Valve announced a new Steam Machine this week, and while I think it’s going to have a major impact on the next generation of gaming hardware – however PC-like that looks – there’s still one big question mark looming over the little game cube. How much will it cost? The price is seemingly the one thing Valve didn’t reveal when it announced its new system, but it did give us some hints.
Namely, the Steam Machine is equipped with the equivalent of a mobile Radeon RX 7600, albeit with a much higher TDP (thermal design power). When I was in Bellevue looking at the Steam Machine a couple of weeks ago, I was told that while there wasn’t a price, it would be similar to a “similarly specced gaming PC.”
And there is reason to believe that Valve wants to keep the pricing reasonable. When I asked Valve Hardware Engineer Yazan Aldehayyat about the pricing goals, he told me that “[Affordability] is just something we thought about every time we made a hardware decision, a feature decision, is to make sure we keep it as approachable, as affordable as possible.” While that alone doesn’t mean the Steam Machine is going to be affordable it does fall in line with how the company approached Steam Deck pricing – which is still the most affordable handheld gaming PC ever launched.
"An Equivalent PC”
If the Steam Machine is going to be competitive with gaming PCs with similar performance and specs, what does that mean? Well, there’s a lot to unpack here. The Steam Machine is equipped with a 6-core Zen 4 CPU and a RDNA 3 GPU with 28 Compute Units. In terms of desktop hardware, that would make it roughly equivalent to an AMD Ryzen 5 7600X and a Radeon RX 7600M – both of which are pretty affordable, at least compared with other components.
I went ahead and priced out an equivalent PC on PCPartPicker, and ended up with a build that costs about $913 at the time of writing. That seems like a lot, but it’s actually an imperfect comparison due to the size constraints of the Steam Machine, which is essentially a 6-inch cube. That’s less of a desktop PC chassis and more of a mini gaming PC, most of which use mobile-class hardware to fit into a small chassis – and the Steam Machine is no different.
You see, the Radeon RX 7600 for desktop has 32 Compute Units with a 165W TDP, which is a bit more powerful than the 28 CU GPU found in the Steam Machine – and it also has a higher default power level. The 7600M, however, is built on the same graphics architecture as Valve’s custom-made chip, and has the same 28 CUs, but usually operates at a much lower 90W TDP. So, the Steam Machine is running on what’s essentially an overclocked laptop chip. How much would an equivalent gaming laptop cost? Well, right now there basically aren’t any, so it’s perhaps better to look at laptops with a 6-core processor, 16GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060.
Right now, you can find something like the MSI Thin B13VF, with a Core i5-13420H, 16GB of RAM, an RTX 4060 and 512GB of RAM for around $780. That almost exactly lines up with the Steam Machine’s actual specs – and that’s with a monitor stapled onto it.
Realistically, the Steam Machine is probably going to land somewhere between the laptop and the desktop in terms of what it’s capable of, due to the greater amount of electricity being pumped into it. There is a third class of computers that already occupies this middle ground: mini PCs and NUCs.
The NUC Problem
Intel initially came out with the NUC (Next Unit of Computing) back in 2013. These were essentially tiny barebones PCs with laptop chips that asked you to bring your own SSD and RAM. Intel doesn’t make them anymore, and has since essentially sold the concept off to Asus, which now makes gaming NUCs – I even reviewed one last year. But it’s expensive.
The Asus ROG NUC I reviewed last year actually starts off with specs very similar to the Steam Machine. It started with an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, a mobile-class RTX 4060 and 16GB of RAM. It even came in a chassis that’s not much larger than the Steam Machine, even if it was more of a rectangle. The problem was the price: The ROG NUC started at $1,629. I’m pretty sure that if the Steam Machine launched early next year with that kind of price tag it’d be dead on arrival.
Unfortunately, that kind of high price comes with the mini gaming PC territory. We just reviewed the GMKTec Evo-X2, which doesn’t carry the same kind of name recognition as Asus ROG. That mini PC costs $1,499 to start, though, and it’s equipped with – admittedly powerful – integrated graphics and 64GB of RAM.
I don’t think the Steam Machine is going to cost as much as one of these mini PCs, largely because most mini PCs are marketed to professionals that just need a tiny little PC on their desk to power through creative or AI workloads. And even if the cost of engineering these powerful components into such a tiny box would raise the price tag a bit, Valve has a secret weapon that most PC manufacturers don’t – it owns Steam.
Steam Is Everything
Because SteamOS basically railroads you into Steam the second you load the operating system up, and barely – if ever – requires you to go to the actual desktop, most Steam Machine users will primarily be buying and playing games on Steam. Don’t forget that Epic tried to make Epic Games Store exclusives a thing because of Valve’s high margin on software sales. If the Steam Machine sells a lot of units, Valve can essentially subsidize the cost of the hardware through all the cash it’ll make from you buying games.
After all, this is essentially what console-makers have always done in the past. Console hardware is so affordable because every game that’s sold for those platforms earns Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo a bit of cash. The only real difference is that you can just wipe SteamOS off of the Steam Machine and install Windows, which probably affects the math a little bit. I just don’t know by how much.
And speaking of Windows, that’s another reason why Valve may be willing to shave down its profit margin – to stave off the oncoming threat of Xbox. Steam is currently by far the most popular digital game store on PC, but Microsoft and its PC-like next-gen Xbox is looking to lure more gamers over to the Microsoft Store and its “Play Anywhere” promises. More games sold on the Microsoft Store means fewer games sold on Steam, which means less money for Valve. But by planting a flag with the Steam Machine, Valve keeps those PC gamers in the Steam ecosystem and that sweet 30% cut on software sales rolling in.
That’s exactly what Valve did with the Steam Deck though. Gabe Newell famously told us that hitting its $400 price was “painful” but “critical.” However painful it was, it worked, and now “Steam Deck” is practically synonymous with handheld PC gaming.
Ultimately, no one will actually know how much the Steam Machine will cost until Valve shares the price. My initial gut feeling was somewhere around $1,000 when I heard that it’d be priced similarly to the same class of hardware. But realistically it’ll likely be around $700-800, depending on how much tariffs get worked into the equation – maybe $600 if Valve is willing to get really aggressive. While I know a lot of people are hoping that it stays below $500, I just don’t see it happening. I’d love to be proven wrong, though.
Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra
Ubisoft was, at one point not too long ago, working on a brand new Splinter Cell game. But it morphed over time to become XDefiant, according to a new report.
This comes from a Bloomberg story about AdHoc Studio, the developers of workplace superhero comedy game Dispatch, which describes their journey from Telltale Games to Ubisoft to their own independent studio. The leadership of AdHoc began working together at Telltale Games, working on Tales from the Borderlands, before Nick Herma, Dennis Lenart, and Pierre Shorette departed for Ubisoft in 2017. There, the trio worked on a new entry in the Splinter cell franchise.
