Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is out, and as porters worldwide begin trekking across Hideo Kojima’s newest adventure, all sorts of little secrets and discoveries are being uncovered. While much attention will be paid to the grand, cinematic experience on display, Kojima also went ahead and stuffed Death Stranding 2 to the gills with little flourishes and details, some obvious, some very, very hidden.

We’ve compiled a list of all the little details that help bring the world of Death Stranding 2 to life, from easter eggs to ingenious gameplay we can’t believe Kojima Productions thought to even add in the first place.

1. The best part of Death Stranding 2 is seeing how the natural world interacts with Sam, or how Sam interacts with the natural world. Given that this is a game about traversing the different biomes of Australia, Sam will naturally get dirty, and this will be reflected on Sam’s character model. He’ll be covered in dirt, snow, and sludge after long journeys, which will require you to take showers to clean off.

2. It’s not limited to just the elements, either. After an intense fight, Sam will also become covered by the blood of his enemies. While this might make him look very battle hardened, it probably isn’t how Sam wants to present himself when he’s on deliveries, so be sure to clean off the blood in the shower too.

3. When not covered in grime, even just exposure to the sun can affect Sam’s appearance. He’ll turn redder as he gets more and more sunburnt, to the point where he can start resembling a cherry tomato in the face. Taking a shower will heal these burns, so bathe regularly.

4. However, if you decide to take off your backpack before showering, you’ll find that while you become clean, your backpack will stay dirty. Why you'd take your pack into the shower is beyond me, but it's better than carrying around a dirty pack, I suppose.

5. If you can’t make it to a shower, hopping into a lake or river will clear off some of the dirt up to the point you submerge yourself. Meaning if you only dip your shoes into the river, your boots will be clean, but the rest of you won’t be.

6. There are all sorts of different weather conditions in the world of Death Stranding 2, all of which will hit in real-time.

7. The earliest natural event you encounter is the sandstorm, which severely impairs Sam’s visibility, forcing you to rely on your Odradek scanner to scope out the terrain. When the storm gets particularly bad, you’ll lose stamina and will need to hide behind large structures to shield yourself from the storm.

8. Other natural disasters include blizzards that, like a sandstorm, will impair Sam’s vision and slow him down. Plus, when Sam’s too cold, his stamina will deplete faster than normal.

9. Lastly, thunderstorms will also strike Sam when he’s out and about. The rain in Death Stranding 2 is known to degrade Sam’s cargo and equipment faster than usual so be sure to find shelter fast to prevent your packages from getting damaged. And watch out for lightning strikes. While I haven’t seen anyone get hit by one yet (unlike in The Legend of Zelda), they can strike awfully close to Sam if he’s not careful.

10. What’s more, you can even see these weather events in real-time from afar. Meaning if there’s a blizzard happening on a mountaintop, you can see it from the base of the mountain.

11. Dust, rain, snow, and even chiral creatures build up on the screen when you spend too long in them, which adds to the immersive and cinematic approach Kojima takes with his games.

12. If you’re in the high heat of the desert too long you’ll begin to see mirages of rivers flowing through the sands. But as you get closer you’ll realize there’s no water there. Sorry.

13. Depending on which biome you’re in, whether it’s the hot desert or freezing mountaintops, Sam will take either a cold shower to cool off, or a hot shower to warm up.

14. As you and other porters begin carving paths through the world of Death Stranding 2 to make deliveries, you’ll find that regularly used paths become roads by themselves from being worn down, making them easier to traverse over time.

15. Rivers will also rise and fall with the rain. Some rivers become flooded under heavy rainfall, making them more difficult to traverse than under dry conditions.

16. The iconic image of Death Stranding as a series is Sam carrying a stack of boxes on his back. That’s because his porter job is inspired by the Japanese Bokka porter who transport boxes to homes that aren’t reachable by trucks or cars. There are references to the Bokka in dialogues with other porters and even a Bokka skeleton for Sam, which make it easier for him to traverse difficult terrain like rivers, inclines, and snow.

17. One of the most useful vehicles is the Pickup Off-Roader, which lets you haul tons of packages across long-distances. Depending on how and where it’s parked, Sam changes the way he climbs into the driver’s seat.

18. Ramps are invaluable when it comes to getting your vehicle across large gaps. But depending on what vehicle you use to jump the ramp, whether it’s on a vehicle, your floating carrier you ride like a skateboard, or even just using a skeleton on your legs, you can even do some cool skateboard and acrobatic tricks off the ramp.

19. Some Pickups aren’t driveable because they belong to specific shelters. Weirdly, Pickups that aren’t owned by Sam or Drawbridge feature the logo of Yamato Transport, a real-life Japanese delivery company.

20. There are numerous monorail lines you can build across Death Stranding 2 at set points, much like the roads you can build in Death Stranding 1 and 2. But they’re not just for trains as you can use a zip line to attach yourself to a monorail pole and travel that way.

21. But if you’re inclined to travel on foot, always remember to wear shoes! Walking barefoot too long will eventually cause Sam’s feet to bleed, which leaves a trail of blood behind. While you'll still be able to get around without shoes, Sam will refuse to run given how uncomfortable it is on his toes.

22. If you choose to give Sam a rest while on the road, or leave your controller idle for too long, Sam will have a nice sit down to catch a breather, at which point a floating Lou will appear over Sam’s head as he dreams about her.

23. While it might be fun to see how high you can stack boxes on your back, be careful of your surroundings as tall stacks of boxes won’t fit through certain doors and will instead topple over if they hit the ceiling, forcing you to pick them up again.

24. There are also special timed events set to specific dates, just like in the first Death Stranding. At the beginning of the game you’re asked to input your birthday. And if you boot up the game on your special day a unique cutscene will trigger where all your friends (and enemy) will wish you a happy birthday.

25. More than that, if you go out into the world and use the call out feature, other NPC porters will wish you a happy birthday too.

26. Your birthday isn’t the only special day. Playing Death Stranding 2 on Christmas day will add Christmas Tree holograms to shelters and give NPCs little Santa hats to wear to celebrate the joyous occasion. If you don’t want to wait for Christmas or your birthday, changing your PS5’s internal clock to the correct date will trigger these events.

27. While Death Stranding 2 isn’t purely about combat, there are a ton of ways to fight the BTs. Sam’s blood already has anti-BT properties making Blood Grenades lethal to BTs, but shooting a normal bullet through the blood cloud left behind the grenade will make them deadly against BTs too.

28. Guns aren’t your only weapons in a fight. If you unlock the secret cutscene for the Pizza Chef (played by Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii), you’ll unlock an entire new martial arts fighting style based around the delicious meal.

29. One of your constant companions on the road is Dollman, who you can throw up high into the air to do reconnaissance on enemy bases. But you can also throw him straight at an enemy to temporarily stun them.

30. Unlike other weapons, Dollman is a living being and he will eventually get mad at you if you throw him at too many enemies, or let him drop to the ground after a recon trip. If he’s upset, he won’t let you throw him for a while.

31. Bandits in Death Stranding 2 are often equipped with stun rods that blast waves of electricity. However, if you have the Electric Shock Absorber add-on for you backpack, you can turn their electric attacks into power for your battery.

Today’s deals are the definition of variety. We’ve got 4K steelbooks, heat-busting neck fans, noise machines, and some wild savings on Prime trials. Fancy catching up on classics like The 40-Year-Old Virgin in ultra-high def, or diving into Geralt’s world with The Witcher book set? There’s plenty here to pad your cart without draining your wallet (much).

TL;DR: Deals For Today

Amazon’s running early Prime Day offers, and if you’re 18–24, you can still snag six months of Prime for free. Audible’s back with the 99-cent triple trial, and Kindle Unlimited is doing three months free for Prime members too. Meanwhile, eBay’s pushing big-name refurb deals from Bose, Dyson and Roborock, all with bonus AllState warranties. Let’s break it down.

The 40-Year-Old Virgin - Limited Edition Steelbook

The Witcher Boxed Set

FrSara Neck Fan

Dreamegg Portable White Noise Machine

Amazon Prime Day Is Coming

6 Months Free Amazon Prime For Young Adults

Assassin's Creed: Shadows Limited Edition (PS5)

3 Months for $0.99 Audible Deal

3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited

Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Noise Cancelling Headphones

Roborock Q Revo Robot Vacuum and Mop

Dyson V11 Torque Drive+ Vacuum Cleaner

Coke Zero Sugar 12 Pack

George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones 5-Book Boxed Set

Humble Choice

Symphonic Journeys Pokémon Red & Blue Vinyl

M3GAN 2.0 - Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)

WOWBOX 32 PCS Clear Plastic Drawer Organizer Set

Tunise Rechargeable Portable Neck Fan

The Silmarillion Deluxe Illustrated by the Author

Pokémon TCG Price Comparison

Some of the pricing here by Amazon is insane, but there's some deals to be had when comparing these products to TCG Player. For example, Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection was a massive 56% below market value, but TCG Player is coming in cheaper now at $195. On the other end of the scale, TCG Player has Cynthia’s Garchomp ex Premium Collection at a massive 48% below Amazon's current price, which is very close to MSRP. I've compared all the prices in the carousel above, but another pro tip is clicking through to eBay to see if there's any new bargains to be had.

This Weeks Pokémon Card Crashers and Climbers

I’ve been keeping a close eye on the Pokémon TCG market this month, and we’re seeing two very different stories unfold. On one side, Surging Sparks cards are going through a steep correction.

On the other hand, Crown Zenith cards are showing early signs of what could be a long-term value surge. The bottom line? If you're a collector or investor, now is the time to buy into both.

I’m picking up what I can from both sets. The current dip in Sparks is a glimmer of hope for long-suffering 2024-2025 collectors. And Crown Zenith is a train I want to be on before it leaves the station.

Pokémon TCG Classic

The Sam's Club Pokémon TCG Classic deal is back, and it's massively undercutting other big box retailers and the secondary market. Just for comparrison, the top four cards from this set, Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur and Mewtwo, are worth the same price as this discounted offer. This deal is well worth it and should be snapped up as soon as possible.

Mega Evolution Pokémon Cards Are Climbing

I can't believe the X Y era of Pokémon cards came out 12 years ago, but it was an amazing era for the TCG introducing the Mega Evolution mechanic. Mega's will be returning later this year with the start of the Mega Evolutions era and the end of Scarlet and Violet, so snapping up these top Mega cards before prices go even higher is a wise move. We know how it'll play out, no one will be able to grab the new sets at launch, then the nostalgia will kick in and these cards will skyrocket. Just the Charizards and Rayquazzas alone are worth a look.

Magic: The Gathering Price Comparison

MTG doesn't seem to be struggling to keep up with demand despite it being one of the biggest trading card games on earth, but that doesn't stop big box retailers getting cheeky when they notice a peak in demand. Like with Pokémon TCG, i've gone through the majority of MTG stock on Amazon and compared their pricing to market values on TCG Player. The Theros Beyond Death booster made me spit out my tea. Amazon is listing a single booster for $378.08, but these can be picked up any day of the week for $5.59 on TCG Player. Go figure. Another big difference is Marvel's Spider-Man - Play Booster Box. Amazon has their preorder price guarantee on this, but it's still 17% cheaper to preorder on TCG Player.

This Weeks MTG Crashers and Climbers

As we covered in our recent synergies feature, Harmonic Prodigy gives double Wizard triggers – nice! That means it's gone up by 118.70% in the past month (246.76% in three) – not so nice!

That's good for those that own the card, not so good for those who are looking to pick it up standalone. Still, market is still just $12.75 right now, so it could be a lot worse.

Moving away from Vivi, Tifa’s getting some love from Bristly Bill, Spine Sower. This Outlaws of Thunder Junction card can help power up our martial artist heroine, but at a cost of almost $40 now.

