© Nintendo
Konami is bringing back Metal Gear multiplayer with Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, but don’t expect it to play like Metal Gear Online.
Metal Gear Online is the fondly remembered multiplayer spin-off bundled with 2008’s Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Its servers shut down four years later, in 2012.
With this August’s release of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the remake of 2004’s Metal Gear Solid 3, Konami will rekindle Metal Gear multiplayer with Fox Hunt, although it said its gameplay is completely different than MGO’s.
In a new video, Konami revealed snippets of Fox Hunt gameplay, which show a soldier controlled from a third-person perspective using camo tech to blend in with their environment. For more, check out everything announced at Konami Press Start Live June 2025.
Our passionate team of developers take us on an extended look into the creation of METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER and its bonus content 🐍 ❗#KonamiPressStart pic.twitter.com/aIhW4HIAVM
— KONAMI UK (@KONAMIUK) June 12, 2025
Yu Sahara, director of Fox Hunt mode in Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, said this new online multiplayer mode takes "camouflage and hide and go seek to the next level,” using the “back and forth tension of staying hidden or searching out the enemy” to create something unique.
“Fox Hunt is a completely original online multiplayer mode,” Sahara said. “Although it shares the same world with Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the gameplay is completely different.
“When we say Metal Gear multiplayer, many fans will probably think of Metal Gear Online, but Fox Hunt will be its own new type of mode. We very much appreciate all the long-time fans of MGO who have always wanted to see it make a comeback, but the landscape of multiplayer games has changed a lot since MGO. It took a lot of careful consideration to think about what a new online mode should look like.
“Based on the iconic stealth and survival elements of the Metal Gear series, we are taking camouflage and hide and go seek to the next level. We challenged ourselves to make something unique that is more than just a shootout. We’ve used that back and forth tension of staying hidden or searching out the enemy to create an online experience unique to Metal Gear.”
Expect more information on Fox Hunt soon, Sahara added.
Meanwhile, the video showed off more of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, as well as its PC and PlayStation 5 Ape Escape crossover mode, Snake vs Monkey, and Xbox Bomberman crossover mode, Snake vs Bomberman.
Yuji Korekado, creative producer, said of the main game: “While the basic gameplay of the boss battles remains the same, we’ve made some updates to the AI and animations, and rebalanced some things.”
Secret Theater also returns, but in the remake, the original Secret Theater videos can now be found as collectibles in-game. There are new Secret Theater videos made for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, secretly carried by enemy soldiers.
In April, IGN reported on Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater’s ESRB listing, which mentioned the game includes suggestive and sexual content such as the Peep Demo Theater unlockable extra feature found in the Subsistence and HD Collection versions of the original Metal Gear Solid 3.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater launches across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on August 28, 2025.
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.
Amazon Prime Video has found three new cast members in Andrew Richardson, Zubin Varla, and Adam Young for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3.
The mega company’s entertainment wing announced the additions today, saying that the newcomers join a production which recently began filming at Shepperton Studios in the UK. Details about which characters from Middle-earth the trio will be playing have yet to be revealed.
Richardson is best known for his roles in shows like The Last O.G. and Extrapolations but will soon expand his resume with Peacock’s Ponies. Varla has appeared across television in roles for series like Holby City and Strike Back while also showing up for a few episodes of Disney’s Star Wars spinoff, Andor.
Finally, there’s Young, who has spent time on TV in Netflix’s The Witcher: Blood Origin and Set Education, though he also played a role in 2021’s Don’t Breathe 2. Amazon says Richardson will be featured as a series regular in The Rings of Power Season 3, with Varla and Young both set to appear as recurring characters.
Amazon confirmed The Rings of Power would return to Prime Video for Season 3 in February of this year. It was news that meant viewers would see more from The Lord of the Rings spinoff story following the shocking conclusion delivered with the Season 2 finale in October 2024.
Shortly after its Season 3 renewal, Amazon announced its first batch of new cast members: Jamie Campbell Bower (Stranger Things, The Twilight Saga) and Eddie Marsan (The World’s End, Happy-Go-Lucky). Bower is joining as a series regular, with Marsan on board in a recurring role.
Amazon has yet to announce a release date for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3. While we wait for more news, you can learn more about the Season 2 finale and how it sets up the next season.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
Developer Berry Bite and publisher HypeTrain have announced Humblets, the upcoming cozy co-op adventure for PC set in what looks like an absolutely delightful procedural world full of colorful locations, adorable pets, and a magic deck of cards to challenge friends and NPC foes alike.
Humblets allows you to customize both your character and your tent that you bring everywhere you go. You can even combine tents with friends to create huge homes while you're out adventuring. You'll craft, explore, decorate, and share campfires with friends. Check out the announcement trailer above and the first screenshots in the gallery below.
No release date/window has been given for Humblets as of yet, but you can wishlist it on Steam if you're interested.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
Smoke premieres Friday, June 27, on Apple TV+. New episodes debut through August 15.
Taron Egerton has played many heroes in different guises over the last decade. Hoodlum-turned-spy. A TSA agent living out his wildest John McClane fantasy. Elton John in the 1970s. But his best opportunity for saving the day and showing off his dramatic chops arrived with Dennis Lehane’s limited series Black Bird; in the new Apple TV+ drama Smoke, Egerton reunites with Lehane to bring down yet another dangerous criminal. But the duo is not in danger of retreading old ground: For example, Egerton is tracking two criminals in the role of arson investigator Dave Gudsen. Though Smoke’s storytelling is bumpier and more abstract than Black Bird’s, Lehane has brought Egerton another role he can thrive in: a self-aggrandizing man with a deep desire to be a savior, whose ambition is hard to extinguish or contain.
Whereas Black Bird saw Egerton playing an incarcerated ex-football phenom tasked with getting a serial killer to confess his crimes, here he’s heading an investigation into two serial arsonists plaguing the fictional Pacific Northwest town of Umberland. Dave was a firefighter who moved into his current line of work after a near-death experience on the job; we get his perspective on the event – and fire in general – in some flowery voiceover. Though director Kari Skogland brings Dave’s walking nightmare to life, the cheesiness of the narration is jarring. This feels like bad screenwriting, until we learn that Dave isn’t just mining his past to aid the case – he’s also writing a novel based on his career. The book expands what I thought would be a standard mystery into an exploration of masculinity, identity, desire, and heroes that ties to the biggest question: Why set fires in the first place?
After months of dead ends, police detective Michelle Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) is brought on board to assist Dave. Their first scenes together are lousy with cop clichés: Michelle is emotionally closed off thanks to a fiery childhood trauma that still haunts her, and her messy personal life is a catalyst for her new assignment. Meanwhile, Dave is reluctant to accept her help or expertise, and it seems like their power struggle might spill over into an affair, aided by more clunky dialogue. (“I quit, but me and nicotine go way back” is but one early howler). No spoilers, but I was pleasantly surprised by how this partnership actually evolves, following a path that intentionally plays on our first impressions of the pair.
The push-pull between them is there from the jump, as they investigate one arsonist who lights stores on fire while they’re open and another who lights milk jugs full of accelerant on the porches of unsuspecting victims late at night. There’s a slipperiness to Dave and Michell’s interactions as each tries to figure out the other, allowing Egerton and Smollett to play with perception and perspective. Some of this mistrust is fueled by ego, some by vulnerability, and both push the parameters of their authority in the pursuit of the truth.
Considering Egerton’s previous leading man roles that embrace action – such as the recent Netflix movie Carry-On and the Kingsman franchise – it isn’t a leap to think Dave is another character who’ll tick those daring boxes. The opening scene takes place in a blazing inferno, cranking up the sense of danger with real flames and Egerton himself taking on the burn-stage stunt. It’s an intense introduction to this character, whose arrogance masks insecurity. Playing confidence comes easily to Egerton, but he’s always doing more than the bare minimum to convey it. Smoke takes this a step further as the story progresses, with Egerton deftly switching his physicality and mannerisms as Dave’s heroic identity begins to unravel. His toothy grin is a Hollywood smile in some scenes, a potential creepy threat in others.