“I was so excited to be a part of this and help revitalize it, because it’s been dormant for a while,” Herman told Bloomberg. “And we thought we could tell a great story and do something the fans would love.”
However, they explain that Ubisoft was beginning to push games as a service hard across its portfolio, and Splinter Cell didn't quite fit that mould. Over time, the Splinter Cell project transformed into what would become xDefiant, a free-to-play first-person shooter that launched to middling reviews last year and shut down just this past June, taking two entire studios with it.
The trio eventually reunited with Michael Choung, another former colleague from Telltale, to start AdHoc Studio in 2018. While working on a version of what would eventually become Dispatch, they also took on a scriptwriting co-dev gig on The Wolf Among Us 2, only to pull out of the project after writing an 800-page script due to frustrations with a lack of creative control. That project, last we heard of it, seemed similarly ill-fated.
Eventually, though, the group was able to pull together the final version of Dispatch with the support of both a publisher and a number of well-known actors thanks to casting director Linda Lamontagne. A last-minute deal with Critical Role for another game helped get them across the finish line.
As for Splinter Cell, fans remain bereft of a new game, with the last new Splinter Cell title being Blacklist from way, way back in 2013. There's allegedly a remake of the original 2002 game in the works, but Ubisoft has been so quiet about it since 2022 that it's hard to say whether or not it will ever fully emerge.
Dispatch, meanwhile, is excellent. We're working on a review in progress as each episode comes out, but you can read our thoughts on the first two episodes here for now, where our reviewer says they're "totally enthralled in this world, and I’m keen to get tangled up in Robert’s fractured personal life."
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
The second those devillish little monster dolls took off, we should have known it was only a matter of time before a Labubu movie manifested.
And predictably, one has. Sony Pictures has obtained the rights to make a Labubu film, according to THR. The deal was just signed this week, and thus far doesn't have anyone attached to it: no producer, director, writer, or actors. It's also not clear yet whether it will be live-action or animated.
If you've somehow missed the craze, Labubus are a line of stuffed toys that look like little devil children. They were created by a Hong Kong-born artist, Kasing Lung, who was raised in the Netherlands and influenced by Nordic folklore in their creation.
Though originally produced by How2Work when they first came out in 2015, they later were sold by Chinese retailer Pop Mart and gained notoriety. They've seen a recent explosion around the globe after Lisa, a member of the K-pop group Blackpink, was seen with a Labubu keychain on her bag last year. From there, they exploded across Asia and made their way west, particularly gaining popularity as a collectible thanks to their being sold in blind boxes.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Blogroll image credit: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images
eBay continues its early Black Friday TV deals bonana with another big price drop on a current generation TV. Right now Electronic Express (an authorized Samsung reseller) is offering the 65" Samsung S90F 4K OLED Smart TV for a historically low price of $1,118.39 with free shipping after you apply 20% off coupon code "TOPGIFTPICKS". The code expires on November 16. Electronic Express is a reputable seller on eBay with over 200,00 reviews and over 99% positive rating.
The S90F is the current generation (2025) model in Samsung's S90 OLED TV lineup. If you were to compare Samsung's TVs with LG's TVs, the Samsung S90F would be comparable to the LG Evo C5. It's equipped with a quantum dot OLED panel, which is only found in Samsung's higher end OLED TVs. QD OLED TVs are brighter and have a wider color gamut than traditional W-OLED TVs while retaining all of the other benefits like the near instaneous response time, true black levels, and near-infinite contrast ratio. This is easily the best TV for streaming 4K HDR content in its intended glory.
The Samsung S90F also has the features you'd want in a current gen gaming TV, including a 120Hz panel that can be pushed to as high as 144Hz, HDMI 2.1 inputs for running PS5 games in 4K at up to 120fps, variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM).
Is this TV good for Nintendo Switch 2?
Despite being a current generation console, the Nintendo Switch 2 has lax TV requirements compared to the PS5 or Xbox Series X. When the Switch is connected to its dock and a television, it is only capable of outputting a 4K resolution signal at up to 60 frames per second. It can go up to 120fps if the resolution drops to 1080p, but the data rate required for both these options is pretty much the same, and you would much rather play any game in 4K. That said, the Switch 2 will still benefit greatly from the OLED panel's stellar image quality (much like how the Switch OLED was a substantial visual upgrade from the original Switch).
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.
Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are reportedly lined up to write, produce, and are attached to direct a new Star Trek movie for Paramount Pictures.
According to Deadline, “Goldstein and Daley’s film is a completely new take on the Star Trek universe and not connected to any previous or current television series, movie or prior movie development projects.’
No word yet on when this new Star Trek movie will begin shooting or its release date.
Goldstein and Daley wrote and directed Game Night, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and Vacation.
Their screenwriting credits include Spider-Man: Homecoming, Horrible Bosses, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, and The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. They also have story credit on The Flash and Horrible Bosses 2.
Simon Pegg, who played Scotty in the Kelvin timeline films, suggested in 2020 one key reason why a fourth Star Trek was struggling to get made: “Star Trek movies don't make Marvel money. … They make maybe $500 [million] at the most, and to make one now, on the scale they've set themselves, is $200 [million]. You have to make three times that to make a profit.”
For more on that project be sure to read Scott Collura’s thorough development hell history of the Star Trek 4 that never was.
Ahead of Black Friday, eBay is offering 20% off coupon code that works on all products sold at the official Bose Outlet eBay store. That includes the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar, Bose's biggest and most impressive soundbar speaker with Dolby Atmos and Bose TrueSpace Technology. It normally retails for $1,000 new, but you can get a certified refurbished model for just $599.20 after you apply coupon code "TOPGIFTPICKS" in your shopping cart. Free delivery is included. That's 40% off and it even comes with a 2 year AllState warranty. This coupon expires on November 16.
Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar for $599.20 (was $999)
Certified Refurbished
The Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar is the highest end sound bar speaker in Bose's product lineup. The soundbar measures 41" long and houses a 5.1.2ch array consisting of nine total speakers. Two of these are upward firing dipole speakers for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos supported content. The soundbar also incorporates Bose's TrueSpace technology, which does a great job of simulating a 3-dimensional soundscape even though internal speakers in soundbars are crammed together.
Popular amongst home theater setups nowadays is "A.I. Dialogue Mode". This feature automatically balances voice and surround sound so that you don't need to turn up the volume to deafening levels in order to hear what everyone is saying.
As befits Bose's flagship soundbar, the Smart Ultra boasts great build quality and premium materials, and is the only Bose soundbar fitted with a tempered glass top. It supports several wireless protocols including Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, and has a microphone to accept voice commands. App-based setup is easy as well.
