At its January Unpacked event, Samsung focused on showing off the features of its new line of phones, the S25 series, and (frankly underwhelming) updates to Galaxy AI. But tacked onto the very end of the presentation – it quite literally had a "that's not all..." slide – was a brief glimpse of appears to be a new Galaxy Edge.
The sizzle reel was a whirlwind gallery of the new phone's components that combined into a shadowy device with "Samsung Edge" on the screen right before the credits rolled. Outside of the name, no other details were announced, and Samsung has not made any official statements since the event ended.
This is the first teaser for the next generation of Edge phones, the last of which – the Galaxy S7 Edge – was released back in 2016. This new device is rumored to be a "slim" version, according to photos that leaked last week, and will allegedly be 6.4mm thick. (The thinnest of the new S25 lineup, which will be available February 7 and is availble to preorder now, is the standard model at 7.2mm.)
Apparently, 2025 is the year of the super-skinny phone: Apple is also supposedly launching the iPhone Air in its next wave of phone announcements sometime this year. Industry experts are speculating that it will measure between 5–6mm, which would beat the iPhone 6, the current record holder for slimmest iPhone, by at least .9mm.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is set to release for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on February 21. The latest in a long line of Sega games about Japanese organized crime, it brings the beloved character of Goro Majuma to Hawaii. Where he becomes a pirate. It’s all there in the title, see? The game is available to preorder now (see it at Amazon) in a variety of editions. Read on to see what comes in each.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii - Standard Edition
Those ready to embrace the all-digital lifestyle and want more than just the game can pick up the digital deluxe edition. It includes a digital copy of the game, plus the following digital extras:
Legendary Pirate Crew Pack
Legendary Outfit Pack
Ship Customization Pack
Extra Karaoke & CD Pack
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Preorder Bonus
Preorder any version of the game, and you’ll get the following digital items for free:
Ichiban pirate crew set
Ichiban special outfit set
What Is Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii?
Goro Majima is back in this installment, with a memory that’s been wiped as clean as the chalkboard in your granddaddy’s kindergarten classroom. He’s also in Hawaii, so he hops aboard a ship and sets out to do pirate things. As you can probably tell, the series’ goofy humor remains fully intact in this installment.
Unlike the recent Like a Dragon games, however, the combat isn’t turn-based. It’s more of the real-time beat-‘em-up style from earlier Yakuza games. See our Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii hands-on preview for more information.
Other Preorder Guides
Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.
During the Galaxy Unpacked keynote presentation, Samsung officially showcased its next flagship smartphones with the Galaxy S25 series. This includes the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra. It's not a surprise as we expect an improved set of features and upgrades like a more powerful processor for better performance, but Samsung stressed its roster of AI features.
Starting with tech details, the S25 Ultra has a 6.9-inch AMOLED 2X QHD+ 120 Hz screen, measures in at 77.6mm x 162.8mm x 8.2mm, weighs in at 218g. Looking at the Galaxy S25 Plus, you get a 6.7-inch QHD+ screen with dimensions of 75.8mm x 158.4mm x 7.3mm and weighs 190g. Lastly, the standard Galaxy S25 gets a 6.2-inch FHD+ screen and measures in at 70.5mm x 146.9mm x 7.2mm while weighing 162g.
All models use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite, and Samsung states that it brings a performance boost of 40% in NPU, 37% in CPU, and 30% in GPU compared to last-gen, resulting in about 18% improvements in frames per second in gaming. There will also be a new heat dissappation system with a 40% bigger vapor chamber and an improved thermal interface material. Battery life will always vary but Samsung claims 31 hours of watching videos off its 5,000 mAh battery and more efficient power consumption. The S25 also uses Corning Gorilla Armor 2 to protect the phone and provide better durability.
Samsung's new One UI 7 AI assistant took up a significant chunk of the presentation - it's the next generation of its mobile AI ecosystem built into several functions on Galaxy phones. They're also powered with Google's Gemini 2.0 AI engine. While it's geared to be more efficient and easier to use, like pressing one button on the side of the phone to communicate with any AI function, what stood out is how Samsung stressed securing your personal data. Your personal data is secured with Knox Vault as opposed to storing it in the cloud. Samsung also showcased generative AI features like photo editing, suggestions with writing, among other features.
Pre-orders are now open for all Galaxy S25 models and they will launch of February 7. The S25 Ultra starts at $1,299 for the 256GB storage capacity with options to upgrade to 512GB or 1TB. The S25 Plus starts at $999.99 for the 256GB model while the standard S25 starts at $799.99 with the 128GB version.
The first time I lost my mech in Synduality Echo of Ada was on my second sortie, and lot of things went wrong. I didn’t buy insurance beforehand and I took way too much stuff out with me because I hit the wrong button, and then I chose not to take a moment to repair right before I got into the encounter that killed me. I made a series of avoidable mistakes followed by a bad decision, and this mech-flavored extraction shooter made sure I lost everything I had for it – so it’s a good sign that, after I was done cursing Synduality and then myself, I was immediately excited to try and get it all back. I have much more to do and see before I am ready for a final review, but that trial by fire will certainly stick with me until the end.
Synduality has a pretty cool premise: In the far future, humanity has been nearly wiped out by a mysterious blue rain called the Tears of the New Moon. In addition to killing humans on contact, the blue rain also made animals and plants gigantic and aggressive. To survive, society has moved underground and adopted the use of enormous mechs called Cradlecoffins to explore the surface world and gather energy-producing AO Crystals to survive. You step into the role of a nameless, faceless Drifter — someone who pilots a Cradlecoffin. Your goal? Get up there, get the things you need to upgrade your base and make some cash, and get out before the locals turn your Cradlecoffin into a grave.
Cradlecoffins aren’t your traditional mechs. They’re slower than something you’d find in Armored Core – though similarly armed, as they’re still bipedal and wield weapons – but faster than the behemoths you’d see in MechWarrior. Ready for a deep cut? They’re actually a lot like the mechs from 2002’s Phantom Crash, which is to say they are a nice balance of being reasonably fast but still heavy and limited in terms of, shall we say, vertical mobility. Armored Core mechs can dunk like Jordan. Cradlecoffins got no ups.
But you’re not alone. In addition to your mech, you’ve got a Magus — think a humanoid AI you can fully customize and play dress up with — helping to guide you when you’re out on the surface by marking objectives on your map, alerting you to threats, and even keeping track of the weather. You can be as normal or as strangely intimate as you want about the creation process, though it kinda seems as if Synduality assumes you’re more likely to pick a robo-girlfriend than a robo-boyfriend based on the clothing choices available. (Even the AI-controlled Cradelcoffins have robo-girlfriends.) There are several different personalities to choose from, including supportive mentor lady, demure, eager-to-please girl; encouraging big brother, and spicy athlete who just wants you to be the best version of yourself. They’re a weirdly likeable little crew — I chuckled when my spicy athlete robo-girlfriend essentially told me to stop whining and eat my veggies (read: weeds that we had removed from the base) or she’d beat me up. And since they’re the only companion you’ll have for most of your time with Synduality, their presence is welcome.
Most of the other players I've seen aren’t out there to kill you.
In addition to their clothes and look, you can also customize the special abilities and focus of your Magus, whether that’s finding AO Crystals, providing more info about different Enders (the name for that superpowered flora and fauna I talked about earlier), or giving you the low-down on the other Cradlecoffins you’ll run into once you pop out on the surface. So far I’ve liked both the one that’s good at protecting me from the evil rain and the one who has a knack for spotting other Cradlecoffins at range because hearing another engine in this game is stressful, but I appreciate that you can tailor your Magus to assist you be the best Drifter you wanna be.
