An ergonomic mouse has always been intimidating – adjusting to the shape and size has kept me from taking the plunge, even if wrist pain is my middle name and I know it’d be “good” for me. However, the Keychron M5 ergonomic mouse may have just turned me into a convert for this function and form. While the verticality of the M5 matches what you’d expect from many of the ergonomic mice on the market, its specs compete with any top-of-the-line gaming mouse. With an 8,000Hz polling rate, a 30,000 DPI sensor, and PTFE feet for easy gliding across surfaces, Keychron bridges the gap between ergonomic design and high-end gaming specs. But does this mashup make a meaningful difference in the experience? The answer is complex.

Keychron M5 – Design and Features

The M5 ergonomic mouse has five buttons and two scroll wheels that can be independently programmed using the Keychron Launcher app. The primary button surface is tilted over at a 47° angle and that’s how it’s able to provide optimal ergonomic comfort according to Keychron. And after using it for a couple of weeks, I can vouch for that assertion.

With this being a viable workday mouse, you’ll get some extra mileage out of it if you have the space to carry it, which I did on a recent trip. Of course it’s less than practical to pull out on a plane or at an event space, but it does help to have it on hand while working away from your usual set-up. And the battery life is the real show-stealer, lasting upward of 140 hours under ideal conditions – it’s one way that we see the M5’s versatility show up when it comes to mice. But how well the switches on the left and right buttons hold up is another highlight; while I wouldn’t usually try to take such a large mouse on the go, the Huano 80M micro-switches have a satisfying click that puts typical non-gaming mice to shame.

With all of its pluses, the one larger hiccup with the mouse is that at its size, my hands may be just too small to fully use the left side button features beyond the side scrolling feature. The M5 is definitely suited for those with larger hands. When I remembered the sideways scroll wheel was there, it was useful particularly when it comes to productivity during work tasks, but its positioning made it less than ideal to use naturally. Transitioning to an ergonomic mouse did take some time for me, but the right side of the mouse was much easier to adjust to thanks to how well my hand gelled with its button placement. Ultimately, while it’s hard to hold it against the mouse’s design, my smaller hands meant some of its features weren’t as intuitive to use as I’d hoped.

The M5 can be used wirelessly via 2.4 GHz with its USB-C dongle and through Bluetooth connection, and it works just fine when connected to devices with the packaged USB-C cable. It comes with an adapter for those with computers lacking the USB-C ports as well. You even get a 2.4GHz extension hub for those with more complex setups, letting you have a clean signal for the mouse. The only issue I encountered was actually syncing the M5 with my hardware’s Bluetooth which meant that the dongle was necessary to keep on me. Unlike a lot of wireless mice, the M5 doesn’t have a feature that allows you to store the dongle inside the mouse itself meaning it was a crapshoot as to whether or not I’d lose the dongle while traveling (which is okay, that’s on me). But when wireless usage is a feature, thinking about the lifestyle that takes a value in that does make you think about storage.

There are six polling rate settings going all the way up to the high-performance 8,000Hz, which you only see on the top-performing gaming mice. (If you’re unfamiliar, a mouse’s polling rate is how frequently it reports its position to the computer it’s connected to. It’s not necessarily about input delay when using wireless products, but rather how smooth your mouse movements will be tracked.) This is accessible in both the 2.4 GHz wireless dongle and wired USB-C connection, and the kicker here is that the M5 doesn’t need the launcher to adjust the polling rates. You’ll see different buttons located on the mouse’s underside that allow you to adjust the DPI and polling rate as denoted by different colored positional lights. You can manually adjust this by clicking the buttons and moving the light position to align with different settings. Once I realized that I was trying to move the mouse more than needed and figured out the right level of sensitivity, I stopped needing to over-adjust my movements in game.

Keychron M5 – Software and Customization

Setting up the M5 is one of the easiest experiences I’ve had personalizing a gaming peripheral. While most mice, headsets, mics, keyboards, and the like all require downloading individual apps to customize RGB lighting, sensitivity, and their suite of options, Keychron doesn’t. Instead, the Keychron Launcher is a browser app that allows you to customize your device immediately (as we covered in the Keychron K4 HE keyboard, for example). The difference from its competitors is that there is no standalone app to download to each new device to adjust the mouse to your needs at the time, and this browser-based app can be accessed from any device with internet access and is supported by all modern operating systems.

Throughout the review period I used the M5 Ergonomic mouse on three different machines. While all of them were Windows-based PCs, they varied in device-type – from a basic Surface tablet-laptop to a gaming laptop and a gaming PC, and each time I went to the Keychron launcher and had easy access to adjust my settings. I wish all devices would adopt options like this because getting connected is simple and it also immediately allows you to keep your firmware updated immediately without having to run update checks.

Keychron M5 – Performance

When it comes to moment-to-moment use, the M5 is extremely good with its accurate tracking as there was next to no input lag when handling fast-paced games. The amount of control you get in its feature set really lets you determine how much physical exertion you want to put in for normal tasks. That said, it does take quite some time to get used to if you haven’t used a “tall” mouse before, but after taking the time to make the adjustment, the mouse stops being something quirky and starts being a peripheral that I was moving from both my workstation and personal devices.

However, the M5 doesn’t exactly pass the gaming test for me. When it comes to movement, the added weight is a little more difficult to make more drastic and quick swipes you’d need to in certain games – the PTFE mouse feet helped make for the sometimes cumbersome size, helping it glide easily. This makes customization for sensitivity settings including DPI even more important in order to help offset things. Finessing the right settings to come up with your ideal profile for the M5 is a process that will take time.

During the review period, I used the M5 while playing Two Point Museum and Final Fantasy XIV, as well as a couple of matches of Marvel Rivals. Across the three different game types, nothing really felt like a great fit for the M5. Granted, I tend to use a traditional mouse so getting familiar with the ergonomic design was part of the process, and pinpointing its practicality for gaming is challenging (and makes the inclusion of a high-performance 8,000Hz polling rate more curious). But the story is much different when using the M5 for all of my work tasks.

Most days, I work editing Notion pages, adjusting cards in Kanban boards, and managing data sets in spreadsheets. All of these little tasks require a lot of mouse clicks, and most of the time, my compact mouse wound up leaving my hand feeling more cramped than anything, depending on how much time I’m spending organizing spreadsheets. With the ergonomic mouse design really getting its shine when it comes to productivity and work environments, this shouldn’t be a surprise yet it speaks to how the M5 nails this aspect.

As I moved the M5 between my personal workstation and my gaming PC, I tried to work it into my gaming routine. Still, the comfort it provided wasn’t worth the more cumbersome design elements for gaming, and ultimately, an ergonomic, lightweight controller will remain in my rotation, especially for when I have arthritis flare-ups. But for work? The M5 is going to be a staple and has made me a convert to its form and function. It doesn’t look as sleek as my tiny, aesthetically pleasing Logitech G705, but it felt substantially better as the day wore on.

Looking for a comfortable chair that won't break the bank?

As part of the greater Sony PlayStation Days of Play Sale Event, Amazon is offering 25%-27% off discounts on PlayStation DualSense controllers in nearly every color. Prices range from $54.88 to $59.88 with free shipping. The Dualsense is oft regarded as the best PS5 controller under $100 but it also makes for an excellent PC controller, especially since PC game clients like Steam support DualSense features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

Sony PS5 DualSense Controller Chroma Series

If you want to maximize your PlayStation 5 or PS5 Pro experience, the right accessories can take your gaming from great to amazing. There are loads of PS5 accessories to consider, and not all of them are big ticket items. We've done the research, testing, and reviews to help guide you the perfect add-ons for your console – and plenty of them are currently on sale as part of Sony's Days of Play sale that runs through June 11. Below are the very best gaming accessories we recommend buying if you own a PS5 or PS5 Pro.

TL;DR – These Are the Best PS5 Accessories:

Accessories can of course enhance your gameplay, but they can also add a level of convenience above the console alone. Things like a charging station for your DualSense controllers can make a significant difference, cutting out the need to dig out cables or realizing too late that your controller is out of juice. A good SSD can significantly increase the storage space so you won't have to be stuck in a cycle of deleting old games to add new ones. Or maybe you're just not a huge fan of the design. A faceplate is simple way to switch up the aesthetic. There are seemingly endless ways to customize your PS5.

Looking for savings? Be sure to check out the best PlayStation 5 game deals.

1. Corsair MP600 Pro LPX

Best SSD for PS5

2. SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless

Best Headset for PS5

3. PlayStation VR2

Best VR for PS5

4. PlayStation DualSense Edge Wireless Controller

Best Controller for PS5

5. PowerA Twin Charging Station

Best Controller Charging Station for PS5

6. 65" C4 OLED Evo

Best TV for PS5 and PS5 Pro

7. Dbrand Darkplates 2.0

Best Faceplates for PS5

8. Logitech G29 Driving Force Racing Wheel

Best Racing Wheel for PS5

9. KontrolFreek Call of Duty: Warzone Performance Thumbsticks

Best Thumbsticks for DualSense Controllers

10. PS5 Media Remote

Best Remote for PS5

Combine your PS5 and TV controls into one remote and navigate your favorite streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and Spotify through your console. You can use the remote to power on your PS5, so you don’t need to dig around looking for your DualSense controller or take it off its charging stand.

If you’re watching TV, you can adjust the volume and power settings, as long as your TV is compatible, for added convenience. The PS5 Media Remote might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s certainly useful if your PS5 or PS5 Pro is your main streaming device.

11. PlayStation Portal

Best for PS5 Remote Play

12. Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable

Best HDMI Cable for PS5

How to Choose the Right PS5 Accessories

There isn’t really a one-size-fits-all answer that can tell you which accessories are an added value for you becuase every gamer is individual. One person’s treasure is another's rage-inducing nightmare.

That said, the one thing you'll always want to triple check when buying an accessory for your PS5 or PS5 is compatibility. Is that hard drive fast enough for your PS5 games to work, rather than just store them? Do those headphones take full advantage of Tempest 3D Audio? Additionally, how is this accessory going to help me enjoy games more?

As with all things, make sure to check the reviews before pulling the trigger. There are plenty of cheaper accessory alternatives out there, but they’re often cheap for a reason. If gaming is a hobby you take seriously, you want to make sure you’re purchasing the best PS5 accessories possible, not only to maximize your enjoyment, but also to ensure that they'll last you for at least as long as the lifespan of the console itself.

PS5 Accessories FAQ

Does the PS5 need additional cooling?

The PS5 does a perfectly good job of cooling without the need for any additional third-party PS5 accessories to help it. While there are plenty of PS5 cooling fans and stands out there, in honesty, they’re more likely to be a hindrance to the console's natural cooling ability, rather than assist it.

Can I buy a USB hard drive for my PS5?

If you want to keep things simple and install a USB hard drive rather than a NVMe SSD, you can, but it does come at a cost. Due to the loading requirements of next-gen games, PS5 games require much faster write speeds of 5Gbps or higher to run. Sadly, USB drives cannot reach these speeds yet. That means a USB hard drive could only store PS5 games. However, it can be used to play PS4 games without needing to move them to the console.

Which brand makes the best PS5 accessories?

Most of the best PS5 accessories come from Sony themselves. In fact, Sony is well known for creating tons of great accessories, all designed to take full advantage of the console’s latest capabilities in order to improve your gaming experience.

When do PS5 accessories go on sale?

Although the PS5 itself doesn't go on sale very often, PlayStation accessories will often see discounts throughout the year. The general rule of thumb is that the best times to buy a PS5 are also the best times to buy accessories for the console. Some of the more popular events where you're guaranteed to find discounts on gaming accessories are Amazon Prime Day in July and Black Friday in November There's also PlayStation's Days of Play sale, happening now through mid-June.

If you’ve been eyeing the DualSense Edge for your PS5, now’s your chance to snag one at a discount during the PlayStation Days of Play sale. Amazon currently has this pro-level controller for $30 off its regular price for both colors. Unlike the standard DualSense, the Edge rarely sees price drops, making this a great time to pick one up and save in 2025.

Both the White and Midnight Black versions are on sale, so hit the link below for the deal or keep reading to learn more about what makes the DualSense Edge a must-have controller for PlayStation enthusiasts.

DualSense Edge Wireless Controller Deal at Amazon

In 2008 Suzanne Collins' unleashed The Hunger Games on the world, launching a bestselling book series that would become a globally beloved franchise. Continuing the legacy of satirical stories like Battle Royale and The Running Man, the series centers on PANEM, a North America country that pits its children against each other in grim battles for survival. Out of that brutality comes a figure of hope, Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay.

Three years after the book was released , the first film hit screens, becoming a worldwide blockbuster and setting the stage for four more Hunger Games movies. With the addition of the newest Hunger Games film, A Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and another prequel on the way, we're here to break down how to watch all the films in order now!

Jump to:

• How to watch in chronological order
• How to watch by release date

How Many Hunger Games Movies Are There?

There are now five full-length Hunger Games movies, with a sixth movie releasing in 2026. Unlike many other franchises, there haven't been any short films, TV shows, or extra content created to build out the world of the games, with just the five movies and four books that they're based on. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is now available on STARZ, but you can watch the other four Hunger Games films on Peacock as you get ready to check out the newest entry into the franchise.

How to Watch The Hunger Games in Chronological Order

1. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

Despite the fact that it's the newest addition to the franchise, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes actually takes place 64 years before the other Hunger Games films. Based on the recent prequel of the same name the film follows a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) — the villainous President of PANEM from the main franchise — and his romance with a talented tribute named Lucy Gray (Rachel Ziegler). Expanding the world of The Hunger Games and exploring the early days of the brutal contest and the origins of its most evil villain, this entry may have come over a decade after the first movie but is just as important as the original films.

Read our review of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

2. The Hunger Games (2012)

Adapting Suzanne Collins' best-selling YA novel this blockbuster smash stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, a young woman who volunteers to take her sister's place in the titular battle to the death. Introducing viewers to the exploitative world of PANEM where people watch children kill each other for entertainment, and ostensibly to punish the citizens for a decades previous failed attempt at revolution. This brutal adventure sows the seeds for the rebellion Katniss will eventually lead after teaming up with her fellow District 12 tribute Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) to try and survive the fatal events of the Hunger Games tournament.