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.
Magic: The Gathering is getting yet another big Secret Lair collab with a major video game series, and this time it's Monster Hunter.
Announced today in a very odd press release, the Monster Hunter Secret Lair Superdrop will be available from December 1 at 9am PT to December 22 at 11:59pm PT, but only while supplies last, and these things tend to sell out pretty quick.
The collaboration includes four separate drops, each priced at $29.99, with a foil edition for $39.99. All cards involved are reprints of existing cards with Monster Hunter themes, nothing mechanically unique or new. The press release includes some basic information about each of the drops, titled respectively The Hunt, The Hunters, The Monsters, and The Monsters II, but no card images as of yet.
The Hunt focuses on non-creature spells, themed around "the terrifying attacks that monsters across the Monster Hunter franchise can unleash." There is one spell of each color:
1x Blind Obedience: Malzeno from Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
1x Snap: Kushala Daora from Monster Hunter 2
1x Village Rites: Magnamalo and Tobi-Kadachi from Monster Hunter Rise
1x Mizzium Mortars: Yian Garuga from Monster Hunter Generations and Monster Hunter 2
1x Tooth and Nail: Azure Rathalos and Seregios from Monster Hunter 4
The Hunters is, as it sounds, about the hunters themselves, with each card depicting a different set of armor and weapons and having the human creature subtype. As before, there's one spell of each color:
1x Grand Abolisher: Tigrex Armor with Bone Scythes from Monster Hunter Generations and Monster Hunter Freedom 2
1x Archaeomancer: Velkhana Armor with Slinger and Winged Seraphyd Greatsword from Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
1x Grim Haruspex: Nargacuga Armor with a Hidden Eye Light Bowgun from Monster Hunter P2G/MHFU
1x Imperial Recruiter: Rathalos Armor with Red Tigrex Claws; Brachydios Armor with Burning Knocker; Gore Malaga Armor and Royal Rose from Monster Hunter 4G
1x Champion of Lambholt: Astalos Armor with Verdant Lightning Shield from Monster Hunter Generations.
The Monsters and The Monsters II are similarly self-explanatory, including the following monsters as legendary creatures. These are two different sets, but the press release is unclear exactly how these nine creatures will be split between them. IGN has reached out to Wizards of the Coast for comment on this and just generally on the confusing nature of this press release:
Nezahal, Primal Tide: Lagiacrus from Monster Hunter 3
Drakuseth, Maw of Flames: Rathalos from Monster Hunter Generations
Sarulf, Realm Eater: Zinogre from Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire: Nergigante from Monster Hunter World
Ziatora, the Incinerator: Fatalis from Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
Razaketh, the Foulblooded: The Gore Malaga from Monster Hunter 4
Amareth, the Lustrous: Velkhana from Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
Wasitora, Nekorus Queen: Nargacuga from Monster Hunter Portable 2nd Generation/Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
Kalamax, the Stormsire: Brachydios from Monster Hunter 3 Generations
It's been a busy year for both Secret Lair and third-party Magic collabs in general, with some incredible Secret Lair card drops including Sonic, Final Fantasy, Deadpool, SpongeBob, The Office and more. We're currently eagerly awaiting the release of the Avatar: The Last Airbender Universes Beyond set, following close on the heels of Marvel's Spider-Man. Next year is looking equally stacked, with planned Universes Beyond sets featuring TMNT, The Hobbit, Marvel, and Star Trek. It's too many cards. Please, slow down.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Ever since digital streaming was introduced as an alternative to cable, companies like Disney, Warner Bros, Netflix, and Amazon have been finding new ways to "revolutionize" monthly subscriptions, which has more or less come right back around to the concept of cable. (Only now every "channel" requires its own login and password, and costs at least $10 a month.) As the streaming service war wages on with constant changes, mergers and acquisitions, "bundles" are becoming more common as more streaming services are created, and some of these have gotten creative with including both digital and physical services.
The ability to combine multiple networks and major streaming platforms into a single subscription is becoming simpler than ever (thankfully) and gives better savings over subscribing individually to every service you'd want. Depending on your needs as a subscriber and your interests as a streamer and/or online shopper, the options available should tick many of your boxes.
Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle – $19.99/month (with ads)
The Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle launched last year, and was immediately a standout deal with pricing starting at $19.99/month for an ad-supported tier. Going ad-free on all three platforms bumped up the price to $32.99/month following price hikes across its subscription plans. Because these price increases also affect all of the individual subscriptions, this bundle still leads to around the same amount in savings, and as such is still one of the overall best deals in streaming.
This bundle also include Hulu, which is home to hit original series (The Bear, Shōgun) and documentaries (Minding the Gap, Flee, Enemies of the State), plus its library of movies and licensed shows from networks like FX, ABC, and Fox.
With the addition of HBO Max, subscribers also get access to that arsenal of HBO shows and Max exclusives (The White Lotus, The Last of Us, Game of Thrones) and movies (which includes Ghibli films and and all things DC). You'll also get access to shows from HGTV and other Discovery channels since the Discovery+ merger a few years back. Though unfortunately this bundle pricing does not allow for streaming HBO Max in 4K.
The newest entry on the list, Peacock and Apple TV just launched their first ever bundle in this joint offering. The bundle announcement follows recent price hikes on both standalone subscription: Peacock launched a new spread of subscription tiers in July, while Apple TV increased its sole membership plan from $9.99/month to $12.99/month in August.
Now, you can get both subscription services for $14.99/month with ads on Peacock, or $19.99/month to go ad-free. The ad-supported bundle offers around 35% in monthly savings, while the Premium plan saves you upwards of 40%.
Apple TV is, naturally, the exclusive streaming home for Apple originals like Silo, For All Mankind, and Severance. Meanwhile, Peacock is a top pick for more casual watching, with a solid slate of sitcoms like The Office and Parks and Rec, as well as reality shows like Love Island Games. Between the two, you'll get a library worth binge-watching as well as a surprising amount of live sports.
Xfinity Streamsaver – $15/month
For those that are already Xfinity internet and/or Xfinity TV subscribers, Xfinity StreamSaver is a fantastic way to make the most of your internet and TV bill with an exclusive bundle option. It's also worth noting that this is the only way to get bundle pricing on Netflix.
For the price of $15 per month, subscribers gain access to premium streaming platforms including Apple TV+ (home to Severance, Ted Lasso, Masters of the Air, Napoleon, Killers of the Flower Moon), Netflix Standard with ads (home to Stranger Things, The Witcher, Wednesday, Squid Game), and Peacock Premium with ads (home to The Continental, Twisted Metal, Bupkis).