You’ll run into other players in Synduality’s world, but in my experience, most of them aren’t out there to kill you and take your things. Usually, an encounter with another player means the two of you being very cagey, aiming your guns at each other, until one of you finally uses the wave emote. Then the other returns it and you both go on your way. It’s admittedly tense, and an extraction shooter like this should be, because you’re never more than a single insurance-less run away from losing all your things. The whole “we’re all working together to help humanity” thing sets up that cautious camaraderie, but there is always the danger that someone’s gonna see your shiny shotgun and think “I want that and I don’t wanna work for it,” so… you know. This does seem (so far) like a kinder, gentler extraction shooter, but you should still be careful around other people, even if they do the wave emote.
Managing each mission means making a lot of interesting choices. How far from the elevators that bring you to and from the safety of the underground are you willing to venture? What kind of materials are you looking to collect for your base, and how much are you going to risk to get them? How much ammo will you head out with? What kind of mech? Will you prioritize carrying capacity or defense? All of these choices matter, and you may regret your words and deeds when you’re sitting at low health with no repair kits, far away from an elevator in a world where everything wants to kill you.
So far Synduality has mostly just been this loop played over and over again, but it’s at least an amusing one, with a little bit of fun base building and dress-up in-between that I haven’t had a chance to dig too deeply into yet. What’s less amusing are the microtransactions and battle pass (we live in hell!) that can speed up the process of getting a better Cradlecoffin substantially despite this not being a free-to-play game. You get almost nothing in the free track of that pass, which is a standard-issue problem to some degree, but I’ll need to play more to see how much these systems feel like they impact the overall pace of progression without spending any money. I don’t think I would have all the nice things I have now, which replaced the stuff I lost, if I didn’t have that battle pass.
I am at least enjoying Synduality for now, though I have yet to unlock the single-player missions or the second map. Once I put some time into those, expand my base, and just generally Do More Stuff, I’ll have a better idea of where Synduality falls. Until then, I’ll be out in the world, trying not to die too much. Buy insurance, kids. It’s a scam, but it may save your life – or, at least, your mech.
Magic: The Gathering's next set is right around the bend - Aetherdrift is all about a multiplanar death race taking place across the multiverse, and we've got an exclusive first look at two new cards that will be in it: Cloudspire Coordinator and Count on Luck.
Flip through the gallery below to see both cards, as well as a few alternate art treatments.
First up, we have Cloudspire Coordinator: this creature is an uncommon meant to give you a sense of what the set's red-white color pairing is all about. In this case, it represents the racing team that embodies those colors, which is the Cloudspire Racing Team from the plane of Kylem (first introduced in Magic's 2v2-focused set from 2018, Battlebond), as well as a mechanical focus on using and piloting vehicles. Its 3 power helps it crew vehicles itself, while its activated ability will instead create Pilot token creatures to crew them for you.
While that could end up being a solid choice if you find yourself playing a red-white deck during an Aetherdrift draft, the splashier card we get to reveal is the rare, Count on Luck. This 3-mana enchantment is as straightforward as its all-red-pip casting cost: at the start of each of your turns, you exile the top card of your library and can play it during that turn. This is what is generally referred to as "impulse draw," consistently giving you extra cards to use in a mono-red deck as long as you can play them right away. Use it or lose it.
The last bit we have to share is a look at Count on Luck in its extended-art and First-Place Foil versions. While the former isn't anything we haven't seen before, simply removing Magic's card frame on the sides of the art box to allow for a wider look, the First-Place Foils are something totally new to Aetherdrift. These shiny golden cards are only available as part of a randomized buy-a-box promo pack that comes with every box of Aetherdrift, and all the rares in the set (as well as 10 full-art lands) are getting the treatment.
Benedict Cumberbatch has said his Marvel Cinematic Universe character Doctor Strange is skipping the next big team up in Avengers Doomsday but will play a "central role" in its sequel Avengers Secret Wars.
Speaking to Variety, Cumberbatch said "f**k it" after realising he'd dropped a spoiler and divulged more about his character's role in the upcoming films. "He’s quite central to where things might go," he said before revealing there's a third standalone Doctor Strange planned too.
"They are very open to discussing where we go next," Cumberbatch said. "Who do you want to write and direct the next one? What part of the comic lore do you want to explore so that Strange can keep evolving? He’s a very rich character to play. He’s a complex, contradictory, troubled human who’s got these extraordinary abilities, so there’s potent stuff to mess about with."
In the shorter term, Phase 6 of the MCU kicks off with this July's The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Avengers Doomsday comes out May 1, 2026, and Avengers Secret Wars launches May 7, 2027.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Wolverine is Insomniac’s next big game, but when will it come out? This year? Next year? The year after that? The developer won’t say, but did acknowledge what it called “pent up excitement” for the upcoming PlayStation game.
Co-studio head Chad Dezern refused to confirm or deny a 2025 release for Wolverine, instead offering this morsel:
“We’ve announced Wolverine, and we’d love to talk more about Wolverine, but we have to be like Logan today, and remain very stoic until it’s time to pop the claws down the road. As much as we’re as much as we have pent up excitement, we got to hold on to it. So that’s, that’s about as much as we could say about our upcoming projects today.”
We’ve heard nothing official on Wolverine since its reveal in 2021, save a shift in leadership reported in October. Previous creative director Brian Horton jumped ship to Xbox as the new creative director for Perfect Dark, which is being co-developed by The Initiative and Crystal Dynamics.
Unofficially, early Wolverine footage and information emerged from data stolen from Insomniac in December 2023.
"Thank you for the outpouring of compassion and unwavering support," Insomniac wrote at the time. "It's deeply appreciated.
"We're both saddened and angered about the recent criminal cyberattack on our studio and the emotional toll it's taken on our dev team. We have focused inwardly for the last several days to support each other.
"We are aware that the stolen data includes personal information belonging to our employees, former employees, and independent contractors. It also includes early development details about Marvel's Wolverine for PlayStation 5. We continue working quickly to determine what data was impacted.
"This experience has been extremely distressing for us.
"We want everyone to enjoy the games we develop as intended and as our players deserve. However, like Logan... Insomniac is resilient. Marvel's Wolverine continues as planned. The game is in early production and will no doubt greatly evolve throughout development, as do all our plans.
"While we appreciate everyone's enthusiasm, we will share official information about Marvel's Wolverine when the time is right.
"On behalf of everyone here at Insomniac, thank you for your ongoing support during this challenging time."
The hackers who breached Insomniac demanded a 50 BTC (roughly $2 million) ransom to not release confidential data they obtained. The ransom was not paid and the info — 1.67 terabytes of data — was released. It contained videos and images of Marvel's Wolverine, Insominac's release slate through the early 2030s, and even personal information on staff.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Roblox developer Kitawari has published Anime Vanguards Winter Update 3.0, delivering sweeping changes to the tower-defense experience’s unit lineup and lobby alongside numerous quality-of-life fixes.
This latest patch aims to keep the festivities going with more winter-themed additions that should entertain players for weeks. It’s an update filled with content to explore, but its most noticeable change can be seen as soon as you log in. Anime Vanguards veterans will notice that the lobby has been completely revamped, giving anime fans more room to start each session. This also comes with remastered UI, including what the team calls “much better and cleaner” stage selection UI.
“We heard your issues with our current lobby; it was too small and cramped, and we were running out of places to put new game modes,” Kitawari explained in the Winter Update 3.0 patch notes. “Get ready for our stunning new lobby – 10x more impressive than anything you’ve seen, featuring a customizable Day and Night cycle which you can check out in Settings!”
Another Anime Vanguards Winter Update 3.0 highlight comes with a new game mode: Portals. Kitawari encourages fans to use winter units and skins to increase team damage and gain access to other rewards when trying out the new mode. There’s also Sandbox Mode, which allows experimental players to test new strategies without restraints. Meanwhile, players can except to collect 12 new units spread across a new Winter Banner, Portals game mode, battle pass, and new leaderboard rewards.
As for those quality-of-life changes, Kitawari has included a handful of tweaks to make the overall experience cleaner, including smoother movement for unit placement and Evolution Quests that now show up in the special tab. The skins and familiar windows now have search bars, too, and units now properly highlight the enemy they are attacking. Anime Vanguards players can take advantage of everything included in the Winter Update 3.0 now.