Of course, this wouldn't be a YA adaptation without the obligatory love triangle which in this case comes from Katniss' closeness to Peeta and her love for her District 12 best friend Gale. Those relationships are key to the future politics and complexities of the Hunger Games, especially when in a shocking twist both Peeta and Katniss survive, leaving the nation of PANEM in uproar as the districts realize they may be able to fight back against their tyrannical government, inspired by Katniss and her rebellious turn in the games. This also sets the sights of President Snow (Donald Sutherland) directly on Katniss, setting up a massive conflict.

Read our review of The Hunger games.

3. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Following their rebellion-inspiring survival at the Hunger Games, Peeta and Katniss are paraded around PANEM as star crossed lovers with the intention of quelling the potential uprisings. But when the Capitol declares a special anniversary Hunger Games that will see previous victors brought back to fight again, Peeta and Katniss are soon swept up in another fight for survival.

Centering on the human cost of the games, Catching Fire introduces fan favorite champions Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Johanna (Jena Malone) who must craft an uneasy alliance with Peeta and Katniss to survive the even more high-tech and deadly games. They are far from alone though as we learn more about the burgeoning rebellion in this entry, especially as the film ends with the massive reveal that the once thought to be destroyed District 13, is actually the base of the Rebellion and with Katniss as its figurehead they're ready to fight back against Snow.

Read our review of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

4. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One (2014)

Splitting the final book in the original Hunger Games trilogy into two, Mockingjay: Part One continues directly on from Catching Fire as Katniss is reunited with her family in District 13. The rebellion is growing exponentially, led by the cold but effective Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) She soon realizes that while Finnick and another champion Beetee (Jeffery Wright) were saved from the arena, Peeta was left behind to be taken by the Capitol. Unlike the first two films, Mockingjay: Part One doesn't feature a Hunger Games and instead focuses on the inner workings of the rebellion as they build up the image of Katniss as the titular Mockingjay.

While she takes part in rebellion actions, Katniss also encourages the rescue of Peeta, Johanna, and Finnick's betrothed Annie (Stef Dawson) from the Capitol. Their rescue is a success thanks to the help of the rebellion and Katniss' childhood best friend Gale — who survived the destruction of their home District 12 — but it's revealed that Peeta has been brainwashed to hate Katniss and the film ends as he tries to assassinate her.

Read our review of Mockingjay Part 1.

5. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two (2015)

After her heartbreaking attack at the hands of Peeta, Katniss is traumatized but has to go on the campaign trail as the rebellion try to get the final Capitol controlled District on their side. The final movie in the series reimagines the Hunger Games as President Snow turns an entire city into a gauntlet that our surviving champions have to battle through in order to take down the Capitol. There are brutal losses, heartbreaking betrayals, and a surprisingly realistic and often depressing take on the realities of war and the ongoing battle for peace that is highlighted when the Rebellion leader Alma Coin decides to continue the Hunger Games to punish the Capitol. Of course Katniss doesn't take well to that choice, killing the would-be new President, ending up on trial but ultimately acquitted — due to her mental health — for her role in the assassination.

One of the most interesting things about this entry into the series is how it proudly eschews the happy ending that many would expect instead leaning into the bleakness of war and how even those who survive it struggle to maintain a normal life when they return home. In that way it stands out from other YA adaptations that often end on a more positive and hopeful note.

Read our review of Mockingjay Part 2.

The Hunger Games Movies by Release Date

If you want to watch the films based on the order of their release, you'll want to start with the second movie on our chronological list.

• The Hunger Games (2012)
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One (2014)
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two (2015)
• The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)
• The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (2026)

Will There Be More Hunger Games Movies?

Soon after author Suzanne Collins announced a new prequel in the Hunger Games series, Lionsgate announced it was already working on the film adaptation. The next prequel, titled Sunrise on the Reaping, takes place 24 years before The Hunger Games, placing it second in the film's narrative chronology after Snakes & Songbirds. It's scheduled to hit theaters on November 20, 2026. Most of the cast has been announced, including Kieran Culkin, Jesse Plemons, and Ralph Fiennes.

Rosie Knight is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything from anime to comic books to kaiju to kids movies to horror flicks. She has over half a decade of experience in entertainment journalism with bylines at Nerdist, Den of Geek, Polygon, and more. Rosie is a published comics author who has written titles including Godzilla Rivals vs. Battra and The Haunted High-Tops. She co-hosts the weekly Crooked Media pop-culture podcast X-Ray Vision. When she's not writing, you can find her playing Dragon Ball FighterZ or rewatching weird old horror and martial movies in her free time. She loves making comics and zines as well as collecting VHS and reading much manga as humanly possible. You can find her on social at @rosiemarx.

Marvel and DC have joined forces to announce what is sure to be one of the top-selling comic book projects of 2025. The two publishers are teaming on a pair of one-shot crossover specials featuring Batman and Deadpool. That makes this the first genuine crossover between the Marvel and DC Universes in more than 20 years. Best of all, they aren’t stopping with Deadpool/Batman #1 and Batman/Deadpool #1. Marvel and DC are already developing a follow-up crossover for 2026.

With that in mind, we thought it would be fun to break down the DC/Marvel team-ups that most need to happen now that crossovers are finally on the table again. From the obvious cash cow that is Batman/Daredevil to the cosmic grandeur of New Gods/Eternals, these are the crossovers we desperately want to see.

Batman/Daredevil

This is probably the most obvious superhero pairing on this list. And, to be sure, it’s one that’s been done before in 1997’s Daredevil and Batman and 2000’s Batman/Daredevil: King of New York. But even after two crossovers, it feels as though DC and Marvel have barely scratched the surface of what’s possible with bringing these two dark, brooding vigilantes together. Whose yearning for justice is greater? Whose childhood is more fraught with trauma? Who’s the better ninja? All of these questions need answering.

It should also be pointed out that both previous crossovers came before Marvel unleashed a real murderer’s row of talent on the ongoing Daredevil series. Many of those creators would be perfect for a Batman/Daredevil crossover. But if we had our druthers, we’d go with writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Jorge Fornes. Both are notable for working on both franchises, and both would be perfect for the sort of gritty, character-driven noir that would make this crossover shine.

Teen Titans/Young Avengers

We already got a major crossover between the Justice League and the Avengers back in 2003, but what about their younger counterparts? It feels like we’re well overdue for a proper Teen Titans/Young Avengers crossover, particularly as it’s been a while since Marvel has published a proper Young Avengers comic of any kind. Let’s get the gang back together and have them rub elbows with Nightwing, Starfire, Raven, and the rest.

We can think of several great Teen Titans and Young Avenegrs veterans who would be a good fit for this crossover, but none better than Rainbow Rowell and Kris Anka. These are the creators who successfully revamped the Runaways a few years ago, and we think they’d excel with this superhero pairing.

Green Lantern/Silver Surfer

One is a highly confident space cop who safeguards the universe with the power of pure will. The other used to seek out planets for his master to devour until he reconnected with his lost humanity. Both travel the cosmos in style. There’s a lot to be gained from bringing Green Lantern (any of them, really) and Silver Surfer together in one comic. We’d love to see the sort of larger-than-life threat that would be required to test the combined might of these two ultra-powerful heroes. Galactus with a Sinestro Corps ring? Nekron controlling the Marvel Zombies? The sky’s the limit here.

This seems like a project tailor-made for writer Tom King, as his Batman run shows how adept he is at contrasting heroes from different walks of life. King has dabbled with the Lantern characters before in books like The Omega Men and The Darkseid War: Green Lantern #1, and his lone Marvel work, Vision, certainly has us intrigued at the prospect of King writing another tortured, melancholy Marvel hero.

Naomi/Ms. Marvel

This may not be the most obvious choice when it comes to DC/Marvel crossovers, but it’s one with an awful lot of potential. Naomi McDuffie and Kamala Khan both represent a new generation of wide-eyed, idealistic heroes in their respective universes. What happens when you knock down the barriers between worlds and bring them together? Plus, it’s not as if DC has done much with Naomi since co-creator Brian Michael Bendis left the company and her TV show was canceled. This would be a way of making up for lost time.

Bendis and fellow Naomi co-creators David F. Walker and Jamal Campbell would be a great fit for this crossover series. Alternatively, we certainly wouldn’t mind seeing Ms. Marvel co-creators G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona reunite for a new adventure featuring Kamala.

Wonder Woman/Thor

What happens when gods collide? We get a great crossover comic. Wonder Woman and Thor may have been major players in 2003’s JLA/Avengers, but there’s a lot more potential to be found in digging into the dynamic between these two heroes. They’d probably get along great, once Diana gets past the Odinson’s occasionally boorish behavior. And like with Green Lantern/Silver Surfer, we’d love to see the sort of enemy powerful enough to need the combined might of Wonder Woman and Thor.

For this project, we envision a reunion between writer J. Michael Straczynski and artist Olivier Coipel, who so successfully revitalized Thor in their 2007 series. Straczynski had a very brief run on Wonder Woman prior to the New 52 relaunch, so this would be another chance to see what he can accomplish with the character.

Blue Beetle/Spider-Man

This crossover would be great because it basically gives readers two for the price of one. We’d love to see a Blue Beetle/Spider-Man series that focuses on both Jaime Reyes/Miles Morales and Ted Kord/Peter Parker. What happens when you get two super-geniuses like Ted and Peter in a room? How might Jaime and Miles get along? What happens when you turn Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus loose in the DCU? All questions worth answering. Plus, the series could explore the idea of legacy in a way DC does so well but Marvel historically hasn’t.

This crossover would have been perfect for the late, great Keith Giffen. Instead, why not give the reins to current Miles Morales: Spider-Man writer Cody Ziglar? Pair Ziglar with artist and Jaime Reyes co-creator Cully Hamner and you have all the makings of a fun, epic romp focused on two sets of iconic heroes.

Hellblazer/The Punisher

Most superhero crossovers tend to follow a pretty standard formula. Two heroes meet, they butt heads, they put aside their differences for the greater good. But all bets are off when you venture into the dark recesses of the Marvel and DC Universes. What kind of crossover story do you get when John Constantine and Frank Castle are in the spotlight? This is a pairing that could work either as Hellblazer/Punisher or Hellblazer vs. Punisher. It would be a lot of fun to see Frank try his best to kill John, only to realize he’s stumbled into a supernatural world he can’t begin to understand.

Given his extensive history with both characters, this project is ideally suited to writer Garth Ennis. Reunite Ennis with any of his collaborators from Hellblazer or Punisher MAX and you’re golden. Alternatively, John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America creators Si Spurrier and Aaron Campbell could probably work wonders with this pairing.

New Gods/Eternals

Jack Kirby was really cooking with gas when he created the Fourth World Saga at DC and The Eternals at Marvel. These two franchises share a lot in common, dealing as they do with cosmic space gods and conflicts stretching back over millennia. The two franchises are practically begging to come together for one epic sci-fi mash-up. Just think of the possibilities when you bring Darkseid and Thanos together...

Sadly, Kirby himself is no longer around to make that crossover a reality, but the teams behind the most recent Eternals and New Gods comics could surely work wonders with the premise. Either reunite Eternals writer Kieron Gillen and artist Esad Ribic or current New Gods writer Ram V and artist Evan Cagle. Or, heck, why not let both teams jam together on one book?

Justice League/X-Men

We’ve already seen what happens when the Justice League and Avengers join forces. But for many Marvel fans, the X-Men eclipse the Avengers. So why not make them the stars of the show for the next Justice League crossover? The potential character pairings have us salivating. Can Wolverine’s adamantium claws cut Superman’s unbreakable skin? How badly would Emma Frost hate Wonder Woman? Can even Batman make sense of the convoluted Summers family tree? And for a team as universally beloved as the Justice League, this would be a valuable opportunity for them to learn that some heroes spend their lives being hated and feared by those they protect.

The biggest reason to make Justice League/X-Men happen though is that it’s perfectly suited for artist (and DC Publisher, President, and Chief Creative Officer) Jim Lee. This is probably the only way we’d ever see new X-Men art from Lee again. Pair Lee with someone like Superman Unchained collaborator Scott Snyder or New X-Men writer Grant Morrison and you have all the makings of an epic crossover for the ages.

Secret Crisis

When Geoff Johns and Gary Frank wrapped up their Watchmen sequel Doomsday Clock, they included a few teases for things to come in the DCU. Not all of it has panned out, like the allusion to DC’s aborted 5G initiative. But there is one tease that could, and should, still happen - Secret Crisis.

As hinted at in Doomsday Clock’s final issue, Secret Crisis is a DC/Marvel crossover event destined to unfold in the year 2030. As the walls of reality come tumbling down, Superman is said to clash with Thor, while Hulk is fated to sacrifice his life for the Man of Steel. At the time Doomsday Clock was published, there was no reason to believe that DC and Marvel were willing to cooperate on such a crossover. Now that the two companies are playing nice again, why not make this Secret Crisis tease a reality? Give fans a massive crossover adventure whose scope rivals the likes of Crisis on Infinite Earths and Secret Wars.

Obviously, Johns and Frank are the natural choices to bring that story to life. But assuming they’re too busy with Ghost Machine’s Geiger to return to the DCU, there’s only one other writer we can picture at the helm of Secret Crisis - Secret Wars 2015 writer Jonathan Hickman. Only Hickman has the knack for combining huge cosmic spectacle with the human drama that this crossover demands.

Which DC/Marvel crossover do you most want to see? Vote in our poll and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Also, be sure to check out Batman's 10 greatest crossovers of all time.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

If you're shopping for a huge amount of local storage, this is one of the best deals available right now. For a limited time, Amazon is offering this massive Seagate Expansion 24TB USB 3.0 Desktop Hard Drive for $279.99 shipped. That averages out to just $11.67 per TB of storage. The drive is sold by a marketplace vendor - QuickDealStore - with an 85% rating out of 460 reviews over the past 12 months. Amazon, as always, has a 30 day guaranteed return policy.