Another nifty synergy that's climbing is Perch Protection. This Instant has climbed from a dollar to almost $6, since it handily ties into Chocobo decks.

WAOAW Sleep Mask w/ 3D Eye Cups & Adjustable Strap (Black)

Where Winds Meet, the upcoming open-world action Wuxia action adventure from Everstone Studios, is a PlayStation 5 console exclusive for at least six months.

Confirmation comes via a new video published to the PlayStation YouTube channel (the multiplatform version of this trailer is below). As well as offering a peek into the game's story, the end of the teaser revealed that Where Winds Meet is a PS5 console exclusive for "at least six months." It's also coming to mobile and PC.

Younger Americans are spending 25% less on video games today than this time last year.

That's according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, which used data from market research company Circana to analyze the spending habits of young Americans.

While spending was down 13% across the board from January to April 2025 for 18- to 24-year-olds — particularly on accessories, technology, and furniture, which fell by 18%, 14%, and 12%, respectively — video game spending saw the largest fall. This is not a trend observed in older age groups.

Spending also dropped in the categories of prestige beauty, clothing and apparel, and sports equipment.

Romero Games, the studio founded by Doom co-creator John Romero and Brenda Romero, has said it has been left "heartbroken" after discovering that funding for its next project has been pulled, reportedly as part of Microsoft's latest cuts, leaving the game and its team at risk.

In a statement, studio director Brenda Romero said the company's publisher and financial partner confirmed last night it was walking away from the project "along with several other unannounced projects at other studios."

As the full effect of Microsoft’s devastating round of layoffs becomes clearer, Blizzard has announced that mobile game Warcraft Rumble won’t get any new content, with its developers reporting they have been laid off.

Warcraft Rumble was a high-profile attempt by Blizzard to bring the Warcraft universe into the lucrative mobile space. Development began in 2016, with the game itself releasing in 2023 as a free-to-play tower defense RTS inspired by the likes of Clash of Clans. The PC version launched late last year.

In a blog post, Blizzard admitted Warcraft Rumble “struggled to find its footing relative to our ambition for its long-term success,” and that recent attempts to improve the popularity of the game weren’t enough to sustain development.

The news comes as part of a bloodbath at Microsoft that saw 4%, or just over 9,000 staff, cut from the company. While the majority of those layoffs were outside the gaming business, Xbox studios were hit hard. Rare’s Everwild, for example, was canceled, as was the Perfect Dark reboot. The Initiative was closed.

Elsewhere, Candy Crush maker King suffered significant layoffs, as did Bethesda’s European operations. An unannounced MMO from The Elder Scrolls Online developer, ZeniMax Online Studios, was canceled and its development team cut. Reports indicate Forza developer Turn 10 and various Call of Duty development studios suffered layoffs, too. Microsoft was forced to deny rumors that under fire Xbox boss Phil Spencer is set to retire after the release of the next-gen Xbox.

Alex Apple, client engineer at Blizzard, took to LinkedIn to say they had been laid off “along with the entire Warcraft Rumble team.” Other developers on the game reported similar.

In its blog post, Blizzard said Warcraft Rumble will remain playable but will only receive updates focused on regular, systemic in-game events and bug fixes.

Dear Warcraft Rumble Community,  

We have an important update on the future of Warcraft Rumble. After much deliberation, we’ve arrived at an extremely hard decision. Moving forward, we'll continue supporting Rumble with updates focused on regular, systemic in-game events and bug fixes, but no new content.  

Warcraft Rumble began development nine years ago as a love letter to Azeroth and launched back in 2023, reflecting input from enthusiastic players around the globe and the effort of a passionate team — some of whom continue to support Rumble or other Blizzard games, and some we’ve had to sadly part ways with. Since launch, Rumble has struggled to find its footing relative to our ambition for its long-term success, and for some time now the team has been listening to player feedback, refocusing in certain areas, and exploring different options. Some of that work showed signs of progress, but ultimately wasn’t enough to put the game on a path to sustainability.  

During this transition, we are focused on supporting our teammates. We’re deeply grateful to everyone at Blizzard and in the community for helping bring Warcraft Rumble to life and embracing the joy that makes this game so special. Your enthusiasm and feedback mean the world to us.

Fans of the game reacted with disappointment to the news, but there is little surprise given how the game has gone over the last two years. Most players are now waving goodbye to Warcraft Rumble and its community, while sending messages of support to the affected developers.

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.

Ryan Coogler, director of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and executive producer of its spin-off Ironheart, has said he knows "jack s**t" about when the latter's characters will now return.

Ironheart wrapped up its brief two-week release schedule on Disney+ a couple days ago, with several major cliffhangers that leave its characters' next steps uncertain. But when asked by Variety where Ironheart heroine Riri Williams might next appear — for example in the upcoming Black Panther 3, which Coogler himself is now writing — the director claimed he had no idea.

"I don't know jack s**t. I just did an all-nighter writing X-Files," Coogler said, referencing yet another upcoming project of his that's currently in the pipeline, an X-Files TV reboot.

"I'm here for whatever Chinaka [Hodge, Ironheart head writer]'s got coming at us next; whatever Kevin [Feige]'s got coming at us next, you know what I'm saying," Coogler continued. "I think the audience is going to take to that ending and I can't wait to see those characters again."

Warning! Spoilers for Ironheart follow:

Ironheart's finale sees Williams defeat Parker Robbins, played by Anthony Ramos, but also make a Faustian bargain with Mephisto, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, to save a dead friend. Robbins suggests his next move will be to hunt down the MCU's Sorceror Supreme for presumably nefarious reasons, Williams is seen slowly being corrupted by Mephisto's magic, while the devil himself remains very much at large.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Hodge previously suggested she was keen to work on future seasons of Ironheart, should Marvel choose to make them — though the company has made no suggestion so far that it plans to do so.

"I'm hoping for all work in Hollywood right now," Hodge said. "Yes, a second season, a third season, a fourth season. Yes!"

For now, Marvel has said nothing of any future plans for Riri Williams, let alone Robbins or Mephisto, and the response to Ironheart itself has been mixed. "A cynical addition to the MCU as science and magic collide in Chicago," IGN said of the series in our Ironheart review.

Currently, none of the characters are down to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. Black Panther 3, meanwhile, is still in the planning stages — and we already know that Coogler is writing a role for Denzel Washington.

Image credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

VOID Interactive has responded to player backlash after it made changes to the PC version of its controversial shooter Ready or Not in order to secure a console release, citing "misconceptions and misinformation" about the amendments.

Yesterday, July 2, we reported that VOID said it had to adjust levels of gore, nudity, violence, and the "mistreatment of children" ahead of the July 15 console release, and rather than "maintaining multiple versions with different assets and mechanics" that would "increase the likelihood of bugs," some aspects of the PC version have also been revised.

At the time, VOID insisted the changes were "small enough that most people here wouldn't notice if we didn't say anything," but it "wanted to be transparent" with its players. The news has caused Ready or Not's Steam user review rating to hit "mostly negative" for recent reviews, although overall the review rating remains "very positive." Most of the negative reviews complain about "censorship."

Now, in a new statement, VOID set out "full visibility" into what has, and has not, changed, including before-and-after screenshots. It insisted "the effects of gore and violence have not been toned down."

"We recently shared that Ready or Not’s PC version underwent minor content changes to support stability and align with policies enforced by global platforms and age rating bodies," the statement began. "These adjustments were made to ensure a smooth global launch across platforms — while fully preserving the game’s tone, themes, and intensity.

"Unfortunately, we’ve seen misconceptions and misinformation circulating around the scope of these changes. We want to ensure our entire community has full visibility into what has — and has not — changed. We’re including before-and-after visuals to show that the game’s tone, atmosphere, and graphical impact remain intact. The effects of gore and violence — key to the game’s immersive realism — have not been toned down."

VOID stressed that missions such as Elephant, Neon Tomb, and the infamous Valley of the Dolls "remain unchanged," adding it has "always believed in creative freedom and the right to build experiences that push boundaries in the service of immersion and realism. That will not change."

"At the same time, we operate in a global ecosystem of platform standards, age rating boards, and local legal restrictions," the studio added. "While we may disagree with how some content is treated, we’ve only made changes where absolutely required, and only to the letter of the regulations — no further. As a hyper-realistic tactical FPS, Ready or Not faces different scrutiny than more stylized or fictional games. That’s a reality of the world we publish in — not a change in our creative vision or values."

Warning! Potentially distrubing images of Ready or Not follow:

The team then outlined specifically what the "six targeted visual changes" entailed:

• Twisted Nerve: The girl is now depicted as sleeping instead of convulsing
• A Lethal Obsession: Nudity involving the ghillie suit suspect has been adjusted
• Hide and Seek: Female hostages now wear underwear
• Narcos: Police informant hostage now wears underwear
• 23 Megabytes a Second: ‘Photo of Minors’ objective model was revised, also to better connect narratively with the later ‘Sinuous Trail’ mission
• Post-mortem dismemberment has been disabled (note: dismemberment for living characters remains unchanged).

"It's not about the specifics, it's a matter of principle," wrote one respondent in the comments. "Any amount of censorship is too much." Another said: "great, so you're saying you're hearing us, but refusing to listen." "Yeah, damaging the vision of the game just because of console port?" added someone else. "Get a grip, at least put a slider in the settings. What is this?"

While most of the 1,200+ comments continue to complain about censorship, not all players are aggrieved: "Honestly, not that big of a deal as long as overall map atmosphere stays good," said another.

VOID Interactive parted ways with publisher Team17 one day after the developer shared it would have a school shooting level. Ready or Not was briefly hauled offline in 2022 after a takedown request was issued due to a trademark dispute. The issue related to a level that depicted a mass shooting at a nightclub called Prysm, which was released on the anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting.

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.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 got its hotly anticipated Siege Mode update last week, and while fans are enjoying it, crashes and disconnects have marred the experience.

Siege Mode is Space Marine 2’s take on the classic video game Horde mode. It sees teams of three players fight against increasingly difficult waves of Tyranid and Chaos enemies for exclusive rewards.

Players have responded to Siege Mode and its accompanying Patch 8 well, and Space Marine 2 has seen a surge of players on Steam at least, where player data is public. But connection problems are on occasion ruining the experience, especially when they arrive deep into the waves.

Just yesterday, July 2, the complaints were continuing. “I feel incredibly f***ed,” said an exasperated Justusowesme on the Space Marine subreddit.

“I just spent almost three hours in a Siege round. FINALLY got some good brothers who know what they are doing. Most epic experience I had in a long time. So looking forward to the rewards and feeling of accomplished, finally beating it. BUT NO MID FIGHT LAST ROUND BEFORE EVAC THE SERVERS JUST GIVE UP. NO MONEY, NO EXP, NO SKINS AND NOT EVEN AN SATISFYING END TO THE GLORIOUS FIGHT THAT ME AND MY BROTHERS HAD. I had fun, yes but essentially I just got robbed almost three hours of progress. That feels so incredibly insulting, I can't man…

“Please anybody in charge I know you're working already on it, with great haste too probably... BUT STILL, BY THE EMPEROR, WHAT THE WARP.”

In response, Space Marine 2 developer Saber Interactive and publisher Focus Entertainment have released the 8.1 hotfix, which is now live on every platform. It fixes various crashes and connectivity issues, as well as a bug preventing the reward for completing 25 waves in Siege Mode to unlock.

The hope is this hotfix stamps out the Siege Mode problems reported by the likes of poor old Justusowesme like a Space Marine stomping on the head of a xenos, but it’s early days yet.