Anime Vanguards’ latest update continues the team’s string of updates since originally launching last January. A recent November update brought even more new content to feast on, including a long list of additions that took inspiration from the hit anime series, Dandadan. For more on everything Kitawari is cooking up, you can check out our full list of active codes here. While we wait for the next update, you can check out the full patch notes below.
Anime Vanguards Winter Update 3.0 Patch Notes
Features
12 NEW UNITS!
The update is coming out with 12 new units! These units will be found in:
New Winter Banner
o Emmie, Emmie (Ice Witch)
o Rom and Ran, Rom and Ran (Fanatic)
o Foboko, Foboko (Hellish)
o Karem, Karem (Chilled)
o Rogita (Super 4)
New Portals Game Mode
o Soburo, Soburo (Contract)
o Regnaw, Regnaw (Rage)
New Battle Pass
o Dodara, Dodara (Cotnract)
o Sosora, Sosora (Puppeteer)
Leaderboard Rewards
o Seban
o Rodock
o Giyu
NEW GAMEMODE! Portals
Play through a brand new gamemode with unique mechanics, and grind through higher Tiers for better & unique rewards!
Rewards include:
3 New Familiars
o Doggo
o Sebamon
o Padoru
2 Secret Portal Units
Winter Currency
Gift Boxes
Make sure to bring your winter units and winter skins to increase unit team damage, currency yield and other rewards!
Alongside this, a brand new elemental interaction system has been added to portals; Discover all the unique ways in which unit & enemy elements interact with each other, and utilize them to your advantage. With a hundred different possible interactions, there are bound to be surprises.
NEW GAMEMODE! Sandbox Mode
A brand new gamemode that lets you use any units, spawn any enemies, have infinite money, change stats, and play however you want!
NEW! Boss Event Rerun!
The Blood-Red Commander Igros boss event is back, and Boss Events will now cycle weekly! Next week will be Sukono’s boss event. Boss event shop has also been restocked!
NEW! Lobby Revamp
We heard your issues with our current lobby; it was too small and cramped, and we were running out of places to put new game modes. Get ready for our stunning new lobby – 10x more impressive than anything you’ve seen, featuring a customizable Day and Night cycle which you can check out in Settings!
NEW! Revamped Lobby UI
Stage Selection Interface has also been revamped to look much better and cleaner.
NEW! Unit XP Fusing
You can now fuse unwanted into other units to level them up as an alternative to using XP food items!
NEW! Winter Banner & Currency
Earn winter currency from portals to summon new units and skins, or spend it in the Winter Shop for portals, evolution items, a frosty mount, and Trait Rerolls!
1 New Vanguard Unit
3 New Secret Skins
4 New Exclusive Units
4 New Mythic Skins
3 New Legendary Skins
1 New Epic Skins
1 New Rare Skin
NEW! Leaderboard Units
The previous leaderboard units are now unobtainable, in their place, two brand-new Exclusive units have been introduced! Compete for your spot on the leaderboards to claim these rewards and show off your achievements.
NEW! Battle Pass Reset
The Battle Pass has been entirely refreshed! With tons of rerolls, gems and other rewards, including 2 Exclusive units that you can unlock through progressing the tiers!
NEW! Tournament Titles
Tournament players will now get unique titles for that week’s tournament! Top 1 will gain the Tournament Champion title, and Top 2-5 will gain Tournament Contender.
NEW! Collection Milestone
Collect a set number of units from each rarity to unlock special rewards! The more units you gather, the greater the rewards which you can claim.
NEW! Enemy Index Milestones
Earn rewards as you fill out your Enemy Index! For every set of enemies you can document, you will obtain special prizes such as Trait Rerolls.
NEW! Trophy Exchange Shop
Added a dedicated area for trophies and a trophy shop, where you can purchase Emotes for trophies!
NEW! Spectate Mode Options
When spectating a unit, you can now choose between Default, First Person, Third Person, and Top-Down view. The spectate interface now also tells you which unit you’re spectating.
NEW! Health Stocks
The currency base health system has been changed to base stocks. Instead of 150 health, you now get 3 stocks each stage. One enemy that reaches base will deduct 1 stock, and losing all stocks will result in the loss of the match. Bosses will instantly deplete all stocks once they reach base.
NEW! The Hidden Gateway awakens…
The mysterious portal item, obtainable as a Floor 50 reward in Worldlines, has finally revealed its true purpose! Use it to open a gateway to a hidden challenge – will you uncover the Secret hidden within?
NEW! In-Game Update Logs
View what’s new in-game when you join or click the update button on the top right corner of your screen!
NEW! New Unit Filters!
You can now filter your units by their damage stat tier, SPA stat tier, and range stat tier!
Changes & QoL
· Viewing a unit with a custom summon animation will now play their unique animation.
· Evolution quests now show up in the special tab!
· Moving a unit during placement is now smoother.
· Added “Tracks At The Edge Of The World” to Enemy Index
· Added World Markers in the lobby for easier navigation. You can also click on these markers to easily teleport to the designated location
· Auto Ability will now wait until the ability can be used again if it failed to activate
· The normalize NPC has been changed to Valentine.
· Improvements to item tooltip animation when clocking on an item frame
· Added a slight camera parallax effect to some interfaces
· Added Winter Currency to the AFK Chamber
· Added a search bar to the Familiars window
· Added a search bar to the Skins window
· Improved unit Traits Index UI
· Shiny Hunter Game Pass now shows up on the bottom left
· Units now highlight the enemy they are attacking
· You can now “Favorite” units by pressing on them, selecting the “Favorite” button which will make a star appear at the top of the unit frame, signifying that they have been successfully marked as favorite. These units will always appear at the top of the Units UI, right behind your equipped units for easy access!
· 3 additional unit storage expansions available for gold, for a total of 6!
· 3 additional team slots, for a total of 8 teams!
· Revamped several rarity gradients
· Revamped the loading circle.
· Switched to Roblox’s new chat service; it supports automatic chat translation, among other things!
· Item frames in your inventory are now sorted by rarity.
· The item hover preview frame should no longer be cut off regardless of its Y size.
…and more!
Bug Fixes
· Ishtar (Divinity) not gaining range buff from her passive
· Upgrading Haruka Rin caused her animation to play over itself and speed up
· Being able to place units and swap out your team if you have enough starting money (happened in tournament 11)
· Highest infinite round not updating in profile UI
· Fixed Medusa’s ability not following the cursor on console
· Ability timer going into negatives for some abilities
· Fixed Battlepass Leveled Up UI icons appearing as lower quality
· Fixed Battle Pass Level Up screen background shadow cutting off prematurely at the bottom
· Fixed multilane unit names being cut off in unit inventory UI
· Money Earned text is no longer off-set
· Fixed Fate Mount not appearing in matches
· Fixed known instances of Worldlines loading screen occasionally showing the wrong map
· Fixed interactions with repulse enemies in golden castle stage
· Items/currencies in stage info UI always displaying as 18x owned
· Fixed JoJo Stand cosmetics breaking on rejoin
· Fixed Steel Ball Run Acts 4-5 spawning players on the incorrect side of the map
· Leaving keybind in settings UI in main game on console not doing anything
· Leaderboard UI stage selection no longer extends out of the UI boarder, and has been replaced by a scrolling frame
· Big performance optimizations for late-game runs
…and many more!
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
Online security is just as important on Android mobile devices as on PCs. From ransomware locking down your phone to sophisticated phishing scams sneaking into your inbox, the threats to users in 2025 are more advanced (and alarming) than ever.
Here are the top mobile threats facing Android users in 2025 to keep an eye out for, alongside some easy-to-follow steps to keep you safe online, including some recommendations.
Editor’s Note: This article is brought to you in association with Avast.
Android’s Most Dangerous Mobile Threats in 2025
1. Ransomware Strikes Back
Ransomware attacks have skyrocketed, with Android users finding themselves in the crosshairs. The rise of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) makes it easier for attackers to deploy devastating malware like LockBit 3.0, which encrypts your data and demands a hefty payment for its return.