While one of Dave and Michelle’s cases is more of a whodunnit, the other fits the “howcatchem” model of Columbo and Poker Face, revealing the culprit early on: a socially awkward fry cook named Freddy (Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine). Having two different storytelling frameworks keeps things varied throughout, but also adds to the disconnect between the two arson threads – even if they ultimately overlap. Smoke dives into the psychology of an arsonist, including how upbringing and circumstances might contribute to a firebug’s pathology. While the intent is there, it takes too long for Freddy to be given a backstory and personality. Still, Mwine sells Freddy’s pain, even when the script doesn’t always give him much to work with.
Likewise, Egerton and Smollett are both terrific, as is the ensemble around them, which includes the reliably great Greg Kinnear, Rafe Spall, John Leguizamo, and Anna Chlumsky. Leguizamo and Chlumsky help stabilize Smoke late in the series, their characters – he a rival from Dave’s past, she a mid-investigation addition to the team – teaming up just as the story begins to sag. As Michelle’s police captain, Spall shifts his demeanor between the first episode and the rest of the series, underscoring his range in a role that’s worlds apart from his lead performance on Apple TV+’s parenting comedy Trying. The character is aggressive and short-fused, but brings more to the dynamic than dick-measuring with Dave – though there is also plenty of that. One standout moment between the two men comes during a rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For a Hero” that comes across more like a warning than a celebratory refrain during a party being held in Dave’s honor. Another great sing-along (this time a solo in his car) allows Egerton to show off his Sing- and Rocketman-honed pipes to the perfectly timed tune of Michael Bolton’s “When I’m Back on My Feet Again.”.
Unfortunately, the twisty material in Smoke doesn’t always land; I found myself beginning to second-guess the characters’ interactions, particularly when the tone shifts dramatically and the material swings between grounded and heightened. Horrifying reality clashes with the fantastical, making it hard to trust what we’re seeing. Even if it’s an intentional choice, it sometimes took me out of the story. Still, whenever I worried Smoke was getting too lighthearted or frivolous, there was a reminder of the occupational hazards Dave and crew face. There are several that I still can’t shake from my head.
Smoke is undoubtedly ambitious; it gets even more destabilizing and, for lack of a better word, weird, as it goes on. Watching something so unpredictable is exciting and whiplash-inducing. One moment it’s echoing Mindhunter by showcasing a task force profiling a criminal; the next, it’s taking a page from the glossy, Sutton Foster-poses-as-a-20something publishing-industry dramedy Younger. While giving a safety demonstration, Dave says that fire is akin to chaos, and the same parallel could be drawn for any given episode of Smoke. Ambiguity is welcome, but by the end of the ninth episode, I had more questions than answers, and the lack of resolution for some characters is bewildering. I’m all for showing a range of flawed figures who wear masks to hide their fears and sins, but a tenth episode would have been welcome.
The different story threads in Smoke are like dancing embers flitting between fantasy and reality. Some are quickly extinguished, others slowly smolder, and some ignite into a larger flame, burning through plot hot and fast. Even though the ending falls short, it’s still a solid summer TV offering that tips into a pulpiness that the wannabe novelist at its center can only dream of achieving.
Metal Gear Solid publisher Konami is back with a bang, and to prove it, it hosted a livestream showcase on June 12 called Konami Press Start Live.
The half-hour-long livestream featured game updates and appearances from Konami developers and producers, introducing us to the "creative minds behind some of Konami's most iconic franchises," as well as giving us an extended look at Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Silent Hill f, and more. Here's what was revealed…
Our passionate team of developers take us on an extended look into the creation of METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER and its bonus content 🐍 ❗#KonamiPressStart pic.twitter.com/aIhW4HIAVM
— KONAMI UK (@KONAMIUK) June 12, 2025
Surprising no one, it’s Solid Snake who kicks off the show. Konami shared an extended teaser from its upcoming Metal Gear Solid 3 remaster, Metal Gear Solid 3 Delta: Snake Eater, and reminded us that the Snake vs. Monkey minigame is on the way for PS5 players, with a Bomberman variant for Xbox consoles. And the Secret Theater, of course, but I don’t suppose any of us have forgotten about that.
Even though boss fights should feel very familiar, we can expect AI and animation improvements for boss fights. There’s also the Sneaking DLC Pack, which includes costumes that are “unique in appearance,” with some boasting special effects. You’ll also find items, weapons and uniforms in-game.
Finally, Fox Hunt mode. It is a completely original, online multiplayer mode. Though it shares a world with Metal Gear Solid 3 Delta: Snake Eater, the “gameplay is completely different.” It’s not just a reskinned Metal Gear Online mode, however; expect it to be “its own, new type of mode” based on the series’ trademark stealth and infiltration mechanics. Expect more details soon ahead of its release on August 28.
Deep breath now! 🏊
— KONAMI UK (@KONAMIUK) June 12, 2025
Take a plunge and meet our friends at ZDT Studio - the developers for our upcoming action-platformer: Darwin's Paradox! 🐙 🛢️ #KonamiPressStart pic.twitter.com/CQzPD7AdMZ
I don’t suppose any of us were expecting to see Darwin again, an octopus who is “suddenly torn from his ocean by a mysterious beam of light.” The inaugural game from ZDT Studio, Darwin’s Paradox sees poor Darwin wake up in an industrial complex and then sets off with just one goal — to get back home to the ocean again.
Expect to explore a “multitude of environments, moods, challenges, and gameplay mechanics,” and while he sure does look cute, Darwin isn’t coasting on his looks alone; his natural abilities are amplified to create more “interesting gameplay mechanics and humorous touches.”
Barcelona’s iconic trio, MSN —Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr, and Luis Suarez — introduce us to the next season of eFootball. They may not play on the pitch for Barcelona together anymore, but they’re clearly united in their enthusiasm for Konami’s soccer sim for couch and online co-op.
We saw the trio back in action in their Catalonian hayday circa 2015, the same year they beat Juventus in the Champions League Final.
eFootball is free-to-play now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC via Windows and Steam, as well as mobile devices.
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.
The BBC has announced a new Doctor Who spin-off series set to debut on UK children's channel CBeebies, amid a turbulent time for the broadcaster's flagship sci-fi show.
Details of the new series are scarce, and it's clear the project is currently still in its early planning stages, with the BBC currently seeking a "passionate production company" to step on board and help take the idea forward.
Word of the BBC mounting a new animated series immediately brings to mind Disney, which co-financed the Doctor Who's recent two seasons, and which also funded the upcoming live-action spin-off The War Between the Land and Sea. Doctor Who's most recent season even featured an episode where the title character was transformed into an animated character.
Curiously, however, the BBC has made clear today that Disney will not be involved in this new animated project, as fans wait to hear if the company has pulled out of financing new episodes of Doctor Who altogether.
Indeed, today's announcement sparks a galaxy of questions for the future of Doctor Who, whose recent run landed to mixed reviews and a huge degree of uncertainty over its future. The show's most recent finale saw the exit of star Ncuti Gatwa, during a reworked ending added in via reshoots.
The BBC has yet to confirm if and when a new season of Doctor Who show will enter production, or even make clear whether returning actor Billie Piper, who viewers saw Gatwa tranform into, is indeed playing a new incarnation of The Doctor, or some other, mysterious temporary replacement.
All of this leaves today's animated spin-off announcement, which comes without any details of its planned cast or setting, looking particularly odd. Who will play The Doctor within it? Will the Doctor even appear? A statement by the BBC today suggests so, but does not confirm it.
"Everyone is welcome at CBeebies, including the Doctor," said Patricia Hidalgo, BBC Director of Children's and Education. "This much-loved franchise entertains millions around the world, so it is only right that our younger audience get to experience the wonder and the magic of the Doctor in a brand new format."
Surely to experience the magic of the Doctor, the main character themselves will turn up? But, if so, there's no mention of which Doctor this might be.
"This is an extremely exciting opportunity, and we are looking forward to welcoming companies to pitch for this new project," Hidalgo continued, making clear the series won't be debuting imminently, "as we continue our commitment and investment in the UK's animation industry."
