard Up damage reduction rate will apply for attacks that become blockable due to the skill effect.
• Fixed an issue with Type 2 Directional Controls where Leaping Thrust could not be performed in the intended direction from a stationary position.

Gunlance

• The Wyrmstake Cannon was adjusted to make it easier to hit monsters.
• Wyrmstake Cannon attacks in Focus Mode have been adjusted to make it easier to fire in the direction of the reticle.
• The damage reduction rate for large guard reactions during a guard or Perfect Guard has been increased.
  Note: The Guard Up damage reduction rate will apply for attacks that become blockable due to the skill effect.
• Fixed an issue where Wyrmstake Shots would disappear if a Wyrmstake Cannon attack hit another player.

Switch Axe

• Sword: Counter Rising Slash can now be chained into a sidestep.
• Sword: Counter Rising Slash has increased invulnerability to knockback, and can be quickly chained into an evade.
• You can now evade while charging Unbridled Slash and Full Release Slash.
• You can now quickly chain into an evade when landing after performing a Zero Sum Discharge Finisher.
• Focus Assault: Morph Combination was adjusted to make it easier to hit wounds and weak points.
• Focus Assault: Morph Combination raw damage has been increased.
• Raw damage has been increased for Sword: Overhead Slash, Sword: Right Rising Slash, Sword: Left Rising Slash, and Sword: Heavenward Flurry.
• Unbridled Slash raw damage has been increased.
• Element scaling for multi-hit attacks and raw damage has been increased for Element Discharge and Zero Sum Discharge.
• Axe: Spiral Burst Slash raw damage has been increased.
• Raw damage has been increased for Sword: Downward Fade Slash, Sword: Morph Double Slash, and Axe: Morph Rising Double Slash.
• Sword: Morph Slash raw damage has been increased when chaining from an evade in Sword Mode.
• Fixed an issue where the values on the status screen for Dragon Phial, Poison Phial, Paralysis Phial, and Exhaust Phial would show a higher number than the maximum possible value. *This does not change the actual functionality, just the numbers that are displayed.

Charge Blade

• Hit stops that occur during multi-hit attacks in Power Axe Mode have been reduced.
  Note: "Hit stops" are visual effects where your movement temporarily freezes or slows down when an attack connects with a monster.
• During Axe: Morph Slash, the window for utilizing guard points or executing a Perfect Guard has been extended, and the actions will now trigger sooner.
• Savage Axe Slash raw damage has been increased.
• Axe: Element Discharge and other attacks now chain into moves like Axe: Morph Slash more quickly.
• The first hit of Axe: Element Discharge II now chains into Axe: Morph Slash.
• Focus Slash: Double Rend can now chain into Axe: Morph Slash.
• Focus Slash: Double Rend can now chain into other actions more quickly.
• Fixed an issue where Axe: Element Discharge II couldn't chain into Axe: Amped Element Discharge when certain inputs were used.
• Fixed an issue when initiating a guard where there was a delay before turning in the intended direction.
• Fixed an issue where the button guide display differed from the actual inputs during certain Sword: Morph Slash combos.

Insect Glaive

• You can now chain into a Descending Slash using short button inputs. The Charge Level will increase depending on the preceding attacks.
  Note: With the right timing, you can use △+○ (PS5) / Y+B (Xbox) / Default Left + Right Click (PC) to chain into a Descending Slash.
• Sidestep Slash and Sidestep Slash Combo raw damage has been increased, and attack speed after harvesting all three extracts has been raised.
• The player will no longer be knocked back after initiating a Rising Spiral Slash.
• Jumping Slash/Strong Jumping Slash can now chain into a Descending Slash/Strong Descending Slash.
• Fixed an issue where certain charged attacks would not chain into a Descending Slash during Focus Mode, even after releasing the charge.
• Fixed an issue where the Kinsect behaved abnormally while performing a Focus Strike: Leaping Thrust on certain monsters, such as Nu Udra.
• Fixed an issue where the Kinsect stopped moving after encountering ledges in certain terrain.

Light Bowgun

• Focus Blast: Eagle Strike Rapid Fire Gauge recovery amount has been greatly increased.
• Chaser Shot responsiveness has been improved, and it is now easier to chain into evades or other shots after firing.
• Rapid Chaser Shot responsiveness has been improved, and it is now easier to chain into evades or other shots after firing.
• Burst Step now chains more easily into Rapid Chaser Shot.
• Adhesive Ammo explosions now restore the Rapid Fire Gauge.
• Wyvernblast raw damage has been increased, and the cooldown time has been greatly reduced.
• It is now easier to chain into basic actions after setting up a Wyvernblast.
• Normal Ammo raw damage has been increased.
• Normal Ammo Chaser Shot raw damage has been increased.
• Normal Ammo Rapid Chaser Shot firing rate has been increased.
• The raw damage of the final shot of Normal Ammo Rapid Chaser Shot has been increased.
• The number of shots from Pierce Ammo Rapid Chaser Shot has been increased.
• Spread Ammo Rapid Chaser Shot firing rate has been increased.
• The raw damage and elemental values of elemental ammo Rapid Chaser Shot (excluding Dragon Ammo) has been increased.
• Elemental ammo Rapid Chaser Shot (excluding Dragon Ammo) firing rate has been increased.
• Dragon Ammo Rapid Chaser Shot firing rate has been increased.
• Dragon Ammo has shorter time between hits and is more likely to hit monsters.
• Dragon Ammo max effective range has been increased.
• Rapid Chaser Shot firing rate has been increased when using Poison Ammo, Paralysis Ammo, and Sleep Ammo.
• Reduced the amount of Rapid Fire Gauge consumed by ammo that can be used for rapid fire.
• Fixed an issue where moving diagonally while aiming could cause you to move much slower than intended.