Update: Alternatively, you can get it at Seagate's online store for $269.99 shipped, which is $10 cheaper than the price on Amazon and ends up averaging about $11.25 per TB of storage.

Seagate 24TB External Hard Drive From $269.99

Electronic Arts is canceling its planned Black Panther game and shutting down developer Cliffhanger Games, IGN has learned.

In an email sent to staff from EA Entertainment president Laura Miele, Miele said that these changes, alongside other recent cancellations and layoffs, are being done to "sharpen our focus and put our creative energy behind the most significant growth opportunities."

In addition to closing Cliffhanger and canceling Black Panther, EA is also laying off some individuals on both its mobile and central teams. When asked for an exact number of individuals impacted, EA declined to comment. IGN understands the total number of affected individuals in this wave is less than the roughly 300 roles cut last month across Respawn and EA's Fan Care teams - but cannot confirm by how much.

"These decisions are hard," Miele wrote. "They affect people we’ve worked with, learned from, and shared real moments with. We’re doing everything we can to support them — including finding opportunities within EA, where we’ve had success helping people land in new roles."

As with past rounds of layoffs, EA is endeavoring to place affected individuals in other roles across the company. The company has made use of this placement program with each round of layoffs in recent years, an effort that remains possible despite the constant team cuts likely due to EA seemingly drastically increasing headcount on other teams at the same time. Per Game File's reporting, EA employed 800 more people as of March of this year than it did the same time in 2024.

To that end, Miele's email continues, the company is focusing on a small handful of franchises going forward: Battlefield, The Sims, Skate, and Apex Legends. Miele also reassures EA will continue to invest in its Iron Man game at Motive and the third Star Wars: Jedi game, as well as it maintain its mobile business despite today's cuts, while Bioware works on the next Mass Effect. Additionally, last year, CEO Andrew Wilson announced the company would be "moving away from development of future licensed IP that we do not believe will be successful in our changing industry."

The email doesn't mention EA Sports, but this is due to Miele running EA Entertainment, while EA Sports is a separate division. IGN understands that the sports division is unaffected by these changes for now.

Notably, Marvel and EA's agreement for Black Panther was part of a three-game deal that included Iron Man and a third, unannounced title. IGN understands this partnership will continue, with Motive Studios leading future Marvel titles. EA provided the following statement regarding the deal with Marvel to IGN, attributed to Miele: "Our partnership with Marvel remains strong and our multi-title, long-term collaboration continues."

Little has been shown of Black Panther so far since its announcement in 2023, though we know from a job listing it was to be a single-player, action-adventure, open-world game. Black Panther was being developed by the newly-formed, now-closed Cliffhanger Games, which was formed in 2023 with some former developers of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and headed up by Kevin Stephens.

These cuts come on the heels of multiple other rounds of layoffs and cancelations at EA over the last few years and especially in 2025. Just last month, EA laid off roughly 300 individuals, including around 100 at Respawn, while canceling an in-development Titanfall game and another incubation project. Earlier this year, EA restructured BioWare, moving some developers to other projects and laying off others. In 2024, there was a massive restructuring at EA that resulted in 670 workers laid off company-wide, including around two dozen workers at Respawn. And in 2023, 50 jobs were cut at BioWare and an unknown number were cut at Codemasters.

Meanwhile, EA recently implemented mandatory return-to-office for all workers, a move that some employees told IGN has left many currently remote workers with concerns about what will happen to their roles long-term.

When asked for comment on the exact number impacted, the reasons for these repeated cuts, or if more cuts are expected in the near future, EA referred IGN back to Miele's email. Marvel has not yet responded to IGN's request for comment.

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.

A great USB-C charger is simply the best way to top up your gadgets these days. Many of these blocks are capable of much faster speeds than older USB-A offerings, and some even come with support for PD 3.0 or 3.1, making it possible for a 100W output or higher. From single-port chargers to multi-port, high-powered alternatives, we’ve found something that suits the needs of your suite of devices.

TL; DR – These Are the Best USB-C Chargers:

The majority of the latest laptops, smartphones, and tablets use USB-C connections for charging, but the USB-C charger you'll need depends on the charging capabilities of the devices themselves. An iPhone or pair of wireless earbuds won’t require the high output that a gaming laptop demands, so you can opt for a USB-C charger that's cheaper, lower powered, and usually more compact. However, if you’re looking to juice up power-hungry gadgets or want to charge multiple devices at a workstation simultaneously, better power delivery and a wider port selection are the way to go.

No matter what you’re after, whether it's top charging speeds, portability, ample port selection, or some combination of those three things, there’s a USB-C charger for you. If you’re looking for something that can charge your gadgets on the go, be sure to check out our favorite USB-C power banks too.

1. Anker 747 Charger

Best USB-C Charger

2. Razer USB-C 130W GaN Charger

Best USB-C charger for Gaming

3. Satechi 200W USB-C 6-port PD GaN Charger

Best High-End USB-C Charger

4. Anker 511 Nano Pro

Best Budget USB-C Charger

5. Baseus 100W USB-C Charger

Most Portable USB-C Charger

6. Anker 140W Laptop Charger

Best Fast USB-C Charger

7. Ugreen Nexode 140W Charger

Best Workstation USB-C Charger

What to Look for in a USB-C Charger

A handful of features are particilarly important to look for in a USB-C charger. Firstly, look at the ports and see if those fit your needs. If you’re looking for a desktop or workstation charger, opt for a charger with at least four to six ports. It’s best to look for a mix of USB-C and USB-A ports. If you need a charger for everyday needs, such as charging your smartphone and laptop, around two ports are enough.

Port specification is equally important. With PD 3.0 or PD 3.1, you can benefit from fast charging. It allows for power delivery of up to 100W or more through a single cable and can power multiple devices simultaneously. Most chargers in our list support PD 3.0 or PD 3.1, and we wouldn’t recommend buying a charger that doesn’t.

The above-mentioned GaN technology uses gallium nitride instead of the more common silicon in its construction. This makes the charger smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient than a traditional charger. If you’re investing in a new charger, especially for work purposes, it’s best to look for one that features GaN.

Portability is another feature that can be worth weighing if that’s what you need from your charger. If you don’t intend on carrying it around and will use it as a desktop charger only, you can compromise on the weight in exchange for higher performance.

USB-C Charger FAQs

Do iPhones have USB-C?

Yes. Starting with the iPhone 15 and newer, all models of Apple’s smartphone feature a USB-C connector instead of the previously used Lightning connection. A USB-C cable can charge your iPhone at the fastest rate when plugged into a higher-wattage USB-C charger. However, iPhone 15 models are limited to 20W, while iPhone 16 models have a slightly higher rate. Both have power intake regulated to protect the phone, so even when using a higher wattage adapter, charging speeds won’t necessarily be faster.

Can you plug a USB-C into a USB port?

Only USB-C connectors can be plugged into USB-C ports. It isn’t possible to plug a USB-C connector into an older USB-A port and vice versa. However, USB-C ports are backwards compatible, so grabbing a USB-C to USB adapter allows you to use that other connection. Just be prepared for the slower charging speeds that come with USB-A ports.

Do all USB-C chargers charge the same?

No. USB-C chargers come in different shapes, sizes, and charging capabilities. The connector is standardized, but that’s about it. Some chargers offer much higher power delivery, hitting up to 100W or more for power-hungry devices, like laptops and tablets. Other USB-C chargers have lower power delivery, which is fine for less powerful devices, including phones and wireless headphones. You’ll need to check your device to see what power output is required and find a compatible charger.

What’s the difference between charging ports (USB-C vs. USB-A)?

The most obvious difference between charging ports is the form factor. USB-A ports have a larger, more rectangular shape, allowing only one-directional placement. USB-C ports are much slimmer with rounded edges and are reversible, which means the male connector can be placed in either direction in the port.

The power behind these two ports also differs significantly, with USB-C ports having a major leg up on USB-A ports. USB-C charging connections offer faster charging speeds with higher power delivery. Some deliver a 100W output or more to quickly top off power-hungry devices like laptops and handheld gaming PCs. However, the power delivery and speed really depend on the USB protocol supported by the charger. USB-A ports use older USB standards, including 2.0 and 3.0, which makes for slower charging, although some feature quick charging capabilities for rates of 18W or higher.

USB-A charging ports are generally found on older accessories and devices, while USB-C has become the norm for most gadgets, thanks to the faster speeds and more compact ports. An adapter can be purchased to use the two ports interchangeably, but charging speeds will be affected.

For a limited time, Bullseye Deals (aka Target) via eBay is currently offering the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gaming Headset with Target exclusive Booster Pack for only $99.99 after a 50% instant discount. The booster pack includes three earcup and headstrap styles: White, Camo and Target Red. The Arctis Nova 7 is one of the best headsets you can get for PS5 and PC, even at retail price. You'd be hard pressed to be find anything better for $100 or less.

Note: "Bullseye Deals" is Target's authorized liquidator. Many assume that it's actually just Target in disguise since the products ship from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, the same location as Target's main distribution center. The account has well over 500,000 reviews with a 4.8 out of 5 rating.

50% Off SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gaming Headset

LEGO is making a big push towards awesome themed buildable book nooks. The Lord of the Rings book nook set is the latest to be announced, and is available to preorder on Amazon or directly through LEGO. This joins the Sherlock Holmes Baker Street and Harry Potter Hogwarts Express/ Platform 9 3/4 book nook sets. All three sets will be released on June 1, 2025.

LEGO Lord of the Rings Book Nook Set Is Available For Preorder

The PlayStation VR2 headset has dropped to match its all-time low price thanks to the PlayStation Days of Play sale, so if you've been considering picking one up for yourself, right now would be the time to do so. But the question is: Should you actually buy one in 2025? The PSVR2 originally launched for a whopping $599, but Sony dropped the price down to just $399 back in March. The latest discount brings that price all the way down to only $349 for both the stand-alone headset and the Horizon Call of the Mountain Bundle.

The PlayStation VR2 Headset Is On Sale at Amazon Today

Considering what it offers, Disney Plus is one of the best streaming services on the block. From classic Disney animated films to the latest Marvel shows and Star Wars movies, excellent kids' programming like Bluey, and so much more, Disney Plus puts an incredible range of high-quality viewing options at your fingertips. And with so much to check out - including Captain America: Brave New World - you'll want to find a plan that best suits you. We're here to help.

At the moment, one of the best Disney Plus bundle deals available is the massive Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle. This starts at $16.99/month to get you all three streaming services with ads. It's one of the best bundles available at the moment, but we've included more Disney Plus bundle deals worth exploring below. If you're looking for more streaming deals from other services, check out the best Hulu deals and bundles and the best Max deals.

How to Get the Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max Streaming Bundle

The Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle can be purchased through any of the three streaming services and starts at $16.99/month for the ad-supported tier or $29.99/month for ad-free access across the three platforms.

If you currently own all three and want to cut down on costs, this is a great way to bundle them together and save big on what you'd pay for them separately per month – 43% on the ad-supported plan and 42% on the ad-free plan.

What Is the New Paid Sharing Plan on Disney Plus?

In an effort to crack down on password sharing, Disney has unveiled a paid sharing plan for individuals outside of your household. Basically, anyone using your account that's not within your household will have to be added as an "Extra Member" to your account. This costs an additional $6.99/month for the ad-supported Basic subscription and $9.99/month for the Premium ad-free plan, and only one Extra Member slot is available per account. You can learn more from Disney's paid sharing explainer here.

What Are the Different Disney+ Subscription Tiers?

Disney+ is available in a couple of different tiers. You can get the least expensive option (called Disney+ Basic) for $9.99/month, which gives you access to everything except the ability to download select shows to watch on the go. This tier is ad supported. If you want to get rid of ads and be able to download certain shows, you can spring for the $15.99/month or $159.99/year Disney+ Premium package.

What Are the Different Disney+ Bundles?

Want a way to save on your Disney+ membership? Bundles are a great, affordable way to go. As far as bundles go, there are two ad-supported bundles and two ad-free bundles. Here's the breakdown:

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic is $10.99/month and comes with subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu. This plan lets you stream on multiple devices at once and comes with ad-supported versions of both services.
• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium is $19.99/month and comes with Hulu and Disney+ with no ads. It also includes Disney+ Premium features like the ability to download shows to watch on the go.
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic adds ESPN+ (With Ads) to the mix alongside Disney+ (With Ads) and Hulu (With Ads), bumping up the price to $16.99/month. You can also download and watch select content on ESPN+ at this level.
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium is $26.99/month and comes with ESPN+ (With Ads) and ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu. You can also download select content across all three streaming services.

Disney+ Gift Cards

If you want to help someone out and give them a gift that will keep on giving, gifting a one-year Disney+ card is a great way to go. It provides all the great things Disney+ offers and it costs a fraction of what it would take to buy even a small sampling of those movies physically.

What Can You Watch on Disney+?

There is a bonkers array of shows and movies you can watch on Disney+. Let's start at the top and simply talk about the verticals on offer here with the base subscription.

Here's what you get:

• Disney
• Pixar
• Marvel
• Star Wars
• National Geographic

Disney on Disney+

On the Disney front, you have awesome classic movies like The Sword In The Stone, Robin Hood, 101 Dalmations, Hercules, and Sleeping Beauty, modern classics like The Princess & The Frog, Tangled, and Frozen, and a wide range of animated shows, including Phineas & Ferb.

You also gain access to a ton of vintage content like Escape to Witch Mountain, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Love Bug, and a whole lot more. The Disney Junior section is home to absolutely top tier animated shows like Bluey (which, for my money, is worth the price of admission on its own).

There's way more on offer, too, including a ton of Muppet movies, new live-action films and adaptions, nature programs, documentaries, Pirates of the Caribbean, and musical programs featuring Taylor Swift (like her wildly popular The Eras Tour), Elton John, Ed Sheeran, and more.

Pixar on Disney+

When it comes to computer generated films, Pixar stands alone. Kicking off the revolution with Toy Story, Pixar has consistently put out fantastic films, and they are all here. From the Toy Story series to Finding Nemo, Cars, and more recent hits like Inside Out 2, there is a ton to love.