The BBC has a history of Doctor Who spin-offs, including the more adult-focused Torchwood, teen-orientated Class, and previous children's series The Sarah Jane Adventures. None of these featured The Doctor as a primary character, though the Time Lord did put in an appearance in the latter series as a guest star.
Perhaps this animated series doesn't need a new Doctor, then, and perhaps now is the perfect time to mount such a project. Fans believe that, even if new episodes of Doctor Who were confirmed now, scheduling, filming, and post-production work would mean the series will likely be off-air until 2027 regardless.
So, what could this new animated spin-off focus on? A return of animated villain Lux from Doctor Who's most recent season is possible, considering the medium, although might be deemed too creepy for the young CBeebies audience. More age appropriate, perhaps could be an animated continuation of Space Babies, Doctor Who's divisive recent episode which featured a spaceship piloted by toddlers. Could this be where pram-inhabiting Captain Poppy returns? Whatever the show's focus may be, considering its early production status, Doctor Who fans likely have another wait on their hands until more is announced.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
© Build A Rocket Boy
© Capcom
This week’s new Superman trailer revealed lots of fresh footage, including a brief shot showing Superman himself holding a weird, alien-looking baby.
The identity of the baby has yet to be officially revealed, and DC Universe steward James Gunn has yet to confirm anything about the character. But it turns out we knew who it was all along thanks to a recently released children’s book.
Warning! Spoilers for Superman follow.
The Superman: Friends and Foes! book includes synopsis for the various characters set to appear in the film, and one of those is for Joey Mason.
Baby Joey, as he’s called, is Metamorpho’s toddler son. “When Joey is taken, Metamorpho must choose between working with Superman or Lex Luthor,” the book reveals.
Baby Joey:
— DCU PRIME TV (@DCUPRIMETV) June 3, 2025
“Baby Joey is Metamorpho's toddler son.
When Joey is taken, Metamorpho must choose between working with Superman or Lex Luthor.”
Raptors:
“Lex uses his highly advanced soldiers, called raptors, to fight Superman and advance his criminal schemes.” pic.twitter.com/2PbJQflefd
That’s not much to go on, but it makes sense in the context of the shot we see in the trailer. Here, Superman is tangled up in Metamorpho in some strange area. Perhaps Superman saves Baby Joey, returns him to his father, thus turning Metamorpho to his side in the coming battle.
Let’s remember, Metamorpho has the power to transform his body into any element, which could pose a serious threat to the all-powerful Superman.
The baby is taken care of then, but there’s still plenty that’s new in the trailer to discuss, including a confrontation with Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner / Green Lantern, and a co-op finisher with Krypto the Superdog.
Earlier this month we had Superman's runtime confirmed, as well as a denial from director and DCU steward James Gunn that parent company Warner Bros. had "forced" him to make the movie shorter.
Superman, which hits theaters July 11, clocks in at 2 hours 9 minutes inclusive of credits and post-credits, Gunn confirmed in a post on social network Threads. For context, that’s 15 minutes shorter than Henry Cavill’s 2013 film, Man of Steel.
So, the relatively brisk 2025 Superman has a lot to squeeze in. Following various trailer reveals, fans had already wondered how Superman would do justice to its supporting cast. Superman revolves around a trio of characters: Clark Kent / Superman, Lois Lane, and central antagonist Lex Luther, but there are a number of other superheroes and supervillains confirmed to appear. Now we can add Baby Joey to the list.
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.
© Cooler Master
Nintendo has deployed an update for Splatoon 3, improving how it looks and runs on Nintendo Switch 2.
As well as increasing the resolution of images stored in the Switch 2 album, Update 10.0.0. brings smoother on-screen movement in Splatsville, Inkopolis, Inkopolis Square, and Grand Festival Grounds, as well as improved animations for certain characters like jellyfish, and the Salmonid when there's a large number of them in the stage in Salmon Run.
In additional to these performance and visual improvements for Switch 2, you also get 30 new weapon kits from the Barazushi and Emberz brands (the Splatlands Collection), and the return of the Urchin Underpass stage from the original Splatoon game on Wii U.
Nintendo said its next update will "focus on multiplayer balance based on analysis of changes to the situation that come with these weapon additions."
Added Features and Game Content Changes
The following updates have been made when playing the game on Nintendo Switch 2:All other changes below apply to both Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch.
Changes to Multiplayer
Changes to SplatNet 3
Other Changes
As a bonus update, in this update we added weapons and a stage, increased the maximum Freshness, implemented a Series Weapon feature for Anarchy Battle (Series), added a call sign feature to X Battles, and performed optimization of operations on Nintendo Switch 2.
For Anarchy Battle (Series), we implemented a new Series Weapon feature targeted toward players Rank S or higher.
With this feature, the Series Weapon Power will be measured for each weapon currently equipped, and players will be matched up against others with similar levels of power.
We implemented this feature in hopes that players will enjoy battling using a variety of weapons, including the Splatlands Collection - Barazushi / Emberz weapons added in this update.
Additionally, we made balance changes to multiplayer battles.
For S-BLAST ‘92 and S-BLAST ‘91, we have made adjustments to give players fighting against them more room to counter because, from the opponent's point of view, there seemed to be no openings at any distance.
For the Crab Tank, we lowered the maximum damage of the cannon to decrease the frequency that the person being attacked is defeated without any opportunity to evade. We also made it easier for other special weapons to fight against the Crab Tank.
For Toxic Mist, we have reduced the amount of ink consumed to make it easier to fight in combination with main weapons. On the other hand, we have simultaneously extended the time before ink begins to recover so that this change does not lead to tactics where players simply continuously throw their sub weapons.
This week, Nintendo announced Splatoon Raiders, a brand-new Splatoon spin-off exclusive to the Switch 2. The surprise reveal was made with a trailer that was released first on the Nintendo Today! App. Nintendo failed to announce a release window, but said to keep an eye out for more information in the future.
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.
Hey, do you have any regrets in your life? The Alters knows that you do, and that’s why its sci-fi story about morally and ethically questionable cloning on a wildly inhospitable alien planet hits home. It’s comparable to a playable Black Mirror episode (no, not that one) that envisions technology run amok, where science has granted us the ability to talk to versions of ourselves who took the road we didn’t travel. It then asks: what if some of those people hate your guts? Also, what if this is all the product of a mad scientist and/or corporate exploitation? Combined with a simple but effective resource harvesting and base management balancing act, as well as the constant specter of approaching death by a scorching sun, it’s an effective pressure cooker of both personal and environmental hazards.
When Jan (pronounced Yon) wakes up to find he is the only survivor of a crash landing on an uninhabitable planet, The Alters immediately sets an isolating and eerie tone. This planet is remarkably otherworldly – barren and gray with jagged rock formations, but splashed with shimmering colors from oily-looking water and distortions created by this universe’s brand of Unobtainium, called Rapidium. Soon there’s a striking feature on the horizon: the expedition’s mobile base, which is a distinctive towering wheel that suspends its habitat in the middle.
There’s a palpable urgency as you scrape together enough resources to survive and get the base moving before the sun comes up and broils the surface. It’s not difficult to extract enough organic resources to feed Jan and fuel the base – you simply gather chunks from the surface, build mining machines, and then network them back to your base with powerline towers in a light version of resource games like Satisfactory – but you have to keep an eye on the clock to make sure you’re not overworking him or exposing him to too much nighttime radiation. The planet’s surface is also littered with radioactive anomalies that are initially all but invisible until you’re right on top of them, so navigating the maze-like map has a fair bit of tension to it even though there are no aliens actively trying to eat you. You do soon develop tools to make those anomalies easier to deal with by zapping their moving cores with what feels like a Ghostbusters proton pack, reducing them to rolling balls of resources. However, new and unexpected types are soon introduced that mess with your perception and make you approach them in different ways to keep you on your toes.