Heavy Bowgun

• Wyverncounter Ignition now restores Ignition Gauge upon a successful offset.
• The player is no longer knocked back when firing Wyverncounter Ignition.
• The responsiveness of Wyverncounter Ignition between loading and firing the attack has been improved.
• Wyverncounter Ignition now chains more easily into other actions after firing.
• You can now chain into guarding or sidestepping when readying Wyvernblast Ignition or Focus Blast: Wyvern Howl. The evade performed when readying or after firing these moves has also been changed to a sidestep.
• Reduced the amount of Ignition Gauge that Wyvernblast Ignition consumes.
• Wyvernblast Ignition raw damage and Fire damage has been increased.
• Wyvernblast Ignition now chains more quickly into guards, evades, and other actions after firing.
• Wyvernpiercer Ignition raw damage and max number of hits has been increased.
• Wyvernheart Ignition raw damage has been increased.
• Focus Blast: Wyvern Howl now restores Ignition Gauge when hitting weak points or destroying wounds.
• The responsiveness of Focus Blast: Wyvern Howl between loading and firing the attack has been improved.
• Focus Blast: Wyvern Howl now chains more easily into other actions after firing.
• Focus Blast: Wyvern Howl raw damage has been increased.
• Dragon Ammo has shorter time between hits and is more likely to hit monsters.
• Dragon Ammo max effective range has been increased.
• Ignition Mode ST I and II damage multiplier scaling has been increased. (Affects Wyvernpiercer Ignition, Wyvernheart Ignition, and Focus Blast: Wyvern Howl.)
• Fixed an issue where, under certain conditions, player actions would become erratic while performing Stalwart Guard.

Bow

• Dragon Piercer and Arc Shot raw damage has been increased.
• Increased the raw damage of Tracer arrows and Fuse arrows.
• Charged Shot, Power Shot, Power Volley, and Thousand Dragons raw damage and elemental scaling has been increased.
• Power Coating and Piercing Coating raw damage scaling has been increased.
• Coating application speed has been increased.
• You can now chain from a Charging Sidestep into loading a Tracer arrow.
• Fixed an issue where damage scaling and the effects of the Partbreaker skill were not reflected properly when destroying multiple wounds or weak points at the same time with Focus Fire: Hailstorm.
• Fixed an issue where stamina would not naturally recover under certain conditions when performing a backward Discerning Dodge.

Skills

• Guard Up: Now also reduces damage taken when guarding regardless of the attack. The skill details are now as follows:
  Reduces damage taken when guarding and allows you to guard against ordinarily unblockable attacks.
  Level 1: Reduces damage taken by 10%, plus an additional 20% when conditions are met.
  Level 2: Reduces damage taken by 20%, plus an additional 30% when conditions are met.
  Level 3: Reduces damage taken by 30%, plus an additional 50% when conditions are met.
• Charge Up: Now also boosts the damage of Hammer charged attacks.
• Ballistics: Now also boosts the raw damage of Level 3 shots made at critical range.
• Elemental Absorption: Reduced the cooldown time between skill activations.
• Flayer: Increased the activation rate and effect strength.
• Flayer: When activated, the skill deals bonus damage even if a monster part has exceeded its maximum wound limit.
• Flayer: Fixed an issue where the skill activation notification would not display in high-rank quests when triggering bonus damage (after enough buildup value has been accumulated).
• Binding Counter (Set Bonus Skill): Increased the effect duration.
• Flawless Armor (Set Bonus Skill): Increased the effect strength.
• Protein Fiend (Set Bonus Skill): Increased the effect duration and the Level 2 effect strength.
• Bad Blood (Set Bonus Skill): Reduced the cooldown time between skill activations, and increased the effect strength.
• Scorcher (Set Bonus Skill): Reduced the cooldown time between skill activations, and increased the effect strength.
• Whiteflame Torrent: Reduced the cooldown time between skill activations, and increased the effect strength when used together with the set bonus skill Scorcher.
• The following weapon moves for each weapon have been added to the pool of moves that can trigger bonus damage skills:
  Long Sword: Spirit Thrust, Spirit Helm Breaker, Spirit Blade II
  Hammer: Charged Upswing, Mighty Charge Upswing, Mighty Charge Slam
  Lance: Triple Thrust
  Gunlance: Wyrmstake Cannon, Wyrmstake Full Blast, Multi Wyrmstake Full Blast
  Charge Blade: Sword: Condensed Element Slash, Axe: Amped Element Discharge, Axe: Super Amped Element Discharge
  Insect Glaive: Descending Thrust, Strong Descending Thrust, Descending Slash, Strong Descending Slash
  Heavy Bowgun: Wyvernheart Ignition, Wyvernpiercer Ignition
  Bow: Thousand Dragons, Piercing Coating on normal arrows and Tracers, Power Shot (excluding when Piercing Coating is applied), Power Volley (excluding when Piercing Coating is applied), Flying Swallow Shot (excluding when Piercing Coating is applied)
• Binding Counter (Set Bonus Skill): Fixed an issue where the skill activation would unintentionally carry over after resetting a challenge quest.
• Bubbly Dance (Set Bonus Skill): Fixed an issue where the required evasion count for activating the skill would not reset during challenge quests.

