At its January Unpacked event, Samsung focused on showing off the features of its new line of phones, the S25 series, and (frankly underwhelming) updates to Galaxy AI. But tacked onto the very end of the presentation – it quite literally had a "that's not all..." slide – was a brief glimpse of appears to be a new Galaxy Edge.
The sizzle reel was a whirlwind gallery of the new phone's components that combined into a shadowy device with "Samsung Edge" on the screen right before the credits rolled. Outside of the name, no other details were announced, and Samsung has not made any official statements since the event ended.
This is the first teaser for the next generation of Edge phones, the last of which – the Galaxy S7 Edge – was released back in 2016. This new device is rumored to be a "slim" version, according to photos that leaked last week, and will allegedly be 6.4mm thick. (The thinnest of the new S25 lineup, which will be available February 7 and is availble to preorder now, is the standard model at 7.2mm.)
Apparently, 2025 is the year of the super-skinny phone: Apple is also supposedly launching the iPhone Air in its next wave of phone announcements sometime this year. Industry experts are speculating that it will measure between 5–6mm, which would beat the iPhone 6, the current record holder for slimmest iPhone, by at least .9mm.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is set to release for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on February 21. The latest in a long line of Sega games about Japanese organized crime, it brings the beloved character of Goro Majuma to Hawaii. Where he becomes a pirate. It’s all there in the title, see? The game is available to preorder now (see it at Amazon) in a variety of editions. Read on to see what comes in each.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii - Standard Edition
Those ready to embrace the all-digital lifestyle and want more than just the game can pick up the digital deluxe edition. It includes a digital copy of the game, plus the following digital extras:
Legendary Pirate Crew Pack
Legendary Outfit Pack
Ship Customization Pack
Extra Karaoke & CD Pack
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Preorder Bonus
Preorder any version of the game, and you’ll get the following digital items for free:
Ichiban pirate crew set
Ichiban special outfit set
What Is Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii?
Goro Majima is back in this installment, with a memory that’s been wiped as clean as the chalkboard in your granddaddy’s kindergarten classroom. He’s also in Hawaii, so he hops aboard a ship and sets out to do pirate things. As you can probably tell, the series’ goofy humor remains fully intact in this installment.
Unlike the recent Like a Dragon games, however, the combat isn’t turn-based. It’s more of the real-time beat-‘em-up style from earlier Yakuza games. See our Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii hands-on preview for more information.
Other Preorder Guides
Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.
It appears that the Path Tracing trailer that NVIDIA showcased behind closed doors at CES 2025 has been leaked online. This is an off-screen video, meaning that you won’t be able to tell much from it. Still, this is new in-engine footage from one of the most anticipated games of 2025. So I guess some … Continue reading Doom: The Dark Ages Off-Screen Path Tracing Trailer Leaked→
During the Galaxy Unpacked keynote presentation, Samsung officially showcased its next flagship smartphones with the Galaxy S25 series. This includes the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra. It's not a surprise as we expect an improved set of features and upgrades like a more powerful processor for better performance, but Samsung stressed its roster of AI features.
Starting with tech details, the S25 Ultra has a 6.9-inch AMOLED 2X QHD+ 120 Hz screen, measures in at 77.6mm x 162.8mm x 8.2mm, weighs in at 218g. Looking at the Galaxy S25 Plus, you get a 6.7-inch QHD+ screen with dimensions of 75.8mm x 158.4mm x 7.3mm and weighs 190g. Lastly, the standard Galaxy S25 gets a 6.2-inch FHD+ screen and measures in at 70.5mm x 146.9mm x 7.2mm while weighing 162g.
All models use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite, and Samsung states that it brings a performance boost of 40% in NPU, 37% in CPU, and 30% in GPU compared to last-gen, resulting in about 18% improvements in frames per second in gaming. There will also be a new heat dissappation system with a 40% bigger vapor chamber and an improved thermal interface material. Battery life will always vary but Samsung claims 31 hours of watching videos off its 5,000 mAh battery and more efficient power consumption. The S25 also uses Corning Gorilla Armor 2 to protect the phone and provide better durability.
Samsung's new One UI 7 AI assistant took up a significant chunk of the presentation - it's the next generation of its mobile AI ecosystem built into several functions on Galaxy phones. They're also powered with Google's Gemini 2.0 AI engine. While it's geared to be more efficient and easier to use, like pressing one button on the side of the phone to communicate with any AI function, what stood out is how Samsung stressed securing your personal data. Your personal data is secured with Knox Vault as opposed to storing it in the cloud. Samsung also showcased generative AI features like photo editing, suggestions with writing, among other features.