How to Stay Safe: Regular data backups are non-negotiable. Combine this with security software capable of detecting and neutralizing ransomware before it locks your files.
2. Phishing That Feels Personal
AI-driven phishing scams are stepping up, crafting emails and text messages that mimic trusted sources with a weird accuracy. Ever get phone calls from unknown numbers that are silent and then hang up? That's usually a bad actor trying to sample your voice (Stay quiet). Deepfake videos and voice calls are convincing these days, making spotting a scam more challenging than ever.
How to Stay Safe: Always verify the source before clicking links or sharing information. Enable anti-phishing tools on your device to flag suspicious activity.
3. Fake Apps and Drive-By Malware
Android’s flexibility is a double-edged sword. While you can access thousands of apps, some open users up to vulnerabilities they wouldn't usually catch on to. For example, Malware like SocGholish pretends to be legitimate software updates but secretly delivers malicious payloads.
How to Stay Safe: Stick to downloading apps from the Google Play Store and pay attention to reviews. Security software with app monitoring capabilities can add an extra layer of protection.
4. Public Wi-Fi Dangers
Logging onto free Wi-Fi may save your data plan. Still, it can also expose your device to hackers lurking on unsecured networks.
How to Stay Safe: Always use a VPN when connecting to public Wi-Fi. It encrypts your connection, making it nearly impossible for hackers to intercept your data.
How Avast Mobile Security Keeps Android Users Safe
The popularity of Android makes it a massive target for cybercriminals. Phishing scams, ransomware, and malware attacks are growing year-over-year, with Android devices being one of the top platforms targeted. Hackers have also started exploiting AI to create malware and phishing attacks that evolve in real-time, making traditional defenses feel outdated.
If managing these risks feels overwhelming, we're recommending our readers use Avast Mobile Security, which boasts both free and premium options. It’s designed to tackle Android-specific threats head-on, which is a decent security blanket I've been using for the best part of a year.
Free Essentials: Malware detection, app lock, and Wi-Fi security to handle the basics.
Premium Perks: Starting at £42.50/year, premium plans add unlimited VPN, firewall protection, and breach monitoring to keep your device and data locked tight.
Cross-Device Coverage: Premium plans protect up to 10 devices, so your Android phone, tablet, and even your family’s devices are secure.
Avast Mobile Security works quietly in the background, too. It safeguards your device without draining your battery or slowing performance. There's the odd pop-up, but this can be disabled in Avast’s settings menu.
Practical Steps for Android Security
Having a tool like Avast Mobile Security is a good way to start being safer online, but getting into some good habits now will prevent a potential nightmare down the road:
Update Regularly: Outdated software is a hacker’s best friend. Keep your Android OS and apps up-to-date.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security to your accounts.
Be Wary of Permissions: Avoid granting unnecessary permissions to apps.
Think Before You Click: Suspicious links are a no-go, even if they seem legit.
The reality of mobile threats in 2025 is daunting, but staying secure doesn’t have to be complicated. Combining good habits with tools like Avast Mobile Security lets you enjoy your Android device without worrying about what’s lurking in the digital shadows.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
In my opinion, the Amazon Kindle is one of the best electronic devices ever. Maybe the only piece of tech I use more than my Kindle is my phone, but even then, I have the Kindle app if I decide I just want to stick some knowledge into my craw. If you're ever looking for a good deal on Kindle devices, we have good news, there are still some deals to be found to kick off the new year.
Quite a few Kindle bundles are discounted right now, and our favorite is this deal on the Kindle Essentials Bundle, which is 9% off its list price of $161.97 to $146.97. With this bundle, you'll get the latest Kindle release in Matcha, a fabric cover in Matcha, and a power adapter. You can see that deal and more below.
The Best Kindle Deals Right Now
Kindle is one of the devices you're most likely to find on sale during Amazon events like Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday. The available Kindle lineup has expanded quite a lot over the years, too. Amazon will oftentimes sneak Kindle deals into its Deal of the Day or offer a bonus deal like free Kindle Unlimited or other Amazon services as well.
New 2024 Kindle Releases
Amazon released quite a few brand-new Kindles in October. Alongside upgraded versions of the standard Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, Kindle Kids, and Kindle Paperwhite Kids, they also revealed the brand-new Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition. This features a color display to make your favorite stories and comics pop. There's also a new Kindle Scribe with a redesigned display that's available now.
What Is Kindle Unlimited?
If you own a Kindle, it's absolutely worth investing in Kindle Unlimited. Right now, when you sign up, you can take advantage of 2 months for $4.99 before it goes back to$11.99/month.
But you may be wondering: what is Kindle Unlimited, and is it really worth it? The answer is... absolutely, dear reader. With this, you'll get unlimited access to millions of digital titles, audiobooks, and magazine subscriptions. That way you can read all of the latest bestsellers, classics, biggest hits, and more in the realm of books and comics. What better way to get started on your Kindle adventure?
Current Kindle Bestsellers
Wondering where to start once you pick up your new Kindle? Have no fear, we're here to help with that, too. Below, we've listed out the current Kindle bestsellers so you can start up an exciting new book right away. Some of these titles can be read for free if you're a Prime member or as part of Kindle Unlimited, or they can be purchased if you'd like to own them.
If you want to see the latest and greatest Kindle book deals available, there's an excellent variety to pick through. Whether you're looking for new comics to dig into or just want to sink into a thrilling novel, there's always great book deals available for Kindle users. We've listed just a few of our favorites below, but if you want to see the full list of available deals, head to Amazon's Kindle deals page here.
I've been rocking the Kindle since the earliest model was available, and not only do I prefer it to any other method of reading, I found myself reading more than I would have with traditional paper books. Not that there's anything wrong with reading from a traditional book, I just personally appreciate the ease of use and form factor afforded me by the Kindle.
Since the Kindles use e-ink instead of traditional screens like your phone or iPad, they can be read in just about any lighting. In fact, the pages look like actual paper pages, so any artificial light or even bright sunlight are no factor when using the Kindle. It only uses energy when you turn the page, use the backlight or leave Wi-Fi turned on, so if you go into Airplane mode you can go weeks, even months, between charging your Kindle. Generally I go long enough to completely forget where I put my charging cable.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé has joked that beloved PlayStation exclusive platformer Astro Bot "almost outdid Nintendo at its own game."
Though Nintendo is famous for making games of all genres and has many beloved franchises such as The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, and more, it's perhaps the platforming Mario series which is most iconic. Astro Bot clearly took much inspiration from the 3D platformers such as Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Odyssey, but put its own spin on the concept and wrapped it in a celebration of PlayStation history.
Indeed, Astro Bot director Nicolas Doucet paid tribute to Nintendo when accepting the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2024 last month, saying: "I remember I was a kid in 1989 Christmas, and I got a grey box, there was a game packed in, it was called Super Mario Bros. and it was really, really great - so we are in Japan, we are in Tokyo, they are in Kyoto, but I want to pay tribute to the company who really put like platformers and showed us innovation and quality consistently, and inspired us to actually make the game that we made... And I've managed not mention them, have you noticed? But you all know who they are."
It's likely this comparison that Fils-Aimé had in mind during the show. "I have to admit it," he said. "Astro Bot almost outdid Nintendo at its own game."
Nintendo, meanwhile, hasn't released a brand new 3D platformer since Super Mario Odyssey was released in 2017. It was as beloved as any other, of course, being called a "masterpiece" in IGN's 10/10 review, but the seven year gap has left Nintendo fans pining for more.
Ted Price, the founder and president of Marvel's Spider-Man, Ratchet and Clank, and Resistance developer Insomniac Games, has announced his retirement from PlayStation after 30 years.
Price made the announcement on Sony's website, while a follow-up PlayStation Blog post delved into his replacements. Ryan Schneider, Jen Huang, and Chad Dezern will take over as co-studio heads of Insomniac.