Beyond even that, there are incredible shorts like Bao and Party Central, as well as a wide range of originals and series based on major films, such as Dory's Reef Cam, Forky Asks A Question, Cars On The Road, and more.

Marvel on Disney+

The MCU has become a true juggernaut, and there are many viewers who subscribe to Disney+ purely for access to nearly the entire MCU lineup of films and shows.

Whether you are a fan of the blockbuster action films, you are an appreciator of the classic 90s runs of "Saturday morning" cartoons like X-Men, or you are currently vibing to the funky theme of the 1981 Spider-Man series, there is a ton of Marvel to enjoy on Disney+. And with new movies and shows being added to the MCU all the time, including most recently Deadpool & Wolverine and Captain America: Brave New World, there is always more coming.

Star Wars on Disney+

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a film that changed everything. The original Star Wars is a seminal sci-fi fantasy work that inspired generations of creators, but there is still nothing quite like that far away galaxy. Disney+ grants access to all things Star Wars, including the remastered versions of the original trilogy (hopefully some day they'll add the theatrical cuts, too), as well as the prequels and sequels.

You can also stay up-to-date on all the latest shows, including The Mandalorian and the critically-lauded Andor, which just wrapped up its second and final season. There are also fantastic short series like Star Wars Visions, and longer-form series like The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, Young Jedi Adventures, and a whole lot more.

Take a look at our list of Disney+ alernatives for additional streaming services. To play while you watch, see our roundup of the best LEGO Disney sets. For more deals, dive into our Daily Deals page.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
Original story from Brian Barnett.

More than five years after Steve Rogers passed his vibranium shield to Sam Wilson, Anthony Mackie's Captain America took center stage. The hero returned alongside both new and familiar heroes, likely setting up the new generation of Avengers that will take the lead in Doomsday next year. Critic Tom Jorgenson’s review of Brave New World for IGN notes some frustration with "recycled MCU plotlines," though he also describes how “Mackie brings each side of Sam’s personality to life well against seasoned scene partners like Harrison Ford, Carl Lumbly, and Tim Blake Nelson.” Are solid performances enough to save the day? We'll leave that to you to decide.

If you're planning to watch Brave New World, check out the details below. For an in-depth, spoiler-filled breakdown of the events leading up to Brave New World, you can also check out IGN's Captain America Recap: The Messy Marvel Timeline That Led to Brave New World.

Where to Stream Captain America: Brave New World Online

Looking to catch up on the MCU? The entire franchise is streaming on Disney+. While it might be a little overwhelming to navigate the entire timeline, some of the best Marvel movies are the original Captain America's. To get started, feel free to check out our guide to the Captain America movies in order.

Captain America: Brave New World Cast

Brave New World was directed by Julius Onah. It stars the following cast:

• Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America
• Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres/Falcon
• Shira Haas as Ruth Bat-Seraph
• Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley
• Xosha Roquemore as Leila Taylor
• Giancarlo Esposito as Seth Voelker/Sidewinder
• Liv Tyler as Betty Ross
• Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/Leader
• Harrison Ford as Thaddus "Thunderbolt" Ross/Red Hulk

Captain America: Brave New World Rating and Runtime

Captain America: Brave New World is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some strong language. The movie runs for a total of one hour and 58 minutes.

Taking an amusingly formulaic “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach, Karate Kid: Legends echoes the plot of both the 1984 original and the 2010 Karate Kid films with its familiar underdog story of a kid whose single mother moves him to a new city where he’s bullied by a martial arts expert before entering a tournament to prove himself by facing that very same bully. Even as you can roll your eyes at several of the expected events occurring, this sixth film does take one very notable zig when fans of the 41-year-old series expect a zag before reverting to the template in the second half, which gives it some novelty – even as it will no doubt frustrate many returning fans in how long it takes to see the team-up the trailers promise.

There are moments where Legends is able to recapture some of the original’s endearing nature, including in the way it eventually brings in not one, but two familiar mentors. At the same time, it never quite locks in like it could, thanks to what feels like a misguided attempt to maintain an unrelentingly high energy from start to finish that ends up making it feel emotionally hollow because it almost never takes time to slow down and breathe.

Pulling a bit of a storytelling Crane Kick switch-up that helps Legend feel distinct, the 2025 Kid in question, Li Fong (Ben Wang), arrives in New York not as a traditional martial arts novice, but as a rather skilled kung fu fighter who was trained in China by Mr. Han (Jackie Chan). And those skills then lead him into a situation unlike any we’ve seen in this series for one of its teenage protagonists when he… begins to train a middle-aged boxer attempting a comeback?

Notably, despite being almost invisible in the marketing, Joshua Jackson has a large role in this film as Victor, the father to Li’s love interest, Mia (Sadie Stanley). Victor asking Li to help him train, after he sees Li’s fighting prowess in action, ends up filling a significant amount of the screen time for the first half of Legends. In many ways, this is the best part of the film, first off because it is different and makes for a fun twist not just on Karate Kid movies but underdog movies in general. It’s not often you’ll find the high school kid character serving as a mentor to the older guy, after all. Jackson, per usual, is very warm and likeable as Victor and forms an easygoing rapport with Wang. At the same time, Wang and Stanley are charming and sweet together, as Li and Mia’s friendship – and its potential for more – begins to blossom. Director Jonathan Entwistle was the creator of the acclaimed Netflix series The End of the F***ing World, and while Karate Kid: Legends has little in common with that black comedy, Entwistle is able to once again display his skills at portraying blossoming love between two young characters.

However, the second half of Karate Kid: Legends returns to the series’ old ways, as Mr. Han comes to New York to prepare Li for his tournament. It then doubles down by bringing in the original Karate Kid himself, Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) to help – since this is in fact a karate tournament, not kung fu. The big connection introduced here between Han and Daniel’s beloved mentor, the late Mr. Miyagi, is simple but acceptable, set up by a flashback to The Karate Kid Part II. The addition of some new dialogue to that scene – provided by a Pat Morita soundalike – is a bit cheesy, but not a deal breaker, though man is it annoying that the on-screen text says Part II took place in 1986, when any big Karate Kid fan can tell you that movie is set in the summer of 1985! (Seriously, how did no one involved in the production not clock this?)

What holds Legends back in this second half is an overall stylistic approach that becomes increasingly distracting as it goes on. It feels like the mandate here was that the pace should feel propulsive at almost every point, and that is represented by an overuse of uptempo music during nearly every training sequence and fight scene and via self-conscious flourishes like repeatedly doing that overused gimmick where music playing in a scene comedically slows down, as though the power went out, to represent things going badly for Li.

A better result of this attempt to feel “vibrant” are a couple of fun animated moments, including one used to depict some of that Han/Miyagi backstory. But the way Entwistle rarely slows the pace down sometimes goes off the rails, as the unrelenting music and montage-style editing approach to nearly everything that occurs once Li starts training means you can rarely connect to what should be – and clearly easily could be with some tweaks – more emotionally impactful moments. Scenes are rarely allowed to sit on their own, even ones with a lot of importance for the characters, and the result is it feels like we’re speed running through the story.

There’s a scene included in the first trailer where Daniel gives Li a headband and tells him it symbolizes “Two branches. One tree,” and what stands out is that the way the trailer lets that moment play with a feeling of gravitas that is actually far better than how it lands in the film itself. Like so many other significant moments, it occurs in the midst of quickly edited cross cutting with other events, with distracting music behind it, sapping away much of its inherent dramatic weight. The same goes for important exchanges between Han and Li’s mother (Ming-Na Wen), who has understandable concerns about her son fighting after the death of Li’s brother. These are all good actors in scenes that clearly could work so much better if Legends simply slowed down more when it needed to and let these scenes play out in a better paced manner.

Though I wish they’d been shot with more static shots to better display them, the fight scenes are well choreographed and kinetic and establish just how good Li is in a fight – as well as why he has the foundation to get ready for the tournament so quickly. I could have done without the Scott Pilgrim-type video game-esque graphics during some of his lower level fights – which again feels like an overzealous attempt to feel “youthful,” along with comic book-inspired panel effects that feel Into the Spider-Verse inspired. Thankfully that is dropped for the most important fights, including when Li faces off against Legends’ requisite bully, Connor Day (Aramis Knight).

Connor, along with his generically evil mentor, O’Shea (Tim Rozon), is another place the story feels like it’s been trimmed to the bone. Connor gets the tiniest bit of nuance imaginable so that he’s only 99% jerk, not 100%, but without the additional touches that would let us get more of the Johnny Lawrence-type “You’re alright, LaRusso” perspective it feels like the filmmakers want us to bring in our own sense memory of.

If you’re a fan of the Karate Kid films, it is innately cool to see Chan and Macchio share the screen together once they both finally get there, and they have an easygoing chemistry with one another. That’s best exemplified in the scene in which they first meet in Miyagi’s home in Los Angeles. In the midst of this, it’s also funny to ponder how the 2010 Karate Kid film Chan starred in alongside Jaden Smith was meant to be a straight-up remake at the time, just with different character names and locations, but now it has been retroactively turned into part of the core Karate Kid and Cobra Kai canon. (Cobra Kai’s events aren’t important to Legends, but fans can rest easy that they aren’t contradicted either). Given Karate Kid 2010 mirrored every single major plot point from the original – far more than Legends does – I was hoping Daniel and Han would have a conversation and realize the eerily similar ways their pasts echo each other, but alas, that moment of self-awareness doesn’t take place. But then again, there’s rarely any dialogue scenes at all in the second half that last more than a minute, and it leads to an awkward situation where the Legends referred to in the title are upstaged by Joshua Jackson before they even show up.

And yet, despite Karate Kid: Legends keeping its most dramatic moments at arm’s lengths thanks to that accelerated approach, Li remains a likeable kid throughout thanks to Wang, and it is sweet how Li ends up with one hell of a trio of father figures in the form of Jackson’s Victor, Chan’s Han, and Macchio’s LaRusso. Even with the whirlwind pace and reheated story, you still want to see Li find love with Mia and kick Connor’s arrogant ass. It doesn’t hurt that the final fight takes place high up on the roof of a New York skyscraper at sunset, feeling appropriately dramatic and sensational for a series that has continually escalated things since Daniel’s relatively simple first tournament in a San Fernando Valley sports center so many years ago.

Crystal of Atlan is an action MMORPG from developer VI-Games that wants to put its own unique spin on the gameplay of the genre. It features a focus on class-based build diversity, fast-paced aerial combat, and chaining together abilities to build up your combo meter. It's available to download for free right now, but if you're looking for more info before you dive in, we've got you. Let’s start with the classes.

Diverse Class Paths for Personalized Builds

There are five base classes available at launch, all unlocked for free at the start of the game: the melee damage dealing Swordsman, ranged attacker Musketeer, magical Magister, martial artist Fighter, and summoner Puppeteer. Each class branches into specialized subclasses, with a total of 11 subclass options and more than 20 unique abilities to experiment with and tailor to your preferred style.

For example, the Swordsman branches into the Magiblade or Berserker. They’re both melee damage dealers, but the Magiblade adds magical abilities (which you could probably guess from the name), and the Berserker can sacrifice health to generate shields and increase power as you get closer to death. Regardless of the subclass you choose, each of the skills you unlock have individual cooldowns. You can mix and match those skills at any time, letting you come up with unique character builds and find skills that chain together well to build combos.

Seamless Ground-to-Air Combat Innovation

Traditional MMO combat focuses on ground-based attacks with a fairly simple stand-and-attack style. Crystal of Atlan differentiates itself by including a heavy focus on the Z-axis, introducing a system that encourages you to seamlessly transition between ground and aerial combat.

You can attack and dodge in mid-air, allowing you to pull off aerial combos and adding a new dimension to each battle and a level of responsiveness to moment-to-moment gameplay. You can jump to avoid attacks, then chain that into aerial combos to keep the pressure on enemies. So you’re rewarded for staying on your toes, reacting quickly, and using all your abilities to fluidly chain attacks together.

That focus on ground and air combos also informs the design of Crystal of Atlan’s varied environments. All of the game’s maps, from the fantastical Wonderland to the mechanical Chrome Military Factory, have an open 3D layout to allow freedom of movement. Couple that with smooth animations and you get a combat system that’s fluid and fast-paced.

Cooperative Challenges and Social Progression

As you might expect from an MMO, there are a variety of dungeons you can tackle with other players. You fight through packs of normal enemies before getting to the end and facing off against a boss with unique mechanics. That’s all pretty standard, but Crystal of Atlan mixes things up by requiring synchronized team coordination.

There are numerous dungeons with interaction-based mechanics that require teamwork to solve problems. Naturally, if your whole group is tackling such a dungeon for the first time, you’ll need to communicate and help each other figure out what to do. Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you can take on a mentor role in future runs, but everyone will always need to work together.

There’s also a fleet system, which is basically like guilds you’ve probably experienced in other games. It’s a key part of Crystal of Atlan's social ecosystem, allowing you to link up with friends to tackle co-op gameplay together or just hang out and chat.

Competitive PvP and Creative PvE Challenges

If you’re the competitive type, there are also options for PvP combat. There are 1v1 and 3v3 battles, with attributes, skill damage, and skill cooldowns balanced so there’s no competitive advantage. It’s all about skill.

While Crystal of Atlan is an MMO at heart, it has plenty of content for solo players too. In classic MMO style, there are hub areas where you can see lots of other players. These areas are where you’ll find quests to complete and new zones to explore.

Adventure Mode takes you through the game’s main story, which unlocks in stages. You can tackle these stages solo, and they have a variety of different goals. Some will be focused on combat, where you need to defeat groups of enemies or take on a boss. Others introduce new elements, like requiring you to use stealth to sneak past enemies or use platforming to progress through the area.

There are plenty of other modes you can tackle solo or co-op. The main one is the Arena, where you can fight alone or with a partner and gradually work your way up through tiers of opponents, earning escalating rewards as you do. If you manage to get through all the tiers, you can reach the Finals for the ultimate reward.