Looking ahead, there’s a lot of exciting content coming to Space Marine 2. While Patch 9 will focus on balance changes only, Patch 10 adds a new Chaos vs Chaos PvP mode, the new Power Axe melee weapon, and the new Techmarine class. Check out all the Space Marine 2 Patch 10 details here.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 8.1 hotfix patch notes:

• Fixed several crashes
• Fixed several issues causing disconnects
• Fixed Siege Mode rewards from wave 25+
• Lots of small fixes to Siege Mode map geometry
• Fixed bug that was causing random enemies to get stronger much faster in infinite waves, causing one shot deaths randomly (Note: enemies are still going to get stronger but it will be not random and more consistent)
• Fixed a bug in Siege Mode that occurred when a player would join a game in progress, the game would not apply difficulty modifiers correctly.
• Fixed a bug in UI that was causing inability to change colour presets
• Minor localization fixes

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.

Dune: Awakening developer Funcom has deployed a raft of changes to prove it's responding nimbly to player feedback.

Previously, Funcom launched Dune: Awakening's Public Test Client and then extended the PvE zone of the Deep Desert from about 10% of the map to 50%. It followed an AMA in which the studio told players frustrated by the endgame experience that it was "formulating a plan" to improve PvP in the Deep Desert. Some had branded the endgame "toxic" due to griefing even after the ability for players to squish each other with their Ornithopter was supposedly patched out. Later, griefers intentionally landing their Ornis on other players' own thopters to prevent them from farming.

This latest patch doesn't specifically deal with end-game issues this time, but does make some QoL improvements, such as being able to interact with vehicles more easily, spawning on Trading Posts, and hiding empty loot containers if they're empty for the player who picked up the corpse.

You'll also now find that Sandworms linger a little around recently harvested spicefields, Harkonnen attacks on certain Atreides bases will happen less frequently, and the team has "closed" several vulnerabilities that "could lead to increased combat damage."

A handful of exploits have been addressed, too, including one where you could repair all items to full durability, one where you could duplicate resources, and another that used to let vehicles pass through Pentashields unauthorized, but doesn't anymore.

Here's the full list of changes. Brace yourself — it's a doozy!

Dune: Awakening update 1.1.10.00 patch notes:

Highlights

• Sandworms now linger for a bit around spicefields that have been recently harvested from.
• Reduced the frequency of Harkonnen attacks on certain Atreides bases (and vice versa) in Hagga Basin.
• Main menu “Play Now” button has been set to filter out private servers.
• When streamer mode is active, map creator name is hidden if the player created the sinkchart. In addition, while in streamer mode, sector name in the Deep Desert is now hidden as well.
• In the exchange, items can now be listed from and claimed to the vehicle inventory of your Ornithopter.
• Improved interaction with vehicles. It should now be easier to enter them from different angles.
• We closed several vulnerabilities that could lead to increased combat damage.
• Fixed an exploit where you could repair all items to full durability.
• Fixed an exploit where a player could duplicate resources.
• Fixed an edge case issue allowing vehicles to pass through Pentashields unauthorized.

FEATURES AND CHANGES

Technical and stability:

• Main menu “Play Now” button has been set to filter out private servers.
• After dying due to Coriolis Storm while offline, players now get moved to Hagga Basin so that the respawn menu shows all respawn points in Hagga Basin.
• Trading Post checkpoints can now be used as a respawn point while in different maps.
• Updated the minimum required version of Intel GPU driver to 32.0.101.6793 to prevent sand surfaces displaying a triangular mesh pattern when using an Intel Arc graphic card.
• Removed false positive warnings about minimum hardware specification and driver version for GeForceNOW users.

Resources, Building, and Crafting:

• Moved The Atreides Decorations away from Asmara Efendi (Harko Village Weapons Vendor) and onto Ormunda Laaks (Harko village Structure vendor).
• Loot containers dropped after picking up NPC corpses are now invisible if they’re empty for the player who picked up the corpse.
• Added three unique weapon schematics to Asmara Efendi.
• Vehicle Backup Tool and the Solido Replicator can now be crafted in the Survival Fabricator. The Vehicle backup tool can be found in the Utility Tools category, and the Solido Replicator can be found in the Building Tools category.
• Armor in the main menu will now use the correct armor swatches applied to your character in-game.
• Range info added to the Welding Torch info card.
• Removed the Hawkeye Scanner Module MK5 Unique schematic from Landsraad rewards due to it being an old item not intended for use.

Combat:

• Visual improvements to buff and debuff icons for legibility.
• Changed the Sentinel ability’s action text from “Detonate” to “Deploy”.
• Added range information to Weirding Step’s info card.
• Added duration information to Suspensor Pad’s info card.
• New VFX created to indicate the way sword parrying staggers multiple targets.
• Updated dagger slow blade animations to make the stab connect better.
• Correct VFX should now be played on receiving side if shielded or otherwise damage immune.
• Underslung weapons can no longer be used while in a passenger seat of a vehicle.
• New VFX created to indicate the way sword parrying staggers multiple targets.
• We closed several vulnerabilities that could lead to increased combat damage.

Abilities:

• Suspensor Dash will now cost 20% of maximum power instead of a flat cost of 75. This allows the perk to be more usable across all tiers of power packs while also making it more costly in high pressure combat situations.
• Reduced Poise Damage Resistance of Thrive on Danger to 34% from 50% to avoid scenarios where poise resistance could go over 100% when combined with other effects.
• It is no longer possible to jump while under the effect of Crippling Strike.
• Updated the description of Center of Mass and Marksman Techniques to indicate that body damage also affects damage dealt to shields.
• Performing melee attacks within Gravity Fields will now cause the player to play exhausted attack animations as they strain under the increased gravity.
• Updated description of the ‘Ranged Damage’ passive ability. It increases damage with all ranged weapons, not just darts!
• Clarified description of poison tooth activation to better convey how it works.

Vehicles:

• Tweaked the buggy turret camera to improve overall visibility while operating.
• Minor tweaks to the camera when boosting with a vehicle.
• Improved interaction with vehicles. It should now be easier to enter them from different angles.
• Ground vehicles now have a failsafe system against being stuck in flipped state.
• Improved ground vehicles’ behavior when flipped or kicked by the Sandworm.
• Scout Ornithopter Thruster modules have seen an increase in speed when using Vulture Mode. Players opting to forego Inventory (or other modules) in favor of a boost Thruster should now have a speed advantage.

Balancing:

• Updated anti gravity fields to allow for stationary targets to get out of them rather than be locked into their initial 0 velocity.
• Rusher NPCs now animation cancel out of their melee attack finishers when their target moves out of melee range.

Worldbuilding and Exploration:

• Sandworms now linger for a bit around spicefields that have been recently harvested from.
• Reduced the frequency of Harkonnen attacks on certain Atreides bases (and vice versa) in Hagga Basin.
• Improved collision in the room of the Proteus where you encounter your first shielded enemy.
• Miscellaneous journey step improvements.
• Replaced an incorrect Pardot Kynes’ hologram in an O’odham Testing Station.
• A salvagable Buggy in Imperial Testing Station no 10 has been replaced by a broken Buggy.
• Respawn Beacons are now removed upon account or player deletion.

Story, Journey and New Player Experience:

• Improved journey auto tracking to address edge cases where journey system sometimes did not track the next appropriate journey card.
• The Journey step “Complete Contract “The War Profiteer”” will now complete in the Journey even if players have canceled the contract, but continued in the faction story with Thufir Hawat.

User Interface:

• Added individual keybinding for “Take” (quick loot), “Exit climbing” (same as CROUCH by default) and “Exit vehicle” (same as PRIMARY INTERACT by default).
• Updated colours for the Pinned Recipes display.
• Added support for unfavoriting items in the inventory loadout by pressing the [T] key again whilst hovering the favorite item. An input hint on the info card will also show for this.
• Updated icons for a Maula vest variant.
• Updated the colors used for online status.
• Updated the icons for the Slaver Stillsuit.
• The Compass shows a consistent coloured line representing which zone the Player is in.
• Navigation icons from the Crafting, Journey and Customization menus are animated when switching between them.
• While in the expanded Building UI with an active tutorial popup, pressing ESC now correctly closes the tutorial popup instead of collapsing the Building UI.
• While in streamer mode, map creator name is hidden if the player created the sinkchart.
• While in streamer mode, Sector name in the Deep Desert is now hidden.
• Added an additional step to the delete character progress, to make sure deletion is intentional.
• In the trade UI, when changing something on the offered items inventory, or the Solaris offer, both players are now set as “not ready”.
• Updated the Sub-fief Console icon in the building menu.
• Updated the party UI in players menu tab to show accurate amount of slots available in a party.
• In the exchange, items can now be listed from and claimed to the vehicle inventory of your Ornithopter.
• Improved the text of the dialogue message you get when choosing to visit a friend on another server.

Graphics, Animations, and VFX:

• Added and updated another batch of animations in various cinematics, NPC lip-sync during dialogs, and cloth simulation for various outfits.
• Optimization improvements on lighting for Wreck of the Hephaestus.
• Performance pass on VFX assets for Wreck of Hephaestus cinematic.
• New surface hits for LMGs to improve visuals.
• Update unique surface hits VFX for Disruptor and Power LMG to improve visuals.
• Adjusted brightness of staking unit VFX to make it more grounded.
• Softened the lighting transition in an Imperial Testing Station in the Deep Desert.

Audio:

• The sound effects indicating an active Blood Purifier has been improved
• Re-balanced audio levels on Sandstorms, to make the audible experience better.
• Made improvements to melee audio.
• Minor audio mix polish tweaks.
• Added new sounds for spice bloom geysers.
• The headphone mix preset and weapon tails in enclosed spaces are increased to be louder.
• The volume of the Ornithopter engine start and engine loop have been lowered.
• Voiceover for House Vernius representative at Helius Gate has been added.
• Replaced placeholder radio show sound effects with an actual radio show.

FIXES

Technical and stability:

• Text chat notification indicating when a player is muted has been localized.
• Fixed issue that would cause a server to become unresponsive to logins.
• Fixed multiple issues in Deep Desert that caused server crashes.
• Addressed cases where players moving across servers would result in a soft locked client.
• When the player has no other sub-fiefs on the map and builds one, it will be set as a default respawn location on that map.
• The message to make the vehicle you drive/pilot a default vehicle spawn location will no longer show when crossing borders in the Deep Desert.
• Respawn menu now appears after the character dies while the game is disconnected.
• The death location marker now appears after the character dies while the player is offline.
• Fixed an issue that caused the player to sometimes enter loading screen when exiting vehicle in the Deep Desert.
• Fixed a rare server crash caused by the permission system.
• Fixed an issue causing the service alert notification to block mouse / virtual cursor interactions.
• BattlEye has been updated in order to fix some rare crashes.
• Fixed an exploit where you could repair all items to full durability.
• Fixed an exploit where a player could duplicate resources.