When you enter the base, The Alters shifts perspective from over-the-shoulder third-person to a diorama-like view, and you move around like a 2.5D sidescroller. It instantly gave me XCOM vibes, except you can actually run around as a character within it, moving between floors with elevators. Laying out the base with the new room types you unlock is a flexible puzzle that usually has very low stakes: there’s no build time when you place a new social room or refinery or store room, you can freely move almost anything around to make the best use of your limited space at no cost, and you can delete rooms for a full (or very generous) refund of resources at any time, provided you have the storage space to accommodate the materials.
That’s fun to mess around with (for a bit I was moving rooms I needed to access right next to me rather than walking to them) but it does get disorienting: running around wondering “now where did I put that communications room?” got old quickly. You can zoom out to see everything, but can’t move while in that ant farm perspective, so I ended up trying to minimize how much I shifted things around so that I could memorize what was where. It eventually becomes a little tricky as you expand the base and cram in more large rooms and storage, working around an immovable block in the middle, and it can be convoluted to reach an essential room when you need to. But being able to basically start from scratch whenever you want means it’s never too frustrating.
One of the first and most important rooms you’ll build is The Womb, which fuzzy communications with your ethically questionable corporate middle managers tell you to set up to kick off The Alters’ big experiment. Combined with Rapidium and a quantum computer that reaches into a map of Jan’s formative memories and simulates the life he would’ve had if he’d made different choices, it creates clones of him with different specialties and philosophical differences. All of them share an abusive father, but where they go from there is drastically different based on choices like if they left home, went to school, sold their house, met their wife, and other pivotal moments. It’s a little silly at times in that each version of Jan has different hair and a different way of speaking – the gruff, blue-collar Miner and the nerdy Scientist being the product of a few different life choices seems a bit far-fetched – but it’s a fun idea to think about and a great and novel way to explore these characters. Alex Jordan, the actor who plays all the Jans, is clearly having a good time finding ways to set them apart from one another – it reminds me of Tatiana Maslany playing clones in Orphan Black.
I eventually created six clones across the 30 hours it took me to complete the third act, which is not all of the possibilities – you’ll have to play through at least a couple of times to meet the rest, and I’m looking forward to another run where I know all the goals in advance and can optimize my approach to gathering resources and unlocking new technologies. This turns The Alters into a management game that reminds me of Fallout Shelter, where you’re assigning your team of specialists to tasks according to their strengths, but rarely have enough people to do everything you want to as efficiently as you’d like, so you’re forced to come up with the best solution you can. Some of them are essential for every playthrough – you need the Scientist to unlock any new technologies, for instance – but most, like the Doctor or the Guard (who I have yet to create) are optional and will make playthroughs at least a bit different with their unique production bonuses and personality. I do wish the menu for selecting a crewmember to work a job would list where they’re currently working, though. I frequently had to back up a step to make sure I wasn’t taking someone away from an essential role, then go back into the menu and reassign them.
Managing your relationships with your Alters is partially about satisfying their basic needs with good food, enough rest, and some entertainment (such as gathering to watch a series of legitimately funny live-action sketch comedy videos and a simple skippable beer pong minigame), but it’s also a game of getting to know which Jans value compassionate responses and which will thrive with some tough love and bluntness. Some of them have self-destructive tendencies that need to be kept in check – they’ll work fewer hours if they’re unhappy, and can permanently die if they’re abused or left to their own devices. In the first act of the story it’s easy enough to keep the peace, but naturally that can’t last. As wrenches are thrown in the gears of your plan to escape this planet with a stockpile of invaluable Rapidium, you’re forced to make legitimately tough moral decisions that some of your Alters will strongly disagree with. There may well be a way to get through it optimally, but from what I’ve seen it’s very much a Kobayashi Maru: a test of how you deal with a no-win scenario.
The Alters certainly cuts corners in how it tells its story – anything that isn’t a one-on-one conversation between Jan and an Alter is shown as a storyboard with voiceover rather than an animated cutscene, and the few characters who aren’t clones are obscured by static in the transmission from Earth so we only hear their voices. Some voice lines are recycled often, like when you present an Alter with a personal item you’ve found among the wreckage of the crashed ship to butter them up. But it does a lot with a little in that respect, and very effectively gets across the moral dilemmas, relationships, and mood. There’s even a musical performance where all the Jans collaborate on a song, and it’s only a little bit cheesy.
Every time you move the base to stay ahead of the sun you come to a new map, and each of them is a visually distinct alien landscape and a maze of interconnected pathways to explore in order to open the way forward. There are obstacles to clear and work around, which means unlocking new tools and spending your suit’s limited energy and resources to grapple up high cliffs or vaporize rocks in your path. It’s not difficult, but some of the puzzles you have to solve to gather essential resources for high-level research unlocks require you to uncover and follow a winding trail around the map that can be time-consuming enough to span multiple in-game days. The fast-travel system is a clever way to let you cover more ground and avoid too much backtracking by building out your tower network like breadcrumbs as you explore, and there are special pylon types you can place that are specifically for teleporting around.
The mechanic for uncovering deep resource veins to place a mining machine on is a chore, though. You’re required to create polygonal shapes by placing probes, which lets you look through the ground. It’s not hard, but it feels pointless and fiddly because you can just gather your probes and try again if you miss. (I suspect that at one point in development you had to spend resources to make them but that idea was scrapped and the cost was removed.) All it consumes is time, which is a precious resource, and it isn’t a very entertaining use of it.
There are other hostile environmental hazards that can mess you up, too: The Alters very quickly reminded me of developer 11Bit’s other recent game, Frostpunk 2, with its occasional magnetic storms that make venturing outside for resources all but impossible and force you to rely on your stockpiles while you race to repair escalating damage to the base. Things like that keep the pressure on and force you to consider taking measures like making your team work overtime hours, and prevent you from putting too much of management on autopilot even as you unlock more automated resource extraction tools. Multiple times, gathering enough resources to move the base came down to the wire – I had to be ready to go before the sun caught me, and I made it out by hours, not days.
© Future
© Frontier Developments
Orlando Bloom has discussed the possibility of reprising his iconic role as Legolas in Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, and has a clear idea of how the character would work.
The Hunt for Gollum, due out December 17, 2027, is confirmed to see star and director Andy Serkis reprise his role as Gollum, as the title suggests. This time, we’ll get to see what Gollum was up to in the years between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
But could other Lord of the Rings actors follow suit? In an interview with MovieWeb to promote his new film, Deep Cover, the 48-year-old Bloom discussed the possibility of Legolas returning for The Hunt for Gollum. Apart from very much being into the idea, he said that Legolas would have to be the same age as he was in the original trilogy, and to achieve that, the filmmakers would have to use AI-powered de-ageing technology.
“I think first of all, I’d like to see [Legolas] the same age as he was [in the original trilogy],” Bloom said. “So, AI would have to come into play. I think I’d like to see him lithe and breezy and warrior-like so AI would have to come into play.
“And I think if they asked me, I would say, ‘Absolutely!’ It would be so fun just to go back to New Zealand and spend however long they want me there for. Because honestly, if you want to be anywhere in the world right now, New Zealand is the place.”
Bloom played Legolas first in 2001's beloved The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, aged 24. 24 years later, is a Legolas return realistic? We do know Hunt for Gollum is set to see a number of famous faces return, including Gandalf. The 86-year-old Sir Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, has said he'd be open to returning as the wizard so long as age didn't catch up to him. Aragorn actor Viggo Mortensen is also open to returning.
This week, Serkis touched on the tone fans can expect from The Hunt for Gollum, and issued an update on when filming will begin. Warner Bros. has said The Hunt for Gollum is in fact the first of two new Lord of the Rings feature films from Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens based on J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, as the company aims to make more of the franchise.
Amazon has of course kept the Lord of the Rings fire burning with its Prime Video series The Rings of Power. Season 3 is in the works. Elsewhere in Tolkien's world sits The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, the animated film that came out in December.
Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic.
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.