To sum it all up, Crystal of Atlan is an MMORPG that mixes together classic staples of the genre with evolved gameplay to keep things fun, fast, and fluid. It launches May 28 on PC, PS5, iOS, and Android, with crossplay across all platforms. The PS5 version has an optimized HUD layout to avoid clutter and utilizes the haptic feedback of the DualSense controller. It also has a remapped UI for controller input, using a function wheel you’re probably familiar with from other games. There’s HDR support for enhanced lighting, and PSSR is enabled on the PS5 Pro for sharper visuals and more stable frame rates.

For more info on the world, classes, and features of Crystal of Atlan, you can check out the official website. Or to join the community and get news updates, you can follow them on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and Discord.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is now up to an incredible 60 million copies sold, CD Projekt has announced as part of its latest financial report.

The 60 million figure includes sales of the base game and the GOTY version, but excludes expansions sold separately.

It’s close to overtaking the latest sales figure we have for Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. In a June 2023 interview with IGN, Bethesda development chief Todd Howard said Skyrim had sold over 60 million copies. So, we now have a potential tie for the best-selling role-playing game of all time.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt launched in May 2015, and recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Here’s Adam Badowski, joint CEO of CD Projekt, on The Witcher 3 sales milestone:

Without a doubt, the third part of Geralt’s adventures marks a pivotal point in our history. The game earned hundreds of awards and solidified our studio’s standing, but more importantly, it brought untold hours of adventures and emotions to millions of games the world over. I am proud to announce that since its release The Witcher 3 has sold over 60 million copies, securing a place among the bestselling video games in all history, and motivating us to carry on with intensive work on the next trilogy set in this universe.

That’s a reference to The Witcher 4, which is currently in full production. 422 out of 730 developers at CD Projekt are working on the sequel, which won’t be out until 2027 at the earliest.

Last week, Doug Cockle, the voice of Geralt, hit back at criticism of The Witcher 4 focusing on Ciri — and told so-called fans of the franchise to "read the damn books."

"That's just stupid," Cockle said of the backlash against The Witcher 4, sparked due to it featuring Ciri as its protagonist for the first time instead.

"It's not woke," Cockle continued, speaking during a video published by Fall Damage. "There's nothing woke about it. [Ciri]'s a cool character from The Witcher, and they're gonna focus on that character, and that's awesome."

Speaking exclusively to IGN ahead of The Witcher 4 reveal, executive producer Małgorzata Mitręga said Ciri was “the very organic, logical choice.”

“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.”

And in February, the director of The Witcher 4 clarified that a new video featured the same in-game model of Ciri after some had thought her face looked different.

We’ve got plenty more exclusive content on The Witcher 4, including a trailer breakdown and an interview with CD Projekt where the developer explains why The Witcher 4 will avoid a Cyberpunk 2077-style launch disaster.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

PlayStation's Days of Play is back, and with it some great PS5 deals. From games to accessories to consoles, this year's event features a wide variety of discounts for gamers to enjoy. Here we've gathered up some of the top deals available at the moment, including the new PS5 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 bundle that dropped as part of Days of Play. There are some great game deals to highlight as well, including offers on Astro Bot, Helldivers 2, and so many more.

There's so much to enjoy with this summertime sale event, so let's jump right in. Here are IGN's top picks for the best PlayStation deals today.

Best PS5 Video Game Deals

The Days of Play sale has seen quite a few discounts on some exciting games. Helldivers 2 has dropped to $29.99, The Last of Us Part II Remastered is down to $29.83, and beloved GOTY winner at The Game Awards, Astro Bot, is down to $49.94. Woot's Spring Sale is still going strong as well, with deals on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Silent Hill 2, and many more.

PS5 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Bundle

PS5 Pro Gets Its First Discount

PS5 DualSense Controllers Are $20 Off

• Amazon | Best Buy | PS Direct | Target | Walmart

If you've been waiting for a good time to pick up a new controller (or an extra for co-op), now's your chance. Thanks to Days of Play, several different colors of DualSense Controller are marked down at the moment. The DualSense Edge has also received a discount, which you can see below.

PS5 DualSense Edge Is Also on Sale

PSVR 2: Horizon Call of The Mountain Bundle Deal

PS5 Accessory Deals

• Amazon | Best Buy | PS Direct | Target | Walmart

A bunch of different PlayStation accessories are on sale for Days of Play as well, from headphones and earbuds to console covers and more. You can see some of our favorite picks at the moment from the sale event above.

Best PS5 SSD Deals

PlayStation Plus Deals

Where to Buy: PlayStation Portal

How to Trade in Your Old PlayStation Consoles

If you're looking to trade in your old PlayStation consoles, you can do so at select retailers in-store and online. Often, the most widely available retailers are GameStop and Best Buy. However, you can also trade your used devices online at retailers such as Amazon and Microsoft.

Some retailers will offer you cash for your used goods, while others may provide you with a gift card that can be used in-store and online. This is a great way to offload your old gaming gear and get some money that you can put towards a newer console and games.

While trading devices in at retailers will often net you the lowest amount for your used consoles, there are also online marketplaces such as eBay, Craigslist, and OfferUp that may fetch higher prices, but you'll often be responsible for packing and shipping costs, or be required to meet someone in person for the transaction. The latter of which poses its own risks.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Not everyone is the DIY type. If you're in the market for a prebuilt gaming PC, Dell is one of the best brands we'd recommend. Alienware desktops and laptops feature solid build quality, top-of-the-line gaming performance, excellent cooling (further improved on the newer models), aggressive styling, and pricing that is very competitive with other pre-built options. Best of all, there are plenty of sales that happen throughout the year, so it's not difficult to grab one of these computers at considerably less than their retail price. This page includes all of the best deals that are currently available.

Dell and Alienware Coupons

Dell and Alienware Gaming PC Deals

Dell and Alienware Gaming Laptop Deals

You can quickly browse through all of the listed products on sale above. See below for our favorite picks.

Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 Gaming PC

Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 Gaming PC

Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5070 Gaming PC

Up to $300 Off Alienware Area-51 Gaming Laptops

Alienware's new flagship gaming laptop - the Alienware Area-51 - brings to the table a host of upgrades including a sleeker redesign, current generation components, and better cooling potential. They can be equipped with the new Nvidia GeForce Blackwell cards in RTX 5070, 5080, and 5090 variants. Both the 16" model and 18" model, equipped with the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and powerful GeForce RTX 5080 graphics, are on sale right now. Orders are expected to ship out in mid June, so get your reservation in now to prevent any additional delays.

New Releases: Alienware Aurora 16 and 16X Gaming Laptops

Alienware x16 R2 Gaming Laptops

There’s a lot to get excited about in today’s deals, especially if you’re looking to upgrade your gaming setup or add some new collectibles to your stash. For starters, Amazon is running a killer sale on SteelSeries gear. It's a perfect time to grab a new gaming headset like the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless (23% off right now) or a sleek Apex 9 TKL keyboard for your battle station. There are also solid price drops on the Arctis Nova 5X and the Alias USB Mic, so it’s a great time to kit yourself out without breaking the bank.

TL;DR: Deals For Today

There's some cool items for Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon TCG too. From Pokémon’s Destined Rivals singles available on TCG Player, to Magic: The Gathering’s Marvel’s Spider-Man and Final Fantasy preorders ready to lock in, it’s a great moment to snag those chase cards before they disappear. Oh, and if you’re a DOOM fan, don’t sleep on the DOOM The Dark Ages Limited Edition A3 Art Print over at the IGN Store. Hand-numbered and limited to just 995 worldwide, it’s a must-have for the collection. Let’s dive into all the best deals I’ve spotted today.

Pokémon TCG Booster Bundles Back In Stock

Twilight Masquerade and Surging Sparks booster bundle restocks are live on Amazon this morning, although once again, they're way above MSRP. A quick look at TCG Player sees Surging Sparks for $10 less and Twilight Masquerade at $15 below Amazon's asking price. Yes, the market value on TCG Player is above MSRP, but this is the current market value for these products.

Slashing Legends Tin In Stock At Walmart

Destined Rivals Single Cards Are Available Right Now

If you'd like to pay for sealed product in this climate to rip open boosters and find your chase card, go mad and have a blast. But if you'd like to save some money long term and guarantee that chase card, TCG Player has Destined Rivals single cards available in their presale before they set officially releases on Friday. Looking for the best market values on Destined Rivals sealed products? Here you go:

Pokémon TCG Stock Update

Long story short; things are looking bleak at retail for Pokémon TCG right now. Almost everything is way above MSRP and seems to becoming the new normal for big box retailers. I could write a whole article and why this is and what should be done to stop this practice, but here we are. If you have your heart set on opening booster packs, have at it, but you might want to check out the sections below to save money.

TCG Player Has The Same Products For Less

TCG Player and the Pokémon TCG secondary collectors market is significantly cheaper than big box retailers at the time of writing. This will likely be the case unless you can secure preorders on new sets such as Destined Rivals, Black Bolt and White Flare. Make no mistake products are still over MSRP, but If small businesses can undercut large retailers on TCG Player, there's something fundamentally broken in the supplier-distributor-retail chain.

This Weeks Pokémon TCG Crashers and Climbers

The Single Pokémon TCG market on the other hand is going through a grand reset right now, which is down to a few factors. The crypto bro mentally to reselling products is dying down a little and more product is becoming available thanks to reprints. We're not out of the woods yet by any means, but this weeks Crashers and Climbers show recent cards going down in price and cards from the X and Y era shooting up in value. We're 100% moving in the right direction.

MTG Final Fantasy Bundle Walmart Preorder

MTG Marvel's Spider-Man Preorders

Whilst there's only the Play Booster Box and Scene Bundle for MTG: Marvel's Spider-Man live on Amazon right now, TCG Player has every sealed product that will hit the market on launch day. I've even found some pricing on cases of sealed product for those looking to rip open a tonne of boosters, so get on it before the market value on these products shoot up.

MTG Spider-Man Single Cards

Unfortunatley there's no listings for Spider-Man single cards right now considering we're a few months out from release, but I've managed to round up the listings for cards currently sitting on TCG Player waiting for presale allocations, so keep your eyes peeled.

DOOM The Dark Ages Limited Edition A3 Art Print

SteelSeries Sale

Amazon has a solid sale going on right now for a bunch of SteelSeries gear, and if you’ve been waiting for a good excuse to upgrade your gaming setup, this is it. You can grab essentials like the SteelSeries New Apex 9 TKL, which is down to $109.99, or go all-in with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Multi-System Gaming Headset, which is $269.99 right now (23% off). For Xbox and PC gamers, the Arctis Nova 5X is also a solid pick at $122.99. And if you’re looking to upgrade your audio setup, the SteelSeries Alias USB Mic for PC is a steal at $107.27. Whether you’re after a sleek new keyboard, a high-end headset, or a pro-level mic, these deals are worth a look before they’re gone.

Team 17 Chains of Command Bundle

Lossless Scaling

UGREEN USB C to USB Adapter 4 Pack

Fallout Pip-Boy

Cable Zip Ties 400 Pack

INIU 45W Power Bank

Javascript, Scripting And Web Development Book Bundle

Peacock TV

Expedition 33 Merch

Summertime is right around the corner, and with it some exciting new summer sales. PlayStation is kicking things off with Days of Play 2025, which officially starts up today. This event features a wide variety of discounts on PS5 games, accessories, and consoles. The latter, in particular, has seen a few nice discounts, including the first price drop for the PS5 Pro and a new Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 bundle that comes with either the PS5 Slim Disc console or the PS5 Slim Digital Edition.

The Days of Play sale runs from May 28 to June 11, so if any of these console deals have caught your eye now is the time to jump on them.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 PS5 Bundle

The long-rumored remake of Persona 4 is looking very real, as a voice actor from the original Persona 4 cast says they weren't brought back for the unannounced game.

Yuri Lowenthal, who has voiced Yosuke Hanamura in Persona 4 and several other Persona spin-offs, posted on BlueSky earlier today that he will not be returning as Yosuke for "the Persona 4 remake."

"And for those who keep asking, no, I will not be returning as Yosuke for the Persona 4 remake," said Lowenthal. "I asked. Maybe I even begged, but they don’t want me to come back."

They, presumably, are Atlus, though the company has yet to officially confirm a Persona 4 remake is in the works. We have reached out to Sega/Atlus for comment.

Video game actors under SAG-AFTRA are still on strike over issues including AI protections. While Lowenthal is a SAG-AFTRA member, it's unclear whether that played a part in casting. However, the organization continues to press for protections for its actors, with a March statement saying they are still "frustratingly far apart" with the industry bargaining group.

Still, despite any official confirmation, rumors have swirled around a potential Persona 4 remake for a while. A domain discovery earlier this year sparked hopes that a P4 remake is in the oven, and leakers have teased the existence of a remake before that.

Still, with all that said, a former voice actor confirming the remake is certainly not how most would imagine this information would get out there. After the success of Persona 3 Reload, a Persona 4 remake would make a fair bit of sense.

As for when it might happen, Persona 3 Reload was announced in the summer of 2023, during Xbox's Game Showcase for that year. Chalk up another game to keep an eye out for during this summer's flurry of news and trailers, I suppose?

In other Persona news, the mobile and PC spin-off Persona 5: The Phantom X officially arrives on June 26, 2025, for those looking for a bit more Persona 5 in their life.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Cyberpunk 2077 sequel Cyberpunk 2 has officially entered pre-production, developer CD Projekt has confirmed.

The studio made the announcement as part of its latest financial results, where it said the Phantom Liberty expansion for Cyberpunk 2077 had hit an impressive 10 million copies sold.

96 of CD Projekt’s 730 developers are now working on Cyberpunk 2, it added. The majority of the staff (422) is working on The Witcher 4, which is in full production.

"Several weeks ago the CD Projekt Red team responsible for the next big game set in the Cyberpunk universe completed the project’s conceptual phase," CD Projekt said. "As a result, Cyberpunk 2 – previously known under the codename Project Orion – has progressed to pre-production."

What is pre-production ? In the world of AAA development, pre-production can involve everything from fleshing out concepts to planning full production, building prototypes to staffing up studios. It can often take years to complete.