Pre-orders are now open for all Galaxy S25 models and they will launch of February 7. The S25 Ultra starts at $1,299 for the 256GB storage capacity with options to upgrade to 512GB or 1TB. The S25 Plus starts at $999.99 for the 256GB model while the standard S25 starts at $799.99 with the 128GB version.
The first time I lost my mech in Synduality Echo of Ada was on my second sortie, and lot of things went wrong. I didn’t buy insurance beforehand and I took way too much stuff out with me because I hit the wrong button, and then I chose not to take a moment to repair right before I got into the encounter that killed me. I made a series of avoidable mistakes followed by a bad decision, and this mech-flavored extraction shooter made sure I lost everything I had for it – so it’s a good sign that, after I was done cursing Synduality and then myself, I was immediately excited to try and get it all back. I have much more to do and see before I am ready for a final review, but that trial by fire will certainly stick with me until the end.
Synduality has a pretty cool premise: In the far future, humanity has been nearly wiped out by a mysterious blue rain called the Tears of the New Moon. In addition to killing humans on contact, the blue rain also made animals and plants gigantic and aggressive. To survive, society has moved underground and adopted the use of enormous mechs called Cradlecoffins to explore the surface world and gather energy-producing AO Crystals to survive. You step into the role of a nameless, faceless Drifter — someone who pilots a Cradlecoffin. Your goal? Get up there, get the things you need to upgrade your base and make some cash, and get out before the locals turn your Cradlecoffin into a grave.
Cradlecoffins aren’t your traditional mechs. They’re slower than something you’d find in Armored Core – though similarly armed, as they’re still bipedal and wield weapons – but faster than the behemoths you’d see in MechWarrior. Ready for a deep cut? They’re actually a lot like the mechs from 2002’s Phantom Crash, which is to say they are a nice balance of being reasonably fast but still heavy and limited in terms of, shall we say, vertical mobility. Armored Core mechs can dunk like Jordan. Cradlecoffins got no ups.
But you’re not alone. In addition to your mech, you’ve got a Magus — think a humanoid AI you can fully customize and play dress up with — helping to guide you when you’re out on the surface by marking objectives on your map, alerting you to threats, and even keeping track of the weather. You can be as normal or as strangely intimate as you want about the creation process, though it kinda seems as if Synduality assumes you’re more likely to pick a robo-girlfriend than a robo-boyfriend based on the clothing choices available. (Even the AI-controlled Cradelcoffins have robo-girlfriends.) There are several different personalities to choose from, including supportive mentor lady, demure, eager-to-please girl; encouraging big brother, and spicy athlete who just wants you to be the best version of yourself. They’re a weirdly likeable little crew — I chuckled when my spicy athlete robo-girlfriend essentially told me to stop whining and eat my veggies (read: weeds that we had removed from the base) or she’d beat me up. And since they’re the only companion you’ll have for most of your time with Synduality, their presence is welcome.
Most of the other players I've seen aren’t out there to kill you.
In addition to their clothes and look, you can also customize the special abilities and focus of your Magus, whether that’s finding AO Crystals, providing more info about different Enders (the name for that superpowered flora and fauna I talked about earlier), or giving you the low-down on the other Cradlecoffins you’ll run into once you pop out on the surface. So far I’ve liked both the one that’s good at protecting me from the evil rain and the one who has a knack for spotting other Cradlecoffins at range because hearing another engine in this game is stressful, but I appreciate that you can tailor your Magus to assist you be the best Drifter you wanna be.
You’ll run into other players in Synduality’s world, but in my experience, most of them aren’t out there to kill you and take your things. Usually, an encounter with another player means the two of you being very cagey, aiming your guns at each other, until one of you finally uses the wave emote. Then the other returns it and you both go on your way. It’s admittedly tense, and an extraction shooter like this should be, because you’re never more than a single insurance-less run away from losing all your things. The whole “we’re all working together to help humanity” thing sets up that cautious camaraderie, but there is always the danger that someone’s gonna see your shiny shotgun and think “I want that and I don’t wanna work for it,” so… you know. This does seem (so far) like a kinder, gentler extraction shooter, but you should still be careful around other people, even if they do the wave emote.