Sealed Pokémon TCG products at an actual discount? Yep, it happened. So did one of the best Humble Choice months to date, featuring the brilliant Warhammer 40K: Boltgun alongside the nostalgia-stuffed Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered collection. In the market for a new monitor? Samsung has you covered with up to $300 in store credit and $100 off their upcoming Smart AI Monitor line. Nice.
Need more grim-dark in your life? The new 40K book, Era of Ruin (The Horus Heresy: Siege of Terra), takes Games Workshop books back to the beginning of the Chaos Faction and the crippling of the God Emperor. Warhammer 40K is also in a wave of physical game discounts thanks to Space Marine 2 on PS5, which also includes some Switch 1 games with free Switch 2 performance upgrades. Let's get into it:
I just put in a reservation for one of Samsung’s new Smart Monitors, which is a cracking deal if you're after a new monitor that does it all. You get up to $100 off during pre-order, up to $300 in store credit, plus a shot at winning this Galaxy AI Bundle thing—which, yeah, probably a long shot, but still cool. I’m eyeing that M9 model they showed at CES. It’s got this wild 4K OLED panel and some AI features that supposedly tweak the picture on the fly. Even without a PC plugged in, it sounds like it can handle everything from streaming to work stuff.
I still can't believe Gears of War: Reloaded is actually coming to PS5, never thought I’d see the day. I just locked in a pre-order, and for $39.99 it’s a pretty sweet deal, especially with all the bonus content baked in. You get everything from the original release, plus that extra campaign act and multiplayer stuff, all remastered in Unreal Engine with 4K visuals and 120 FPS support. It’s wild how good it looks now. Oh, and there’s cross-play and cross-progression too, so if you’ve got friends on Xbox, you’re not stuck playing solo. Plus, they’re throwing in Adam Fenix and Anya Stroud skins if you pre-order.
If you're planning to grab a Switch 2, now is a smart time to stock up on discounted Switch 1 games, especially the heavy hitters. All of them are expected to run at a minimum of 1080p 60FPS on the new hardware, with some titles getting boosts up to 4K depending on the upgrade. Tears of the Kingdom is getting a paid update, but it's free if you have a Switch Online plus Expansion Pack membership. Super Mario Party Jamboree, Super Mario Odyssey, and Super Mario 3D World plus Bowser’s Fury will all benefit from faster load times and sharper visuals. These are already great games, and on Switch 2, they'll play even better.
Humble Choice is an easy win this month. For $11.99, you get a full set of PC games to keep forever, including Warhammer 40,000 Boltgun, Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered, and Nobody Wants to Die. That’s already over $75 in value, and there’s more. Dungeons of Hinterberg, Tchia, Sker Ritual, and Biped are all included, plus a free month of Boot.dev if you’re curious about learning to code. All games are yours to keep, no strings attached, and 5% of your membership goes to charity. You can skip any month and still stay a member, which makes this one of the best gaming subs out there.
The Siege of Terra is over and Horus is dead, but the galaxy is far from healed. Era of Ruin is a new hardcover anthology featuring stories from Dan Abnett, Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Chris Wraight, and more, exploring the broken state of the Imperium in the wake of the Heresy. From loyalist Custodians to exiled psykers, each story offers a glimpse into the lives of those left behind. Pre-order now for $31.99 and get 9% percent off the list price before it launches on July 15.
After nearly a decade of demand, Gwent is finally making the jump from screen to tabletop. Based on the card game first seen in The Witcher 3, this physical edition includes over 400 cards, a playmat, tokens, and everything you need to start dueling. With support from CD Projekt Red and official Witcher branding, the game brings authentic 1v1 Gwent gameplay to life with deck building, bluffing, and round-based strategy.
It's mad how Final Fantasy and Spider-Man products are still available to preorder after the initial pre-sale flying off digital shelves. My take on these sets is to preorder whilst you can, the pricing on these sets are only going to go above MSRP on release day.
I usually share immensely cool Cloud and Sephiroth cards that belong in a slab in someones collection, but all of these cards are what MTG players are going for right now. Looking to build a deck instead of collect MTG Final Fantasy? Snap these up before other players realise how playable they are.
Another day of ridiculous pricing on Amazon for Pokémon TCG sealed products, but keeping an eye on it so you all have options is still important. If you can't find other sealed products for a decent price, I can almost guarantee the market value on TCG Player is cheaper right now.
On a more positive note, Destined Rivals top chase card prices are stablising, making it a great time to snap some up. Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SIR has been going for anything over $450 since release, but is starting to settle on a more respectable $370.
The big sell with this AirPods sale is the free AppleCare+, with some decent savings on the hardware itself for good measure. They're all solid choices, but i'd personally snap up AirPods 4 as they're currently the same sale price as their third generation variant.
No, I didn't forget about Dre thanks, and neither did Amazon. If you want Apple quality without the basic white branding, Beats are the way forward. They all come with AppleCare+ or AppleCare for headphones too, with the exception of a $25 Amazon Gift card for Beats Fit Pro.
Samsung and Sony are two personal audio brands you can set your smart watch too, and I'm seriously tempted to sink some money into Sony WH-1000XM5 whilst they're on offer. The noise cancelling is best-in-class, and those cans pack some serious punch.
Amazon is at it again with a cracking promotion on Blu Ray, 4K Blu Ray and DVDs with a Buy 2, save 50% on 1 deal. There's currently over 1000 qualifying items here, but here's some of my favorite picks. Seeing the Lord of the Rings trilogy in this is a banging deal, but this offer is also a great way to get your physical media collection off to a healthy start without burning your bank card out.
Experience the haunting soundscape of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach with this deluxe 2LP vinyl from Woodkid. It features 16 tracks, including collabs with Elle Fanning and Bryce Dessner, pressed on translucent vinyl and housed in a metallic case. Pre-order now ahead of the Sept. 26 release.
Celebrate IGN Live 2025 with a killer Steam bundle featuring eight solid games for just $22. Highlights include the tactical RPG Wartales, indie horror hit The Medium, and the endlessly replayable Slay the Spire. That’s over $230 worth of games, and proceeds support Child’s Play Charity.
The PC version of Stellar Blade only launched yesterday, June 11, but it's already Sony's biggest single-player Steam launch ever.
Right now, the concurrent player peak is almost 105,000, but that's the seventh all-time peak the game has set since I started writing this story. There's no doubt player numbers will continue to climb, especially as we move into the weekend.
By comparison, Ghost of Tsushima topped out at 77,154 players, God of War peaked at 73,529, and Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered sports a peak of 66,436 players. In fact, the only Sony-published game to have a higher concurrent record than Stellar Blade is Helldivers 2, which is, of course, a multiplayer game.
PC-specific features include AI upscaling via Nvidia DLSS 4 and AMD FSR 3, an unlocked framerate, Japanese and Chinese voiceover, ultrawide display support, higher resolution environment textures, and DualSense support for haptic feedback and trigger effects.
The PC version was originally region locked in 100+ countries, but is now available in "over 250 regions." And yes, there are mods. Dozens and dozens have popped up, with modders making all kinds of tweaks and buffs since the demo dropped a few weeks ago. Not all of them are safe for work, though...
Stellar Blade has done so well for developer Shift Up that a sequel is already confirmed. The Sony-published action game launched to a positive response back in April 2024, with players saying its gameplay mixed elements of NieR: Automata and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
IGN's Stellar Blade review returned a 7/10. We said: "Stellar Blade is great in all of the most important ways for an action game, but dull characters, a lackluster story, and several frustrating elements of its RPG mechanics prevent it from soaring along with the best of the genre."
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.
The composer behind HBO's smash-hit The Last of Us TV show has revealed there'll be "at least two more seasons," strongly suggesting Season 4 is on the way.
"There’ll be at least two more seasons, no question," Jake Staley said in an interview on The Last of Us: Savage Starlight podcast. "At least. That’s all I’m gonna say."
This isn't a complete surprise, of course; just last month, showrunner Craig Mazin indicated a fourth season would be pretty much essential for the series, as in order to wrap up The Last of Us’ story from the two Naughty Dog-developed video games, Season 3 "would take forever." So, while there's a "decent chance" Season 3 will be longer than Season 2, at the end of the day, Mazin suggested "there’s no way to complete this narrative in a third season."