Support Hunters

• Slightly increased the attack power for Olivia, Rosso, Mina, and Kai for when the quest leader is at HR 50 or higher.
• Improved the response of Support Hunters when the player has not performed any attacks for a certain period of time: it is less likely for Support Hunters to stop attacking, and they also return to combat faster after the player resumes attacking.
• Fixed an issue where Support Hunters could lose health and faint even after a quest has been completed.
• Fixed an issue where Support Hunters would go into standby near a trap placed for a Nerscylla Clone (during the Omega Planetes hunt) even if the trap would have no effect.
• Fixed an issue where in some situations Support Hunters would not attack Omega Planetes even when standing near it.
• Fixed an issue where Mina would aim for out-of-reach body parts on certain monsters.
• Fixed an issue where a monster would not enter the Power Clash state when Rosso successfully triggers a Power Clash.
• Fixed an issue where system messages would not properly appear when the host player received melody effects from Kai's Performances.
• Fixed an issue where Support Hunters would unintentionally and repeatedly use Flash Pods or traps.
• Fixed an issue where weapon and slinger ammo would unintentionally disappear upon hitting a Support Hunter mounted on a Seikret.

Seikret

• When riding a Seikret and attempting to use an item, the item use will not be cancelled even if the Seikret performs an automatic evasion at the same moment.
• It now takes less time for the Seikret to be able to speed up again after performing an automatic evasion.
• Fixed an issue where performing a jumping dismount from the Seikret could unintentionally call the Seikret again even if no inputs were made at the time.

Miscellaneous

System

• Limited bounties under the categories "Research Help: Monsters", "Research Help: Fishing", and "Research Help: Endemic Life" have been adjusted to reward more armor spheres.
• Fixed an issue where some lobbies where joining is limited to Lobby ID Search could still be joined via Hunter Friend Search.
• Fixed an issue where you could not post or join quests in online lobbies after switching your crossplay settings from "Disable" to "Enable" in the title screen options.
• Fixed an issue where, under certain conditions, a chat notification claiming a seasonal event would be "Ending Soon" would mistakenly appear even if there is significant time left for the event.
• The squad member list now shows the name of your active squad in the header.
• You can now also send Hunter Friend requests from the squad member list.
• Made slight adjustments to the flow for editing and deleting widgets in the Hunter Profile.
• Removed the confirmation window that appeared when finishing editing Hunter Profile widgets.
• Fixed an issue where the The Equipment Loadouts widget in the Hunter Profile would show mistakenly updated reinforcement bonuses for Artian weapons.
• Exiting your Hunter Profile now prompts a confirmation window.
• Added a confirmation window to the Reset Widgets function in the Hunter Profile (to help prevent accidental resets).
• In addition to how many you currently own, the save data selection screen now shows you the max number of Character and Palico Edit Vouchers you can own.
• New text has been added to the end of each Support Hunter profile briefly explaining their strengths.
• Moved the in-game tips related to Lagiacrus from "Hunting" to "Lagiacrus" in the Tip List category of the Play Guide.
• Using the Take All function with Nata's Material Retrieval feature now displays the names and amount of all items you are obtaining.
• Omitted the confirmation window that appears when selecting an item for Material Retrieval.
• Added an option to the supply item confirmation window to let you discard items from the item pouch.
• The endemic life menu at Ecological Research now shows how the current number of captured creatures and the max number possible.
• Adjusted the icons so that, when outside of combat, parts removed from monsters (such as tails) are easier to find.
• The red wave effect on the health gauge (the effect that triggers when your health is at critical levels) is now disabled when the "Health Gauge Warning" option is set to "Do Not Display".
• A new "Hide During Combat" setting has been added to the "Hide Other Seikret" option.
• A new "Radial Menu Selection Type" option has been added.
• Adjusted the text and icons that appear in the fishing controls.

Handler

• The Handler will now avoid getting too close to large monsters.

Palico

• Fixed an issue where the Palico would cancel in-progress support moves when the player performs certain actions, such as a Focus Strike with a bow.
• Fixed an issue where the Palico would continue to glow after performing certain inputs during the Hocus Palicosus gesture.
• Fixed an issue where your Palico could become stuck and unable to descend the cliff at the entrance to Area 17 in the Oilwell Basin.

Other

• Fixed an issue where some voice lines would not trigger properly.
• Fixed various text issues.
• Fixed other miscellaneous issues.

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

Gaston, the swole villain from Beauty and the Beast, will reportedly be the next Disney baddie to get the live-action movie treatment.

Following in the footsteps of Maleficent and Cruella de Vil, Deadline reports that development has begun on a Gaston standalone picture.

It's believed that the movie will feature an all-new version of the character — depicted in Disney's 1992 animated classic as a self-entitled sexist. Luke Evans previously portrayed the character in live-action in the 2017 Emma Watson-starring Beauty and the Beast remake.