The studio, which is currently working on Marvel's Wolverine, is currently "in one of the strongest positions" it's been in for years, Price said. "Therefore, last week, I felt comfortable announcing to the Insomniac team that after having been incredibly fortunate to enjoy such a fulfilling career in games, I’ll be retiring from the industry at the end of March."
Price said he made the decision last year because he felt "it was simply time to step aside and let others pave the way" after more than 30 years leading Insomniac.
We’re going to keep making the games you love, while taking care of the people who make them.
"During the past year, I had the opportunity to work with the senior leadership team at Insomniac to create a succession plan that I know will provide the continuity, stability and strong leadership necessary to deliver more of what our fans cherish over the next several decades."
Schneider began at Insomniac during the PlayStation 2 era and later became the studio's first community director. He then joined the senior leadership team and served as head of franchise strategy and studio relations, and then head of brand and leadership strategy, before moving to co-studio head.
Huang joined Insomniac as chief financial officer and head of finance eight years ago and has so far shipped 12 games with Insomniac. Finally, Dezern has been part of Insomniac since 1998 and has worked as an environment artist, art director, Durham studio director, and most recently as head of creative.
"We’re going to keep making the games you love, while taking care of the people who make them," the three said in a joint statement. "This aligns with our studio vision of making a positive and lasting impact on people’s lives.
"Ted has also laid the foundation for Insomniac as one of the industry’s all-time most successful studio leaders. Now, it’s up to us to help Insomniac thrive long into the future. Thanks to Ted’s guidance and leadership, we are ready."
Price alluded to this too. "There is no way that I would ever consider handing the reins to a team I didn’t trust to take care of Insomniacs and lead us to even greater heights," he said. "Chad, Jen and Ryan are that team."
He concluded: "I want to thank every Insomniac for having a positive and lasting impact on my life. Working side by side with Insomniacs for so many years has been a gift that I’ll cherish for the rest of my days.
"I also want to thank our fans who, for three decades, have shared their enthusiasm, their encouragement and their support — inspiring us to take every game farther than the last. We do what we do for you. And I can assure you that we won’t be slowing down."
Insomniac certainly appears to be plenty busy, though so far has only announced Wolverine. The studio was the victim of a data breach in 2023, however, which revealed a long list of upcoming projects.
In our 8/10 review of its latest release, IGN said: "Marvel's Spider-Man 2 delivers Insomniac's best tale yet, and despite its open world falling short, is a reliably fun superhero power trip."
Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Physical media and horror fans, rejoice! Robert Eggers' gothic horror Nosferatu is now available to preorder on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. There's a standard version of the film available to preorder now, which will set you back $27.95, and a fancy limited edition steelbook for $40.35. Both are set to release this year on February 18, so you can enjoy a spooky night in in just a few weeks' time.
At the moment, both Gruv and Amazon are sold out of the steelbook but Walmart still has stock available. This steelbook features a 4K UHD version of the film, a Blu-ray, and a digital copy tucked away in a sleek steelbook case with Bill Skarsgård's Count Orlok on the cover and Lily-Rose Depp's Ellen on the back. It also comes with an extended cut of the film alongside the theatrical cut.
Nosferatu 4K UHD, Blu-Ray, and Digital Preorder
Similar to the steelbook, the standard release comes with a 4K UHD version of the film, a Blu-ray, and a digital copy. You'll also get the extended cut of the film alongside the theatrical cut.
Nosferatu 4K UHD and Blu-Ray Bonus Features
Both the steelbook and standard 4K release come with a few bonus features, including:
Deleted Scenes
Nosferatu: A Modern Masterpiece
Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Robert Eggers
We had high praise for Nosferatu in our 9/10 review. Writer Siddhant Adlakha called it "Robert Eggers' finest work, given how it both boldly stands on its own as a gothic vampire drama and astutely taps into the original texts — F.W. Murnau's silent classic and Bram Stoker's novel Dracula." If you're curious about where you can stream Nosferatu instead, have a look at our Nosferatu streaming guide for additional information. And to see even more physical media releasing soon, check out our roundup of upcoming 4K UHD and Blu-ray release dates.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
<b>Honorable Mentions<br><br></b>
Of course, there are always those movies that just almost made our top group, but got edged out in the final voting among our staff. That includes writer-director Alex Garland’s Civil War, a gut-punch of a film starring Kirsten Dunst as a photojournalist documenting the bloodshed resulting from a modern American Civil War. Even as she takes the young photographer Cailee Spaeny under her wing, Dunst’s character finds herself at the center of a consequential moment for this fake but also all-too-real United States.<br><br>
Also starring Spaeny and also among our honorable mentions is Alien: Romulus, a surprisingly strong return to the roots of the Alien franchise after the side journeys of OG director Ridley Scott’s Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. With Romulus, director Fede Álvarez manages to mainline everything we loved about the good Alien movies, as well as some of the bad ones, and mostly gets away without the film feeling like a fan-service retread. Another familiar IP – because yes, that’s what these things are – that was near the top of our picks was Wicked, or Wicked: Part 1, really. The Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-starring adaptation managed to convincingly channel the beloved stage musical but also the book on which its based.<br><br>
And then there were the straight-up horror films like Longlegs, filmmaker Osgood Perkins’ creepy riff on Silence of the Lambs featuring a Teddy Perkins-esque Nicolas Cage that you won’t soon forget, and Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu. Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse) remakes the 102-year-old German Expressionist classic with Bill Skarsgård now playing the dreaded Count Orlok. The film probably would’ve ranked higher on this list if not for the fact that it’s not out until Dec. 25 and not enough of our staff had seen it by the time voting had closed.
It's a new year and that means plenty of new deals for Xbox fans. At the moment, there are quite a few game deals available that are worth checking out, including discounts on Star Wars Outlaws, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Sonic X Shadow Generations, but these just scratch the surface of what's out there. Here are the best Xbox deals available at the moment.
Best Xbox Game Deals
While the holidays and seasonal sale events may be behind us, you can still save on quite a few games to kick off the new year. At the moment, you can score some great deals on Star Wars Outlaws, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Sonic X Shadow Generations, to name a few. You can find even more Xbox game deals below.
More Xbox Video Game Deals:
What's Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass
Game Pass has a nice rotation of new titles to play every month. If you're curious about what's in store for the rest of January, we've got you covered. The Xbox Game Pass January wave 2 lineup is:
Far Cry New Dawn (Cloud, Console, and PC) – February 4 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
New Xbox Consoles Available Now
Two new variants of Xbox Series X are now available alongside a new 1TB Series S. If you're interested in picking one of these up, the fancy 2TB Galaxy Black Series X will set you back $599.99, the 1TB All-Digital Robot White Xbox Series X can be bought for $449.99, and the 1TB Robot White Xbox Series S goes for $349.99.
The recent discomfored surrounding Xbox can be isolated to a recent round of brutal layoffs. Microsoft is closing a number of Bethesda studios, including Redfall maker Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush and The Evil Within developer Tango Gameworks, and more in devastating cuts at Bethesda. Alpha Dog Games, maker of mobile game Mighty Doom, will also close. Roundhouse Studios will be absorbed by The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios. Microsoft, currently valued at over $3 trillion, did not say how many staff will lose their jobs, but significant layoffs are inevitable.
In general, it is advisable to keep an eye out for sales and restocks throughout the year, as availability has improved since the initial launch of the console. Unlike the Nintendo Switch, there is no specific recommendation to wait for a sale regardless of the time of year. Instead, it's a good idea to monitor various retailers and online platforms for restock announcements and promotional offers.
However, certain events like Black Friday or other holiday seasons may bring about unique bundles, discounts, or promotional deals specifically for the Xbox Series X. These bundles may include additional games, accessories, or exclusive limited editions. While quantities for such promotions might be limited, they can provide an opportunity to get more value for your purchase. See our guide to Xbox Series X prices for more info.
Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S?
Choosing between the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S ultimately depends on your gaming preferences, budget, and specific requirements. Let's compare the two consoles to help you make an informed decision:
1. Performance: The Xbox Series X is the more powerful option, offering native 4K gaming, higher graphical fidelity, and faster loading times. It has more advanced hardware, including a larger storage capacity. On the other hand, the Xbox Series S targets a lower price point and offers a less powerful performance, targeting 1440p resolution gaming and upscaling to 4K.