Resources, Building, and Crafting:

• Loot bags dropped on placeables should no longer fall inside them.
• Fixed an issue sometimes preventing highlighting of placeables with the construction tool.
• Fixed an issue that would make a sub-fief consoles projection linger after it has been destroyed.
• The favorites hint in the construction tool should now be hidden if all favorite slots are full.
• Fixed a bug causing the building menu icons to sometimes show the number 3 on the left corner.
• Fixed an issue making it possible to place a wall intersecting a pentashield projection.
• “Remove Sub-Fief Console” prompt no longer appears when you try to demolish a sub-fief owned by someone else
• It should now be possible to highlight and demolish pentashields that lack power.
• Harkonnen prudence doors should now play a pass-through sound effect.
• The diagetic UI for large pentashields should now show up properly if the player aims at the center of them.
• It should no longer be possible to place large water cisterns slightly inside walls.
• Fixed some visual artifacts on the base shields power on animation over the pentashield surfaces.
• Fixed an issue causing wind turbines to disappear at shorter distances compared to similar placeables.
• Pentashield placement now shows if it is overlapping with something else instead of saying that it can’t snap to sockets.
• Fixed being able to build placeables through ceilings and walls.
• Placeables with a projection effect should only show up when built, and not as projections.
• Fixed an issue where the positioning of a pentashield surface will get stuck overlapped with an existing pentashield surface.
• Fixed an issue that caused cancelling crafting requests to sometimes not refund the water cost.
• Removed blue rays on corners of pentashield surfaces.
• Fixed an issue making it impossible to move melee weapons into some placeables storage.
• Fixed the secret doors on imperial testing stations showing an extra error message on interactions.
• Visually upgraded the Communinet Transceiver device.
• Made Choam Modular Couch slightly larger to fit the player character better.
• Tweaked Harkonnen Modular Bench to avoid clipping with player character.
• Fixed an issue where you couldn’t take items from a loot container using Take All when they were available.
• Fixed an issue where the Take Item prompt in the loot preview of a loot container wouldn’t be updated when you could no longer take that item.
• Repair icon in the repair station is properly hidden once an item is repaired.
• Fixed an issue where item types and durability amounts to restore weren’t shown in the Recycler or Repair Station menus.

Combat:

• Fixed problem in swordmaster “afterimage” effect that allowed it to see through environmental vfx.
• Fixed the sideways root motion on the staggers that had it.
• Fixed an issue where Rusher NPCs could travel too far from their spawn location when in combat.
• Gas clouds now fade out instead of instantly disappearing.
• Centered the lightning effect on Energy Capsule so it is no longer offset from the character.
• Fixed an issue that caused Blade Damage passives to give the incorrect amount of increase for Long Blade weapons.
• Fixed edge case where “The Sentinel” would attack an allied “Solido Decoy” clone.
• Fixed issue where player can sometimes experience rubber banding issue when attempting to move through other players in social hubs.
• Can no longer move civilian npcs in non combat zones using Knee charge.
• Fixed an issue where weapon reloading resumed automatically after switching or holstering and unholstering a weapon.
• Fixed an issue where melee execute sometimes missed.
• Fixed an issue that caused Second Wind to activate when an enemy NPC would die.
• Fixed an issue that could cause block to be unusable if a melee weapon was equipped while aiming down sight was blocked due to being too close to geometry.
• Melee attacks can no longer critically hit targets.
• Fixed an issue that could cause the character to be unable to perform any action other than moving, if they attempted to revive a player while also executing them.
• Fixed an issue that could cause a melee attack to become a block or vice versa in some rare perfectly timed situations.
• Fixed a rare server crash in the weapon aiming system.
• Assault NPCs should now run to regain sight of a Target they’ve lost sight of, and start shooting again once they find the Target.
• Fixed an issue that could cause the melee soft lock system to disengage if an attack was initiated in the middle of a weapon swap.
• Fixed an issue where assault NPCS were not shooting while picking a new position. Now they will run to regain sight of a target they’ve lost sight of and will start shooting again once they have acquired the Target.

Abilities:

• Fixed an issue where sometimes the player would lose the ability to swap weapon after using the Poison Capsule ability.
• Fixed a desync that could happen when using “Weirding Step”, causing the player to be stuck in place.
• Adjusted the cooldown that you get when equipable abilities fail. It is now a universal ~2.5 seconds.
• Players will no longer lose 1 skill point when respeccing their skill tree.

Vehicles:

• Fixed bounding box issues for better hit feedback and replaced hit VFX with the correct one.
• Harkonnen light ornithopter interior mesh no longer clips through outer hull.
• Fixed an issue where players could get trapped inside another player’s ornithopter if it landed on them.
• Fixed some collision issues related to the Sandworm.
• Fixed issue related to boost functionality and input behavior.
• Fixed some LOD issues on some vehicles.
• Fixed collision on transport Ornithopter to avoid having players be able to get inside the vehicle.
• Fixed an issue where a character exiting a vehicle could appear seated on the ground for other players.
• Fixed an issue that would sometimes lead to a crash when a seated character received damage.
• Fixed an issue causing the “Out of Fuel” warning notification to sometimes appear briefly when entering a Vehicle.
• Players can no longer enter a vehicle that is currently pending travel, meaning the vehicle pilot has a travel confirmation popup open.
• Fixed an edge case issue allowing vehicles to pass through Pentashields unauthorized.
• When the player character gets blocked inside vehicle collision, it’s now possible to get out.
• When the Welding Torch is in Customize Mode vehicle modules now get highlighted properly.

Worldbuilding and Exploration:

• The player will no longer fully lose radiation on log out. Any gained radiation will be retained until it can decrease again when logging back in.
• Fixed rare crash with exploding barrels.
• Player can no longer move on Overland Map while being in loading screen.
• Fixed sudden Ornithopter altitude changes near on the Overland map, particularly near Arrakeen and Water Fat.
• Fixed camera twitching while mouse panning on the Overland Map.
• Fixed issue that prevented repairing a vehicle with passengers in them.
• Landing a flipped Carrier Ornithopter in vulture mode will not result in the vehicle continuously sliding afterwards.
• Vehicle cameras are now a bit less likely to clip through terrain.
• For players in the same party, damage will be reduced to 25 % when shooting with Ornithopter rockets at each other.
• Fixed an issue where the sandworm threat indicator could get stuck at max in the deep desert.
• An issue with planar lock toggle for Ornithopters when crossing server boundaries in the Deep Desert was fixed.
• Fixed a potential camera issue that could happen after being eaten by the giant Ringmouth sandworm in the Deep Desert.
• Fixed an edge case issue causing the Landsraad to get stuck.
• Fixed a floating island in Deep Desert.
• Fixed an issue where a duplicate delivery window would appear when delivering a certain journal to Jocasta Cleo.
• Improved respawn behavior of target NPC in contract “The Price of Rejection”.
• Adjusted the position of a couple of objectives in contract “Looking for Leaders”.
• Fixed an issue where some Maas Kharet ambushers in the O’odham would instantly appear at ground level rather than drop down from above.
• Fixed an issue where the cuttable hatches on small shipwrecks could appear misaligned.
• Fixed an issue where contract “Making a Martyr” would resolve when killing an unrelated and completely innocent Maas Kharet assassin.
• Performed an optimization pass on the entrance of the Imperial Testing Station in O’odham.
• Walking through a passage at the Hand of Khidr is now smoother, and players will no longer get caught on a ledge.
• Extended a pipe inside CHOAM Mineral Facility #7 in Hagga Rift, so that it now connects to the rock wall.
• Addressed some minor collision issues on assets in Atreides Fortress.
• Addressed some minor collision issues on assets inside CHOAM Mineral Extraction Facility #5.
• Fixed a visible gap in a wall in Imperial Testing Station No. 76 in Jabal Eifrit Al-Janub.
• Fixed floating asset issues in several Hagga Basin locations.
• Adjusted collision on building pieces and set dressing in Imperial Testing Stations in Hagga Basin.
• Addressed collision issues on multiple locations in Hagga Basin.
• Added a sand mound under a scaffolding structure where the player could get stuck in Eastern Vermillius Gap.
• Addressed gaps in the landscape in multiple Hagga Basin locations.
• Fixed small gaps in the ceiling of Imperial Testing Station no 163 in O’odham.
• Removed wrong textured sand mounds under an NPC outpost in Eastern Shield Wall.
• Fixed collision issues on Harkonnen Fortress where players could unexpectedly interact with invisible surfaces. Collision has been updated to better match the shape of the building, improving movement and preventing unintended blockages.
• Replaced scrap metal with a more appropriate asset to improve visual consistency and prevent clipping with a nearby metal pipe. Also adjusted surrounding asset placement for better alignment and overall fit and added an additional metal piece to conceal minor clipping issues.
• Adjusted color of sand mounds and sand decals on main building of Mysa Tarill.
• Addressed misplaced assets in different locations around Hagga Basin.
• Smoothed out steep landscape angles a bit in order to address textures looking stretched.
• Fixed a clipping issue between secret bookshelf and walls in Imperial Testing Station no 29 and also did an optimization pass.
• NPCs should no longer walk through and get stuck in cliff walls of their camp sites.
• Adjusted textures of sand and rock surfaces across Hagga Basin.
• Fixed a spot behind some mining machinery in Hagga Rift where players could get stuck.
• Updated the mesh of an arch inside Mysa Tarill landmark to improve collision.
• Removed abundant assets and collision on assets and did an optimization pass on the Wreck of Hephaestus.
• The hatches on the side of the small crashed shipwrecks should now always be above sand and therefore cuttable.
• Fixed several issues with the cuttable panels in the Wreck of Hephaestus.
• Fixed an issue where players could lose the Ceremonial Damasteel Sword permit key item when dying.
• Fixed an issue that caused Copper-tier Light Armor worn with a Stillsuit to not provide Heat Protection or allow catchpockets to gather water.
• Fixed a rare issue where Thufir Hawat would fail to recognize Minimic Film deliveries from Zayn De Witte and hence block contract completion.
• Fixed an issue that caused exchange terminals to not be available in some servers.

Story, Journey and New Player Experience:

• Debug text should no longer be appearing in subtitles of certain Shigawire Reels.
• Added correct 21:9 aspect ratio setup for cinematic scenes that did not yet have this.
• Ariste should no longer look to the side, but at the player, in the Star Door dialogue in The Sietch.
• Fixed issue where an incorrect camera would show during the assassination of the Water Shipper
• Camera should no longer be twitching during Harkonnen Pledge cinematic.
• Addressed issue where ‘Add a sandbike inventory Mk1 to your Sandbike’ substep of ‘A Backup Plan’ journey was not retroactively completable.
• Addressed issue where certain decorations did not complete ‘Construct a Decoration from a CHOAM furniture Set’ journey step.
• Addressed issue where Dew Reapers would not continuously harvest water between dewfield patches.
• Addressed issue where fire visuals were missing from portion of New Player Experience.
• Addressed edge case issue where player could inadvertently get stuck in New Player Experience environment.
• Subtitles in the intro movie now match the style of the regular subtitles and respect the accessibility settings.
• Fixed an issue where players could complete a Journey step without triggering a key cinematic at the Introduction of the Assassins Handbook.
• Fixed an issue that could block player progression in The Assassination Journey.