Managing each mission means making a lot of interesting choices. How far from the elevators that bring you to and from the safety of the underground are you willing to venture? What kind of materials are you looking to collect for your base, and how much are you going to risk to get them? How much ammo will you head out with? What kind of mech? Will you prioritize carrying capacity or defense? All of these choices matter, and you may regret your words and deeds when you’re sitting at low health with no repair kits, far away from an elevator in a world where everything wants to kill you.
So far Synduality has mostly just been this loop played over and over again, but it’s at least an amusing one, with a little bit of fun base building and dress-up in-between that I haven’t had a chance to dig too deeply into yet. What’s less amusing are the microtransactions and battle pass (we live in hell!) that can speed up the process of getting a better Cradlecoffin substantially despite this not being a free-to-play game. You get almost nothing in the free track of that pass, which is a standard-issue problem to some degree, but I’ll need to play more to see how much these systems feel like they impact the overall pace of progression without spending any money. I don’t think I would have all the nice things I have now, which replaced the stuff I lost, if I didn’t have that battle pass.
I am at least enjoying Synduality for now, though I have yet to unlock the single-player missions or the second map. Once I put some time into those, expand my base, and just generally Do More Stuff, I’ll have a better idea of where Synduality falls. Until then, I’ll be out in the world, trying not to die too much. Buy insurance, kids. It’s a scam, but it may save your life – or, at least, your mech.
Magic: The Gathering's next set is right around the bend - Aetherdrift is all about a multiplanar death race taking place across the multiverse, and we've got an exclusive first look at two new cards that will be in it: Cloudspire Coordinator and Count on Luck.
Flip through the gallery below to see both cards, as well as a few alternate art treatments.
First up, we have Cloudspire Coordinator: this creature is an uncommon meant to give you a sense of what the set's red-white color pairing is all about. In this case, it represents the racing team that embodies those colors, which is the Cloudspire Racing Team from the plane of Kylem (first introduced in Magic's 2v2-focused set from 2018, Battlebond), as well as a mechanical focus on using and piloting vehicles. Its 3 power helps it crew vehicles itself, while its activated ability will instead create Pilot token creatures to crew them for you.
While that could end up being a solid choice if you find yourself playing a red-white deck during an Aetherdrift draft, the splashier card we get to reveal is the rare, Count on Luck. This 3-mana enchantment is as straightforward as its all-red-pip casting cost: at the start of each of your turns, you exile the top card of your library and can play it during that turn. This is what is generally referred to as "impulse draw," consistently giving you extra cards to use in a mono-red deck as long as you can play them right away. Use it or lose it.
The last bit we have to share is a look at Count on Luck in its extended-art and First-Place Foil versions. While the former isn't anything we haven't seen before, simply removing Magic's card frame on the sides of the art box to allow for a wider look, the First-Place Foils are something totally new to Aetherdrift. These shiny golden cards are only available as part of a randomized buy-a-box promo pack that comes with every box of Aetherdrift, and all the rares in the set (as well as 10 full-art lands) are getting the treatment.
Benedict Cumberbatch has said his Marvel Cinematic Universe character Doctor Strange is skipping the next big team up in Avengers Doomsday but will play a "central role" in its sequel Avengers Secret Wars.
Speaking to Variety, Cumberbatch said "f**k it" after realising he'd dropped a spoiler and divulged more about his character's role in the upcoming films. "He’s quite central to where things might go," he said before revealing there's a third standalone Doctor Strange planned too.
"They are very open to discussing where we go next," Cumberbatch said. "Who do you want to write and direct the next one? What part of the comic lore do you want to explore so that Strange can keep evolving? He’s a very rich character to play. He’s a complex, contradictory, troubled human who’s got these extraordinary abilities, so there’s potent stuff to mess about with."
In the shorter term, Phase 6 of the MCU kicks off with this July's The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Avengers Doomsday comes out May 1, 2026, and Avengers Secret Wars launches May 7, 2027.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Wolverine is Insomniac’s next big game, but when will it come out? This year? Next year? The year after that? The developer won’t say, but did acknowledge what it called “pent up excitement” for the upcoming PlayStation game.
Co-studio head Chad Dezern refused to confirm or deny a 2025 release for Wolverine, instead offering this morsel:
“We’ve announced Wolverine, and we’d love to talk more about Wolverine, but we have to be like Logan today, and remain very stoic until it’s time to pop the claws down the road. As much as we’re as much as we have pent up excitement, we got to hold on to it. So that’s, that’s about as much as we could say about our upcoming projects today.”