2. Price: The Xbox Series S is more affordable compared to the Xbox Series X. If budget is a significant factor for you, the Xbox Series S provides a cost-effective option while still delivering a next-generation gaming experience. For example, the Series S can play Starfield at 1440p 30fps (vs 4K 30fps on Series X).
3. Storage: The Xbox Series X comes with a larger internal storage capacity, allowing you to store more games directly on the console. The Xbox Series S, however, has a smaller storage capacity, which means you may need to manage your game library more actively or rely on external storage solutions.
4. Disc Drive: The Xbox Series X includes a disc drive, enabling you to play physical game discs and enjoy a wider range of media options, including Blu-ray and DVD playback. The Xbox Series S, in contrast, is a digital-only console, meaning you can only play games downloaded from the digital store.
5. Graphics and Performance: While both consoles support ray tracing, the Xbox Series X provides a more immersive and visually impressive experience due to its superior hardware capabilities. If you prioritize cutting-edge graphics and want the best performance available, the Xbox Series X is the preferable choice.
Consider your gaming preferences, budget, and whether you prioritize top-of-the-line performance or cost-effectiveness. If you have a 4K TV, want the most powerful console, and are willing to invest more, the Xbox Series X is the recommended option. If you have a lower budget, a 1080p or 1440p TV, and don't mind sacrificing some performance, the Xbox Series S offers excellent value for money.
With how expensive gaming is getting in 2024, we're trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We've got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as Switch and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand new offers. If you're trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Ever since 2007, Netflix has been one of the biggest players in the world of streaming, offering high-quality shows and movies like Stranger Things, Squid Game, Black Mirror, and so many more.
It may seem like everyone has Netflix, but things have changed a bit since the streamer started cracking down on people sharing their accounts with people outside of their home. It’s also true that there are so many other streaming services and bundles these days that many people rightfully need to be picky about their subscriptions to avoid a horrifying monthly bill. If you need to downgrade your plan or cancel your Netflix subscription, it's worth looking at the prices below.
So, whether you are considering signing up for Netflix for the first time, want to come back for a specific show or movie, need to finally get your own account after sharing one for years and years, or whatever else, this guide will let you know everything you need about Netflix’s current plans to help make that decision as easy as possible for you.
As of January 2025, Netflix has three plans - Standard with ads, Standard, and Premium - each plan has its pros and cons in regard to features and price, and we will break down each one below, first in a quick bulleted list from Netflix and then in a more detailed version from us below that. Netflix used to have a Basic plan as well for $9.99/month, but the company removed it for new/rejoining users back in July. However, those who were subscribed to the Basic plan before it was scrapped can keep it until they either switch plans or cancel their account.
Netflix Plans and Prices (As of January 2025)
Netflix rang in the new year with yet another round of price hikes. These prices took effect starting January 21, 2025:
1. Standard with Ads - $7.99/month
Ad-supported, all but a few movies and TV shows available, unlimited mobile games
Watch on 2 supported devices at a time
Watch in Full HD
2. Standard - $17.99/month
Unlimited ad-free movies, TV shows, and mobile games
Watch on 2 supported devices at a time
Watch in Full HD
Download on 2 supported devices at a time
Option to add 1 extra member who doesn't live with you ($7.99/month)
Add extra member slots for $7.99 each
3. Premium - $24.99/month
Unlimited ad-free movies, TV shows, and mobile games
Watch on 4 supported devices at a time
Watch in Ultra HD
Download on 6 supported devices at a time
Option to add up to 2 extra members who don't live with you ($7.99/month per user)
Netflix spatial audio
Add extra member slots for $7.99 each
Netflix Subscriptions Tiers, Explained
Standard with Ads - $7.99/Month
The lowest-priced Standard with Ads plan was one that had been requested for many years, and Netflix finally released it on November 3, 2022, in the US, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, and the UK.
The Standard with Ads plan costs $7.99/month and is an ad-supported plan that includes “all but a few movies and TV shows'' and unlimited mobile games like Oxenfree and Spiritfarer. It also allows for subscribers to watch on two supported devices at a time, which means you can be watching two different shows (or the same one!) on two different devices, which is especially useful if you live with other people.
Subscribers of this plan will be able to stream their content in 1080p (Full HD), which is a bump up from the 720p (HD) offered in the basic plan.
Standard - $17.99/month
The Standard plan is Netflix’s most popular as it gives the best options for those who live in homes with multiple people and like to watch their content at a higher resolution.
While it does come with a hefty price hike of $10/month over the Basic plan, it does give some important upgrades that make it worth a look. First up, it includes ad-free access to all of Netflix’s content, and subscribers to the Standard plan will be able to stream that content at a resolution of up to 1080p (Full HD). Sure, it’s not the 4K offered in the highest-tier plan, but 1080p is good enough for a lot of people who don’t necessarily care as much about the tech behind streams and just want content that looks good, which it does at 1080p!
The Standard plan also lets subscribers watch Netflix on two devices at once and download content to two of those devices at a time. This tier also allows you to add one member who lives outside of your home at $7.99/month, which is a good option now that Netflix is cracking down on account sharing. This is very useful, especially if you have family members or friends who don’t live with you that you are supporting or simply just want to gift the treat of Netflix to them.
It’s also important to note that the members you invite outside of your home will use their own Netflix account and password, you simply just pay to let them use it.
Premium - $24.99/month
The Premium plan is Netflix’s most expensive tier and offers all the best features the streamer has to offer. Alongside obviously giving subscribers access to Netflix’s entire library, it allows them to watch the content at resolutions up to 4K (Ultra HD), which is great for those who have the latest and greatest TVs.
The Premium plan also allows for four devices to watch Netflix at a time, which is beneficial for those living with big families or a bunch of friends. It also has the benefit of letting you download Netflix content on up to six devices at once, meaning four people can watch Netflix at once and two others can still watch their downloaded content without anyone running into any errors or getting kicked off.
One of the other bigger selling points of the Premium plan is Netflix spatial audio, which, according to Netflix, “enhances sound without the need for surround sound speakers or home theater equipment.” Think of spatial audio as a type of 3D audio that makes it so sounds appear in more precise locations and not just from left or right stereo channels.
Lastly, you have the option to add up to two extra members who don’t live with you for $7.99/month per user.
For more from the world of Netflix, check out our list of the best Netflix movies you can watch on the streamer right now, as well as our best of lists for the genres of anime, horror, action, and sci-fi. You can also read our review of Netflix, where we said, “Netflix continues to sit atop its competitors in the streaming wars with its robust library of original content, plus a still-healthy amount of licensed movies and shows, all presented by a best-in-class user interface that’s sleek and easy to navigate no matter what device you’re viewing on.”
More Streaming Service Guides
If you're looking for even more streaming service guides, explore the below plans in 2025:
Streaming Netflix With a VPN
If you’re traveling or planning to travel and trying to watch Netflix, a VPN can help. Our top VPN service pick right now for streaming Netflix is NordVPN (with pricing starting at $3.69 per month). See our full VPN expert-picked list for a breakdown of trusted VPNs for streaming in 2024.
Adam Bankhurst not only writes news, reviews, previews, features, and more for IGN, but he also helps run the homepage. Adam was born in Cleveland, OH, and now lives in Columbus with his incredible wife and 3-year-old son. He is an aficionado of all things Disney, Star Wars, Marvel, Lord of the Rings, Nintendo, Final Fantasy, Mass Effect, and so much more.
With Netflix raising prices, introducing ads, and cracking down on password sharing, you may be thinking about cancelling your Netflix subscription altogether. Although the streaming service offers a variety of popular movies and shows you can't get anywhere else, there is no shortage of good content across other platforms and bundles in 2025.
If you're wondering how to cancel Netflix, the process is fairly simple. You can follow our step-by-step guide below and take a look at our list of Netflix alternatives for other streaming options.