Other bundle options that range in higher prices offer access to live sports, live TV channels, and DVR options accessible through multiple devices at once. Though it's worth noting that you will not get Netflix in 4K with the standard with ads plan.
Walmart+ with Paramount+ or Peacock - $12.95/month
One of the newer, more resourceful subscription bundles, a subscription to Walmart+ automatically grants the customer free access to the Paramount+ digital streaming library or Peacock premium. Paramount+ is home to popular franchises like the Star Trek Universe and Sonic the Hedgehog as well as Showtime originals (Yellowjackets). It's also where you can stream all of the Mission Impossible movies, including the Final Reckoning when it comes out.
Similar to Amazon Prime Video, Walmart+ has bundled a digital streaming service with a shopping option that mixes digital and physical in a creative way. With a standard Walmart+ membership, users have access to multiple shopping benefits such as: free delivery on almost all items, no order minimums, fuel savings, auto care, exclusive early access to sales events, and free item returns from home. If you're looking for a decent alternative to an Amazon Prime membership, this is your best bet.
For users that are interested in further streaming add-ons through Walmart+, for an additional $6.49/month they will have access to the Showtime streaming library as well.
Amazon Prime Membership - $14.99/month
One of the earliest adopters in the streaming industry alongside Netflix and Hulu, Amazon Prime Video has become a staple of the streaming world.
With access to an Amazon Prime Video subscription, viewers have exclusive access to blockbuster films and Amazon original movies (Road House, Red One) and series (Invincible, The Boys, Fallout, The Rings of Power). On top of that, it has a multitude of add-on options (Paramount+, Starz, Max, AMC+, MGM+, BritBox, Shudder, Crunchyroll, Apple TV+) that will alter your subscription fee based on the pricing of each add-on.
For the $14.99 bundle, also known as an Amazon Prime membership, subscribers automatically gain access to Amazon Prime shopping services that include free two-day shipping on select items, free same-day delivery in eligible zip codes, and free no-rush shipping that will earn rewards toward future purchases. You will also get access to exclusive discounts during Amazon Prime Day and other sales events.
For subscribers who are not interested in including Amazon Prime in their Amazon bundle, they can exclude it and only subscribe to Prime Video for $8.99/month.
DirecTV Stream - $79.99/month
Youll definitely notice one major difference between the previous choices and this one: the jump in price when looking at DirecTV Stream.
While this may intimidate some shoppers, the price to reward ratio is well-balanced. For the mentioned price above, users will have access to the Entertainment Bundle, which includes top-viewed channels (Fox News, ESPN, Univision, MSNBC, HGTV, Hallmark Channel, and 90+ others), 60,000+ movies/shows on demand, local channels, and free access to three months of premium streaming service channels (Max, Paramount+ with Showtime, Starz, Cinemax, and MGM+). Right now, for example, DirecTV is one of the only streaming services that lets you access all of the live sports you want to watch, and is generally the best streaming service for watching NBA games (including the NBA finals)
Three alternative but even more expensive bundles include unlimited access to live sports, additional channels to stream, and an increased amount of on demand movies/shows. For any of these packages, you can get access to the DirecTV free trial to try out the service for five days.
Hulu + Live TV - $89.99/month (currently $64.99/month for new subscribers)
If you're looking for an alternative to the Disney streaming bundle above, Hulu + Live TV is a great option. It the popular Hulu streaming service with a live TV package that features over 95 channels. Plus, it includes a Disney bundle in its monthly cost, a service that would typically set you back $16.99 per month. So in addition to more the live TV, you'll also get the base Hulu (with ads), Disney+ (with ads) and ESPN Unlimited (with ads) making it one of the best ways to stream NFL and NBA games live.
Hulu + Live TV is currently offering a limited-time discount for new subscribers, dropping the monthly cost from $89.99 to $64.99 for your first three months. The deal is available until November 28. There's also a three-day free trial of Hulu + Live TV that lets you test out one of the best live TV services for free before having to commit to a monthly subscription.
Crunchyroll Premium – $12/Month
Although it may not seem like a bundle at first glance, the Crunchyroll Premium tiers actually do offer more than just anime. Sure, it's the best anime streaming site, but you also get the Crunchyroll Game Vault that lets you play a variety of popular anime games for free. The Game Vault only comes with a Mega Fan or Ultimate Subscription, but both of those will also gain you discounts at the Crunchyroll store.
Streaming Bundle FAQs
What's the best streaming bundle for live sports?
ESPN Unlimited has now appeared on the scene, and Disney+ was quick to launch a bundle to accompany it. A special offer has made the ESPN Unlimited bundle with ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions just $29.99/month. With ESPN Unlimited, you'll get access to all of ESPN's linear networks, which host the likes of the NFL, NBA, and more. If you're considering the new service, I'd look into the full Hulu + Live TV subscription, which includes ESPN Unlimited and offers a three-day free trial.
If you're someone who doesn't want to miss a single game, a more comprehensive option is DirecTV Stream. The base price for a DirecTV Stream plan is $79.99/month, but the incredible streaming options for a sports package inclusion starts at $98.99/month for the 'Choice' bundle, and $109.99/month for the 'Ultimate' bundle, all include regional sports networks and on demand streaming options for sports.
Another alternative is fubo, which also includes a free trial for new subscribers. fuboTV and Disney recently struck a deal to combine services, so this alternative may become the best option once that merger finishes.
What streaming services have free trials?
If you want to test out any of the streaming services on this list before comitting to a bundle, there are a few streaming service free trials you can take advantage of. Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and DirecTV Stream all offer some sort of free trial for new subscribers.
In today’s world of seemingly endless streaming platforms and bundles, shopping for the right one(s) can be a trying ordeal. Since so many have their own expansive media libraries, it can be hard to commit to a monthly payment for one, or even multiple options. Do you want access to every Transformers movie? Paramount+ would be your best bet for that. How about all the anime your heart desires? You’ll want to try out Crunchyroll Premium to satisfy that craving.
Luckily, most streaming services these days offer a sneak peek via free trials into their cache of goodies. So whatever you’re looking to watch in 2025, these nine free trials are a great way to test the waters of the streaming landscape. They are also a great way to save on your monthly streaming bill if you time them right. Otherwise keep an eye out for Black Friday streaming deals for exta savings.
1. Hulu (30-Day Free Trial)
The mecca of popular series both original and classic, Hulu has almost everything a series-binger would need. Adding to its impressive library over the years with some quality, sought-after films as well as TV shows, Hulu also has a wealth of groundbreaking, interesting, original content to dive into. This includes The Bear, Shogun, and the popular Alien: Earth series just to name a few recent hits.