We’ve heard nothing official on Wolverine since its reveal in 2021, save a shift in leadership reported in October. Previous creative director Brian Horton jumped ship to Xbox as the new creative director for Perfect Dark, which is being co-developed by The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics.
Unofficially, early Wolverine footage and information emerged from data stolen from Insomniac in December 2023.
"Thank you for the outpouring of compassion and unwavering support," Insomniac wrote at the time. "It's deeply appreciated.
"We're both saddened and angered about the recent criminal cyberattack on our studio and the emotional toll it's taken on our dev team. We have focused inwardly for the last several days to support each other.
"We are aware that the stolen data includes personal information belonging to our employees, former employees, and independent contractors. It also includes early development details about Marvel's Wolverine for PlayStation 5. We continue working quickly to determine what data was impacted.
"This experience has been extremely distressing for us.
"We want everyone to enjoy the games we develop as intended and as our players deserve. However, like Logan... Insomniac is resilient. Marvel's Wolverine continues as planned. The game is in early production and will no doubt greatly evolve throughout development, as do all our plans.
"While we appreciate everyone's enthusiasm, we will share official information about Marvel's Wolverine when the time is right.
"On behalf of everyone here at Insomniac, thank you for your ongoing support during this challenging time."
The hackers who breached Insomniac demanded a 50 BTC (roughly $2 million) ransom to not release confidential data they obtained. The ransom was not paid and the info — 1.67 terabytes of data — was released. It contained videos and images of Marvel's Wolverine, Insominac's release slate through the early 2030s, and even personal information on staff.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Roblox developer Kitawari has published Anime Vanguards Winter Update 3.0, delivering sweeping changes to the tower-defense experience’s unit lineup and lobby alongside numerous quality-of-life fixes.
This latest patch aims to keep the festivities going with more winter-themed additions that should entertain players for weeks. It’s an update filled with content to explore, but its most noticeable change can be seen as soon as you log in. Anime Vanguards veterans will notice that the lobby has been completely revamped, giving anime fans more room to start each session. This also comes with remastered UI, including what the team calls “much better and cleaner” stage selection UI.
“We heard your issues with our current lobby; it was too small and cramped, and we were running out of places to put new game modes,” Kitawari explained in the Winter Update 3.0 patch notes. “Get ready for our stunning new lobby – 10x more impressive than anything you’ve seen, featuring a customizable Day and Night cycle which you can check out in Settings!”
Another Anime Vanguards Winter Update 3.0 highlight comes with a new game mode: Portals. Kitawari encourages fans to use winter units and skins to increase team damage and gain access to other rewards when trying out the new mode. There’s also Sandbox Mode, which allows experimental players to test new strategies without restraints. Meanwhile, players can except to collect 12 new units spread across a new Winter Banner, Portals game mode, battle pass, and new leaderboard rewards.
As for those quality-of-life changes, Kitawari has included a handful of tweaks to make the overall experience cleaner, including smoother movement for unit placement and Evolution Quests that now show up in the special tab. The skins and familiar windows now have search bars, too, and units now properly highlight the enemy they are attacking. Anime Vanguards players can take advantage of everything included in the Winter Update 3.0 now.
Anime Vanguards’ latest update continues the team’s string of updates since originally launching last January. A recent November update brought even more new content to feast on, including a long list of additions that took inspiration from the hit anime series, Dandadan. For more on everything Kitawari is cooking up, you can check out our full list of active codes here. While we wait for the next update, you can check out the full patch notes below.
Anime Vanguards Winter Update 3.0 Patch Notes
Features
12 NEW UNITS!
The update is coming out with 12 new units! These units will be found in:
New Winter Banner
o Emmie, Emmie (Ice Witch)
o Rom and Ran, Rom and Ran (Fanatic)
o Foboko, Foboko (Hellish)
o Karem, Karem (Chilled)
o Rogita (Super 4)
New Portals Game Mode
o Soburo, Soburo (Contract)
o Regnaw, Regnaw (Rage)
New Battle Pass
o Dodara, Dodara (Cotnract)
o Sosora, Sosora (Puppeteer)
Leaderboard Rewards
o Seban
o Rodock
o Giyu
NEW GAMEMODE! Portals
Play through a brand new gamemode with unique mechanics, and grind through higher Tiers for better & unique rewards!
Rewards include:
3 New Familiars
o Doggo
o Sebamon
o Padoru
2 Secret Portal Units
Winter Currency
Gift Boxes
Make sure to bring your winter units and winter skins to increase unit team damage, currency yield and other rewards!