How to Cancel Netflix
Cancelling your Netflix membership is really easy. Just follow these steps:
Click the drop-down menu in the top right corner of the screen (or click the user icon on the app)
Select 'Account' from the list to access account management
Click the big 'Cancel Membership' button just below the 'Membership & Billing' section
Click 'Finish Cancellation' to confirm
What are Some Good Netflix Alternatives?
If you do cancel your subscription, some of the best Netflix movies and original series will no longer be available to you. That means no more Stranger Things or Squid Game, but if that isn't a deal breaker for you, there are other good services out there that come at a lower cost. It's also worth noting that if you pay for Amazon Prime, then you have already have access to Prime Video.
Here are some of the best streaming options available in 2025:
The Disney+, Hulu, and Max Bundle
The cost of a basic Netflix membership is currently $9.99 per month, which allows for a single screen to be streaming Netflix at any given time. For just $4 more, you can get the Disney+ bundle that gives you access to Hulu and Maxc as well.
This is likely the best option if you're looking to get the most bang for you buck. You'll get access to new Marvel shows, Hulu Originals, Star Wars shows, and more for $13.99 a month with ads or $19.99 without.
Max
Another great streaming option is HBO's streaming service: HBO Max. You can get the base subscription with ads for $9.99 or the ad-free version for $14.99 per month. Both options allow up to 5 profiles. Max does not include a free trial of its service.
The main draw of HBO Max is it's original content, however. You get HBO orginals movies and shows as well as content from DC, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, and Studio Ghibli. You also get to watch the biggest Warner Bros. movies like The Batman on the platform as soon as they hit streaming and watch The Last of Us episodes.
It was also recently announced that HBO Max and Discovery+ are being combined into one service, so that will expand the content available on the platform even more.
Apple TV+
If you're looking to cut down your streaming budget significantly, one of the cheapest services currently available is Apple TV+. You can get a free 7-day trial to test it out and then pay only $6.99 a month. There is also an option to get 3 months of the service for free when you purchase an Apple device.
Although Apple TV+ doesn't offer a massive library of content like Netflix, it has some of the best original shows and movies of the year. If you join now, you can even catch up on Severance for Season 2.
Diamond Select Toys has long catered to statue collectors who love Keanu Reeves' filmography, as they've released several products based on the John Wick and The Matrix franchises. Now DST is adding another Reeves franchise to its stable, with the company revealing the very first statue based on Reeves' comic book series (and future Netflix adaptation) BRZRKR.
IGN can exclusively reveal the first images of the BRZRKR Gallery Diorama B. (Modern) PVC Statue. Check them out below:
While the BRZRKR comics have explored the long, sad story of the immortal warrior known as B throughout his unnaturally long life, this particular statue is based on B's modern look. It depicts him charging into battle while wearing tactical gear and wielding a pair of knives.
The Brzrkr Gallery Diorama B. (Modern) PVC Statue measures roughly 9 inches tall and is sculpted in PVC. The statue was designed by Caesar and sculpted by Jean St. Jean.
In other BRZRKR news, Reeves and screenwriter Mattson Tomlin gave fans an update on the movie and anime adaptations at Comic-Con 2024. Tomlin revealed he had recently turned in a draft of the film script, and also that he was assembling a team to work on the BRZRKR anime series in Fall 2024.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket byfollowing @jschedeen on BlueSky.
Click through for an exclusive first look at the first statue based on Keanu Reeves' BRZRKR franchise.
As streaming has evolved and changed throughout the years, streaming services have also been changing in structure, content rights, and pricing. Despite the increase in competition (and prices), Netflix does not offer any sort of free trial. Even though the service does have a free trial page in the Netflix help center, it simply states that Netflix does not offer free trials and points to links on how to change your Netflix plan or cancel your Netflix membership.
Can You Get Netflix for Free in Other Ways?
Although Netflix doesn't have a free trial directly, you can still technically get free Netflix through other means. The only true "free" option available is T-Mobile's Netflix on Us benefit that offers a free Netflix when you sign up for certain Go5G plans of the service. Both Verizon and Comcast offer subscription bundles that can help reduce the overall cost of Netflix, but these plans don't give you the service for no additional cost.
What Netflix Alternatives Have Free Trials?
Luckily, if you are looking for a free streaming service trial, there are still multiple competitors that offer quality content and a chance to sample their streaming library for free. Check out these various alternatives below:
Activision has released a new trailer for Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Season 2, which kicks off later this month.
Season 2 goes live on January 28 and adds five Multiplayer maps — Bounty, Dealership, Lifeline, Bullet (Mid-Season), Grind (Mid-Season) — and sees the return of the fan-favorite Gun Game mode, and adds new weapons and operators.
The trailer offers a look at Bounty, Dealership, and Lifeline, the latter of which looks like a small version of the much-loved Hijacked MP map from Black Ops 2. Dealership looks like it's set in a car dealership. It's hard to make out the setting for Bounty.
In keeping with an apparent ninja theme, the trailer confirms the addition of swords via an operator dual wielding katanas. Developer Treyarch had already teased the addition of an “iconic” SMG with Season 2, and it’s rumored to be the PPSH-41 from Call of Duty: Vanguard.
As for Zombies, the trailer shows a first look at gameplay of the new map, The Tomb, as well as an ice staff. Warzone does not appear to be represented in the video. Activision is expected to publish a Season 2 roadmap shortly.
Fans eagerly awaiting the launch of Season 2 not just for new content, but for promised improved anti-cheat tech.
Speaking of Warzone, Activision has said Season 2 will have less content than originally planned as it addresses some of the more severe issues currently afflicting the game. It will focus on gameplay tuning, bug fixes, and quality-of-life improvements with the coming season, pushing back new content originally planned for the launch of Season 2.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Avowed is set to release for Xbox Series X|S and PC on February 13 — if you buy one of the more expensive special editions. The standard edition is out February 18. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment, this first-person action-RPG promises to be a lot of fun. It’s available to preorder now (see it at Amazon) in a number of editions, both physical and digital. Below, we break down what comes in each one. Let’s dive in.
If you want a physical copy of Avowed, the premium edition is your only option. In addition to a digital code for the game, here’s what you get with the premium edition steelbook:
If you don't need the extras that come in the premium edition, and you don't mind waiting until February 18 to play, this is the version to get. Or you can get this version on Game Pass.
Like all Microsoft-published games, Avowed will be available on Game Pass Ultimate. Subscribers will get access to the standard edition of the game on February 18.
Whether you’re getting Avowed through Game Pass, or you preordered the standard edition, you may find yourself wanting to play the game early, or get access to the premium edition content. If so, here’s the solution: pick up the premium edition upgrade. It turns a standard edition copy of Avowed into a premium edition.
What Is Avowed?
Avowed is a first-person action-RPG that takes place in the Living Lands, an island in the world of Eora, which some people will know from the Pillars of Eternity series. You don’t need to be familiar with any previous games, though. You play as a character who has come to the Living Lands to investigate a plague that’s spreading throughout the island.
The Living Lands is monster-infested, of course, and you can fend off enemies using magical spells, swords, and even guns. You’ll pick up companions on your journey and make all sorts of choices about how to proceed when forks in the road appear. Check out our overwhelmingly positive Avowed hands-on preview for more details.
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Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.
What would happen if Godzilla rampaged his way through the Marvel Universe? That's a question Marvel is setting out to answer in a new series of one-shot crossover specials. IGN can exclusively reveal the third issue in this series - Godzilla vs. Spider-Man #1.
Check out the slideshow gallery below to see the cover art for Godzilla vs. Spider-Man #1:
The reveal of Godzilla vs Spider-Man follows on the heels of March's Godzilla vs. Fantastic Four #1 and April's Godzilla vs Hulk #1. As with those issues, Godzilla vs. Spider-Man #1 is a throwback story set in an earlier decade. In this case, the story takes place after 1984's Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, shortly after Peter Parker returns from Battleworld and begins grappling with the effects of bonding with an alien symbiote costume. He'll need every last ounce of his newfound strength to save his city when Godzilla comes calling.