User Interface:

• The UI panels for the Journey menu no longer overlap the Social Button
• Player name now fits correctly into the space limit in the Social Menu and if not, will auto-scroll.
• While in the expanded Building UI with an active tutorial popup, pressing ESC now correctly closes the tutorial popup instead of collapsing the Building UI.
• Fixed an issue when using virtual keyboard with controller which would submit the text even when just closing the virtual keyboard by any means.
• Fixed a bug that could cause the Inventory tabs to get out of sync and overlap each other
• Fixed an issue with several discovery toasts appearing more than once.
• Fixed some layout issues with tab buttons with long texts.
• Fixed an issue where the favourite icon on the inventory loadout item would remain on the item when dragged into the backpack.
• Fixed an issue where activating the Spice Prescience ability caused certain UI elements (such as the Heat Bar, Sandworm Bar, and Party Info) to disappear.
• Fixed an issue where the ‘Cancel Contract’ button would disappear after switching away from and back to the Contracts tab.
• Fixed positioning issue with XP notifications.
• Fixed a bug where the Solaris icon appeared broken after the trading complete popup.
• Fixed an issue where respeccing your skill tree whilst in a vehicle would incorrectly clear the vehicles abilities and not auto equip your starting ability.
• Fixed an issue where learning an ability in your skill tree whilst in a vehicle would not auto equip the ability to a valid empty slot.
• Fixed issues where switching from the survey probe launcher while doing a survey would break the survey UI and not cancel the survey.
• Fixed a bug where the HUD showed incorrect steps or progress for active “Untwisted Questions” advanced trainer contract.
• Fixed an issue that caused an inaccurate controller prompt for scroll right button in building and welding menus.
• Fixed an issue with the notification system that could potentially cause a crash when travelling to and from the Overland map.
• Fixed an issue where the View button on gamepads and the TAB key on keyboards became unresponsive after a notification appeared.
• Fixed an issue causing reset of keybinds to defaults not persisting.
• Fixed an issue that caused the Mentor description box to get overlapped by dialogue options in character creation.
• Fixed a bug where in streamer mode, the player name wasn’t hidden if the player was the reason of their own death.
• Fixed an issue where certain Map Marker types would disappear after a Coriolis Storm on Hagga Basin and Social Hubs, causing the Survey Report to become incorrect, and important information to be lost.
• Fixed an issue where the crafting progress bar could get desynced on the player’s UI.
• Primary Source for Welding Torch in Tech Tree should now say “Imperial Testing Station”, which matches the icon to the right of the label.
• Tooltip when hovering the Continue button in the Main Menu was fixed to show target server player will be teleported to instead of the Home server. Travel dialog when clicking the Continue button in the Main Menu was also fixed to show target server instead of the Home server.
• Inaccurate controller prompt for scrolling right button has been fixed.
• Fixed an issue where the scrollbars in the Contracts menu were not functioning correctly
• Fixed issue where privacy policy could be automatically accepted due to skipping cinematic.
• Trying to talk on party or guild chat without being in a party or a guild, now correctly appears as a generic error.
• Fixed confirm button input not working correctly on the edit guild description and Sub-fief console edit name popups.
• Fixed a bug causing friends pending acceptance to be shown on the “Add permissions” menu.
• Inviting another player to join a guild through the Inspect menu now provides feedback if the the invite succeeded or failed.
• Removed “Player joined guild” chat broadcast message for the player that created the guild.
• Numerical input fields no longer move the caret to the end on every edit.
• Fixed guild disband popup opening twice if triggered using the keyboard.
• In the Keybind Settings, keys that are symbols are now represented as such instead of their name, i.e. ‘[‘ instead of ‘Left Bracket’.
• Fixed an issue where certain map markers would disappear after a Coriolis Storm in Hagga Basin and the cities, making the Survey Report incorrect and lacking important information.
• Fixed an issue where gamepad input was still processed even when the game window lost focus.
• Improved behaviour where Landsraad victory and decree popups on the Landsraad UI screen would appear again after traveling or relogging.

Graphics, Animations, and VFX:

• Fixed an issue causing weapon to flicker when aiming with and holstering a scoped rifle.
• Fixed the dark gray and gray lipstick color position in the character creator and corrected their color.
• Fixed character LOD issues in cinematics.
• Fixed minor clipping issues on Choam Light Armor.
• Fixed an issue where the landscape would render “blurry tiles”.
• Fixed issue where personal map marker in Deep Desert was placed not under the cursor.
• Fixed issue in Deep Desert where survey information was shown for wrong zone.
• Fixed issues with NPC’s dissapearing on rotating camera in Arrakeen.
• Fixed incorrect settings on several lights to address flickering and bloom issues
• Added missing lighting for several dialog scenes.
• Fixed Medium Chemical Refinery missing VFX when crafting.
• Fixed colour of vehicle dust trails to fit better Red Desert.
• Fixed rocket launcher vfx being misplaced for Buggies.
• Improved muzzle flashes visuals to fit various viewpoints.
• Update Cinematics campfire to use final assets for cutscenes.
• Shooting the compactor to a campfire now will remove the light from said campfire.
• Fixed vehicle explosions to scale properly.
• Fixed Sardaukar Cape silk shading being disabled.
• Replaced a doorframe in the shipwreck of the Second Trial of Aql.
• Replaced placeholder radio show SFX in Arrakeen with actual radio show.
• Fixed an animation issue causing weapon to briefly stick out through the player character’s chest if aiming during weapon unholstering or while mantling a ledge.
• Fixed an issue causing the Sandbike Big Moment aspect ratio to flicker.
• Fixed issues with T-posing and camera offsets that affected The Fourth Trial of Aql.
• Fixed an issue where a frame was missing camera, making an unintended scene flash for a second.
• Player pose and animation should now be consistent during the “Awaken Prescience” cutscene of the Fourth Trial of Aql.
• Fixed an issue causing GPU crashes related to memory corruption from camera shake
• Fixed an issue that made the Trial of Aql failed test VFX not always work.
• The Water Shipper boss no longer stands in T-pose at the end of the assassination cinematic.
• Polished visuals of a rope present in cave area of first tutorial.
• Lighting exposure balance has been done for the Carthag cinematic.

Audio:

• Removed unintended SFX on the black screen of the New Player Experience cinematic.
• Fixed an issue that muted the death sound when falling into the large fan from Carthag.

Dune: Awakening has enjoyed a superb launch, with a 'very positive' user review rating on Steam. Within hours of going live on June 10, Funcom's survival MMO had clocked up over 142,000 concurrent players on Valve's platform, and hit a new high earlier this month of 189,333 players. And it's already clocked up over 1 million players, too, making it Funcom's fastest-selling game ever, and securing a Great 8/10 in our review.

If all that's got you interested but you're not sure where to start, make sure to check out all the Dune: Awakening classes you can choose from, and keep an eye on our Dune: Awakening walkthrough for a step-by-step guide to the story. We've also got Dune: Awakening resource guides that'll help you find iron, steel, aluminium, and a Dune: Awakening Trainers locations guide to help you survive on Arrakis.

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.

Gregg Mayles, the veteran Rare designer and director, will reportedly depart the studio following yesterday's sweeping cuts of Xbox staff and projects that included the long-in-development Everwild.

Mayles' departure, as reported by VGC, ends an influential career at Rare stretching back more than 35 years, to the studio's origins developing games like Battletoads for NES and through its N64 heyday, during which Mayles helped design characters such as Diddy Kong.

Perhaps best known as the director of N64 classic Banjo-Kazooie, Mayles more recently served as creative director on hit pirate game Sea of Thieves. Over the last four years, however, Mayles has been overseeing Everwild, Rare's long-gestating fantasy follow-up that will now no longer see the light of day.

Everwild's cancellation, now confirmed by Microsoft, comes six years after the game's initial public announcement, and after around a decade of work by Rare on the project overall. Louise O'Connor, who had been serving as the game's producer, will also reportedly leave Rare, after more than two decades.

IGN has contacted Microsoft for comment.

The last Everwild trailer, released in July 2020, carried the following description: "Everwild is a brand new IP from Rare. A unique and unforgettable experience await in a natural and magical world." Back in February this year, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said he had recently visited the studio to catch up on the game's progress. "It’s nice to see the team with Everwild and the progress that they’re making," Spencer said at the time.

Microsoft has insisted Xbox boss Phil Spencer isn’t retiring “anytime soon,” amid rumors over the executive’s future at the company following yesterday’s mass layoffs.

Around 4%, or just over 9,000 staff, were cut across Microsoft, and while the majority of those layoffs were outside the gaming business, Xbox studios were hit hard. Rare’s Everwild, for example, was canceled, as was the Perfect Dark reboot. The Initiative was closed.

Elsewhere, Candy Crush maker King suffered significant layoffs, as did Bethesda’s European operations. An unannounced MMO from The Elder Scrolls Online developer, ZeniMax Online Studios, was canceled and its development team cut. Matt Firor, the veteran boss of ZOS, stepped down. Reports indicate Forza developer Turn 10 and various Call of Duty development studios suffered layoffs, too.

If you're a fellow games and tech connoisseur who loves low prices, Amazon Prime Day 2025 is our Christmas in July. The sale officially takes place between July 8-14 (the longest PD we've seen Down Under). However, eagle-eyed deal hunters like me can already spot a flurry of early markdowns across gaming, tech, and more.

Welcome to my own personal living list of standout offers that’ll be updated daily as fresh bangers roll in. Whether you're padding your pile of shame or just looking to finally grab that wishlist item on the cheap, check back often because the best stuff moves quick!

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I'm celebrating the 33rd birthday of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Truth be told, I was a Mega Drive kid, though I lived opposite a SNES guy, so I had the benefit of both worlds (until I caved and bought one inside of a year anyway). While I had the goods on him with some of "our" exclusives, I can recall being mighty envious of his Street Fighter II ports, Donkey Kong Countries, Super Star Warses, and the value of that jam-packed Super Mario All-Stars cartridge was immense. If you didn't grow up with one and feel out of the loop, here are the 100 best games ever made for the SNES, truly, one of gaming's greatest machines.

This Day in Gaming

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

- Super NES console launch, 1992. Ebay

- Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (AMI,PC) 1992. Get

- Warcraft III (PC) 2002. Get

- Unreal Tournament 3 (X360) 2008. Get

- Trine (PC) 2009. Get

• EA Sports FC 25 (-43%) - A$34
• Donkey Kong Bananza (-20%) - A$99
• Pokémon Legends: Z-A (-10%) - A$99
• MGS: Master Col. Vo1. (-40%) - A$54.20
• Triangle Strategy (-60%) - A$31.90
• NieR:Automata YoRHa Ed. (-60%) - A$21.90
• Final Fantasy I–VI Rem. Col. (-35%) - A$70.10
• Octopath Traveler II (-60%) - A$33.90

Expiring Recent Deals

• Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Col. (-19%) – A$57
• Sonic X Shadow Generations (-39%) – A$49
• Sniper Elite 4 (-80%) – A$12
• Sonic Frontiers (-65%) – A$34.80
• Persona 4 Golden (-50%) – A$14.90

Switch Accessories

• 3rd Party Pro Controllers - A$32
• Need space? Jump to Storage

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

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This review is based on the first four episodes of a 12-episode season that will stream on Crunchyroll starting July 6, 2025.

Appropriately timed for a zombie movie revival led by 28 Years Later, Nyaight of the Living Cat is a parody anime that is as adorable as it is fun to watch. Yes, this show is hilarious, and is clearly made by people who are fans of not just the zombie genre, but horror – with several references to classics like The Thing and Alien, but with cats.

That's the key to the premise: it is not about how long our protagonists Kunagi, Kaoru, Tsutsumi, Tanishi, and Gaku can simply avoid the creatures hunting them, but rather if they can resist the temptation to embrace doom and pet a cat again. That's because this particularly absurd apocalypse is brought upon by a plague transmitted by cats that turns everyone they come in contact with into more cats. As a zombie story, this is brilliantly inventive, as each character is heartbroken by the prospect of having to run away from the animal they love most. Likewise, Nyaight of the Living Cat uses knowledge of cats and cat lovers to create a new set of zombie rules for the show: using water to evade the infected animals, catnip to distract them, or even using an allergy as a way to detect nearby felines.

Like any good zombie story, Nyaight of the Living Cat has a good blend of thrills and emotions, with each of the first four episodes focusing on one character’s backstory, their relationship to cats, and how the furry apocalypse is impacting them. There's a healthy amount of emotion that makes it easy to feel for them before they face their fate. There is also a mystery element to the story, with some mythology choices that make this apocalypse more than just a funny gimmick. Particularly, the character of Kunagi and his amnesia makes for the start of a fascinating plotline – now we just have to see if it pays off.