After exploring every nook and cranny that Hulu has to offer in this generous 30-day trial, there are a wide range of subscription options to opt into, from $5.99 a month (with ads) all the way up to just over $100 a month – if you want to include live TV or premium add-ons such as Max, Disney+, Cinemax, Paramount+ with Showtime, Starz, and more. However, keep in mind when looking through plans that Hulu will be merged into Disney+ starting in 2026.
If you're looking for a more robust option, the Hulu + Live TV free trial gets you access to a lot more content. This service includes live TV channels, Hulu, the new ESPN Unlimited service (which now has its own bundle), and Disney+ all in one subscription. The free trial only lasts three days, but it's still worth a try considering it's the best live TV streaming services out there right now for the price.
Much like Hulu, Paramount+ has dug deep into the nostalgia bin while also offering a breadth of modern shows and movies to choose from. Paramount+ offers exclusive access to media such as the Transformers movies, the Halo series, the Mission Impossible movies, and the entire Star Trek film/series universe. With new shows and movies added every week along with some well-made originals of its own, Paramount+ is quickly becoming a contender with the big names in streaming.
After the seven-day free trial of its services, the recurring monthly amount to stay subscribed will be as low as $7.99 ($59.99 a year) for Paramount+ Essential (with ads), or $12.99 a month ($119.99 a year) to add Showtime’s full library and remove almost all ads with Paramount+ Premium. You can also get access to Parmount+ via a Walmart+ membership if you're hoping to avoid a free trial all together.
It may seem a bit odd to include Walmart's subscription service on a list of streaming free trials, but it's actually become one of the best options available. Due to a fairly recent change in its service, Walmart+ subscribers will get a choice of either Peacock Premium or Paramount+ basic as a benefit of subscribing. Members will also get to choose to swap between the two subscriptions every 90 days without an additional fee, which gives you an option to get a wider range of access throughout the year.
Walmart+ currently offers a 30-day free trail for new subscribers only, which is fairly generous compared to other services. It's also the only way you can actually try Peacock for free seeing as NBC's streaming service doesn't currently offer a free trial of its own.
4. Apple TV+ (7-Day Free Trial)
An up-and-coming streaming service in the streaming wars, Apple TV+ takes exclusivity to a whole new level. Featuring some highly praised original shows (Ted Lasso, Foundation, Severance, Shrinking, The Morning Show, Masters of the Air) and movies (Killers of the Flower Moon, Spirited, Napoleon), Apple is quickly gaining momentum in the race against its competitors.
After the seven-day free trial has expired, the monthly subscription will cost $12.99, depending on how many users are added to the account. As a disclaimer for those without Apple products, you will have to create a verified Apple ID to access the premium Apple TV+ streaming library.
For viewers looking to expand their Anime horizons and join in on the millions of viewers worldwide, Crunchyroll free trial is an offer that is hard to beat. While there are three different membership tiers to choose from ($7.99/mo to $14.99/mo), Crunchyroll also has a decent amount of anime content streaming for free. With the various membership packages available, subscribers can also gain access to Crunchyroll games as well as discounts at the Crunchyroll online store.
With simulcasts, Crunchyroll also gives users premium access to brand-new episodes shortly after their initial release in Japan. It's arguably the best place to watch anime online in 2025.
Another streaming service targeted on live TV streams with a focus on sports, fubo is the leading streaming service for sports fans across the globe. While it may be most popular for streaming sporting events, fubo has subscription packages that offer up to 10 screens, 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR space, 4k streaming quality, up to 448 TV channels, and even a premium Showtime add-on option. Besides these features, there is also a catalog of popular shows and movies available for on-demand streaming and access to ESPN Unlimited. Once the seven-day fubo trial has expired, subscribers will pay as low as $59.99 for the first month, then $79.99 for the remainder of the membership.
Although many may remember DirecTV only as a satellite TV service, the company also offers a pretty solid streaming service. DirecTV Stream has an array of streaming options that include various movies, series, and live TV access. Though the trial may be a short one at five days, DirecTV sweetens the deal with some premium content offered upon subscription. When customers sign up for one of three packages ranging in content and priced from $79.99 a month to $119.99 a month, it includes HBO Max, Paramount+ Premium, Starz, MGM+, and Cinemax in the first three months of the subscription.
It's worth noting that DirecTV was able to reach an agreement with Disney over various channels. Because of this DirecTV subscribers now has access to ESPN channels again in 2025. The service is now once again of the best places to stream NBA games and many other great sports depending on which bundle you choose.
8. Philo TV (7-Day Free Trial)
An additional option for those looking to stream premium TV channels from their living room, Philo TV offers similar options but for a bargain. While many consider this simply an alternative to cable TV (considering its 70+ channels for a much cheaper rate), it also has over 70,000 titles to stream on-demand even without utilizing the DVR capabilities. Set at a constant monthly rate that includes everything Philo has to offer, subscribers only pay $28 a month after their seven-day free trial to keep using one of the more underrated TV services the internet has to offer.
9. Mubi (7-Day Free Trial)
A streaming service catered to the arthouse/foreign film cinephiles, Mubi takes streaming subscriptions to a whole new level. Headlining with some of the more obscure and cerebral films to date, Mubi takes pride in its appreciation of the auteur and the directors who made it happen. Presented as a movie theater in a subscription, users can pick from 30 available films – every day one is added and one is removed. After the seven-day free trial, subscribers will be charged $14.99 a month to retain their membership. With the add-on of a fairly new premium feature called MubiGo, users (in select cities) have access to one movie theater ticket every week – a movie chosen by Mubi – and the Mubi library for $19.99 a month.
10. Amazon Prime (30-Day Free Trial)
As one of the biggest competitors in the streaming wars, Amazon Prime offers a surprisingly long trial of 30 days to decide if you enjoy what it has to offer. Responsible for the production of more high-quality films and series every year (including Rings of Power and the new Fallout series), it’s hard to look away from the Amazon Prime catalog.
With access to exclusive content as well as a vast library of established films, much of the content is included with the membership but with an option to rent much newer releases. After the 30-day trial is concluded, users will be charged $14.99 a month (or $139 a year) to continue viewing and enjoy free shipping on orders from Amazon’s shopping center. There is also a student discount of $7.49 a month (or $69 a year) that includes a 6-month free trial. It's a great deal if you plan to enjoy the benefits of Amazon Prime and Prime Video and definitely a free trial worth testing out.
YouTube TV is the live TV version of standard YouTube, and offers over 100 channels that cover everything from major live sports to family-friendly entertainment. It’s generally a good option for families (or roommates) because single subscription can be shared with up to five additional users, and each user gets their own personalized recommendations and unlimited DVR storage. You can stream on up to three devices at once, or pay a little extra to enable streaming on unlimited devices.