Arc Raiders developer Embark Studios has released the Cold Snap update alongside lengthy patch notes for version 1.7.0 of the extraction shooter.

As announced, the headline gameplay change here is the Cold Snap map condition, but there’s also the start of the Flickering Flames event. Players also have the Expedition Departure Window to consider, the new free Raider Deck ‘Goalie’ coming on December 26, and new quests and items. We've got a full rundown of all the new content in the Cold Snap update as well as the gameplay changes.

But the focus here is on the just-released 1.7.0 patch. Highlights include Skill Tree Reset functionality, the addition of an option to toggle Aim Down Sights, Raider Tool customization, the Wallet now shows your Cred soft cap, the Aphelion blueprint drop moved from the Matriarch to Stella Montis, and various festive items “to get you into the holiday spirit.” It’s also worth noting an improved Stella Montis spawn distance to address the issue of players spawning too close to each other.

The patch notes, below (from the official Arc Raiders website), detail various balance changes alongside explanations from Embark Studios. And there are various fixes. Strap yourself in — this is a long one.

Arc Raiders Cold Snap update 1.7.0 Patch Notes:

Balance Changes

Weapons:

Bettina

Dev note: These changes aim to make the Bettina a bit less reliant on bringing a secondary weapon. The weapon should now be a bit more competent in PVP, without tipping the scales too much. Data shows that this weapon is still the highest performing PVE weapon at its rarity (Not counting the Hullcracker). The durability should also feel more in line with our other assault rifles.

• Durability Burn Rate has been reduced from ~0.43% to ~0.17% per shot
  • In practice, it used to take about 12 full magazines to fully deplete durability, but now it takes 26 (also accounting for the increased magazine size).
• Base Magazine Size has been increased from 20 to 22
• Base Reload Time has been reduced from 5 to 4.5

Rattler

Dev note: Even though the Rattler isn't intended to compete with the Stitcher or Kettle at close ranges, it is receiving a minor buff to bring its PVP TTK at lower levels a bit closer to the Stitcher and Kettle. The weapon should remain in its intended role as a more deliberate weapon where players are expected to dip in and out of cover, fire in controlled bursts, and manage their reloads.

• Base Magazine Size has been increased from 10 to 12

ARC:

Shredder

• Reduced the amount of knockback applied by weapons. Increased movement speed and turning responsiveness.
• Increased health of the Shredder's head to prevent cases where its head could be shot off, leading to unintended behavior.
• Improved Shredder navigation to reduce getting stuck on corners, narrow spaces, and short obstacles.
• Increased the speed at which the Shredder enters combat when taking damage and when in close proximity to players.
• Increased the number of parts on the Shredder that can be individually destroyed.

Content and Bug Fixes

Achievements

• Achievements are now enabled in the Epic store.

Animation

• Fixed an issue where picking up a Field Crate with a Trigger ’Nade attached could cause the character to slide or move without input.
• Fixed an issue where combining Snap Hook with ziplines or ladders could store momentum and propel the player long distances.
• Fixed an issue where the running animation could appear incorrect after a small drop when over-encumbered.
• Fixed interaction animations: interactions now end correctly when performing a dodge roll; interacting while holding items or deployables no longer causes arm twisting; updated crouch repair to use the correct animation.
• Added physical based secondary movement to character skins and equipment.

ARC

• Fixed an issue where deployables attached to enemies could cause them to launch or clip out of bounds when shot.
• Missiles no longer reverse course after passing a target and can correctly track targets at different elevations.
• Sentinel
  • Fixed a bug where the Sentinel laser did not reach the targeted player over greater distances.
• Surveyor
  • Disabled vaulting onto ARC Surveyors to prevent unintended launches when they are moving.
• Fixed an issue where Bombardier projectiles could shoot through the Matriarch shield from the outside.

Audio

• Fixed an issue where Gas, Stun, and Impulse Mines did not play their trigger sound or switch their light to yellow when triggered by being shot.
• Increased the number of simultaneous footstep sounds and increased their priority.
• Fixed an issue where footsteps in metal stairs became very quiet when walking slowly.
• Improved directional sound for ARC enemies.
• Added sounds for sending and receiving text chat messages in the main menu.
• Removed the unsettling "mom?" from Speranza cantina ambient sound.
• Tweaked the loudness of announcements in various Main Menu screens.
• Number of small audio bugfixes and polish.

Maps

• Fixed an issue with spawning logic which could cause players who were reconnecting at the start of a session to spawn next to other players who had just joined.
• Various collision, geometry, VFX and texture fixes that address gaps in terrain which made players fall through the map or walk inside geometry, stuck spots, camera clipping through walls, see-through geometry, floating objects, texture overlaps, etc.
• Fixed an issue with the slope of the Raider Hatch that was too steep for downed raiders to crawl on top of it.
• Security Lockers are now dynamically spawned across all maps instead of being statically placed.
• Fixed Raider Caches not spawning during Prospecting Probes in some cases.
• Fixed lootable containers and Supply Drops spawning inside terrain on The Dam and Blue Gate, ensuring they are accessible.
• Fixed an issue where doors could appear closed for some players despite being open.
• Electromagnetic Storm: Lightning strikes sometimes leave behind a valuable item.
• Increased the number of possible Great Mullein spawn locations across all maps.
• Dam Battlegrounds
  • Moved the Matriarch's spawn point in Dam Battlegrounds to an area that better plays to her strengths.
• Spaceport
  • Adjusted the locked room protection area in Container Storage on Spaceport to not affect players outside the room.
• Blue Gate
  • Locked Gate map condition has been added.
  • Adjusted map bounds near a ledge in Blue Gate to improve navigation and reduce abrupt out-of-bounds stops.
  • Improved tree LODs in Blue Gate to reduce overly dark visuals at distance.
  • Fixed the issue where loot would spawn outside the Locked Room in the Village.
  • Added props and visual cues to the final camp in the quest ‘A First Foothold’ to make objective locations easier to find.
• Stella Montis
  • Increased some item and blueprint spawn rates in Stella Montis.
  • Some breachable containers on Stella Montis no longer drop Rubber Ducks when using the A Little Extra skill (sorry).
  • Adjusted window glass clarity in Stella Montis to improve visibility.