HBO has hailed the success of The Last of Us Season 2, saying an "influx" of viewers had raised the series' global audience to over 90 million since Season 1 ended, but insisted the Season 2 finale suffered low viewing levels because of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Mazin and Neil Druckmann also recently let us in on a little secret: they don't yet know "how much, or rather how little" some of our favorite characters will be around in upcoming seasons.
The team behind the HBO series stopped by IGN Live over the weekend to break down some of the most pivotal moments of the game to TV show adaptation and expand on what it took to create scenes like Joel's death, the horde attack, the planetarium, and more.
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.
The first part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy may have just been announced to be coming to Xbox, but for the time being, the second chapter, Rebirth, is one of the best games only available for PS5 and PC.
If you’ve not yet picked it up, however, you can save 50% on the ambitious open world entry in the saga thanks to Amazon-owned retailer Woot.
Woot has slashed the price of the title from its MSRP of $69.99 down to $34.99 as part of its ongoing video game sale (which notably ends in just a few days time).
That’s not all, either. Because Woot is part of the Amazon family, the game includes the Amazon exclusive pre-order bonus from 2024: a nifty controller skin. You’ll find it in the box.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s huge world is made up of a series of hubs, allowing for a whole host of side objectives that players can find, including the legendary Golden Saucer amusement park.
For $35, you’re getting an unbelievable amount of additional content that could have you playing right through to Part 3.
Speaking of which, Rebirth won’t be getting DLC a la the first part’s Intergrade. Instead, the team at Square Enix wants to get Part 3 out as soon as possible.
In our review, we said, “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth impressively builds off of what Remake set in motion, both as a best-in-class action-RPG full of exciting challenges and an awe-inspiring recreation of a world that has meant so much to so many for so long,” awarding it a 9/10.
Lloyd Coombes is Gaming Editor @ Daily Star. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay. He's also a tech, gaming, and fitness freelancer seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar, Tom’s Guide, IGN, and more.
Although it launched on June 5, the Nintendo Switch 2 is still only being sold via lottery in Japan, which means you can’t just walk into a store and buy one. This huge demand has prompted a flood of Switch 2 consoles to hit online marketplaces like Mercari Japan over the past week.
Although price gouging and scalping have been widely criticized, Switch 2 listings and the frantic comments they attract from users desperate to get their hands on Nintendo’s latest console have attracted parody listings of... light switches.
It is not clear who had this “bright idea” first, but light switch-themed “Switch 2” listings have been popping up on Mercari Japan since last week. These feature wall-mounted double light switches, which can be loosely referred to as “Switch 2-ko” (literally “2 switches”) in Japanese — hence the joke. One troll made such a light switch from cardboard, listing it for 67,000 yen (approx. $465) under the title “Nintendo Switch 2 (Domestic/Japanese language version) Console,” and quipping in the description: "I have no idea how you are supposed to play it.”
Commenters on the listing have been going along with the joke, saying things like: “Please reduce the price to under 50,000 yen. I want a Switch 2-ko,” and even: “Do you have a Switch 3?”
The Switch 2 has become a hot resale commodity on online marketplaces in Japan, with demand driving the price up. This situation has drawn comparisons in the Japanese media to the country’s current rice shortage, which has led to sharp price increases and bare supermarket shelves as people rush to buy up rice when they can (source: JB Press). One commenter on the listing referenced this in a dramatic post: “For my daughter! I was going to buy a Switch 2 but I decided to stockpile rice! I gave up (on the Switch 2) to purchase suuuuper old rice!”
Parodies aside, there are also serious listings on Mercari Japan for “a couple of switches” that are popping up in people’s Switch 2 searches. This has caused some amusement on social media, like in the post below: “I was looking at Mercari thinking ‘Switch 2 is really getting resold,’ when I saw this and snorted.”
Switch2転売されてるなーってメルカリ眺めてたらこれあって鼻水出た pic.twitter.com/gCqN6LV1bZ
— 💚 白菊 💚 (@Shiragiku___) June 5, 2025
At the time of writing, Switch 2 consoles are being resold on Japanese online marketplaces at prices ranging from around 69,000 yen (approx. $479) to well over 120,000 yen (approx. $834). As part of its efforts against scalpers in cooperation with Nintendo, Mercari Japan has placed a cautionary note at the top of all Switch 2 listings on its site, warning users about price gouging and urging them to think carefully before they buy.
Globally, Switch 2 is a huge hit, selling 3.5 million units in just four days. That's enough to make it the fastest-selling Nintendo hardware ever.
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.
It's official — the video game voice actor and performer strike is over.
The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) confirmed it had reached a "tentative agreement" on the interactive media contract earlier this week, potentially bringing to an end almost a year of industrial action across the video game industry. Now SAG-AFTRA has formally suspended strike action as of noon PT yesterday (June 11).
The SAG-AFTRA video game strike was instigated back in July 2024 after the union and the major game companies — Activision, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Take 2 Productions, and WB Games — that sit on the board failed to agree on AI provisions. Over 98% of members subsequently voted to strike.
While the union hasn't quite signed everything off — there's a special meeting later today, June 12, to consider the agreement — if all goes well, the paperwork will then be sent out to the union's membership for ratification.
Not only does that mean video game performers can get back to work, it should also mean less disruption for players and their favorite games. Players reported that a number of ongoing games such as Destiny 2 and World of Warcraft appeared to leave some NPCs unvoiced in otherwise voiced scenes, likely due to the strike, and late last year, SAG-AFTRA struck League of Legends after Riot allegedly tried to subvert the strike by canceling a game in response. Activision also confirmed Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 characters were recast after players expressed concern about new voices, and Epic Games is facing an unfair labor charge after SAG-AFTRA filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) when the company implemented an AI-voiced Darth Vader NPC in Fortnite.
If you're wondering if the industrial action was necessary, this story from Horizon actor Ashly Burch may help. In a now-deleted video, Sony Interactive Entertainment director of software engineering, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, has a conversation with an AI-powered Aloy via voice prompts and AI-generated speech and facial animations.
The voice heard coming from Aloy's mouth was clearly not that of Burch, but rather a robotic voice similar to those heard from text-to-speech voice generators. AI Aloy's facial movements are stiff, and her eyes appear lifeless as she converses with Raghoebardajal.
“You have to get our consent before you make an AI version of us in any form, you have to compensate us fairly, and you have to tell us how you’re using this AI double,” Burch said at the time. “I love this industry and this art form so much, and I want there to be a new generation of actors. I want there to be so many more incredible game performances. I want to be able to continue to do this job. If [the union and striking performers] don’t win, that future is really compromised."
Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images.
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.
© Future
Ever looked at the bulky helmets and garb of Elden Ring Nightreign's Nightfarers? Well, wonder no more, as one YouTuber has taken the mask off and shown the little details hiding underneath the coverings of Elden Ring Nightreign's cast.
YouTuber Zullie the Witch posted a behind-the-mask look at Nightreign's cast on June 5. All of them have distinct models, with some surprising details under the hood.
Some are just little curiosities, like Ironeye's face being fully modeled from the front. Zullie also notes that the Nightfarers' eye colors change depending on their skin. Other characters have some fun ties to other FromSoftware games, like the Duchess' similarity to Dark Souls 3's Firekeeper.
Revealing the face of characters like Ironeye or Executor is neat, but the real question I'm sure you're asking is whether the avian Guardian is truly a bird, or if he has a human face underneath? Well, the answer is that yes, he is truly a bird. The Revenant also hides a skull beneath her porcelain facade, though, so there are still some surprises in store for those who haven't seen them in-game yet.
While there aren't any profound lore discoveries to be made here, they do add a little extra character to each of the Nightfarers, and show off FromSoft's attention to detail, even down to the tiny things that would probably go unnoticed in most players' runs of the game.
The one strange note is Wylder, who does not seem to have a face model at all. This might just be a design quirk, but it's interesting to imagine there might be some deeper lore reason for his under-armor presence remaining a mystery.