If you're an NFL fan, YouTube TV is a must as it’s the exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket making it a solid choice during the fall season. The platform also offers unique features for live sports, including real-time scores and stats on your TV, a “key plays” view to quickly catch up on the biggest moments, and even fantasy sports integration to help you track your players and teams.
YouTube TV does offer a free trial, but the length varies depending on your Google account and overall situation. Trial periods currently range from 2 to 21 days, so your mileage may vary.
What are the best free streaming services?
If you're looking for a streaming service that is permanently free, there are actually quite a few. One of the biggest names in free streeming is the Roku Channel, which offers tons of movies and shows without the need for a paid subscription. Tubi is also a great option for free movies, TV shows, and live TV channels. Alternatively, if you just want access to live TV directly from the air, you can buy a TV antenna and get access to local channels.
Unfortunately, if you're looking to get a free trial to Netflix, you're out of luck. Netflix does not offer any free trials and is unlikely to ever do so. If you're hoping to add Netflix to your list of subscription services, however, you can take a look at our guide to Netflix plans and prices for more info or dive into some of the best Netflix alternatives.
Does Disney+ have a free trial?
When Disney+ first launched, there was in fact Disney+ free trial. That is no longer the case, and you will need to pay for a subscription to get access to the service in 2025. That being said, it's possible to bundle Disney+ with other services to save some money. You can check out our guide to Disney+ bundles for more info or checkout some of the best Disney+ alternatives.
Does HBO Max have a free trial?
Similar to Netflix and Disney+, HBO Max does not currently offer a free trial. However, the HBO/Discovery streaming service has been known to offer discounts on its service at various points throughout the year. You can check out our guide to HBO Max deals for more info.
Ahead of Black Friday, Amazon is offering an excellent deal on a miniature-sized gaming PC. Right now you can pick up a Cooler Master NR2 gaming PC equipped with a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti graphics card for just $1,740.18 shipped after you apply a $235.81 off coupon on the product page. The NR2 is housed in Cooler Master's NR200P Max chassis, which is one of the most popular and well-reviewed ITX cases on the market. Despite its compact size, the NR2 is equipped with excellent cooling and powerful components. Normally there would be a high dollar markup on a boutique setup like this.
Cooler Master NR2 RTX 5070 Ti ITX Gaming PC for $1,740
This Cooler Master NR2 gaming PC is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 265F CPU, Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, 32GB of DDR5-6000MHz RAM, and a 2TB SSD. The Intel Core Ultra 7 265F is a 20-core processor with a 5.3GHz max Turbo frequency. It's cooled by a 280mm all-in-one liquid cooling system with custom length tubing. The system is powered by an 850W 80+ Gold SFX power supply, again with custom length cables.
The RTX 5070 Ti GPU Has Excellent 4K Gaming Performance
The RTX 5070 Ti offers the best bang for your buck in terms of 4K gaming performance. It performs neck-and-neck with the previous generation RTX 4080 Super and pulls ahead in any game that supports DLSS 4 with multi-frame generation. It is fully capable of running any game in 4K at 60fps. It also has 16GB of VRAM like the RTX 5080, making it viable for AI work. Check out our Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU review by Jacqueline Thomas for our hands-on impressions.
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.
For a movie whose existence was only revealed a couple of months ago, Man of Tomorrow is progressing at a pretty speedy clip. James Gunn’s Superman sequel already has a screenplay and a release date - July 9, 2027. And now we have apparent confirmation of the big villain forcing David Corenswet’s Kal-El and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor to join forces. It’s Brainiac, of course.
This is hardly the most surprising news, but it is a welcome one. Who better than Brainiac to bring together the Man of Steel and the guy who kidnapped his dog? It’s a twist that just makes sense, given how Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DCU has been shaping up so far. Let’s take a closer look at who Brainiac is and why he’s the perfect choice to be Man of Tomorrow’s main villain.
Who Is Man of Tomorrow Villain Brainiac?
Lex Luthor will always rank as Superman’s greatest arch-nemesis. As Gunn’s first Superman movie proves, he’s just a next-level hater. But Brainiac is the clear choice for #2. More than any villain, he has both the brains and the brawn to challenge Kal-El on every front.
Brainiac was created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino and debuted in 1958’s Action Comics #242. Brainiac is depicted as an alien android from the planet Colu. Brainiac’s modern origin story reveals that he was originally an organic being - a Coluan scientist named Vril Dox - before being sentenced to death for trying to overthrow his world. But now, he exists as a cyborg with a series of super-strong bodies to draw upon.
Already fiendishly intelligent, Brainiac has made it his goal to collect all knowledge that exists in the universe. But much like Judge Holden from Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian, once Brainiac gathers said knowledge, he’s committed to ensuring no one else can possess it.
Brainiac’s fiendish modus operandi consists of travelling to different worlds and capturing cities as his personal souvenirs. He shrinks them down and bottles them up for his collection, and then destroys what remains of the conquered civilization. One of Brainiac’s greatest prizes is Kandor, a relic of the Krypton that was. In some versions of the Superman mythos, it’s actually Brainiac who causes the destruction of Krypton after stealing Kandor.
Superman has clashed with Brainiac many times over the years, both alone and alongside the Justice League. But though Supes inevitably triumphs each time, Brainiac always survives and returns to threaten Earth again. Because he can simply back up his consciousness and build new bodies, he’s a very hard villain to destroy. In fact, 2008’s Superman: Brainiac served as the first time that Superman encountered the real Brainiac in his true humanoid form. Every other Brainiac he battled before then was a drone proxy.
Despite being one of the most feared villains in the DC Universe, Brainiac’s descendants have established a more heroic legacy. Most notably, Brainiac 5 is a founding member of the 31st Century team known as the Legion of Super-Heroes and one of Kal-El’s closest friends.
Why Brainiac Makes Sense for James Gunn’s DCU
From the moment Gunn first revealed Man of Tomorrow online, one thing about this Superman follow-up has been clear. Something is going to happen that forces Kal-El and Lex Luthor to put aside their differences and confront a common enemy. Some villain will emerge that pierces through Luthor’s absolute hatred of Superman. Brainiac was the most immediate and obvious candidate, so it was hardly a surprise when The Wrap confirmed that the villain will headline Man of Tomorrow.
As we’ve already established, Brainiac is easily the #2 most important Superman villain after Luthor, so it makes sense that he would be next out of the gate. And in terms of picking a villain who can challenge both Superman’s strength and Luthor’s massive intellect, there’s no one better. With his advanced android bodies and endless supply of robotic tools, Brainiac can fight Superman to a standstill. And though Luthor has spent his entire life being the smartest guy in any room, he’s about to meet a true mental rival in Brainiac. This is a foe that requires Superman and Luthor to be at their absolute peak.