Alongside this, a brand new elemental interaction system has been added to portals; Discover all the unique ways in which unit & enemy elements interact with each other, and utilize them to your advantage. With a hundred different possible interactions, there are bound to be surprises.
NEW GAMEMODE! Sandbox Mode
A brand new gamemode that lets you use any units, spawn any enemies, have infinite money, change stats, and play however you want!
NEW! Boss Event Rerun!
The Blood-Red Commander Igros boss event is back, and Boss Events will now cycle weekly! Next week will be Sukono’s boss event. Boss event shop has also been restocked!
NEW! Lobby Revamp
We heard your issues with our current lobby; it was too small and cramped, and we were running out of places to put new game modes. Get ready for our stunning new lobby – 10x more impressive than anything you’ve seen, featuring a customizable Day and Night cycle which you can check out in Settings!
NEW! Revamped Lobby UI
Stage Selection Interface has also been revamped to look much better and cleaner.
NEW! Unit XP Fusing
You can now fuse unwanted into other units to level them up as an alternative to using XP food items!
NEW! Winter Banner & Currency
Earn winter currency from portals to summon new units and skins, or spend it in the Winter Shop for portals, evolution items, a frosty mount, and Trait Rerolls!
1 New Vanguard Unit
3 New Secret Skins
4 New Exclusive Units
4 New Mythic Skins
3 New Legendary Skins
1 New Epic Skins
1 New Rare Skin
NEW! Leaderboard Units
The previous leaderboard units are now unobtainable, in their place, two brand-new Exclusive units have been introduced! Compete for your spot on the leaderboards to claim these rewards and show off your achievements.
NEW! Battle Pass Reset
The Battle Pass has been entirely refreshed! With tons of rerolls, gems and other rewards, including 2 Exclusive units that you can unlock through progressing the tiers!
NEW! Tournament Titles
Tournament players will now get unique titles for that week’s tournament! Top 1 will gain the Tournament Champion title, and Top 2-5 will gain Tournament Contender.
NEW! Collection Milestone
Collect a set number of units from each rarity to unlock special rewards! The more units you gather, the greater the rewards which you can claim.
NEW! Enemy Index Milestones
Earn rewards as you fill out your Enemy Index! For every set of enemies you can document, you will obtain special prizes such as Trait Rerolls.
NEW! Trophy Exchange Shop
Added a dedicated area for trophies and a trophy shop, where you can purchase Emotes for trophies!
NEW! Spectate Mode Options
When spectating a unit, you can now choose between Default, First Person, Third Person, and Top-Down view. The spectate interface now also tells you which unit you’re spectating.
NEW! Health Stocks
The currency base health system has been changed to base stocks. Instead of 150 health, you now get 3 stocks each stage. One enemy that reaches base will deduct 1 stock, and losing all stocks will result in the loss of the match. Bosses will instantly deplete all stocks once they reach base.
NEW! The Hidden Gateway awakens…
The mysterious portal item, obtainable as a Floor 50 reward in Worldlines, has finally revealed its true purpose! Use it to open a gateway to a hidden challenge – will you uncover the Secret hidden within?
NEW! In-Game Update Logs
View what’s new in-game when you join or click the update button on the top right corner of your screen!
NEW! New Unit Filters!
You can now filter your units by their damage stat tier, SPA stat tier, and range stat tier!
Changes & QoL
· Viewing a unit with a custom summon animation will now play their unique animation.
· Evolution quests now show up in the special tab!
· Moving a unit during placement is now smoother.
· Added “Tracks At The Edge Of The World” to Enemy Index
· Added World Markers in the lobby for easier navigation. You can also click on these markers to easily teleport to the designated location
· Auto Ability will now wait until the ability can be used again if it failed to activate
· The normalize NPC has been changed to Valentine.
· Improvements to item tooltip animation when clocking on an item frame
· Added a slight camera parallax effect to some interfaces
· Added Winter Currency to the AFK Chamber
· Added a search bar to the Familiars window
· Added a search bar to the Skins window
· Improved unit Traits Index UI
· Shiny Hunter Game Pass now shows up on the bottom left
· Units now highlight the enemy they are attacking
· You can now “Favorite” units by pressing on them, selecting the “Favorite” button which will make a star appear at the top of the unit frame, signifying that they have been successfully marked as favorite. These units will always appear at the top of the Units UI, right behind your equipped units for easy access!
· 3 additional unit storage expansions available for gold, for a total of 6!