Elden Ring Nightreign players are slowly getting to grips with the game, and some are already completing impressive challenges. This week, IGN reported on one player who used the Wraith Calling Bell clear the final boss of Elden Ring Nightreign.
We’ve got plenty of Nightreign tips and tricks to help you take down all the eight Nightlord Bosses, and if you’re wondering how to unlock the two locked Nightfarer Classes, check out How to Unlock the Revenant and How to Unlock the Duchess, plus How to Change Characters.
Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.
While Netflix’s FUBAR is certainly a vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger to reach back to his gun-toting, one-liner-slinging, world-saving onscreen heyday, what makes the action-comedy worth watching is the interpersonal drama of its main cast – it’s a show that works best when it centers on the relationships between father-daughter CIA operatives Luke and Emma Brunner (Schwarzenegger and Monica Barbaro) and the rest of its ensemble. Unfortunately, the newly released second season doesn't fully capitalize on that quality. Instead, it leans on subpar action and awkward subplots between new characters, resulting in an entertaining batch of episodes undercut by some thematic missteps.
Picking up months after the first season’s cover-blowing cliffhanger, season 2 finds Luke and Emma living in a safe house alongside their family, friends, and a handful of “associates.” It’s an odd predicament that affords a few laughs, with trained agents living side-by-side with civilians who don’t quite understand why they're attacked every time they leave the premises. (In one misguided trip, a birthday party at a Chuck E. Cheese-esque family fun center comically ends in bloodshed and destroyed animatronics.)
Yet despite a premise that lays a strong foundation for some high-stakes hijinks, it’s often the weaker aspects of the plot that get emphasized. The overarching, potentially world-ending dilemma that forces Luke’s team out of hiding is interesting, and the conflicts that erupt between missions are occasionally funny, but they’re overwhelmed by FUBAR’s yawn-inducing shootouts and underwhelming fight sequences. Season 1 set the bar for action extremely low, and season 2 trips right over it. The same can be said for the near-constant mishaps that plague the characters. Predictable or not, most of Luke’s explosive blunders have lost their luster this time around.
But that’s nothing compared to the various love triangles that crop up this season, beginning with the arrival of Greta Nelso (Carrie-Anne Moss), an ex-East German spy and Luke’s former lover. Moss does her best to ham it up opposite Schwarzenegger, and it works in parts, namely whenever they’re commiserating on how old they’ve both gotten. But because much of the plot hinges on Greta attempting to woo Luke away from his no-longer-quite-so-ex-wife Tally (Fabiana Udenio), most of their exchanges are awkward, packed with cringe-inducing dialogue. During these scenes, the pacing drags to a halt; for a season that ends with a reflection on the importance of family and life-long friendship, there’s too much time spent on this dead-end courtship.
The real fun lies within the confines of the crowded CIA safe house. Being cooped up with antsy co-workers and emotionally distraught family members is rough. That’s to say nothing of the weird dynamic between Emma, Tally, and their respective exes Carter (Jay Baruchel) and Donnie (Andy Buckley). Baruchel’s depiction of a kindhearted school teacher who’s totally out of his depth in the world of international espionage is amusing. Meanwhile, Buckley’s apathetic line delivery and off-putting mannerisms really sell Donnie’s post-breakup, mid-sequestration blues. It makes sense that he’d grow somewhat antisocial: He has to listen to Luke and Tally rekindle their romance through the house’s hilariously thin walls. His reluctance to bathe, eat cereal with milk (he’d rather use beer), or wear pants during tense moments presents an entirely different level of standoffish behavior. Yet, Buckley’s deadpan approach to this despair provides the humor, especially in his scenes with Baruchel.
Though a lot of the season’s humor comes from the characters not getting along, moments showcasing their willingness to work together are just as engaging. Schwarzenegger and Barbaro’s dynamic resonates thanks to a shift in tone: While Luke and Emma still clash from time to time, their newfound sense of trust and mutual respect for one another makes for some pleasantly meaningful interactions. It's nice to see them take down random mercenaries together, too. There may not be anything particularly impressive about the way that taking down is shot or staged, but Barbaro's spry and sure-footed athleticism complements Schwarzennegger's more "seasoned" (read: a lower level of intensity befitting the now 77-year-old Terminator) approach to combat. Fortune Feimster and Travis Van Winkle still entertain as CIA agents Roo and Aldon, though due to circumstances that force them apart, they don’t share as much screen time together as I would’ve hoped. And Milan Carter’s Berry continues to be a charming guy in the chair, his devotion to the group leading to some of this season’s most heartfelt moments.
Want codes for Flashpoint: Worlds Collide? In this article, you'll find the latest active codes so you can earn cash, experience, suits, and more fast. IGN has you covered for when new ones are released and updates when they expire. This article also explains how to redeem codes if you're not sure!
Here are all the current active codes for Flashpoint: Worlds Collide and the rewards you'll get for redeeming them:
Unfortunately, these codes have expired and will no longer work:
Before you can redeem codes for Flashpoint: Worlds Collide you'll need to follow a few simple steps. Make sure you do these before trying to claim any in-game:
There are two main reasons why a code usually doesn't work in any Roblox game and the same goes for this experience:
If a code has been entered incorrectly or has expired, you'll see a message that says, "Not an active code!" To stop this from happening, we recommend copying and pasting the code directly from this article. We check and test each code before we add them to our article. However, when copying them, you can sometimes accidentally include an extra space somewhere. This is why you should always double-check that there aren't any additional spaces!
We'll update this article when new codes are added so you can always check back here and keep up-to-date with the latest codes. Flashpoint: Worlds Collide has its own dedicated Discord server where codes are announced, as well as game updates. Certain codes may require going to specific YouTuber channels to find them as well.
Flashpoint: Worlds Collide is a Roblox experience that revolves around Flash from the DC Universe. Players can speed through the city as their own avatar or wear one of many outfits as they fight criminals and earn money doing it.
As you stop crimes, you'll gain experience so you can upgrade your skills and become faster. Which you'll need to do if you want to beat other players in races where speed is all that matters. Or you can put more of your skill points into stats like health and damage so you're an even stronger crime fighter. Become the super hero that you want to be.
Jeffrey Lerman is a freelance game journalist for IGN who has been covering games for over a decade. You can follow him on Bluesky.
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These days, streaming services are a dime a dozen. Disney+ offers some of the best value in relation to the exclusive content it has available, as you'll not only have access to dozens of Disney and Pixar films and TV shows, but the entirety of the collected Marvel Cinematic Universe and every Star Wars project pre- and post-acquisition. Depending on the subscription tier or bundle you pick, you can also experience Hulu and ESPN content as well, making this the best bang-for-your-buck streaming services around.
But did you know you can give a Disney+ subscription as a gift? Just in time for Father's Day, we've got the skinny on how to give a subscription out to your loved ones and how the process works.
The best way to go about giving a Disney+ subscription as a gift is through a gift card. You can choose values anywhere between $25 and $200 to load onto the card, so figure out what your gift recipient likes and plan accordingly. One month of Disney+ is $10.99 for example, so the base $25 is good for two months.
Here's how it works:
There are a handful of different Disney+ bundles available, and luckily the gift cards work towards these as well. So if you're wanting to grab Hulu, ESPN, and HBO Max to bundle and save, you can do so to save a few bucks. Our explainer guide on how to get or switch to one of these bundles is a useful tool for how to decide what to pick.
Like I mentioned previously, you can load the gift card with values ranging from $25 all the way up to $200. Some folks like to pay up front for their longterm subscriptions so they don't have to worry about it later, so a gift card of $100+ is a great route to take if you're planning on binging the entirety of the MCU or catch up on Andor. Check out our Disney+ bundle price guide for more info, or look at a quick TL;DR below so you can get a good idea of how much to give as a gift:
Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.