Brainiac also fits right into the larger story Gunn seems to be telling with Krypton. In what was easily the most controversial shake-up in 2025’s Superman, the film depicts Bradley Cooper’s Jor-El and Angela Sarafyan’s Lara Lor-Van not as benevolent scientists, but colonizers urging their son to conquer Earth and breed a new generation of Kryptonian heirs. Everything we think we know about Krypton is thrown for a loop with that reveal. If Superman’s birth parents aren’t paragons of virtue, then what else has changed about Krypton?
As discussed earlier, some Superman adaptations have reworked Brainiac to be more fundamentally tied to Krypton. We wouldn’t be at all surprised if the DCU follows suit. Will Brainiac again be a Kryptonian super-computer in this universe? Will he be the secret hand behind the planet’s destruction? Is he still carrying out Jor-El’s goals of colonization? At the very least, we’re expecting the Bottle City of Kandor to be a plot point in Man of Tomorrow, especially with Kandorian refugee Supergirl (Milly Alcock) already being introduced.
The Superman movie also establishes that the DCU’s Earth has a history of superheroes dating back 300 years. It even features an Easter egg in the form of a mural depicting some of the many heroes who preceded Superman. It’s very possible that Brainiac’s debut is tied to this 300-year metahuman timeline. As a collector of knowledge and rare specimens, Brainiac may well be fascinated by Earth’s metahuman phenomenon. He may be coming to Earth to study these strange beings and collect samples, after which he’ll no doubt want to obliterate what remains. That represents the kind of clear and present danger that would force Superman and Luthor to put aside their differences for the greater good.
What DC Stories Will Man of Tomorrow Adapt?
2025’s Superman may not be a direct adaptation of any particular DC comic or storyline, but there are clear influences in the film. Gunn and his cast and crew have made no secret of the fact that Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman was a huge source of inspiration. We have to assume that Man of Tomorrow will be similar in that regard. Gunn may not be adapting any one particular Superman vs. Brainiac story, but he’s too big a fan of the classic DC Comics and adaptations not to draw on that rich history.
The aforementioned Superman: Brainiac (from writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank) is likely to be one source of inspiration. That book is pretty much the definitive modern Brainiac tale, establishing a new look for the iconic villain and intensifying the rivalry between Supes and his alien nemesis. That book also ends on a profoundly tragic note that we could see Gunn repurposing for the DCU.
And, again, don’t be surprised if Man of Tomorrow borrows a page from the DCAU and Smallville playbook by depicting Brainiac as an AI relic of Krypton rather than a Coluan. It’s a cleaner origin story, in many ways, and it helps highlight the feud between Superman and Brainiac. Cooper’s Jor-El is not the good man Kal-El always believed him to be, and it would make sense to establish Brainiac as another piece of that tarnished legacy.
But in terms of stories that specifically involve Superman and Luthor teaming up against Brainiac, the pickings are surprisingly slim. These two villains have been much more prone to teaming up against Superman in the comics. Brainiac even sometimes serves as a member of the Legion of Doom. Perhaps most famously, they form a one-sided alliance to destroy Superman in Alan Moore and Curt Swan’s graphic novel Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, which features Brainiac hijacking Luthor’s body.
There is one recent Superman comic that could have inspired Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow screenplay, however. Mark Waid and Bryan Hitch’s Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor (which we recently added to our list of the best Superman comics of all time) sees Luthor turn to Superman after contracting a mysterious terminal illness. Despite the protests of the world at large, Superman can’t turn down a plea for help, even from his greatest enemy. In the end, it’s revealed that Brainiac infected Luthor with a virus as part of a plot to kill Superman, keying up a showdown between Brainiac on one side and a united Superman/Luthor on the other.
The first Superman movie establishes Hoult’s Luthor as a supremely arrogant individual, one who views Superman as a subhuman thing and isn’t above casual murder if it causes Clark pain. No doubt Man of Tomorrow is going to have to find ways to humble Luthor and force him to accept the Man of Steel as an ally (as well as force the audience to embrace him as a protagonist for a change). Gunn could do far worse than draw on The Last Days of Lex Luthor’s basic premise. Luthor confronting his imminent mortality is an easy way of forcing him into an alliance with his hated rival.
On the other hand, it may take nothing more than the threat of Earth’s annihilation for Luthor to temporarily make nice with Superman. We saw Luthor play a heroic support role in 2024’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League when Brainiac invades Earth, though in that case, he doesn’t survive long into the conflict.
Warning: The rest of this article contains spoilers for Peacemaker Season 2’s finale!
Finally, there’s the question of how much Man of Tomorrow will draw on Bill Willingham and Lilah Sturges' Salvation Run. Gunn is clearly leaning on that series as he charts the future of the DCU, as Peacemaker Season 2 ends with John Cena’s Christopher Smith being dumped on the prison world of Salvation by a vindictive Rick Flag (Frank Grillo). Similar to the Salvation Run comic, we’re going to see many metahuman villains banished to Salvation by ARGUS.
Will that include Hoult’s Luthor? It’s very possible that Flag will see Luthor as too smart to remain safely in ARGUS custody, opting instead to banish him to another dimension entirely. That could motivate Luthor’s alliance with Superman if he sees his nemesis as his only “get out of jail free” card. And perhaps Brainiac enters the picture when he sees this world full of exiled villains and decides to add it to his collection. One way or another, Flag’s plan is going to blow up in his face. It’s just a question of whether that happens in Man of Tomorrow or elsewhere in the DCU.
What do you hope to see from Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow? Do you want him to be tied to Krypton? Vote in our poll and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Xbox’s Black Friday sale this year is shaping up to be... complicated. Microsoft has spent much of 2025 raising prices across the board, with consoles, controllers, games, and even Game Pass Ultimate all getting more expensive.
We’ll definitely still see discounts for Xbox fans during the big sale season; it's just unfortunate that almost everything is starting from a considerably higher baseline than before.
That said, I'm also predicting that we'll still be able to score some worthwhile discounts come Black Friday. While Xbox's official "Black Friday" offerings (yet to be announced) rarely deliver great savings, in my experience, you just need to know where and when to look for bargains, and which "deals" to avoid altogether.
To help with this, I've put together my predictions for what will be discounted this year, alongside some expert advice on the best places to find Xbox deals once the sales properly kick off.
Xbox Game Pass
Let's kick off with the most obvious starting point: Xbox Game Pass. Unfortunately, Game Pass Ultimate recently saw another major price hike, jumping a massive 50% in the US, so I probably wouldn't expect Microsoft to discount it directly this Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
That's a great deal if you want to lock in coverage through the holidays. The max you can fill out your account with is 12 lots of three months (totalling 36 months), and currently costs $659.88, or $219.96 per year.