Miscellaneous

• General crash fixes (including AMD crashes).
• Added Skill Tree Reset functionality in exchange for Coins, 2,000 Coins per skill point.
• Wallet now shows your Cred soft cap (800).
  • Dev note: We decided to implement a cap so that players won’t be able to fully unlock new Raider Decks by accumulating Cred and added more items to Shani’s store to purchase using Cred. We believe that the Raider Decks offer a rewarding experience to enjoy while players engage with the game, and a large Cred wallet undermines this goal. We will not be removing Cred that has been accumulated before the introduction of the soft cap.
• Added Raider Tool customization.
• Fixed a bug that caused players to spawn on servers without their gear and in default customization resulting in losing loadout items.
• For ranks up to Daredevil I, leaderboards now have a 3x promotion zone for the top 5 players. New objectives have been added.
• Fixed an issue where the tutorial door breach could be canceled, preventing the cutscene from playing and blocking progression.
• Fixed an issue where players could continue breaching doors while downed.
• Fixed an issue where accepting a Discord invite without having your account linked could fail to place you into the inviter’s party.
• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused textures and meshes to flicker between higher and lower quality states.
• Depth of field amount is now scaled correctly depending on your resolution scale.
• Fixed an issue where returning to the game after alt-tabbing could prevent movement and ability inputs while camera controls still worked.
• Improved input handling when the game window regains focus to avoid unexpected input mode switches.
• Skill Tree
  • Effortless Roll skill now provides greater stamina cost reduction.
  • The Calming Stroll skill now applies while moving in ADS.

Movement

• Fixed a traversal issue that blocked jumping/climbing in certain areas while crouched.
• Fixed an issue where climbing ladders over open gaps could cause automatic detachment.
• A slight stamina cost has been added for entering a slide.
• Acceleration has been reduced when doing a dodge roll from a slide.