If you're seeking the absolute best of the best in PC gaming performance, look no further. Dell has just dropped the price of its flagship Alienware Area-51 prebuilt gaming PC, equipped with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card to $4.949.99 with free shipping. This is a competitive price - especially for an Alienware computer - compared to the similar off-the-shelf prebuilts on Amazon. The RTX 5090 is undisputedly the most powerful graphics card on the market and is pretty much impossible to find for under $3,000 by itself.
This Alienware Area-51 gaming PC configuration drops to $4.949.99 after a $550 off instant discount. Specs include an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and 2TB SSD storage. The Core Ultra 9 285K is Intel's latest flagship CPU and offers stellar workstation and gaming performance. It's not quite the performance uplift we wanted from the i9-14900K, but it's still the best all-around CPU that Intel has on offer. The processor is cooled by a massive 360mm all-in-one liquid cooler, and the system is powered by a 1,500W Platinum power supply.
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 has emerged as the most powerful consumer GPU on the market. Although Nvidia has prioritized software updates, AI features, and DLSS 4 technology to improve gameplay performance, the 5090 still boasts an impressive 25%-30% uplift over the RTX 4090 in terms of pure hardware-based raster performance. The 5090 also has more (32GB vs. 24GB) and faster (GDDR7 vs. GDDR6) VRAM compared to the 4090. This GPU is extremely difficult to find at retail price and is currently selling for $3,500-$4,000 on eBay.
Check out our Best Alienware Deals article with all of Dell's currently ongoing deals on gaming laptops and desktop PCs. Not everyone is the DIY type. If you're in the market for a prebuilt gaming PC, Dell is one of the best brands we'd recommend. Alienware desktops and laptops feature solid build quality, top-of-the-line gaming performance, excellent cooling (further improved on the newer models), aggressive styling, and pricing that is very competitive with other pre-built options. Best of all, there are plenty of sales that happen throughout the year, so it's not difficult to grab one of these computers at considerably less than their retail price.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
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Looking to pad your collection without flattening your wallet? Today's gaming discounts span all corners of the digital landscape, from creature-collecting epics to emotionally loaded indies and big-name brawlers. Whether you're gearing up for couch co-op or hunting your next solo obsession, there’s something here worth slotting into your library.
In retro news, I'm celebrating the 16th birthday of Ninja Gaiden II. While the 2004 revival of Ninja Gaiden was lauded for being exceedingly hard, I remember this follow up was more largely known for being excessively gory. Death by dismemberment was all the rage, thanks to Obliteration Techniques that would put limb-reduced enemies into an even greater world of pain. Pretty standard stuff nowadays, though.
Aussie bdays for notable games
- Ninja Gaiden II (X360) 2008. Redux
- Metal Gear Online (PS3) 2008. eBay
- Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS) 2012. eBay
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Nintendo Switch kicks things off with No Man’s Sky at 60% off. The game’s Switch port runs on its own custom-built engine which allowed Hello Games to squeeze the entire universe into just 3.1GB. Meanwhile, Pokémon Legends: Z-A offers a rare early discount. Though info’s still tight, it marks Game Freak’s first fully urban open-world concept, rumoured to draw inspiration from Paris' arrondissements.
Expiring Recent Deals
Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.
Over on Xbox Series X, 40K: Space Marine 2 drops by 37%. Saber Interactive’s sequel lets you chain melee and ranged combos fluidly, a system built on feedback from Doom Eternal players. Also notable is GTA V for $24 which is still going strong 12 years in, with over 190 million units sold.
Xbox One
Expiring Recent Deals
Or just invest in an Xbox Card.
PS5 players should consider Rise of the Ronin (53% off), where Team Ninja's codebase blends Nioh combat with open exploration. Also, Astro Bot returns at 31% off and its SSD-hugging level designs were literally mapped to the PS5’s internal architecture. Educational and adorable.
PS4
Expiring Recent Deals
PS+ Monthly Freebies
Yours to keep from May 1 with this subscription
Or purchase a PS Store Card.
Lastly, on PC, This War of Mine is an absurd 95% off. It’s on display at the Museum of Modern Art, no less. Ori and the Blind Forest: Def. also shines, its delicate visuals made by ex-animators from Blizzard and Disney.
Expiring Recent Deals
Or just get a Steam Wallet Card
Expiring Recent Deals
Audiophilia for less
Do right by your console, upgrade your telly
Adam Mathew is our Aussie deals wrangler. He plays practically everything, often on YouTube.
And the time has finally come. Sony has just released Stellar Blade on PC. Powered by Unreal Engine 4, it’s time now to benchmark it and examine its performance on PC. For our benchmarks, we used an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, 32GB of DDR5 at 6000Mhz, AMD’s Radeon RX 6900XT, RX 7900XTX, RX 9070XT, as … Continue reading Stellar Blade Benchmarks & PC Performance Analysis →
The post Stellar Blade Benchmarks & PC Performance Analysis appeared first on DSOGaming.
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I have read more than my fair share of LitRPG books, but Dungeon Crawler Carl has been a contender for overall favorite new series since book one. It's a fast-paced adventure that has everything you could ever need in a book. It's basically an ongoing story about a man and his sassy cat's descent into the madness of an apocolyptic space game show. The author, Matt Dinniman, has a writing style that perfectly blends outrageousness with intrigue in a way that makes it hard to put down once you start reading.
If that's enough to pique your interest, then I'd recommend picking up a copy to read and just diving right in. Amazon is having a buy one, get one 50% off sale on books right now that includes the hardcover editions, but the series is also free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
There are a total of seven books in the series so far, but only six have gotten a hardcover release. You can read all of the books digitally by either purchasing the eBook or via a Kindle Unlimited subscription. The latest book in the series, The Inevitable Ruin, is also getting a hardcover release, but not until September 2025. Because of that, it isn't currently included in the buy one, get one free sale at Amazon.
I've listed all of the books in their correct reading order in the carousel above, but here's a quick chronological list below as well. There's also an eighth book in the series that is currently expected to arrive later this year.
If you aren't already familiar with the genre, LitRPG is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. LitRPG stands for literary role-playing game, which essentially means that the story features some sort of RPG element that is similar to what you'd find in a video game. In some cases this means the main character literally gets pulled into a video game and starts leveling up, but the genre is a lot more expansive than that.
The Dungeon Crawler Carl series is a good example of how LitRPG can blend perfectly with the fantasy and sci-fi genres. The main character starts out as a regular guy on Earth only to be forced down into a dungeon controlled by alien invaders. The actual LitRPG elements of the story are introduced seamlessly via an unhinged AI that grants dungeon participants power and levels. So if you like more modern, fast-paced fantasy and sci-fi stories, you're probably going to like Dungeon Crawler Carl.
This series is a great entry point into the genre overall because it doesn't necessarily throw a bunch of stat sheets and complicated magic systems in your face. It leads with fast-paced action and some generally fantastic dialogue you'll really enjoy. The overarching story and interplay between the galactic audience and the Earth survivors also makes for a really interesting concept that never really gets old.
Jacob Kienlen is a Senior SEO Strategist and Writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor's degree in communication and over 8 years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different topics -- from TV series to indie games and popular book series.
Star Wars fans, don't miss out on this incredible video game deal. Walmart is currently offering Ubisoft's Star Wars Outlaws game for Xbox Series X for just $20. This game normally retails for $59.99 and the lowest price I've ever seen for it was $39.99 during last year's Cyber Monday sale. The game is a physical copy that's sold and shipped by Walmart itself, not a marketplace vendor. You'll need to get your order total to $35 in order to get free shipping, or choose free in-store pickup where available.
Star Wars Outlaws latest update - dubbed 1.6 - was rolled out earlier in May. The new update arrives alongside the new A Pirate's Fortune DLC and includes various quality of life improvements, bug fixes, and some freebies like a new Star Wars: Skeleton Crew cosmetic pack.
In other Xbox news, Microsoft officially announced its plans to release two Xbox gaming handhelds during its Xbox Games Showcase 2025 on June 8. The two new handhelds - the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X - are part of a collaboration with Asus and based on the existing Asus ROG Ally platform. You'll be able to play Xbox games including Gears of War: Reloaded and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Launch is expected to be sometime during holiday 2025.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
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