In an investor call following the release of the company's financial report, CD Projekt co-CEO Michał Nowakowski responded to the suggestion Cyberpunk 2 won't release until late 2030 or even early 2031, and Nowakowski failed to rule that release window out.

"I can reiterate in a way what I said in one of the previous calls, which was basically that our journey from pre-production to final release takes four to five years on average," Nowakowski said.

"Having said that, keep in mind that each project is unique, and there are many variables that influence the final outcome. So I will not lead you into specific years, but yes, this is pretty much how it looks."

Cyberpunk 2 still sounds a long way off, then. Indeed, so does The Witcher 4. But we at least now know what CD Projekt is calling the game, after it was referred to previously as its codename, Orion.

We know next to nothing about Cyberpunk 2, but earlier this month Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith teased some previously unknown details. Pondsmith, who worked closely with CD Projekt on the 30 million-selling Cyberpunk 2077 and was involved in promoting the game ahead of its 2020 launch, was asked about the scope of his involvement with Orion at the Digital Dragons 2025 conference.

Responding, Pondsmith admitted he wasn’t as involved this time around, but said he does review scripts and had been to CD Projekt to check out the ongoing work.

“Last week I was wandering around talking to different departments, and seeing what they had, ‘Oh look, this is the new cyberware, what do you think?’ ‘Oh yeah, that’s pretty good, that works here.’ "

Fountain of Youth is streaming now on Apple TV+.

John Krasinski’s quest to copy all of Harrison Ford’s homework continues in Fountain of Youth, which sees Krasinski pivot from his role as Jack Ryan to that of a globetrotting, ancient artefact-hunting rascal. This time, though, he’s chosen poorly. While Fountain of Youth cribs from some of the very best treasure-tracking adventures Hollywood has ever had to offer, it struggles somewhat at every opportunity to demonstrate much imagination of its own.

As you’d expect from a movie that isn’t hiding its inspirations, the setup doesn’t contain a lot of surprises. When Luke Purdue (Krasinski) is conscripted by an Irish billionaire to uncover the whereabouts of the fabled Fountain, he soon crosses paths with his sister, Charlotte (Natalie Portman). Charlotte stepped away from the life of adventure she previously led alongside her brother and their father, Harrison (cough), to become a museum curator – but Luke’s self-serving stunts quickly see her swept up in the quest herself. It’s an adventure that moves at a rapid clip, from Thailand to the Celtic Sea, and London to Cairo – with a couple of other stops in between.

To its credit, Fountain of Youth gets off to a flying start, demonstrating an immediate and admirable commitment to practical stuntwork. An opening vehicle chase is very well executed, and director Guy Ritchie (of Snatch, Sherlock Holmes, and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare fame) follows it up by prodding Krasinski to leap onto a moving train. A second vehicle chase quickly follows within the first 15 minutes – this time featuring an immaculate AC Cobra 427 carving up London in a powerslide-peppered escape that would probably leave the ghost of Carroll Shelby grinning from ear to ear. “You underestimate my choice in cars,” Krasinski quips to his suitably ill-looking on-screen sister. Allow me to insist that I don’t, at least.

All of that leaves it feeling frontloaded, though, because Fountain of Youth’s weaknesses begin shortly afterwards. It simply loses steam as it settles into its formulaic groove. Krasinski cruises as Luke, who often comes off like a slightly more motivated (and slightly more horny) version of The Office’s Jim Halpert. That means he’s largely likeable, whenever he’s not outright bullying his sister into getting his own way. Portman is fine, too, even if the script compels her to be a lot more patient with the antics of her brother than I suspect most siblings would manage.

The remaining cast are generally squandered. Eiza González seems to be enjoying herself, but it’s a one-dimensional gig compared to her scene-stealing spy role in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. The Star Wars sequels’ Domhnall Gleeson has a couple of neat moments, but he doesn’t really get to push the boat out much as the movie crescendos. The Penguin’s Carmen Ejogo and The Boys’ Laz Alonso are comprehensively wasted in sidekick stints and are asked to contribute very little, much to Fountain of Youth’s detriment.

Even the inimitable Stanley Tucci departs as quickly as he arrives. I guess it’s possible he’s being shelved for a sequel that may or not ever come. In that instance, Fountain of Youth fans can join the queue behind existing Guy Ritchie aficionados. (We’re easy to spot – we’re the ones carrying large signs looking for The Real RocknRolla.)

Screenwriter James Vanderbilt (known for Zodiac, The Amazing Spider-Man films, and Murder Mystery) has plundered the likes of Steven Spielberg's unimpeachable Indiana Jones trilogy and Stephen Sommers’ legendary and much-loved The Mummy for all the parts he needed to assemble this story. The handsome rogue hero, a brother-sister duo – Fountain of Youth is playing the hits. It even has its own secret society of sworn protectors, because of what worth is any ancient knick knack if it doesn’t have its own Brotherhood of the Cruciform Sword or Medjai keeping it safe from swarthy ne'er-do-wells?

A stop along the way that mines Vanderbilt’s own personal family history is a cute touch for those who’ve done their homework and are still paying attention after watching so many boxes get checked, and it comes amid another slick action sequence on an impressive and waterlogged practical set. You’ll just need to ignore the fact that it’s a brazen maritime crime for which our heroes face no consequences or even introspection. “We’re not grave robbers,” insists Portman in the moment. I guess it’s not stealing from a grave if you’re just… “borrowing” the whole grave?

The biggest problems with the Fountain of Youth, however, are the things it doesn’t steal. Primarily, for the vast bulk of the time there’s simply no clear villain. Unlike Indiana Jones or The Mummy there are neither Nazis nor supernatural nasties in the mix, and the plot suffers from a lack of tension as a result. They just have billions of dollars to burn, and a pretty loose deadline. Luke’s encounters with the group trying to get him to give up his search are not the same as Indy racing to discover the Holy Grail before Donovan and Vogel, or Rick O’Connell and his team hustling to Hamunaptra in time to stop Imhotep. Vanderbilt could’ve even cribbed a little from 2003’s treasure hunting buddy comedy The Rundown in this instance, which was buoyed throughout by a captivatingly cruel Christopher Walken. Vanderbilt co-wrote that himself, after all.

Conspicuously, there’s also a lack of any of the wonder of discovery that oozes from Indiana Jones himself, or from The Mummy’s Evelyn Carnahan. It doesn’t help that Luke and his team seem mostly content to simply let their computers try to solve the puzzles they encounter from the clues they glean along the way. I guess it’s indicative of how a lot of people are operating in 2025, including kids asking ChatGPT to do their homework for them, but it feels quite soulless to watch.

The Mastermind will premiere in theaters and stream on Mubi at a date TBD. This review is based on a screening at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

Kelly Reichardt’s heist movie The Mastermind is crackingly, urgently alive, an assured and magnificent addition to an already storied body of work. Set amid the malaise and unrest of 1970s Massachusetts, it’s political and personal, exploring the life of an unemployed carpenter who tries his hand at art theft only for his life to entirely fall apart. With a career-best performance by Josh O'Connor, it’s a sharply incisive and often darkly funny gem that bolsters Reichardt’s reputation as one of our finest living filmmakers.

This is felt right out of the gate in a nearly wordless opening scene where the woefully selfish James Blaine Mooney (O'Connor) visits a local art museum with his wife, Terri (Alana Haim), and their two sons. While one of the kids humorously rambles on to no one in particular, his father not-so-subtly cases the joint, steals a small figurine, and conceals it in Terri’s bag. Already, we know so much about James: He’s always at a remove from his family, and only comes close when he needs to use them for cover. I was completely swept up in the excitement of it, perfectly punctuated by composer Rob Mazurek’s excellent jazz score. It’s the first of many simple yet remarkably well-written, directed, and edited scenes (roles all filled by Reichardt) that sets the stage for a spectacular, surprising, and somber crime story to come.

This is just a trial run; despite his inexperience, James intends to steal four paintings from the museum. He brings on a team of goofy guys he knows to do the actual thieving (insisting it would be much too risky for him, since he’s already shown his face there too much), and plans it all out in his basement. There’s an electrifying intensity to every frame of these scenes, laced with a growing sense of calamity.

The Mastermind is a thrilling film about process, but it’s also aware that there’s a trap in such excitement, and Reichardt delicately slips in indications of how this could all go wrong. Some of these are funny, like James leaving the kids to their own devices because they don’t have school on the day of the heist. Others are urgent, like how he has to serve as getaway driver after the wheelman he hired gets cold feet. As the signs of impending disaster mount, James blows right past them.

There’s a joke in the title, too: The main character is anything but a mastermind. He has enough ego to believe he can pull something like this off even with minimal planning and a general lack of thought about the consequences. Even the scene where he tries to hide his loot in a barn by using a ladder humorously undercuts his delusion. That’s where the story dovetails with its historical backdrop, as reminders of the Vietnam War and Richard Nixon’s presidency echo the heedlessness of James’ actions on a much larger scale. It’s a quietly scathing, compelling, and astute encapsulation of arrogance spinning out of control that’s expertly handled by Reichardt.

It all makes for a distinctly American tragicomedy. When push comes to shove, James is individualistic to an increasingly cruel degree, willing to abandon the already flimsy pretense that he cared about his family if it means avoiding jail time. O’Connor plays these notes beautifully, his boyish charm an ideal match for James’ unwillingness to take responsibility for his actions. He’s slimy, but human, with the thin protective shell he’s built for himself apparent in O’Connor’s performance and the way the character is written – making it all the more satisfying to see that shell shattered while he’s laying low with two old friends played by John Magaro and Gaby Hoffmann.

It’s the latter who cuts James down to size and reveals who he really is, speaking aloud what was left effectively unspoken for much of The Mastermind: This story is not one of a scrappy thief taking on The Man, but one about a guy who’s just as self-serving and inconsiderate as The Man. Reichardt is a patient filmmaker who never overplays her hand, but this moment shows she can also write sharp dialogue. As James goes further adrift from there, she remains in complete control, applying poetic rhythms to his downward spiral.

This culminates in an arresting conclusion where the depths of James’ manipulation and O’Connor’s richly layered performance are on full display. In one phone call, his many lies and fabrications come crumbling down around him. At the same time, Reichardt pulls The Mastermind’s Vietnam-era tumult out of the background and into the forefront, sweeping James up in a bigger crisis he’s largely ignored in favor of his own foolhardy endeavors. It’s an ending of impeccable craftsmanship and rich ideas and the conclusion to a movie that’s a work of art in its own right.

Sony has pulled the trigger on the Days of Play Sale, its annual savings event that drops prices on all things PlayStation. You’ll find deals on PS5 games, DualSense controllers, the PSVR 2, PlayStation Plus, and consoles – including the first-ever discount on the powerful PS5 Pro. There’s also a new PS5 console bundle that’s on sale (with a Microsoft-published pack-in, no less!).

The Days of Play sale runs May 28 - June 11. There are a lot of deals to cover, so let’s end the intro and get to it.

Days of Play Sale

• Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop | PS Direct | Target | Walmart

Here’s a list of the retailer pages where you can find all the PlayStation Days of Play sales. Keep reading to see the deals broken down by category.

PS5 Pro Gets Its First Discount

PS5 DualSense Controllers Are $20 Off

• Amazon | Best Buy | PS Direct | Target | Walmart

The DualSense Controller is one of the best-feeling and more feature-rich PS5 controllers on the market. It has a big old touch pad, adaptive triggers, and more. It’s also available in an eye-pleasing variety of colors.

PS5 DualSense Edge Is Also on Sale

PSVR 2: Horizon Call of The Mountain Bundle Is $50 Off

PS5 Game Deals

• Amazon | Best Buy | PS Direct | PS Store | Target | Walmart

If it's game deals you're after, you can find plenty of them to go around. All sorts of PS5 (at least console) exclusives are on sale right now, many of them for just $29.99, which is better than you usually see during sales events. Pick up whatever you want to play this summer.

PS5 Accessory Deals

• Amazon | Best Buy | PS Direct | Target | Walmart

A whole lot more accessories are on sale, ranging from headphones and earbuds to colorful console covers and, uh, Shapes of Play. It’s a lot.

PlayStation Plus Deals

Looks like Death Stranding isn't only heading to live-action, but anime as well. In a new article ahead of June's Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, director Hideo Kojima has seemingly confirmed an anime adaptation of Death Stranding is on the way.

Speaking to Vogue Japan (via VGC), Kojima mentioned his current collaboration with A24 on the live-action Death Stranding film adaptation, but closed off with a little extra note about an anime in the works. Here's the quote, via machine translation:

"I am also currently working with A24 on a live-action film adaptation of 'DEATH STRANDING". When it comes to film adaptations of games, there have been recent films like 'The Last of Us' that keep the plot of the original intact, and films like 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' that are more like a service to game fans. Each of these works has its own merits, but as a film lover, I want to pursue expression as a film. I am aiming to make 'DEATH STRANDING' in a way that can only be done as a film, and that will win awards at the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival. In fact, we are also currently working on an anime adaptation."

While no production studio was confirmed, it does certainly sound like Death Stranding has another adaptation on the way, in anime form.

In 2023, A24 officially confirmed it was collaborating with Kojima Productions and its director on a live-action Death Stranding movie. At the time, Kojima said the adaptation was not just a "direct translation" of the game. "The intention is that our audience will not only be fans of the games, but our film will be for anyone who loves cinema," said Kojima. "We are creating a Death Stranding universe that has never been seen before, achievable only through the medium of film, it will be born.”

Earlier this year, A Quiet Place: Day One director Michael Sarnoski reportedly signed on to write and direct the Death Stranding adaptation. Death Stranding Star Norman Reedus has said he would "of course" play himself in the movie "if it was an option."

With another adaptation on the way, I'm admittedly curious to see what could be done with Death Stranding in the anime space. Depending on which studio picks it up, we could get some different and interesting versions of the Death Stranding universe. It's pretty fun to imagine a Studio Trigger-made Death Stranding, for example.