UI

• Added an option to toggle Aim Down Sights.
• Added a new ‘Cinematic’ graphics setting to enhance visuals for high end PCs.
• Fixed an issue where returning to the game after alt-tabbing could prevent movement and ability inputs while camera controls still worked.
• Improved input handling when the game window regains focus to avoid unexpected input mode switches.
• Codex
  • Improved accuracy of tracking damage dealt in player stats.
  • Field-crafted items now properly count toward Player Stats in the Codex.
  • Fixed missing sound in Codex Records.
  • Added a Codex section to rewatch previously seen videos.
• Console
  • Updated PlayStation 5 controller button prompts with improved icons for Options and Share.
  • Fixed a crash when using Show Profile from the Player Info on Xbox.
• Customization
  • You can now rotate your character in the customization screen. Also fixed an issue where the first equip could trigger an unintended unequip.
  • Added notifications in Character Customization to highlight recently unlocked items.
  • Fixed an issue where equipment customization items bought from the Loadout screen were not equipped after pressing Equip on the purchase screen.
• End of round
  • Further reduced the frequency of the end of round feedback survey pop up.
  • Added an optional Round Feedback button on the final end-of-round screen to open a short post-match survey.
• Expedition Project
  • Added a show/hide tooltip hint to the Raider Projects screens (Expedition and Seasonal).
  • Added 'Expeditions Completed' to Player Stats.
  • Added resource tracking for Expedition stages: Raider Projects now display required amounts and progress, with the tracker updating during rounds.
  • Added reward display to Raider Projects, showing the rewards for each goal and at Expedition completion.
  • Fixed an input conflict in Raider Projects where tracking a resource in Expeditions could also open the About Expeditions window; the on-screen prompt is now hidden while adding to Load Caravan.
• Inventory
  • Fixed an issue where closing the right-click menu in the inventory could reset focus to a different slot when using a gamepad.
  • Fixed flickering in the inventory tooltip.
  • Opening the inventory during a breach now cancels the interaction to prevent a brief animation glitch.
  • Adjusted the inventory screen layout to prevent tooltips from appearing immediately upon opening.
  • Fixed an issue where the weapon slot right-click menu in the inventory would not appear after navigating from an empty attachment slot with a controller.
• In-game
  • Fixed an issue where the climb prompt would not appear on a rooftop ladder in Blue Gate.
  • Resolved an issue where certain interaction icons could fail to appear during gameplay.
  • Fixed "revived" events not being counted.
  • Fixed an issue where the zipline interaction prompt could remain on a previously used zipline, preventing interaction with a new one; prompts now clear when out of range.
  • Quick equip item wheel now has a stable layout and no longer collapses items towards the top when there are empty slots in the inventory.
  • Updated in-game text across multiple languages based on localization review and player survey feedback.
  • Added a cancel prompt when preparing to throw grenades and other throwable items.
  • Fixed in-game input hints to match your current key bindings and show clear hold/toggle labels. Clarified binoculars hints when using aim toggle and updated hints for SnapHook and integrated binoculars to support aiming.
  • Tutorial hints now stay on screen briefly after you perform the suggested action to improve readability and avoid abrupt dismissals.
  • Fixed an issue where input hints could remain on screen after being downed.
  • HUD markers that are closer to the player now appear on top for improved legibility.
  • Fixed issue where items sometimes displayed the wrong icon.
  • Fixed issue where user hints were sometimes shown when spectating.
  • Strongroom racks and power stations now display a distinct color when full of carryables to indicate that it has been completed. Example: Ancient Fort Strongroom.
  • Fixed an issue where reconnecting to a match could leave your character in a broken state with incorrect HUD elements and a misplaced camera.
  • Slightly delayed the initial loot screen opening and the transition from opening to searching during interactions.
• Main Menu
  • Added a Live Events carousel to the main menu and enabled click/hover interactions on the Raider Project overview.
  • Fixed an issue where the Weapon Upgrades tab would sometimes change location.
  • Resolved an issue where a Raider could pop in and out of the home screen background.
  • Installed workstations no longer appear in the workstation install view.
  • You can now navigate from on-screen notifications to the relevant screens, including jumping directly to learned recipes.
  • The Upgrade Weapon Tab now accurately displays the magazine size increase.
  • Fixed an issue where the map screen could become unresponsive when a live event was active.
  • When inspecting items, rotating will now hide UI only showing the item being inspected.
  • Free Raider Deck content now displays as “Free” instead of “0”.
  • Added a carousel to the Main Menu featuring Quests and a Raider Deck shortcut, with improved gamepad navigation within the widget.
  • Fixed an issue where the Scrappy screen allowed navigating to the quick navigation list when using a gamepad.
• Quests
  • Made pickups on the ground show icons if they are part of quests or tracked, added quest icons to quest interactions and improved quest interaction style.
  • Fixed an issue where the notification could remain after accepting and claiming quests.
  • Accepting and completing quests is now shown as loading while awaiting a server response.
  • Fixed an issue where rapidly skipping through quest videos after completing the first Supply Depot quest could soft‑lock the UI, leaving the screen without a way to advance.
  • Updated interaction text for a quest objective to improve clarity.
  • Updated the names and descriptions of the Moisture Probe and EC Meter quest items in Unexpected Initiative.
  • Improved ping information for quest objectives, with clearer markers for Filtration System and Magnetic Decryptor interactions.
  • Adjusted colors of quest and tracking icons in in-game interaction hints for better clarity.
• Settings
  • Added a new slider that allows players to tweak motion blur intensity.
  • Updated tooltips for effects and overall quality levels in the video settings with clearer descriptions.
  • Added labels that show whether an input action is ‘Hold’ or ‘Toggle’, displayed in parentheses.
  • Fixed an issue where the flash effect ignored the Invert Colors setting; the option is now available.
  • Fixed a crash in settings when rapidly adjusting sliders.
  • Now players will be guided to Windows settings for microphone permissions if needed.
  • Fixed a crash that could occur when opening the video settings.
  • Fixed an issue where some Options category screens continued responding to inputs after exiting.
• Store
  • Players will no longer see error messages when canceling purchases in the store.
  • Newly added store products now show a new indication for improved discoverability.
• Social
  • Fixed an issue where Discord friends could appear with an incorrect status after switching to Invisible and back to Online; their presence now refreshes correctly when they come back online.
  • Added a Party Join icon to the social interface for clearer party invitations and joins.
  • Fixed an issue where the Social right-click (context) menu could remain visible in the Home tab after rapidly opening and closing it with a gamepad; it now closes correctly and no longer stacks.
• Tooltips
  • Fixed incorrect item tooltips of ARC stun duration.
  • Tooltips now reposition to remain fully visible at all resolutions.
  • Fixed tooltips showing 'Blueprint already learned' on completed goal rewards; tooltips now display correct reward information and only show 'Blueprint learned' for actual blueprints.
• Trials
  • Trials objectives now clearly indicate when they offer bonus conditions, such as by Map Conditions.
  • Fixed an issue where the Trial rank icon could be missing on the Player Stats screen after starting the game.
  • Added a Trials popup that explains how ranking works and clarifies that the final rank is worldwide.
• VOIP
  • Added Microphone Test functionality.
  • Added better automatic checks for problems with VOIP input & output devices.
  • Using the mouse thumb button for push-to-talk no longer triggers ‘Back’ in menus.
  • Fixed an issue where the voice chat status icon could incorrectly appear muted for party members at match start until someone spoke.
  • HUD no longer shows VOIP icons when voice chat is disabled; your own party VOIP icon now appears as disabled.