By comparison, at the new $29.99 monthly rate, three years of Game Pass Ultimate now costs $1,079.64. So there are already big savings to be had. It’s just a question of whether we’ll potentially see anything even better in the coming weeks.
Now that's where things get interesting. For the best deal possible in the final months of the year, my advice is to keep an eye on Amazon-owned Woot. Last year, Woot dropped three months of Game Pass Ultimate to just $28.99 during Black Friday, over 50% off at the time.
It was a great deal, but considering it now costs $90 for three months of Ultimate today, this now looks like an absolute juggernaut of a discount.
It's purely speculative that this offer could reappear, and I doubt we’ll see anything quite that generous in 2025, but anything even close to it would be worth shouting about again.
Woot is one of the best retailers for limited-time, doorbuster-style discounts, and since it’s backed by Amazon, it’s a safe bet. The only downside is that these deals sell out fast, so to avoid missing out, I'd suggest following @IGNDeals on Twitter/X for the latest updates.
Xbox Controllers
Predictably, I'm very much expecting Microsoft to once again roll out its usual $10 off Black Friday offer for Xbox controllers. This wasn't a good deal last year, and won't be a good deal this year either, especially since the MSRP is now $64.99.
Last year, controllers dropped as low as $35 at multiple retailers during Black Friday, and we’ve already seen them hit that again recently at Lenovo. That's a pretty excellent early deal, if I do say so myself. You can check out what controllers went on sale below, though that discount code has now ended.
If you want to pick up one of the best PC gaming controllers at that price now, it's well worth it if the sale comes back, even before the official Black Friday sales kick off, as it's unlikely we'll get any better deals than this.
That said, I still expect we’ll see every color scheme go on sale closer to Black Friday, so it could be worth waiting to see if you can grab something a little bolder, and potentially at an even better price.
When it comes to deals to skip, I’d avoid paying anything over $45 for the core controllers during the sale season.
I’m also watching to see whether we’ll get another significant price drop on the Xbox Elite 2 Controllers. Ideally, the Core Elite model would fall around $90, while the full Elite 2 package would drop to somewhere between $110 and $120.
Xbox Games
When it comes to games, this should be a solid year for discounts, especially on third-party titles. Xbox hasn't pushed physical releases much lately, given how deep it's gone into its digital-first, Game Pass-heavy ecosystem, but that doesn't mean deals will be scarce.
First-party games will probably get modest 10-20% discounts, usually digital only. Expect to see The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, The Outer Worlds 2, Doom: The Dark Ages, Avowed, Indiana Jones (and its DLC), and Gears of War Reloaded included. I wouldn't hold my breath for Call of Duty Black Ops 7, but anything's possible.
Third-party games are where the best savings will be, particularly for physical copies. Expect discounts in line with PlayStation's across big releases like Borderlands 4 (already down to $55 recently), Sonic Racing: Crossworlds (Sega loves a Black Friday sale), and EA Sports FC 26, which reliably drops every year without fail.
Other top 2025 games likely to see further cuts include Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, Split Fiction, Assassin's Creed Shadows, Civilization 7, and Elden Ring Nightreign. Each has already been discounted in other sales this year, so expect them to dip again.
What game would you like to see in the Black Friday sales? Let us know in the comments.
Xbox Consoles
Last year, one of the better offers for Xbox was the Xbox Series X All-Digital 1TB going for just under $400 at Amazon. That was decent, but not mindblowing.
Yet, considering this exact console now costs nearly $600 after this year's price hikes, I doubt we'll see anything close to sub $400 any time again soon. I'd expect maybe a $50-100 discount across the board on Xbox consoles this year, but don't expect a miracle.
Still, if you're hunting for the best deal, keep an eye on Lenovo. It tends to offer surprise Xbox console discount codes during Black Friday that quietly end up being the best prices around.
A proper great deal, at least by 2025 standards, would be around $250 for a Series S or $400 for a Series X. It's also worth watching Amazon's "Used - Like New" listings. They've been running excellent resale discounts on almost-new hardware lately, just with open packaging.
For example, Amazon sold a PS5 Pro for $500 during Prime Day, a PS Portal for $125, and a PS VR2 Headset bundle for just under $190.
If similar offers show up for Xbox consoles during Black Friday, that could end up being the best way to save big this year. That goes the same for Xbox controllers, and even the pricey Xbox ROG Ally X as well.
How to Follow IGN Deals Recommendations
The IGN Deals team has over 30 years of combined experience finding the best discounts and preorders available online. If you want the latest updates from our trusted team, here’s how to follow our coverage:
Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.
Costco has revealed its Black Friday schedule for 2025 and you can already check out what deals will be coming to a warehouse near you. The annual holiday shopping booklet was originally leaked by Costco Insider last month with all of the dates, and every page is now available as an ad scan. You can expect the first round of holiday deals at Costco to kicked off on Halloween, which was the same time Best Buy launched its early Black Friday sale this year. Here's a full breakdown of the Costco Black Friday schedule this year:
The official Costco Black Friday sale kicks off on November 17 this year (a few days before Amazon's Black Frdiay sale), but there are more savings launching online starting on Thanksgiving. Costco warehouses will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but you can still start shopping online before the sale resumes in stores on Black Friday. The main sales are currently only set to run through Cyber Monday, so Black Friday weekend will be the ideal time to shop.
What Black Friday Deals to Expect From Costco
According to the ad scan, the Costco Black Friday sale is going to have discounts on just about everything. Gaming laptops, video game consoles, jewelry, furniture, TVs, and appliances are all included in this year's price cuts. You can check out the full Black Friday weekend ad scan for yourself in the Reddit thread below.
Some of the most notable discounts featured here are $120 off of PS5 consoles and savings on Apple stuff. The ad itself doesn't reveal what the actual discounts on Apple products will be this year, but the image features everything from MacBooks to AirPods. The discount on the PS5 is also noteworthy because Sony increased prices on PlayStation consoles by $50 earlier this year and it was unclear how substantial the discounts would be to offset that during Black Friday.
If you're looking to upgrade your home theater setup, it looks like Costco will also be dropping $220 off the price of the the popular Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar. The last time we saw that go on sale was during Labor Day weekend and that was only $100 off.
Will Costco Have Nintendo Switch Deals?
One of the biggest exclusions in this deals preview if Nintendo Switch deals. Nintendo only recently announced its Black Friday plans for 2025, but it's one of the weakest offerings we've seen in a long time. The current plan is for original Switch games to drop under $30, but there was no mention of Switch 2 games for Switch console deals whatsoever. So don't expect Coscto to offer discounts on those either.
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