Meanwhile, in the video game world, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is due out on June 26, 2025 for the PlayStation 5. If you're curious about how the next entry in Death Stranding is coming together, check out our hands-on impressions of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach after a whopping 30 hours with the game.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a weird one. It takes the foundation of one of the best open-world RPGs of a generation and turns it into not just a roguelite where death is even more of a big deal, but a three-person, co-op-focused roguelite. And in many ways, that strange experimental concoction is a success. Under the right conditions, Nightreign’s 45-ish minute runs are positively thrilling. They are packed with surprising encounters, challenging decisions, satisfying opportunities for teamwork, and some of the best boss battles FromSoftware has ever come up with – and that’s a very high bar. The big problem, however, is that those right conditions are far more difficult to create than they should be. You really need to have a consistent squad of similarly skilled players that are able to devote hours at a time in order to see what makes Nightreign special – and when you don’t, the flaws of its design are magnified tenfold. There is excellence in this Elden Ring spin off, but it’s excellence that is just a little bit tarnished.

Let’s get the most important caveat out of the way first: If you are hoping to tackle Nightreign entirely solo, and are anything less than a hardcore Elden Ring player that actively seeks out ways to make that already difficult game even more challenging, Nightreign isn’t for you. Yes, there is technically a single-player option, but it is so poorly balanced that I would be shocked if it isn’t patched and adjusted within the first month of release. And this is coming from someone who lives and breathes these types of games.

To understand why, we first need to go over what Nightreign even is. On a very basic level, this is a roguelite that takes place on an island called Limveld, which is kind of like a melting pot of Elden Ring’s environments, enemies, bosses, and structures. The general flow of a run is split up into a three-day cycle: On days one and two, it’s all about farming gear, defeating bosses, and leveling up so that you’re as prepared as possible when you face off against one of the eight extremely difficult Nightlord bosses on day three. It’s a great formula, and while you might think that the mostly static map would get old after a while, there’s a good amount of procedural generation every run that mixes up the locations of every point of interest, requiring you to plan out a unique route on each new attempt. On top of that, there are also random events like boss raids, summoning portals, and other occurrences that inject a heavy level of chaos every once in a while.

Efficiency is key because you are on a very strict time limit, with a battle royale-esque circle that constricts at set points throughout the day, eventually shrinking to the size of a small battlefield and setting the stage for the boss battle that ends the night.

It is immediately obvious that Nightreign was designed with a three-player squad in mind. Enemy encampments that don't require you to fight a single boss will instead have you spread out to takedown three tough enemies; basic encounters against five or more enemies that would be trivial with three players become costly time wasters when you’re on your own; and the new Nightlord bosses all seem explicitly designed with having allies in mind, and I’m not sure how I’d approach several of them by myself. Nightreign at least scales up your damage when you’re alone, but it doesn’t change any of these fundamental design decisions in any way that would make solo play more reasonable.

But the biggest issue is that co-op partners are able to revive each other when someone goes down, but you’ve only got one life to live when you’re on your own. That’s generally the case in roguelites, but usually there’s some sort of safety net that you can fall back on. For example: Hades has Death Defiances, and part of the progression of that game allows you to work toward unlocking more of them with every run; Returnal has artifacts you can find that give you extra lives, rewarding you for being more thorough in your exploration; Spelunky has shortcuts that allow you to skip the early stages and get practice on the enemies, traps, and bosses you only have limited experience with.

The list goes on and on, but Nightreign has virtually nothing to make up for the fact that solo players lose access to that crucial revival option. There is an item that will resurrect you once with half of your life, but it’s limited to the highest rarity tier, meaning you have to choose it over a legendary weapon if one does appear as a reward – similarly, you may find them in a shop, but they cost a substantial amount of runes that you could instead use to level up. Either way, it’s just not a solution that makes up for the crippling detriment of not having someone to revive you if you go down.

None of this is to say that solo play is outright impossible, and I have had a few successful runs on my own. Just that the balancing of solo play feels like a job half finished, and as a result, the frustration of playing alone wasn’t worth the triumph for me to have any desire to play more without a squad.

It Takes Three

Nightreign’s saving grace is that when you do have a squad of three people who all know what they’re doing, communicate well, and are generally pretty skilled at Elden Ring, it really is a lot of fun. The central idea of taking an entire game’s worth of progression and condensing it into a 40-minute run is a strong one. Going from cutting down rats with a basic weapon to culling Elden Ring’s most fearsome bosses with a badass armament that you may or may not have gotten to use in the main game is one of the coolest and most satisfying parts. It's 80+ hours of character growth condensed into less than an hour and shot straight into your veins.

Dropping into a run the first couple of times is certainly overwhelming, mostly because of the amount of information on the minimap you have to process, but at least FromSoft keeps the inventory and stat management very simple. Level ups are automatic, letting you press a button at a Site of Grace to automatically level your class’s preferred stats. And as far as weapon stats go, all you have to worry about here is the damage number, the elemental affinity, the passive bonus you get simply for having the weapon in your inventory, and the weapon skill that comes along with it. This meant when I had a choice between three rewards, I was able to very quickly make a judgment on what I needed at that moment and continue on my way.

Eventually, I started to understand what rewards were offered at which camps, which ones were quick and could be cleared before the circle closed in, which ones I should only do if I had a lot of extra time, what level I should attempt certain roaming bosses, and which bosses I should absolutely avoid unless my team was really confident in our builds. Exploring these areas can be more frustrating than it needs to be thanks to a new wall climbing ability that feels straight up bad, especially when it takes three attempts to jump over what looks like it should be an easily scalable wall as you’re trying to escape the encroaching circle. But learning the ins and outs of the map helped my efficiency and led to a very satisfying feeling of skill progression that wasn’t tied to the actual progression system that offers persistent improvements between attempts.

That system is tied to relics that can be won after completing a run. Whether you win or lose, you still get relics, but the better you perform, the better the quality and quantity of relics you earn. These can be equipped before a run and impart stat bonuses, starting skills or elemental affinities for your initial weapon, buffs for performing certain actions, and in some cases, they can even improve the skills of a specific class. When you’re just starting out, these bonuses are hardly noticeable and too random to really make any sort of compelling build from. Eventually though, with enough runs under your belt, you’ll get some powerful relics that can really start to have an effect on your power level in a run.

That said, there really should be more of an element of choice with regards to the meta progression, or at least a way to control some of the randomness. There are a small selection of relics that you can buy at the Jar Shop inside your base before runs, and there are set relic rewards for beating Nightlord bosses and completing class-specific objectives called remembrances – but other than that, you’re completely at the mercy of the RNG gods when it comes to what relics you get. It can be really annoying when you’re looking to strengthen your preferred class and you keep getting relics that don’t do anything for you.

Select Your Nightfarer

One of the biggest departures compared to what we’re used to from Elden Ring is that the classes are now actual classes, with unique skills and gameplay styles as opposed to soft classes that just determine your starting stats and weapons. They’re called Nightfarers, and the eight options are varied and well defined, with even the more basic archetypes having some interesting twists to them. The Wylder, for instance, is the general jack of all trades, but also has access to a nifty grappling hook that can be used to pull weak enemies towards you, zip you toward larger enemies, or simply zoom you around the field at high speeds if you aim it at the ground.

In addition to the basic fighter, mage, and ranger archetypes, you also have a few completely unique choices that don’t fit into any pre-existing mold. One of the most interesting classes is the Executor, whose main skill has you pulling out a unique sword with a Sekiro-like parrying mechanic tied to it. Basically, by blocking attacks with proper timing, you completely negate damage, don’t lose any stamina, and reduce the enemy’s own stamina, potentially opening them up for a critical hit. It’s a very risky class, especially in a game where missing a parry can mean almost certain death, and it feels like the offensive power of the Sekiro sword is too weak to justify the risk of the parries, but I appreciate this inclusion nonetheless as both a nod to Sekiro, and as a completely different way to approach combat.

As mentioned, each of the classes has a remembrance tied to them, which is essentially a collection of journal entries that chronicle the story of how they wound up in Limveld and their purpose for being there. It’s a far cry from the rich lore that we’re used to in FromSoft games, but at least each remembrance has a handful of playable chapters that have you completing specific objectives in order to earn powerful relics, as well as a healthy amount of runes to help you level up during the actual run itself.

Almost all of Nightreign is made up of existing Elden Ring parts, but there are a few surprise bosses that are pulled from the Dark Souls series as well. But the eight Nightlords are brand new, and hoo boy, they’re almost all unlike any boss FromSoft has designed before. Many of them are clearly inspired by MMO boss battles, with a number of party-wiping attacks that must be stopped or interrupted before they get a chance to finish their preparation. Others are designed to split the party up into roles to either hold aggro or press the assault, and some are just designed to be all out wars against absurdly aggressive foes.

They’re almost all bangers, with only one of them being a dud due to the best strategy simply being hanging back and pelting them with arrows for what felt like an hour. Still, seven out of eight is pretty great, especially when those seven are among the very best FromSoftware has ever crafted, with excellent accompanying soundtracks to match. I don’t want to spoil them too much, but the fight against the Fissure in the Fog boss in particular is so good it gave me goosebumps all throughout.

But the creativity of those bosses once again shines a light on the eldritch elephant in the room: they only really work with a team, and by far the two biggest issues facing Nightreign right now are, one, the shocking lack of crossplay and two, the absence of a duos playlist (you will be forced to fill the third player with matchmaking). It is simply a lot to ask of a group of three people who all must have purchased the $40 game, play on the same platform, be of a similarly matched skill to be able to handle the extreme challenge of the day 3 bosses, have the time to devote at least 45 minutes per run, and also can all agree on fighting the same boss that they may or may not all need to beat for their own individual progression.

There is a decent pinging system that at least makes it possible for light communication with a group of randos, but there’s no built-in voice chat, which makes nuance like trying to communicate that your group should hit the basement of the castle instead of the front or side entrance virtually impossible. It’s just a night and day difference when you’re able to group up with a squad that communicates well and knows what they’re doing versus when you’ve got one that doesn’t listen to you or just constantly makes bad decisions, especially with no way to vote to cancel or quit out of a run without a penalty. That makes the prospect of random matchmaking on the live servers pretty unappealing.

Tornado opens in theaters Friday, May 30.

In 2015, John Maclean emerged on the scene with his bittersweet reimagining of the cowboy legend, Slow West. Ten years later, the Scottish filmmaker is playing with classic genres once again in Tornado, this time using the samurai stylings of Akira Kurosawa to paint a furiously windswept portrait of a British-Japanese teenager navigating the perilous terrain of the British countryside in the 1790s.

There's much in common between Maclean’s chosen time periods and genres: uncertain futures, tradition making way for modernity, and adventurous themes of revenge, justice, and survival. But where Slow West was drenched in the heat of the Wild West, Maclean, reteaming with cinematographer Robbie Ryan, serves up a far bleaker landscape in Tornado. It’s one that shivers with cold, natural light and shadow, vibrates with roaring winds, and is populated by morally iffy characters living in the margins. Over the course of one, well-paced day, Maclean depicts their desperate plight.

We’re thrown into the deep end, opening on our eponymous lead (Kōki) racing across a desolate field and into a forest as a ruthless band of criminals slowly stalk into shot. Their pursuit is guided by the foreboding beat of Jed Kurtzel's battering score – all heavy drums and low strings – until the characters arrive at a country manor, where the music drops out and the treachery of silence threatens to expose Tornado's hiding spot.

Why these bandits want Tornado is not immediately apparent, making for a compelling first act that neatly introduces the key players with intrigue and dark humour. The lumbering Kitten (Rory McCann) falls through broken floorboards onto a grand piano and declares dryly, "She's not in the piano." Little Sugar (Jack Lowden) sets up his conniving subplot by hiding his discovery of Tornado from the group and threatening her with death unless she reveals the location of some mysterious gold.

Then there's Sugarman, their leader, played exquisitely by Tim Roth. Before the gang enters the manor, he slashes the throat of one of his men without slowing his pace or glancing behind him. His gang of misfits doesn't flinch at this brutality, all of them so browbeaten by violence that these displays appear more mundane than malevolent. Yet Roth’s performance isn’t defined by his character’s bloodlust. He commands the screen with such world-weary blaséness and indifference that you almost forget Sugarman is a ruthless killer willing to go to devastating lengths to get what he wants, whether it’s stealing from churches or torching the encampment of an innocent circus troupe. He’s an ageing antagonist realistically forged by a hardened, impoverished existence.

All of this carnage is the backdrop to a coming-of-age story, a timeless tale of misspent youth and feeling caught between two cultures. Tornado is the daughter of an English woman (who has died before the events of the movie) and Samurai-trained Japanese puppeteer Fujin (played with gentle chivalry by Takehiro Hira) and Kōki plays her with a brooding tenacity. The script, co-written by Maclean and Kate Leys, admirably captures the specific insecurity of her mixed identity and adolescent yearning to assimilate.

Flashing back to before Sugarman’s pursuit, we meet Tornado as a sulky teen who just wants to sleep in – very relatable. Her dismissiveness of her father's heritage, from speaking Japanese to learning the patience of combat, creates friction in their relationship, deepened ever more by the utter mortification of having to perform in his whimsically bloody puppet show. This terse dynamic is the perfect setup for Tornado’s emotional transition from wilful child to vengeful warrior after her reckless behaviour leads to tragedy.

In the final act, Tornado lives up to her name, whipping across the rugged landscape to exact bloody revenge on Sugarman's men and secure her survival. For all of Maclean’s Kurosawa mimicry, no one is going to mistake Tornado for Seven Samurai: The swordplay sequences and cunning traps aren’t so epically choreographed, and the mysterious man in black played by Dennis Okwera could have been better lit and better used. Still, Tornado is darkly comic in its bloody execution: A brute going head first into a samurai sword that’s been stuck in a tree is a squeamish delight, as is a gunslinger's hand getting chopped off.

The simplicity of these violent confrontations is very much in keeping with the film's grounded tone and the journey of a misguided girl embracing all of who she is. In so many extreme close-ups, we see the passion, pain, and fury in Tornado’s eyes, and we can tell: There's nothing commonplace about this screen heroine.