· 3 additional team slots, for a total of 8 teams!
· Revamped several rarity gradients
· Revamped the loading circle.
· Switched to Roblox’s new chat service; it supports automatic chat translation, among other things!
· Item frames in your inventory are now sorted by rarity.
· The item hover preview frame should no longer be cut off regardless of its Y size.
…and more!
Bug Fixes
· Ishtar (Divinity) not gaining range buff from her passive
· Upgrading Haruka Rin caused her animation to play over itself and speed up
· Being able to place units and swap out your team if you have enough starting money (happened in tournament 11)
· Highest infinite round not updating in profile UI
· Fixed Medusa’s ability not following the cursor on console
· Ability timer going into negatives for some abilities
· Fixed Battlepass Leveled Up UI icons appearing as lower quality
· Fixed Battle Pass Level Up screen background shadow cutting off prematurely at the bottom
· Fixed multilane unit names being cut off in unit inventory UI
· Money Earned text is no longer off-set
· Fixed Fate Mount not appearing in matches
· Fixed known instances of Worldlines loading screen occasionally showing the wrong map
· Fixed interactions with repulse enemies in golden castle stage
· Items/currencies in stage info UI always displaying as 18x owned
· Fixed JoJo Stand cosmetics breaking on rejoin
· Fixed Steel Ball Run Acts 4-5 spawning players on the incorrect side of the map
· Leaving keybind in settings UI in main game on console not doing anything
· Leaderboard UI stage selection no longer extends out of the UI boarder, and has been replaced by a scrolling frame
· Big performance optimizations for late-game runs
…and many more!
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
Online security is just as important on Android mobile devices as on PCs. From ransomware locking down your phone to sophisticated phishing scams sneaking into your inbox, the threats to users in 2025 are more advanced (and alarming) than ever.
Here are the top mobile threats facing Android users in 2025 to keep an eye out for, alongside some easy-to-follow steps to keep you safe online, including some recommendations.
Editor’s Note: This article is brought to you in association with Avast.
Android’s Most Dangerous Mobile Threats in 2025
1. Ransomware Strikes Back
Ransomware attacks have skyrocketed, with Android users finding themselves in the crosshairs. The rise of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) makes it easier for attackers to deploy devastating malware like LockBit 3.0, which encrypts your data and demands a hefty payment for its return.
How to Stay Safe: Regular data backups are non-negotiable. Combine this with security software capable of detecting and neutralizing ransomware before it locks your files.
2. Phishing That Feels Personal
AI-driven phishing scams are stepping up, crafting emails and text messages that mimic trusted sources with a weird accuracy. Ever get phone calls from unknown numbers that are silent and then hang up? That's usually a bad actor trying to sample your voice (Stay quiet). Deepfake videos and voice calls are convincing these days, making spotting a scam more challenging than ever.
How to Stay Safe: Always verify the source before clicking links or sharing information. Enable anti-phishing tools on your device to flag suspicious activity.
3. Fake Apps and Drive-By Malware
Android’s flexibility is a double-edged sword. While you can access thousands of apps, some open users up to vulnerabilities they wouldn't usually catch on to. For example, Malware like SocGholish pretends to be legitimate software updates but secretly delivers malicious payloads.
How to Stay Safe: Stick to downloading apps from the Google Play Store and pay attention to reviews. Security software with app monitoring capabilities can add an extra layer of protection.
4. Public Wi-Fi Dangers
Logging onto free Wi-Fi may save your data plan. Still, it can also expose your device to hackers lurking on unsecured networks.
How to Stay Safe: Always use a VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi. It encrypts your connection, making it nearly impossible for hackers to intercept your data.
How Avast Mobile Security Keeps Android Users Safe
The popularity of Android makes it a massive target for cybercriminals. Phishing scams, ransomware, and malware attacks are growing year-over-year, with Android devices being one of the top platforms targeted. Hackers have also started exploiting AI to create malware and phishing attacks that evolve in real-time, making traditional defenses feel outdated.
If managing these risks feels overwhelming, we're recommending our readers use Avast Mobile Security, which boasts both free and premium options. It’s designed to tackle Android-specific threats head-on, which is a decent security blanket I've been using for the best part of a year.
Free Essentials: Malware detection, app lock, and Wi-Fi security to handle the basics.
Premium Perks: Starting at £42.50/year, premium plans add unlimited VPN, firewall protection, and breach monitoring to keep your device and data locked tight.