Granted, this is by no means an actual horror show, so don't expect terrifying jump scares as much as the surprise sight of a delightful kitten (and about a dozen others behind it). In a way, Nyaight of the Living Cat does work as a traditional zombie show, with the ambient sense of danger, the survivors grouping up before being killed off one by one, the person who does something stupid and dies, inept militaries, and just about every other cliche you could name. Still, seeing all of those played out but with cats instead of rotting corpses is an effective novelty that doesn't lose steam – at least, it hasn’t in the first four (out of a total of 12) episodes I’ve seen so far.

There's a fantastic scene in the third episode straight out of Shin Godzilla, in which we see a boardroom meeting of military and political leaders trying to come up with a plan against the zombie plague, only to get derailed by gushing about how much they love cats and how perfect they are. There’s even a tough army dude describing them with such praise it sounds like Ash from Alien describing the xenomorph. There is nothing the people in power can do, not because there are more zombies than soldiers, but because no one would dare hurt a cat, rendering all weapons moot.

Legendary director Takashi Miike’s style can be felt throughout in how he employs campiness and cartoonish animation for the sake of accentuating the weirdness or the fantasy of the story. It works rather well in this show, with the close ups of the hordes of cats shot like they're both absolute monsters but also the greatest work of art, adding to the humor.

Unfortunately, the quality of the animation itself does leave something to be desired, with Apothecary Diaries studio OLM using bad computer animation for showing groups of cats that lessens the impact of their hordes, and the fact that the cats are sometimes hand-drawn when in smaller numbers makes the change between styles quite jarring and immersion-breaking.

Director James Gunn called upon a Guardian of the Galaxy to play Jor-El in his Superman movie.

Rocket Raccoon voice actor Bradley Cooper plays the biological father of Kal-El, Gunn revealed during the L.A. press junket for the film. Rumors of Cooper's casting first surfaced earlier this year.

“Really, Bradley’s just doing me a favor,” Gunn told Jake’s Takes (via ComicBook). “He’s a friend. We’ve stayed in close contact since the Guardians movies, and I admire him greatly as an actor and as a director.”

“I just said, ‘Hey, will you do me a favor? Come down, go to England, we’re going to shoot you in a 3D environment, make a hologram of you, and you can play Jor-El,’” Gunn said. “He was like, ‘Okay.’”

A holographic Jor-El makes sense as Gunn has previously said his Superman is not an origin film, and there’s past precedence for a holographic Jor-El in past Superman films.

eBay Marketplace has kicked off its own eBay 4th of July Sale with a limited time 20% off coupon code "JULYFINDS" that works on hundreds of products across tech, home, apparel, and more. eBay is one of the best places to score great deals on both new and used products and even outpaces the Amazon Memorial Day sale on tons of items. Just because you're leery of buying from a private seller doesn't mean you should shy away from this marketplace. Most of the major retailers that you've heard of - including Dyson, Bose, Roborock, and Ecoflow - as well as authorized resellers have their own seller accounts and offer discounts that you can't find elsewhere else.

Bose 4th of July Deals on eBay

The best Bose headphones and soundbars offer exceptional sound quality through a range of in-ear and over-ear headphones as well as best-in-class active noise cancellation. Paying extra attention to aesthetics, comfort, build, and audio, Bose is the go-to headphone brand if you want immersive sound that will block out external distractions. The official Bose eBay Store carries certified refurbished products with the same 1 year warranty as buying new as well as an additional 2 year AllState warranty that runs concurrently.

Roborock 4th of July Deals on eBay

Roborock is one of the largest robot vacuum brands in the world. Its products offer more features than Roomba at a more attractive price point. That doesn't mean they are lower quality. I've owned both Roborock and Roomba models and my current Roborock has lasted longer, performed better, and costs less to maintain than any of the Roombas I've owned in the past. The Roborock eBay Store carries certified refurbished units of their entire lineup of robot vacuums and mops, They carry a 6 month warranty, which is less than the 12-month warranty for new units. Fortunately, eBay is also offering its 2 year Allstate warranty that runs concurrently.

Dyson 4th of July Deals on eBay

Dyson is one of the most well known household brands around, and its name is synonymous with quality, but usually that quality comes at a premium price. Fortunately, Dyson has its very own Dyson eBay store with huge markdowns on their certified refurbished products. Dyson offers a 6 month warranty on refub vacuum cleaners and fans and a 12 month warranty on their refurb beauty products and eBay also includes a 2 year AllState warranty that runs concurrently.

Ecoflow 4th of July Deals on eBay

Ecoflow is one of the largest and most well-known manufacturers of portable power stations. Their products are solidly built with a lot of practical features at an affordable price point. Product support after the purchase is generally pretty good, and firmware and software updates are consistently rolled out. Ecoflow sells certified refurbished power stations through its official Ecoflow eBay store. It offers the same warranty on refurbs as brand new products, which is anywhere from 24 months to 60 months depending on the model you choose.

4th of July Gaming Monitor Deals on eBay

Take advantage of some big discounts on some of the best gaming monitors, from high-end monitors with OLED panels, up to 480Hz refresh rate, and 4K resolution to perfectly capable 1080p 144Hz gaming monitors that fall well within the tightest of budgets

4th of July Samsung The Frame TV Deals on eBay

Samsung's "The Frame" TV itself apart from all other TVs with its seamless aesthetics. It features an Art Mode that showcases your choice of fine art so that your TV looks more like a frame piece of artwork than a big blank TV screen. You can display art purchased from the Samsung Art Store or your own personal collection of NFTs, personal photos, and artwork collection. The built-in motion sensor allows the TV to display art only when someone is nearby. Several 2024 and 2025 models are on sale with the 20% off Memorial Day coupon. Buydig is an authorized Samsung reseller.

Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

The original Backbone One controller launched in 2020 and ushered in a new era for mobile gaming controllers, providing a console-like experience from your phone. With the more recent release of the Backbone Pro, players now have a premium option to consider. Below, we'll break down the main differences between the Backbone One and Backbone Pro, including price, features, and more.

Specs and Features

Both the Backbone One and Backbone Pro share a similar form factor: two independent controller grips that bookend an expanding central area designed to fit most iPhone and Android devices. It's a design that resembles the Nintendo Switch a bit, and one that has become the standard for most mobile phone controllers these days.

While the layout of the offset thumbsticks and face buttons is the same across both devices, the Backbone Pro features larger, full-size Alps thumbsticks and customizable rear buttons that are great for competitive games or games with many inputs. The Pro also has upgraded triggers with Hall Effect sensors for increased responsiveness and durability.

Price Comparison

As expected, the standard Backbone One is the less expensive controller. It retails for $99, but can occasionally be found on sale during major events like Amazon Prime Day for as low as $69. This includes both the special PlayStation Edition and Xbox Edition models with unique colors and buttons to match the respective console.

The newer Backbone Pro is priced a bit higher than the base model at $169, but includes additional features, buttons, and redesigned ergonomics to support the premium price.

Which One Should You Buy?

These are two of the best phone controllers available, so you can't really go wrong with either one. The decision largely comes down with what kind of mobile games you play and where.

Because the Backbone One is aimed more at casual mobile game players, it's probably the best option for most people as it includes a simple plug-and-play solution that works with the vast majority of mobile games.

However, if you're into competitive mobile shooters or games that require quick reflexes, the Backbone Pro is maybe the better fit as its remappable back buttons, larger thumbsticks, and better grips are better suited for those kind of games.

If you play games across multiple devices and want to simplify your controller setup, then the Backbone Pro is the obvious choice. It can function as a phone controller as well as a Bluetooth controller that can connect to a variety of devices for gaming on the TV or computer.

Matthew Adler has written for IGN since 2019 covering all things gaming, tech, tabletop games, and more. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

While Amazon’s Prime Day sale officially begins July 8, some exclusive deals for Prime members are already live. One of the best discounts I've found so far knocks 50% off the Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet, making it only $69.99. That’s the lowest price yet for the latest model of the Fire HD 10, even beating out Black Friday savings.

The Amazon Fire HD 10 might not be as powerful and feature-rich as the latest iPads, but it’s a highly capable tablet for about one-fifth the cost of Apple’s offering. Whether you’re looking for something perfect for streaming and web browsing or reading and video learning, it’s ready to tackle all your lighter everyday tasks. Looking to get a jump start on back-to-school shopping? It’s the perfect budget-friendly option to get students connected.

If you’re exclusively looking for a great tablet for reading, Amazon has confirmed that two Kindle models will also be on sale during Prime Day. Both the Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite are expected to be up to 25% off, but you’ll have to wait a little longer to enjoy those savings.

Score 50% Off the Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet

If you're on the hunt for the best Android phone, you're diving into a wide world of options that go well beyond just iPhone alternatives. You can find folding behemoths that blur the line between smartphone and tablet, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, or find devices that go all-in on gaming performance and features with extra buttons and air-cooled components. The Android market is still where some of the most experimentation is being done, and there's no shortage of compelling phones – including the new Galaxy S25 lineup that's available to order. Quite a few of these phones can even prove fairly competitive on value, so you don't have to spend upwards of $1,000 just to get a great phone.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Android Phones:

I've personally been using Android phones since 2012, when I picked up what was both my first Android phone and first (and not my last) 3D phone. Since then, I've used and tested Android phones for years, going hands-on with the ultimate budget options, the first 5G phone (a Motorola model with an attachment that turned it into a 5G phone), gaming phones with wild gimmicks and some with tamer features, folding phones, flipping phones, and even twisting phones.

I've tested what Samsung and Google consider some of their best, and I've seen what some of the lesser-known alternatives have done to keep pace or surpass them. All this is to say: I've been around the block with Android phones, as have many of my colleagues here who have contributed their fair share of first-hand testing. So if you're looking for a great Android phone, we've got you covered.

What you'll find here are not just the best Android phones, but some of the best smartphones around. You can go with the best of the best, topping out features and quality, or find a budget score that goes above and beyond for a device at its price. And if nothing quite fits the bill, be sure to check back often. After all, the Android market moves fast, so you won't be left waiting a year to see what the next round of devices offers (unlike iPhone users).

Contributions by Jackie Thomas, Danielle Abraham, and Georgie Peru.

1. OnePlus 13

Best Android Smartphone

2. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

Best Foldable Android Phone

3. Poco X5 5G

Best Budget Android Phone

4. RedMagic 10 Pro

Best Gaming Android Phone

5. Google Pixel 8

Best Mid-Range Android Phone

We know the Pixel 8 isn’t the latest of the bunch; I even reviewed the Pixel 9 myself. But here’s the thing: It’s still a great phone, and the fact that it’s a year older means it’s easy to snag at a much lower price than it started with. There’s little reason to consider the Pixel 8a, for instance, when you can jump up to the real McCoy for just $100 more.

Google brought some great upgrades with the Pixel 8, including the new Tensor G3 SoC, which ran faster and (critically) cooler than its predecessor. Google also shrunk down the phone slightly, making it a bit more friendly for folks who appreciate a more pocketable device for easy one-handed use. It’s a great little phone.

The 6.2-inch display means business. Small though it may be, it offers a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and boasts a 2,000-nit peak brightness. Games, movies, and just about anything else look great on the display, and it’s matched by a decent set of stereo speakers.

Perhaps the key thing making the Pixel 8 an exceptional value is that it comes with seven years of updates to the operating system, security patches, and features. It may not get every new feature that Google launches in the future, but it will at least not be left with the security vulnerabilities that can plague outdated devices.

A key highlight of the Pixel 8 is its camera system. It offers an excellent main sensor that can tackle dark environments and make the most of quality lighting by providing sharp, richly colored photos. The ultra-wide isn’t quite as impressive, but had a very wide field-of-view, letting you capture a lot in one shot. Getting any great cameras on a phone for $500 is a pretty good deal, so getting one backed by a modest ultrawide doesn’t hurt.