The Pokémon Company has announced the release date for the highly anticipated Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition: October 16, 2025. Preorders begin on June 5.

There’s a new Pokémon Presents presentation set for July 22 “for the latest news and updates from the world of Pokémon.” The Pokémon Company also announced the release of brand-new Mega Evolution merchandise, available now on the Pokémon Center.

Players who buy either the physical or digital version of Pokémon Legends: Z-A for Nintendo Switch get the option to upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition by buying a $10 upgrade pack from the Nintendo eShop or My Nintendo Store. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition offers improved graphics and framerates.

The cover art has also been unveiled. It features the game’s main characters and their partner Pokémon battling a Mega-Evolved Pokémon at night in Lumiose City.

Here’s the official blurb:

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a new frontier for the Pokémon video game series, blending an RPG story unfolding in a single city with action elements and a real-time battle system unlike anything seen before in the franchise. Trainers can look forward to the beginning of a new adventure in Lumiose City — one woven by people and Pokémon together!​

Alternative history PS4 exclusive The Order: 1886 was originally meant to be the first game in a trilogy, one of its developers has revealed.

Two other games — The Order 1891 and The Order 1899 — were also planned (thanks, VGC). As Ru Weerasuriya, creative director of The Order: 1886, explained in an French-language interview with Julien Chieze, the sequel was in the early stages of development before it was cancelled.

In The Order: 1886, a game that re-writes history by introducing a unique vision of Victorian-Era London, you discover history’s darkest secret. From its 10-page pitch, Weerasuriya said the first sequel would have boasted bigger combat sequences, as well as an additional multiplayer mode. The third game didn't even make it to early production, but Weerasuriya and the team at Ready at Dawn had planned where the story would've taken them, as well as other instalments which could've taken the franchise into the 20th century.

Ready at Dawn was a venerable, 20-year-old game studio that worked on God of War and Daxter among other projects. Following the mixed reception of The Order: 1886, Ready at Dawn began to move into VR, releasing Lone Echo for the Oculus Rift in 2017. It was acquired by Meta in 2020, but closed down entirely in August 2024.

Weerasuriya suggested that it was the mixed critical reception to the original game that saw the series cancelled. Like a lot of players at the time, here at IGN we thought the 2015 game was okay, awarding it a 6.5, writing: "Though a stylish adventure, The Order: 1886 emphasizes its cinematic polish at the crippling cost of gameplay freedom."

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

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has made some significant waves in the gaming space. And one of those key differentiators, as explored in a new interview, is the scope of Clair Obscur compared to most big games nowadays.

In a new interview with GamesIndustry.biz, some of the heads at Kepler Interactive — the publisher of Clair Obscur developer Sandfall Interactive — talked about the success behind Expedition 33 and its place in the industry. In some ways, it's easier to note the ways Clair Obscur is different from the usual AAA blockbuster, and one notable difference pointed out by Kepler portfolio director Matthew Handrahan is the game's length.

"Brevity should be more of a virtue in gaming," said Handrahan. "Something can be better by being shorter — something that's being discussed in film at the moment. Every film seems to be two-and-a-half hours long, and I think most people are like, 'Can they all be a bit shorter, please? Because we have other things to do with our lives.'"

Sandfall's COO and producer François Meurisse told GI.biz that, from the beginning, the team wanted Clair Obscur to be an "intense and short" experience.

"The first length estimates of the game were closer to 20 hours for the main quest," said Meurisse. "I think we ended up closer to 30, even 40 hours if you take a bit of time. As a player, there are so many great games out there that I want to experience, [and] what's important to me is the level of excitement and fun I get from a game, rather than how long it is."

Current ballpark estimates from HowLongToBeat place a main story runthrough of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 at about 27 hours, with 41 hours for the Main + Sides and a completionist playthrough at about 61.5 hours. It can still be a bit longer than a short-form indie game, but still comes in at a much lower hour count than some massive AAA games, or even other long RPGs.

As Handrahan put it, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 "really respects the player's time." He noted that Clair Obscur doesn't offer any "sense of bloat or extranous things that are put there just to make it larger and larger and larger." And for Meurisse, he wondered whether there was a link between the hour count of a game and its value proposition.

"The value that players get from games does not align systematically with the length of the game," said Meurisse. "For example, one of my favourite games of all time is Inside, which lasts about two hours, but it's one of the most polished, and intense [experiences] — and even life changing for some people."

In IGN's 9/10 review of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, our reviewer noted the hour count as well: "I finished the main story and a decent amount of side content in about 35 hours, and that length speaks to how Clair Obscur doesn’t waste a moment — there isn’t really any filler along the critical path and it doesn’t get bogged down in drawn-out exposition."

There are many factors that set Clair Obscur apart from the usual gaming blockbuster, in ways that feel like a sign of the changing times in the games industry. You can read more about those factors in the full interview over at GI.biz. But it certainly seems like Clair Obscur has set an interesting precedent for big games without big bloat.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

The co-CEO of the developer of MindsEye has claimed there exists a “concerted effort” to “trash the game and the studio,” and has even suggested people are being paid or using spam bots to post negative comments.

Mark Gerhard, who became co-CEO of Edinburgh, Scotland-based Build A Rocket Boy alongside former Rockstar North development chief Leslie Benzies last year, issued the claims on the official MindsEye Discord, sparking a number of shocked responses from fans.

MindsEye is due out on June 10, 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. It has elements of Grand Theft Auto, Watch Dogs, Cyberpunk, and a user generated content portion that has been labeled “AAA Minecraft.”

During the Q&A session on Discord, reviewed by IGN, Gerhard, who goes by the username MMG on the platform, was asked: “Do you think that all the people who reacted negatively were financed by someone?”

“100%,” Gerhard responded, before adding: “Doesn't take much to guess who 🤣”

This accusation sparked a number of shocked responses, including one who said: “A co-CEO for a studio implying another studio is paying previewers to talk negatively about your game is an absolutely wild comment to make in a public environment in any situation.”

Gerhard responded to that comment by saying: “Not wild when its [sic] true.....”

Some users, who had clearly expressed concern about MindsEye and Build A Rocket Boy in the Discord in the past, wondered whether they were the target of Gerhard’s comments. One such user, ‘Cyber Boi,’ sparked a separate response:

“Folks I never said Cyber Boi was being paid by anyone," Gerhard insisted. "I just said that there is a concerted effort by some people that don't want to see Leslie or Build A Rocket Boy to be successful that are making a concerted effort to trash the game and the studio. Its [sic] pretty easy to see the bots and the repeated replies to any content that we put out.”

Gerhard was then asked to clarify his comments by another user: “So just to clarify — you believe that individuals, be it content creators or otherwise, have been paid off to criticise MindsEye?” Gerhard then appeared to walk back the initial accusation, responding: “No I never said that. I do KNOW that there are bot farms posting negative comments and dislikes.”

The comments, still live on the Discord at the time of this article’s publication, were subsequently picked up on social media and began to circulate online. Gerhard has so far failed to provide evidence to back up his claims. Build A Rocket Boy and publisher IO Interactive, the studio behind Hitman, declined to comment when contacted by IGN.

MindsEye carries a $59.99 price tag. At launch, there is a “tightly crafted linear story campaign,” and what’s called “single-player free roam,” but there are also a number of missions: a horde mode mission called “Destruction Site Shootout,” and two combat missions (“Honor Amongst Thieves” and “Friendly Fire”). Also at launch are six races, six checkpoint races, and three drone races. If you get the premium pass, you get an extra horde mode mission and an exotic cosmetics pack.

Following launch, Build A Rocket Boy said it will deliver a “constant stream” of fresh premium content monthly, “ensuring MindsEye is a living, ever-expanding player experience.” This includes new missions, challenges, and game assets. “The continuous stream of studio-developed content, combined with the very best of the community’s own beautiful creations, means that MindsEye will continue to surprise and delight its players for decades to come,” Build A Rocket Boy added.

Build A Rocket Boy also confirmed its 2025 roadmap of content. In the summer there will be community updates, new missions, in the fall new single-player modes, multiplayer, and new missions, and in the winter free roam updates and new missions. Premium pass owners get extra missions and new packs throughout.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Surprise! Nintendo has just released Animal Crossing: New Horizons' first update in almost three years.

It's not a particularly exciting update — the patch notes only tell us that May 27's update "improved the compatibility for multiplayer sessions between Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch" — but it marks the first time the relaxing sim game has had an any kind of backend refresh since November 2022.

What "improved compatibility" means, we're not completely sure, but it's likely a small tweak to make sure players jumping onto Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Switch 2 can still visit the islands of their friends without incident and vice-versa.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be playable on Switch 2, but unlike games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Kirby and the Forgotten Land, it's not getting its own bespoke Switch 2 Edition. It should be compatible for players getting a Switch 2 next week, however — unlike these games that are known to have issues.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons lets you escape to a deserted island and create your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize your own private island and community. We loved our time with it, and it's still listed on our Top 25 Best Nintendo Switch Games in 2025 list. In our review, we awarded it a 9, writing: "Animal Crossing: New Horizons is an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game that's full of surprises."

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

T’Nia Miller is reportedly set to play Jocasta in upcoming Disney+ MCU TV show Vision.

Deadline reported that Miller, who played Hannah Grose in The Haunting of Bly Manor, Victorine LaFourcade in The Fall of the House of Usher, and Zephyr Halima Ifa in Foundation, will play one of the lead roles opposite Paul Bettany’s Vision.

Miller’s Jocasta is described as “cunning and powerful” and “driven by revenge.” In the comics, Jocasta was made by Ultron so that he would have a spouse. He managed to upload Wasp’s consciousness into the robot, but Wasp alerted the other Avengers and they removed it. Jocasta was reactivated by Ultron but betrayed him and joined the Avengers to defeat him.

The night looms, as Bandai Namco and FromSoftware have confirmed the global release times for Elden Ring Nightreign.

The official release date for Elden Ring Nightreign is May 30 at midnight EDT, for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S. As per usual, though, some timezone differences mean that certain regions will be able to log on and play a bit earlier. West coast players in the Pacific time zone, for example, can boot up Elden Ring Nightreign at 9pm on May 29.

Platforms also differ, too. Per Bandai Namco's post, PC players will be able to hop in slightly ahead of everyone else in most regions. For the U.S. East Coast, PC players can start at 6pm on May 29 while console owners are stuck waiting until midnight.

Nintendo has confirmed that Nintendo 64 games available via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription are getting three new features, but two of them are exclusive to the Switch 2.

The three new features coming to Nintendo 64 games are customizable controls, rewind, and a CRT screen filter.

Apple is reportedly designing a new game-focused app dedicated to gaming.

A new report from Bloomberg supports rumors from the end of last year that intimate the megacorp is "seeking to sell gamers and developers on the idea that it’s a leader in the market." It also purports we'll learn more when the app is announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9.

It's believed the company plans to pre-install this app across all its new smart devices, including Apple TV, later this year, and — much like Steam on your PC — will act like a launcher for all games, centralizing in-game achievements, leaderboards, chat, and other activities, and replacing its existing "Game Center." Bloomberg believes a Mac version will also be available for Mac computers to "tap into games downloaded outside of the App Store."

Though Apple declined to comment on the rumor at this time, it has acquired Sneaky Sasquatch developer RAC7 Games, so make of that what you will.

Nintendo has issued another system update for the Switch just days ahead of the launch of the Switch 2.

According to the brief patch notes, Nintendo Switch System Update Ver. 20.1.0 only makes a few changes, one of which is that old chestnut: "general system stability."

More importantly, the firmware updates makes visual changes to the parental control settings, and the sound that plays when Nintendo Switch Online is launched from the Home Menu has been changed.

The new sound is, to my ears at least, a little more upbeat, and no-doubt what Nintendo Switch 2 owners can expect to hear when they boot NSO from that console’s Home Menu. X / Twitter user @Nexusvoyager showcased the before and after sound in the post, below:

Before and after the update pic.twitter.com/HC71TFztS9

— The Ashen Nexus. (@Nexusvoyager) May 28, 2025

According to @Nexusvoyager, there are some new navigation sounds and the NSO app has changed its user interface, again, likely to match the experience on offer on Switch 2. In fact, this Switch firmware update looks like it brings the entire Nintendo Switch Online app on Switch in-line with the app that will be included on the Switch 2.

After a relaunch the app completely changed its ui pic.twitter.com/h07hoSOOOt

— The Ashen Nexus. (@Nexusvoyager) May 28, 2025

High-profile Switch system watcher @OatmealDome found that 20.1.0. made some theme-related changes, renaming "Basic White" and "Basic Black" to "Basic Light" and "Basic Dark," and added support for the Basic Dark theme in the NSO app.

[Nintendo Switch Firmware Update]

Some theme-related changes were made in 20.1.0.

• The "Basic White" and "Basic Black" themes were renamed to "Basic Light" and "Basic Dark".
• The Nintendo Switch Online applet now supports the Basic Dark theme. pic.twitter.com/BoeR4YbBD4

— OatmealDome (@OatmealDome) May 28, 2025

It’s worth noting that if you’re performing a system transfer from Nintendo Switch to Nintendo Switch 2 using local communication, the Nintendo Switch console will need to be updated to this latest system version to perform the transfer.

All this comes ahead of the launch of Switch 2 on June 5, which is fast approaching. Overnight, IGN reported on one person who appeared to obtain a Switch 2 console early, despite Nintendo's best efforts. But unfortunately for leak-enjoyers, not only is it unusable without a day-one patch, but the video was copyright struck almost immediately.

So far, we've played Mario Kart World on Nintendo Switch 2, and more recently we've gotten all sorts of new bits of info like free performance upgrades for Switch 1 games, variable refresh rate support stipulations, and more details about GameChat, which will require your phone number for verification in order to work. Though pre-orders flew off the digital shelves when they dropped last month, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser reassures that Nintendo will have enough systems to meet demand through the holidays.

Nintendo Switch System Update Ver. 20.1.0 (Released May 27, 2025)

• Visual updates have been made to the Parental Control settings.
• The sound that plays when Nintendo Switch Online is launched from the HOME Menu has been changed.
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

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