Cross-Device Coverage: Premium plans protect up to 10 devices, so your Android phone, tablet, and even your family’s devices are secure.
Avast Mobile Security works quietly in the background, too. It safeguards your device without draining your battery or slowing performance. There's the odd pop-up, but this can be disabled in Avast’s settings menu.
Practical Steps for Android Security
Having a tool like Avast Mobile Security is a good way to start being safer online, but getting into some good habits now will prevent a potential nightmare down the road:
Update Regularly: Outdated software is a hacker’s best friend. Keep your Android OS and apps up-to-date.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security to your accounts.
Be Wary of Permissions: Avoid granting unnecessary permissions to apps.
Think Before You Click: Suspicious links are a no-go, even if they seem legit.
The reality of mobile threats in 2025 is daunting, but staying secure doesn’t have to be complicated. Combining good habits with tools like Avast Mobile Security lets you enjoy your Android device without worrying about what’s lurking in the digital shadows.
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.
In my opinion, the Amazon Kindle is one of the best electronic devices ever. Maybe the only piece of tech I use more than my Kindle is my phone, but even then, I have the Kindle app if I decide I just want to stick some knowledge into my craw. If you're ever looking for a good deal on Kindle devices, we have good news, there are still some deals to be found to kick off the new year.
Quite a few Kindle bundles are discounted right now, and our favorite is this deal on the Kindle Essentials Bundle, which is 9% off its list price of $161.97 to $146.97. With this bundle, you'll get the latest Kindle release in Matcha, a fabric cover in Matcha, and a power adapter. You can see that deal and more below.
The Best Kindle Deals Right Now
Kindle is one of the devices you're most likely to find on sale during Amazon events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday. The available Kindle lineup has expanded quite a lot over the years, too. Amazon will oftentimes sneak Kindle deals into its Deal of the Day or offer a bonus deal like free Kindle Unlimited or other Amazon services as well.
New 2024 Kindle Releases
Amazon released quite a few brand-new Kindles in October. Alongside upgraded versions of the standard Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, Kindle Kids, and Kindle Paperwhite Kids, they also revealed the brand-new Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. This features a color display to make your favorite stories and comics pop. There's also a new Kindle Scribe with a redesigned display that's available now.
What Is Kindle Unlimited?
If you own a Kindle, it's absolutely worth investing in Kindle Unlimited. Right now, when you sign up, you can take advantage of 2 months for $4.99 before it goes back to$11.99/month.
But you may be wondering: what is Kindle Unlimited, and is it really worth it? The answer is... absolutely, dear reader. With this, you'll get unlimited access to millions of digital titles, audiobooks, and magazine subscriptions. That way you can read all of the latest bestsellers, classics, biggest hits, and more in the realm of books and comics. What better way to get started on your Kindle adventure?
Current Kindle Bestsellers
Wondering where to start once you pick up your new Kindle? Have no fear, we're here to help with that, too. Below, we've listed out the current Kindle bestsellers so you can start up an exciting new book right away. Some of these titles can be read for free if you're a Prime member or as part of Kindle Unlimited, or they can be purchased if you'd like to own them.
If you want to see the latest and greatest Kindle book deals available, there's an excellent variety to pick through. Whether you're looking for new comics to dig into or just want to sink into a thrilling novel, there's always great book deals available for Kindle users. We've listed just a few of our favorites below, but if you want to see the full list of available deals, head to Amazon's Kindle deals page here.
I've been rocking the Kindle since the earliest model was available, and not only do I prefer it to any other method of reading, I found myself reading more than I would have with traditional paper books. Not that there's anything wrong with reading from a traditional book, I just personally appreciate the ease of use and form factor afforded me by the Kindle.
Since the Kindles use e-ink instead of traditional screens like your phone or iPad, they can be read in just about any lighting. In fact, the pages look like actual paper pages, so any artificial light or even bright sunlight are no factor when using the Kindle. It only uses energy when you turn the page, use the backlight or leave Wi-Fi turned on, so if you go into Airplane mode you can go weeks, even months, between charging your Kindle. Generally I go long enough to completely forget where I put my charging cable.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé has joked that beloved PlayStation exclusive platformer Astro Bot "almost outdid Nintendo at its own game."
Though Nintendo is famous for making games of all genres and has many beloved franchises such as The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, and more, it's perhaps the platforming Mario series which is most iconic. Astro Bot clearly took much inspiration from the 3D platformers such as Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Odyssey, but put its own spin on the concept and wrapped it in a celebration of PlayStation history.