Utility

• Increased loot value in Epic key card rooms to better reflect their rarity.
• Expanded blueprint spawn locations to improve availability in areas that were underrepresented.
• Moved the Aphelion blueprint drop from the Matriarch to Stella Montis.
• Fixed a bug where players would sometimes become unable to perform any actions if they interacted with carriable objects while experiencing bad network conditions or were downed while holding a carriable object and then revived.
• Fixed an issue where Deadline could deal damage through walls.
• Fixed an issue where deployables attached to enemies or buildable structures could cause sudden launches or let enemies pass through the environment when shot.
• Keys will no longer be removed from the safe pocket when using the Unload backpack.
• Fixed an issue where cheater-compensation rewards could grant an integrated augment item.
• Fixed bug where Flame Spray dealt too much damage to some ARC.
• Fixed an issue where sticky throwables (Trigger 'Nade, Snap Blast Grenade, Lure Grenade) disappeared when thrown at trees.
• Fixed a bug with incorrectly calculated deployment range for deployable items.
• Fixed an issue where mines could not be triggered through damage before they were armed.
• Playing an instrument now applies the ‘Vibing Status’ effect to nearby players.
• Fix for Rubber Ducks not being able to be placed into the Trinket slot on an Augment.
• Setting integrated binoculars and integrated shield charger weight to be 0.

Weapons

• Tuned the amount of force applied to lighter ARC when using melee attacks.
• Fixed an issue where stowed weapons would not appear on the first spawn.
• Fixed an exploit allowing players to reload energy weapons without consuming ammo.
• Aiming-down-sights now resumes if it was interrupted while the aim button is still held (e.g., after reloading or a stun).
• Fixed an exploit that allowed shotguns to bypass the intended fire cooldown.

Quests

• Fixed a bug in the ‘Greasing Her Palms’ quest that let players accidentally trigger an objective.
• Made the quest item ESR Analyzer easier to find in Buried City.
• Improved clarity of clues for the ‘Marked for Death’ quest.
• Fixed an issue where quest videos could trigger multiple times.
• Added interactions to find spare keys to several quests related to locked rooms.
• Added unique quest items to the ‘Unexpected Initiative’ quest.
• Fixed an issue where squad sharing incorrectly completed objectives that spawned quest specific items.

Known Issues

• Players with AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT will see a driver warning popup at startup despite being on the latest version that fixes a GPU crash that occurred when loading into The Blue Gate.
• If you have more items than fit in your stash, the value of the items that don't fit is not included in the final departure screen, but is included when calculating your rewards.

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.

We have new official information on Dead Island 3, which is not only now confirmed to be in development, but has a target release window.

In a financial report spotted by X / Twitter user @bogorad222, the Plaion-owned UK developer Dambuster Studios said its primary focus is now Dead Island 3. This is the first time we’ve heard Dead Island 3 mentioned in any official capacity, although the studio had teased it earlier this year.

Dambuster Studios' financial statements are out (as of March 2025)
The company employed 194 employees
Dead Island 3 is in development
The current predicted release window for the project is Q1/2 2028 pic.twitter.com/FOHOitH3nD

— Timur222 (@bogorad222) December 16, 2025

The report mentions that all Dambuster’s developers are now on Dead Island 3, and once the Luna and Mac versions of Dead Island 2 are complete all of Dambuster's QA team will also move over to Dead Island 3. As of the end of March 2025, Dambuster had 194 employees.

“Parts of the game are now in early production with feature, character, world and story design moving at pace,” the report continues. And here’s where things get really interesting: we even have a “current predicted release window” of Q1/2 2028. So, as things stand, Dead Island 3 is due out by the end of June 2028.

The existence of Dead Island 3 shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. In September, Dambuster posted the image, below, alongside the caption: “and the next outbreak is already brewing.”

Hollow Knight: Silksong's first big expansion has been revealed by developer Team Cherry.

Teased for 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong - Sea of Sorrow promises new areas, bosses, and tools as “Hornet’s adventures continue in our nautically themed expansion, coming free for all players next year.”

Further details are expected shortly before its launch, with no specific date given. This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, as Silksong's initial release date wasn't announced until just a month before it dropped after one of gaming's most infamous drawn out affairs.

Alongside the announcement of the DLC, Team Cherry also revealed that a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the original Hollow Knight is in development. This improved version incorporates "all the updates and enhancements that Silksong received on the platform: high frame-rate modes, higher resolutions, and many additional graphical effects."

The even better news? If you already own Hollow Knight on Switch, you'll be able to upgrade to this new gen version for free.

The Australian studio will also be updating all current versions of the original Metroidvania soulslike and adding features and bug fixes. If you're playing on PC, some of those changes have already come into effect.

“PC players can experience many of those updates right now, via the public-beta branches on Steam and GOG, where they’ve just gone live,” a Team Cherry blog post states. “That includes full 16:10 and 21:9 aspect ratio support for those of you with Steam Decks or ultrawide monitors."

As part of the DLC announcement, Team Cherry said Hollow Knight: silksong had sold more than 7 million copies since going on sale in September, and had millions more playing on Xbox Game Pass.

"It’s a truly staggering number of players, more than we could have ever expected (enough to crash all of the storefronts!)," Team Cherry said. "Watching the community grow, seeing the amazing art, the mods, the unexpected strategies, and the support between players through the game’s challenges has been hugely rewarding for us here at home. Your continued enthusiasm remains a massive motivator as we work towards expanding the game even further."