What About the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge?

Samsung may have recently introduced one of the thinnest phones we’ve seen in a while, but that doesn’t make it a shoe-in for this list. I just finished testing the Galaxy S25 Edge, so keep an eye out for that review. The long and short of it is that the S25 Edge simply had to make too many sacrifices to pretty important things in order to get so thin and it still costs more than many flagship phones.

The S25 Edge only gets two rear cameras, it has a smaller battery than many rivals, and it runs into thermal throttling quickly when faced with a proper load. That’s a rough spot to be in when many devices around the $1,000 point come with three great cameras, have big batteries, and offer some form of cooling that can keep up with their powerful internals better. The OnePlus 13 is a solid example of this, and it costs $200 less than the S25 Edge. If that couple of millimeters Samsung managed to shave off the S25 Edge were a bit more tangible in everyday use, maybe it would feel like a more worthwhile thing to chase.

What We’re Looking Forward to:

Lovers of folding phones have got something to get excited about. Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event is set for July 9 and should come with the announcement of its newest foldables. We’re expecting the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 to make their debut at the event (and you can already reserve one).

Samsung has already teased a bit of what we can expect from the new phones. As PCMag has reported, Samsung made a few statements in early teases, including: “Meet the Next Chapter of Ultra,” “The newest Galaxy Z series is the thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldable yet,” and “Your Smartphone Camera Now Gets What You’re Looking At — and Responds.” This makes it pretty clear Samsung is pushing for thinner phones in this lineup, likely pushed by the progress of Chinese foldables. The note about the camera sounds a lot like Google’s Gemini Live, though Samsung may be offering its own takes on multi-modal AI. The mention of “Ultra” is a little less clear on what it could be, but a camera experience that lines up more with the Galaxy S25 Ultra would certainly be a welcome change to the Z Fold line.

What to Look for in an Android Phone

Making the final decision on a phone purchase is not easy, so we've helped narrow down what to look for.

Storage space on phones is crucial. If filming videos, playing games, or downloading loads of music is important, only a few (and increasingly fewer) phones come with a Micro SD slot to expand storage. That means you'll have to spend more to get more, and that's if a phone offers it. Some of our picks have up to 1TB of storage, which should suit most people. Of course, you can always store files to different cloud services, opening more space on your phone.

RAM is crucial to a phone’s operating system. Having more RAM means you can run more applications at the same time. For standard operation, 4GB RAM is enough, but additional RAM is necessary for heavy gaming and app use. All of our picks have at least 6GB of RAM, so you can get to gaming and scrolling with little worry.

Finally, the phone’s processor is essential for your device to run smoothly. The number of cores and clock speed generally determine how quickly a phone can run processes and functions. Snapdragon processors are often used in Android phones. All of our picks use them except for the Google Pixel devices, which use Google’s Tensor chips. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Tensor G4 are currently the best processors out there.

Best Android Phones FAQ

What is the difference between an Android phone and a smartphone?

Android phones are just a type of smartphone. Ever since the iPhone started the 'smartphone' trend back in 2007, Google has been competing with its own smartphone OS, Android. An Android phone is just a smartphone that's running Google's Android operating system, and with a few exceptions, anything that's running Android is also a smartphone.

Mark Knapp is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything electronics and gaming hardware. He has over 10 years of experience in the tech industry with bylines at PCMag, Reviewed, CNET, and more. Find Mark on BlueSky at @Techn0Mark.

Smartphones aren’t exactly the most exciting gadgets to splash out on. Glass rectangles that most people use to message their friends, watch YouTube videos, scroll social media, and snap photos – they might be essential for day-to-day living, but cost a pretty penny if you want the latest and greatest. That’s why we’ve picked out the best smartphones to buy by seriously weighing the value against price.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Smartphones:

Of course, what everyone finds valuable is different. Some people will want excellent photo quality from their phone. Others will want to get extreme performance for gaming on the go. If you watch a lot of TV and movies on your phone, it’s natural to look for a phone with a stunning display. Fortunately, we’ve tested phones that cover all the bases.

Here, you’ll find phones that let you do a bit of everything, from the best Android phones and iPhone alternatives to the latest and greatest from Apple. Some may prioritize certain aspects over others, but you won’t find a phone that’s practical garbage or one that makes too many sacrifices just to hit a low price. You also won’t be looking at just the newest phones. Every now and then, the advantage an older model has from price reductions makes it all the more valuable, helping it to undercut newer alternatives. So, keeping in mind what you want out of a phone, have a look at the best options across the market.

Contributions by Jacqueline Thomas, Callum Bains, and Danielle Abraham

1. OnePlus 13

Best Smartphone

2. Google Pixel 9 Pro

Best Camera Phone

The Google Pixel 9 Pro is a brilliant phone when it comes to photography. It offers a triple-camera system on the rear that provides a ton of flexibility, and each sensor in the stack snaps quality photos, whether you want to punch in on a distant subject or zoom way out to capture a landscape. Even the selfie camera snaps vibrant, sharp photos.

The phone itself is no less pretty than the photos it takes. Google has refined the design of its Pixel line again, and the Pixel 9 Pro benefits greatly. It’s still somewhat tame with aluminum and glass, not opting for the titanium of Apple’s and Samsung’s flagships. But it comes together elegantly.

Thin bezels wrap around a modest 6.3" display, which is a bit of a star. It’s reasonably sized without making the Pixel 9 Pro an unwieldy behemoth like the iPhone 16 Pro Max or Galaxy S24 Ultra, though you can go that route by upgrading to the Pixel 9 Pro XL. The display is also excellent, with a super-bright OLED panel, smooth refresh rate, and poppy color.

The Pixel 9 Pro may not be the fastest phone on the market, as its Tensor G4 chip lags well behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Apple’s A18 Pro, but it’s plenty peppy for everyday use and works quickly with AI applications. And it still runs games reasonably well too. Google is also backing the phone up with longer-term software support than you’ll find on a lot of Android devices.

3. Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Best iPhone

4. Google Pixel 8

Best Mid-Range Smartphone

5. Poco X5 5G

Best Budget Smartphone

6. RedMagic 10 Pro

Best Gaming Smartphone

7. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

Best Foldable Phone

What About the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge?

My review of the S25 Edge is on its way, but I can already tell you that the S25 Edge won’t be joining the ranks of the best phones on the market. While it is a surprisingly thin phone, I wouldn’t go so far as to call it impressively thin. Phones have been this thin in the past, and I think there’s a reason they’ve gotten thicker over the years. The S25 Edge makes sacrifices to get that thin. It has a smaller battery than comparable phones. It may offer the speedy Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset powering other great phones, but it quickly runs into thermal throttling when trying to take full advantage of that chip. And the S25 Edge only gets two rear-facing cameras when it’s priced like a phone that should have three or four quality cameras to offer. All of those trade-offs to shave a couple millimeters from the device just don’t work out in this phone’s favor.

What We’re Looking Forward to:

We’re just a few days away from finding out more about Samsung’s latest foldable smartphones. Samsung has scheduled its next Galaxy Unpacked event for July 9, and it is expected to show off the next generation of the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip smartphones: the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, for those who are counting. Per PCMag’s reporting, Samsung has teased the event with the statements: “Meet the Next Chapter of Ultra,” “The newest Galaxy Z series is the thinnest, lightest and most advanced foldable yet,” and “Your Smartphone Camera Now Gets What You’re Looking At — and Responds,” giving some hints at the kind of improvements we can expect to see from the new phones.

Even though the Z Fold series has sat at the top of Samsung’s stack in terms of price, it has still lagged behind devices like the Galaxy S25 Ultra where durability and cameras were concerned. Perhaps this new generation will help level out the capabilities a bit more. The new phones should be thinner and more durable, with Samsung leaving little doubt about that. Trimming some of the thickness of the foldable should make them even more pocket friendly, as prior models could be a bit thick when folded up. Samsung has already shown it knows how to trim a phone down, as it showcased with the Galaxy S25 Edge. Finally, we can expect even more AI integration, with Samsung seeming to just hype an AI camera feature that just sounds like Google’s Gemini Live.

How We Picked the Best Smartphones

The mobile phone industry relies on upselling. It tells consumers time and again their phone needs replacing with the flashiest new release, or that their standard model pales in comparison to the Pro, Max, or whatever other upgraded version has just hit shelves. To an extent, this is true. Those pricier versions always bring a clutch of useful new features. But for many people, those features will go unused.

I picked out the smartphones at a variety of budgets that offer the best value for money. Unless you’re a wannabe influencer, hobbyist photographer, or enthusiastic gamer, you probably don’t need all the snazziest features that are being sold your way, and can find a more suitable pick from the selection here. Additionally, I also opted for phones that are durable and hard-wearing, and guaranteed to receive ongoing software support from their manufacturers, extending their lifespan. You can also learn more about how we test phones here.

Best Smartphones FAQ

Is Samsung better than Apple for smartphones?

Not necessarily. Both Samsung and Apple have earned a reputation for producing high-quality, feature-rich premium phones that leave more than a dent in your wallet. Both the and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra are fast, sleek, sport excellent cameras that are capable of capturing crisp images in both high and low light, and are guaranteed software updates for years to come. More important is how familiar you are with their different operating systems: Android versus iOS.

Are iPhones better than Android phones?

For all the effort that Apple has put into cultivating a popular perception of itself as an unrivaled premium brand, modern iPhones are strikingly similar to premium Android alternatives. Any obvious lead that Apple once possessed has now all but diminished. Android and iOS operate similarly, are designed to fulfill almost identical functions, and are updated to new versions yearly. More important than which one you should pick is which you’re currently familiar with. iPhones sync with other Apple products more easily, while Android phones pair better with Windows devices.

Which Android phone is the best value for money?

The Google Pixel 8 is a superb phone for its price. It may be a little older, but it has potent performance, an elegant design, and gets one thing that most budget-friendly devices don't: long-term software support. At $500, it'll be really hard to do better. And going lower than this, you'll end up giving up a lot.

Mark Knapp is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything electronics and gaming hardware. He has over 10 years of experience in the tech industry with bylines at PCMag, Reviewed, CNET, and more. Find Mark on BlueSky at @Techn0Mark.

Choosing a tablet is tough, we know. Apple’s side alone has a variety of options, and it’s not always clear what’s so different between them. Unless you’re versed in all the jargon, the difference between a "Liquid Retina display" and a "Ultra Retina Tandem OLED with Pro Motion" isn't immediately obvious. There are also major differences under the hood, with Apple currently offering devices featuring an older A16 chip at the low end and an exceedingly fast M4 chip at the high end.

The Android tablet market only widens the field that much more. Where Apple tends to trim off the older tablets in its stable, the Android tablet market will still readily show you devices you shouldn’t have bought when they were new, let alone years later. And just like Apple’s devices, there’s a considerable range of hardware options that go from severely underpowered to total overkill — at which point a Windows tablet could make more sense. What makes Android tablet shopping even more complicated is the software support. Apple keeps its tablets running on the latest operating systems for a long time, but how long any given Android tablet will stay up to date is a much harder question to answer.

After looking at the market, considering the iPad and Android tablets we’ve tested, and weighing what actually makes sense when purchasing a tablet, we’ve narrowed down a handful of the best options that strike the right balance.

Additional contributions by Mark Knapp

TL;DR: The Best Tablets Right Now

1. iPad (11th Generation)

Best Tablet

2. OnePlus Pad 2

Best Android Tablet

3. iPad Pro (M4, 2024)

Best Tablet for Creative Work

4. iPad Air (2024)

Best Thin and Light Tablet

5. iPad (9th Generation)

Best Budget iPadOS Tablet

What About the OnePlus Pad 3?