Godzilla vs. Spider-Man #1 is written by Joe Kelly, whom Marvel recently announced will be helming the upcoming relaunch of the flagship The Amazing Spider-Man series. The issue will be illustrated by Nick Bradshaw (Wolverine and the X-Men), with cover art by Bradshaw, Lee Garbett, and Greg Land.
“The second I heard that there was going to be a Godzilla x Spidey crossover set in the ‘80s, I almost leapt across the table to claim it," Kelly tells IGN. "This book is a chance to go nuts and have a blast with two iconic characters and channel the chaos of the time period that I was actively collecting Spider-Man. Nick Bradshaw really captures the absurdity of the concept and the vibe I was going for, while at the same time giving Godzilla and Spidey (in his perfectly-normal-nothing-weird-here-black suit!) the prestige and gravity they deserve. It's a love letter served with an earth-shattering roar!”
This isn't the first time popular Western superheroes have battled Godzilla. DC recently published Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong, with a sequel in the works. However, where that series focused on the MonsterVerse incarnations of Godzilla and King Kong, these Marvel issues instead focus on the classic Toho Godzilla.
Highly anticipated action role-playing game Phantom Blade Zero, which doesn't look to dissimilar to Black Myth: Wukong, has received a slick new trailer but still no release date.
The Year of the Snake Gameplay Trailer, below, shows Phantom Blade Zero's protagonist in a boss battle against Chief Disciple's Fallen Hope, a puppet-themed baddie who fights with a squad of marionettes before moving to strings itself.
Fans hoping for a concrete launch date for Phantom Blade Zero are out of luck, however, as Chinese developer S-Game still hasn't revealed when players can get their hands on the game beyond a vague 2025 release window.
The studio told Eurogamer Phantom Blade Zero is a "polished title" though, evidenced by the demos shown last year. It's currently in the process of pushing "the boundaries even further" using Unreal Engine 5, brought on by a "significant" increase in budget.
The Year of the Snake gameplay trailer closed by showing off some snake-themed weapons. Weapon Number 13 is called the Soft Snake Sword and has a flexible metallic blade which can rapidly cut through foes, while Weapon Number 27 is the White Serpent and Crimson Viper big sword and short sword combo.
Doug Cockle, the voice actor behind The Witcher protagonist Geralt, has backed CD Projekt’s decision to focus on Ciri for The Witcher 4.
The Witcher 4, revealed at The Game Awards 2024 with a debut trailer, is the first in a new trilogy of Witcher games set after the events of The Witcher 3. But rather than star Geralt as protagonist, Ciri is the main character this time around.
“It was always about her, starting from Saga when you read it in the books. She's an amazing, layered character. And of course, as a protagonist we said goodbye to Geralt previously. So this is a continuation. I guess for all of us it’s like she was meant to be. That was always her.”
Game director Sebastian Kalemba added that because Ciri is younger than Geralt, players will have more freedom to define her character in a way they couldn’t with Geralt. This also affords the developers more space to explore her character.
While both Mitręga and Kalemba acknowledged a potential backlash from some corners of the internet at Ciri’s role as protagonist in The Witcher 4, they insisted Ciri was always going to be the game’s main character.
“There was an intention behind this choice,” Kalemba said. “It was far from roulette. It wasn't random. I remember we had discussions nine years ago, we were talking about who's next? The very, very instant answer was Ciri. There are many reasons behind that. We've already mentioned a few. But she really deserves a stage and we want players to really experience her story because she has so much to tell, so much to prove. The amount of challenges that are in front of her give us so much amazing energy and fuel to create an epic saga that we had no choice but to go with it. We all felt that this is the way. I believe this is the super right choice.”
Now, speaking to IGN as part of a wider interview on Netflix’s upcoming animated film, The Witcher: Sirens of The Deep, Cockle backed CD Projekt’s decision, even though it sees Geralt take a back seat.
“I'm really excited,” he said. “I think it's a really good move. I mean, I always thought that continuing the Saga, but shifting to Ciri would be a really, really interesting move for all kinds of reasons, but mostly because of things that happen in the books, which I don't want to give away because people, I want people to go read. So yeah, I think it's really exciting. I can't wait. I can't wait to see what they've done.”
If you've watched The Witcher 4’s debut trailer, you’ll have heard a line of dialogue that sounded very much like it was coming from previous protagonist Geralt: “Time for a new saga. See you on the path.”
IGN has confirmed that Geralt is indeed in The Witcher 4, and that is indeed the voice of Cockle. CD Projekt told IGN: "Geralt will appear in the game, but we don’t want to spoil his role precisely. You’ll have to wait to learn more for now."
So, how can Geralt appear in The Witcher 4 after The witcher 3 left the character in semi-retirement at his vineyard in Toussaint? In an interview with IGN ahead of the reveal of The Witcher 4, CD Projekt franchise and lore designers Cian Maher and Marcin Batylda explained how the already established timeline of events makes it make sense.
“I mean Geralt will probably be around for a long time to the extent that in Season of Storms, the prequel novel that takes place actually before Geralt attends that banquet we mentioned earlier on, there is an epilogue in that book,” Maher explained.
“It takes place in a place called Magpie Forest in 1373, 101 years after The Witcher 3. And in that epilogue there is a certain white-haired witcher hunting a monster who remains unnamed, but who behaves in a certain way and obviously he has white hair. So by which I mean I think we can expect Geralt to be around for a long time. The capacity in which he does is, we'll see, but I don't think he's going anywhere.”
Cockle, though, is keeping his cards close to his chest in terms of the extent of his role on The Witcher 4, even saying he’s still waiting to find out more himself.
“Well, we know that Witcher 4 is going to focus on Ciri, so whatever role Geralt has in the game, it won't be a main protagonist kind of thing,” he said. “But beyond what we know from the trailer, I don't know anything.”
IGN asked Cockle if he’s now back in CD Projekt’s good books. It turns out, he never left.
“Yeah, I was never really out of their good books,” he said. “All developers are like this. They want to keep their surprises and I actually didn't know anything, so I was just making guesses at things and stuff like that. And probably one of their requests was to just to stop guessing, Doug, you might be right. You might not be right. It doesn't matter if you are talking me, Doug, who plays Geralt, whatever you say is going to be taken as something.
“So it was a very, very light slap on the wrist. It wasn't really a big deal. But yeah, we've all seen the trailer now, so we know something of what's coming.”
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Sega has launched its own account system akin to the Nintendo Account or Ubisoft Connect that will "maximize" its online services and offer various benefits, kicking off with a free costume for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
The aptly named Sega Account was revealed on its new website and is described as "an online profile that gives you access to a host of benefits when playing Sega and Atlus titles and using their online services.
"By creating a Sega Account, you'll receive the latest news about Sega and Atlus games, events, and promotions. Additionally, your Sega Account grants you access to exclusive bonuses and the ability to link accounts on various gaming platforms."
The first of these benefits is the Kazuma Kiryu Special Outfit in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, which lets protagonist Goro Majima dress up as his friend, rival, and longtime Yakuza series lead. This is the same outfit Sega is giving away for signing up to email notifications, but it's unclear if that has now changed.
Sega didn't announce what future benefits fans could expect, but it will presumably include its other flagship franchises such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Persona. It could also tie into a Game Pass style subscription service Sega is currently considering.
As reported by the BBC, the company is currently "evaluating some opportunities" in the subscription service space and, just like PlayStation launched its Game Pass rival on the back of its established PlayStation Plus service, Sega could be setting the foundations for a similar move in the future.
Fans are also speculating a connection with the impending Sega "Super Game," expected to release by the end of March 2026. While practically nothing is known about this project, Sega described it as a "large scale global title" that many fans are expecting to be an accumulation of various games akin to what Call of Duty has done with its titles or what Ubisoft is working on with Assassin's Creed Infinity: essentially a hub for myriad other games.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
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