Now seems like as good a time as any to get into both Hollow Knight games, then. IGN's Hollow Knight review returned a 9.4. We said: "Hollow Knight’s rich world and incredible depth of content will make you want to explore its caves for dozens of hours."

Similarly, IGN's Hollow Knight: Silksong review scored the game 9/10. We said: "Hollow Knight: Silksong is packed full of sharp platforming, enticing exploration, and nail-biting combat that's all unapologetically challenging in just the right way."

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.

The best Black Friday deal on Sony's newest flagship wireless noise cancelling headphones has returned. eBay (via either Buydig or Electronic Express) is offering a brand new pair of Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones for just $318.40 after you apply off coupon code "HOLIDAYRUSH". That's a 30% discount off the $450 list price and matches the best deal I saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. eBay estimates free delivery before Christmas. Both retailers are authorized Sony resellers, so you get the full manufacturer's warranty.

30% Off Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise Canceling Headphone

The most popular Meta Quest deal from Black Friday is back. The official Meta eBay Store is once again offering refurbished Meta Quest 3 512GB VR headsets for just $359.99 after a 20% off coupon code "HOLIDAYRUSH". Better yet, it comes with an extended 2 year warranty supplied by Allstate. Since these headsets are reconditioned and shipped by Meta itself and include original accessories, so it's not much different from buying a brand new one.

Refurb Meta Quest 3 for $359.99

Includes extended 2 year warranty

If you're a Pokémon Trainer or have one in your life, today's Daily Deals is going to save you a small fortune. From the best Pokémon TCG bargains to a great deal on the Pokémon Legends: Z-A Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, I've got you. You can also check out my more comprehensive list of the best Pokémon gifts for 2025 for more options than what I've listed here.

TL;DR: Top Pokémon Deals for Today

I've even taken the liberty of finding the best deals on the top chase cards for every Pokémon TCG expansion in the Mega Evolution and Scarlet & Violet eras, so you can pick up some awesome chase cards instead of busting a bag full of Pokédollars on booster packs. I even found some awesome Pokémon Squishmallow deals to boot, so let's get straight into it:

Pokémon TCG Single Card Price Crash

Pokémon TCG stock levels are getting better and better across the board, which means there's more chance of buying off store shelves and a much bigger chance of scalpers losing out. It's a win-win, especially for Pokémon card collectors, as single cards are finding a new floor when it comes to market values.

It's the best time this year to snap up some of those grails you've been eyeing up, so I've found the top 5 chase cards in every Pokémon TCG expansion and base set from the previous Scarlet and Violet era, as well as Mega Evolution, the current era of Pokémon cards. There's some serious bargains to be had here, and I reckon we'll see prices tick back up when Ascended Heroes launches early next year, so don't wait around.

Best Pokémon TCG Sealed Deals

The best deal here for me is the Mega Charizard X ex Ultra Premium Collection that's currently at market value on Amazon and close to MSRP.

• 4 x Phantasmal Flames
• 4 x Mega Evolution
• 4 x Destined Rivals
• 4 x Journey Together
• 2 x Surging Sparks

The main pull of this UPC is the Mega Charizard X ex Mega Attack Rare and Oricorio ex SIR promo cards, which, frankly, are the best couple of promo cards we've had in a big box collection for a while. It also contains Mega Charizard X-themed card sleeves, deck box, damage counter dice, playmat, and a metal coin.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A and More Deals

Need to get Pokémon Legends: Z-A sorted for Christmas? Here's the cheapest way: the Nintendo Switch 1 version of Pokémon Legends: Z-A for $44.99 on Woot, then upgrade it to the Switch 2 version for $9.99 via the Amazon digital code service. You're saving $15 over buying the usual Switch 2 copy of Legends: Z-A.

Woot also has more discounts on top Pokémon Switch games, such as Legends: Arceus alongside Scarlet and Violet. It's a great time to build up your library if you've got a few Pokémon-sized gaps on your shelf.

Pokémon Squishmallow Deals

Nothing beats cuddling a Squishmallow, and I'll admit that to anyone. Well, getting a $69.99 massive 20-inch Sprigatito Squishmallow for $37.99 definitely beats that feeling, but there's some great deals on the best Pokémon plushies right now (in my opinion, which is correct).

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.

Throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday, eBay consistently had the lowest prices on all sizes of the LG Evo C5 4K OLED TV. The only problem was that they were out of stock for the majority of the time and all but disappeared after Cyber Monday ended. For a very limited time, they're back. eBay via Electronic Express has most sizes of the popular LG Evo C-series OLED TV on sale with an extra 20% off coupon code "HOLIDAYRUSH". Delivery is free, although there's no guarantee these TVs will arrive by December 25. LG is the best selling OLED TV brand globally for a simple reason. It's just that good.

LG Evo C5 4K OLED Smart TV Black Friday Deals Are Back

Give a gamer in your life the gift of immersive VR. Starting this week, Target has discounted the popular Meta Quest 3S 128GB VR headset down to $249.99 after $50 in instant savings. But that's not all. You also get a bonus $50 Target gift card that's automatically added to your cart. This ties the best deal I saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Thanks to Target's impressive network of warehouses and retail stores, you're very likely to get your order delivered by Christmas.

Update: The official Meta eBay Store has it for $212.49 with no gift card.

Meta Quest 3S for $249.99 Plus $50 Target Gift Card