Indeed, Astro Bot director Nicolas Doucet paid tribute to Nintendo when accepting the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2024 last month, saying: "I remember I was a kid in 1989 Christmas, and I got a grey box, there was a game packed in, it was called Super Mario Bros. and it was really, really great - so we are in Japan, we are in Tokyo, they are in Kyoto, but I want to pay tribute to the company who really put like platformers and showed us innovation and quality consistently, and inspired us to actually make the game that we made... And I've managed not mention them, have you noticed? But you all know who they are."
It's likely this comparison that Fils-Aimé had in mind during the show. "I have to admit it," he said. "Astro Bot almost outdid Nintendo at its own game."
Nintendo, meanwhile, hasn't released a brand new 3D platformer since Super Mario Odyssey was released in 2017. It was as beloved as any other, of course, being called a "masterpiece" in IGN's 10/10 review, but the seven year gap has left Nintendo fans pining for more.
Ted Price, the founder and president of Marvel's Spider-Man, Ratchet and Clank, and Resistance developer Insomniac Games, has announced his retirement from PlayStation after 30 years.
Price made the announcement on Sony's website, while a follow-up PlayStation Blog post delved into his replacements. Ryan Schneider, Jen Huang, and Chad Dezern will take over as co-studio heads of Insomniac.
The studio, which is currently working on Marvel's Wolverine, is currently "in one of the strongest positions" it's been in for years, Price said. "Therefore, last week, I felt comfortable announcing to the Insomniac team that after having been incredibly fortunate to enjoy such a fulfilling career in games, I’ll be retiring from the industry at the end of March."
Price said he made the decision last year because he felt "it was simply time to step aside and let others pave the way" after more than 30 years leading Insomniac.
We’re going to keep making the games you love, while taking care of the people who make them.
"During the past year, I had the opportunity to work with the senior leadership team at Insomniac to create a succession plan that I know will provide the continuity, stability and strong leadership necessary to deliver more of what our fans cherish over the next several decades."
Schneider began at Insomniac during the PlayStation 2 era and later became the studio's first community director. He then joined the senior leadership team and served as head of franchise strategy and studio relations, and then head of brand and leadership strategy, before moving to co-studio head.
Huang joined Insomniac as chief financial officer and head of finance eight years ago and has so far shipped 12 games with Insomniac. Finally, Dezern has been part of Insomniac since 1998 and has worked as an environment artist, art director, Durham studio director, and most recently as head of creative.
"We’re going to keep making the games you love, while taking care of the people who make them," the three said in a joint statement. "This aligns with our studio vision of making a positive and lasting impact on people’s lives.
"Ted has also laid the foundation for Insomniac as one of the industry’s all-time most successful studio leaders. Now, it’s up to us to help Insomniac thrive long into the future. Thanks to Ted’s guidance and leadership, we are ready."
Price alluded to this too. "There is no way that I would ever consider handing the reins to a team I didn’t trust to take care of Insomniacs and lead us to even greater heights," he said. "Chad, Jen and Ryan are that team."
He concluded: "I want to thank every Insomniac for having a positive and lasting impact on my life. Working side by side with Insomniacs for so many years has been a gift that I’ll cherish for the rest of my days.
"I also want to thank our fans who, for three decades, have shared their enthusiasm, their encouragement and their support — inspiring us to take every game farther than the last. We do what we do for you. And I can assure you that we won’t be slowing down."
Insomniac certainly appears to be plenty busy, though so far has only announced Wolverine. The studio was the victim of a data breach in 2023, however, which revealed a long list of upcoming projects.
In our 8/10 review of its latest release, IGN said: "Marvel's Spider-Man 2 delivers Insomniac's best tale yet, and despite its open world falling short, is a reliably fun superhero power trip."
Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Rebellion has shared a video, showcasing the first 20 minutes from its new Sniper Elite game, Sniper Elite: Resistance. So, if you are interested in it, you can go ahead and watch it. The story of Sniper Elite: Resistance runs in parallel with Sniper Elite 5. In this game, you play as Harry Hawker. Harry … Continue reading Here are the first 20 minutes from Sniper Elite: Resistance→
Capcom has revealed that it may release a standalone PC benchmark tool for Monster Hunter Wilds. This tool will allow you to test the game before purchasing it. Now I want to make it crystal clear that nothing is set in stone as of yet. Capcom is exploring the possibility of releasing this standalone PC … Continue reading Monster Hunter Wilds may get a standalone PC benchmark tool→
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