The OnePlus Pad 3 is one hell of a machine, but it may be flying a little too close to the sun to earn a solid recommendation. The sun in this case being full-fat PCs. To get just the OnePlus Pad 3 on its own, you’ll be looking at a $699 price tag — already in laptop price territory. On top of that, OnePlus has its keyboard cover going for $199 and stylus going for $99. You’re looking at $1,000 to get the full OnePlus Pad 3 experience, which – I can’t stress enough – is still Android running on a tablet. Looking over at the Windows PC market, you’ll find no shortage of quality laptops under $1,000, and Asus even offers a 2-in-1 tablet fully loaded with keyboard cover and stylus with the Asus ProArt PZ13, and I’ve frequently seen it going for $849.

I’m generally a fan of Android, but it can still be pretty limited, especially in the quality of its game library. The OnePlus Pad 3 may be running the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip that has been a hit in other phones, but it’s so powerful it can almost feel wasted here. It ought to be running games with sharper graphics than some of the low-res titles I come across on Android. Maybe we’ll see some strong emulation in the future that makes the chip’s capabilities more valuable. But as it stands, the OnePlus Pad 2 isn’t absurdly far behind this one, and it’s cheaper.

What We’re Looking Forward to:

Android tablets are getting a little extra love in the gaming realm. Lenovo recently introduced the new Legion Tab 3, a compact gaming tablet with potent internals. And RedMagic, the maker of our favorite gaming phone, has the Astra tablet on its way. Both of these tablets offer a smaller, more portable footprint that could let them better compete with gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck. Crucially, both also run on recent Snapdragon chips. The Legion tablet uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 found in many 2024 flagship phones, and should still be plenty powerful for gaming while still offering a value-minded price. Meanwhile, the Redmagic Astra tablet steps up to a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and uses some active cooling for what should be truly impressive performance if the brand’s reputation holds.

How to Choose the Right Tablet for You

The first step when deciding on a tablet is determining a budget. Looking to just stream shows and scroll socials? A cheap slate should suffice. However, you'll need to up your spending if you’re after a productivity tool that performs similarly to a laptop. You can even slap a keyboard onto some tablets, essentially turning them into detachable laptops, albeit with the limits of their hardware and operating system.

Next, design. You'll want an option that’s lightweight but still durable for on-the-go use. A sizable, crisp, and responsive display ensures the best user experience, while OLED panels are a more premium option with deep blacks and richer colors over their LCD counterparts.

Of course, the internal components are just as important; you don’t want a sluggish device that leads to you reaching for your smartphone or laptop instead. To prevent that from happening, a solid processor and at least 4GB of RAM is a must. For gaming or creative work, upgrading those specs can make a world of difference. Beyond that, you’ll want to ensure your software is up to date. Android OS is in its 15th generation, while iPadOS 18 is Apple’s latest.

Other features like long battery life, great-sounding speakers, crisp cameras, and stylus support can help improve your experience on a tablet. You may even want to consider getting a 5G tablet that can connect to your cellular network when you’re not on Wi-Fi.

Tablets FAQ

Are iPads better than Android tablets?

No. Both types of tablets have plenty of solid models to choose from; it’s more a matter of personal preference. If you already have an iPhone and/or MacBook, it makes sense to grab an iPad for seamless integration into your Apple ecosystem, including the ability to double as a second screen for a MacBook. iPads are known for their smooth user experience along with their wealth of apps and games, but the pricing is more restrictive.

Tablets running on Android OS come from various manufacturers using a wide variety of components and different versions of the Android operating system, meaning performance and the experience is all over the place. But there’s a wider selection of slates, from ultra-cheap to high-end. It’s just important to do your research, as there are some duds. The selection of apps optimized for an Android tablet is also more limited. Still, almost all Android apps should function fine, just not as well as on your phone.

Should you buy a tablet with cellular network support?

Most will find that a tablet with cellular network support is unnecessary unless you’re constantly on the go with no way to connect via Wi-Fi. Adding that extra line to your cellular plan can be expensive, and your smartphone can usually work as a Wi-Fi hotspot for your tablet when you’re in a pinch. However, should you decide you’d like cellular network support, many of our picks come in 5G versions; just know you have to make that decision up front.

Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra

Sonos has discounted its lineup of certified refurbished soundbards and speakers even more as part of its 4th of July Sale. Sonos certified refurbished products go through rigorous testing; they come with all accessories, manuals, and documentation and are reshipped in "pristine" packaging. Most importantly, Sonos stands by their refurbs enough to grant them the same 1-year warranty as buying new.

Featured in this article

You can quickly browse through all of the listed products on sale above. For more information on each product and why they are worth your consideration, read through below.

Sonos Era 100

Sonos Ray

Sonos Arc

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

Sonos Sub 3 Wireless Subwoofer

A great gaming monitor can transform your gaming experience. It's the single best gaming accessory to make the most of the stunning graphics and speedy refresh rates your gaming PC is capable of. After all, what’s the point of investing in a top-tier graphics card and CPU if your display can’t keep up?

I've done the testing and research to find the best gaming monitors to help you play all the best PC games to their fullest. These are the best gaming monitors of 2025 so far.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Gaming Monitors:

Your gaming monitor should offer specs that match up with your PC; there’s no point in grabbing a 4K monitor if games will be virtually unplayable with a GeForce RTX 5060 Ti at that resolution. Likewise, pairing a Radeon RX 9070 XT with a 1080p display is a waste. The best gaming monitors will show off all the capabilities of the rig you’ve invested in, delivering solid picture quality, speedy response times, and a host of gaming features. Of course, high refresh rates help frames remain silky smooth and those extra milliseconds could mean life or death for competitive gamers.

Whether you’re after a beastly future-proof option with a sharp 4K picture, OLED panel, and wild 240Hz refresh rate – like our top pick, the Gigabyte FO32U2 Pro – or you have a more modest setup that's better suited for a rock-solid budget monitor, we’ve got you covered. All our favorite gaming monitors have been thoroughly vetted by me and my colleagues and are ready to suit just about any need.

Looking for savings? Be sure to check out the best gaming monitor deals happening right now.

1. Gigabyte FO32U2 Pro

Best Gaming Monitor

If you want proof that OLED is the new mainstream for the best gaming monitors, just take a look at my thorough review of the Gigabyte FO32U2 Pro. This is a gorgeous 32-inch 4K gaming monitor with an extremely thin panel and one of the brightest displays I've ever had the pleasure of using. And while it is a bit on the pricey side, the best is never the cheapest option, and you'll be well rewarded for the money you invest in this gorgeous piece of kit.

This gaming monitor is extremely forward-facing, too. While most of the best graphics cards aren't really able to drive a 4K gaming monitor at 240Hz, the Gigabyte Aorus FO32U2 supports that high refresh rate anyways. That means even after upgrading your PC a few times over the next few years, you won't really need to buy an all-new gaming monitor for a very long time. Hell, this monitor supports DisplayPort 2.1 technology, which isn't even in most current-generation gaming PCs right now.

But even in the current day, the gorgeous OLED panel is extremely color accurate. Supporting up to 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, you'd be hard pressed to find any screen with better color representation, at least without forking over the cash for a display meant for creative professionals. Combine that with a peak brightness of 1,000 nits and a contrast ratio of 1.5M:1 and this will make any game, movie, or even your desktop seem like it's popping off of your screen.

Of course, because it's a flagship gaming monitor, it also comes with quality-of-life features like picture-in-picture and an automatic black equalizer that'll help you tune how your monitor looks. You can even download the Gigabyte Control Center, plug the monitor into an open USB port (in addition to your standard HDMI/DP port, obviously), and control image settings on your desktop rather than fiddling with an OSD.

This is a dream gaming monitor, and while it's a bit expensive, you're genuinely getting what you pay for.

2. AOC Q27G3XMN Mini-LED

Best Budget Gaming Monitor

The AOC Q27G3XMN Gaming Monitor offers true HDR gaming at a fraction of the usual price. That's because it uses a mini-LED backlight to offer localized brightness and contrast all the way up to 1,000 nits. That means that you can enjoy gaming in HDR knowing that you're receiving a full-fledged experience and not the typical "HDR 400" or "HDR compatible" experience found elsewhere.

This monitor uses a VA panel for improved contrast even when you turn local dimming off. You could be forgiven for leaving it on, however, as it's the gateway to more vivid colors and deeper blacks, no matter what you happen to be doing. With 336 local dimming zones, it's able to pinpoint shadows and blacks far better than a traditional edge-lit gaming monitor. In fact, this is the reason why the technology has largely cost two, three, or even four times as much as this monitor.

Even without the mini-LED backlight, however, this would be a great monitor to choose for anyone on a limited budget. Its 27-inch frame is perfectly matched to its 1440p resolution, allowing it to offer crisp visuals and smooth, responsive gameplay. It's lacking some amenities like built-in speakers or a USB hub, but that can be forgiven for its generously priced panel and gaming experience.

With all of that in mind, AOC did make a sacrifice on local dimming zones to get the price so low. While 336 sounds like a lot on paper, flagship mini-LED monitors usually feature over 1,100. Its reduced zone count leads to noticeable blooming (glowing around bright objects on dark backgrounds). While this isn't always an issue, especially when you're playing games, it's also not something you can ignore when it's there. You'll notice it every time, though many people do get used to it and find it doesn't bother them over time.

Even with some blooming to contend with, the AOC Q27G3XMN mini-LED gaming monitor is still a great pick that offers some truly impressive visuals its biggest competitors simply can't compete with.

3. Acer Predator X34 OLED

Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitor

4. Dell Alienware AW2725Q

Best 4K Gaming Monitor

5. Asus ROG Swift PG27AQDP

Best 1440p Gaming Monitor

People might be clamoring over 4K displays, and 1440p has a home in the hearts of many gamers trying to balance visual quality with value, but 1080p monitors still have their place. The Asus TUF Gaming VG279QM is a prime example where FHD fits in because, for less than $300, you get a screen that delivers an overclockable 240Hz refresh rate, a 1ms response time, and low input lag, which will see your games run as smooth as hot butter. FreeSync support and G-Sync compatibility also ensure your monitor and GPU are on the same team for visuals that look great without tearing.

The Asus TUF Gaming VG279QM stretches its 1080p picture across a 27-inch screen, which is reasonable for the resolution. Although, you may do some pixel peeping in exchange for a more immersive viewing experience. Its IPS panel offers decent viewing angles and color reproduction, while the 400-nit brightness means you can use it in brighter spaces. It's been DisplayHDR 400 certified, but given a mediocre contrast ratio and no local dimming, HDR support shouldn’t be why you buy this monitor.

Some other quality-of-life boxes can get ticked off, too, with a height-adjustable pivoting stand, two HDMI ports, and one DisplayPort for ample connectivity opportunities. It's a monitor I consider a good value for the price. Its high refresh rate, ample size, and engaging picture make it a great pick for gamers on more limited budgets.

Not to be shadowed by the upcoming Amazon Prime Day event, Best Buy is offering a fantastic deal on the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless Gaming Headset. Right now you can get it for 50% off, dropping the price to just $139.99 with free delivery. The Arctis Pro is a top-end SteelSeries headset (in fact, its flagship model before the Nova Arctis Pro was released), and one of only two models with swappable batteries. It's compatible with PC, PS4, and PlayStation 5.

50% Off SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless Gaming Headset

Independence Day is right around the corner, and with it comes a slew of annual sales on just about everything you can imagine. Best Buy is kicking things off early this year with a massive Fourth of July sale that includes hundreds of discounts on PC gaming accessories.

If you've been holding out for new gear, now is your chance to save big on some of the best gaming mice and gaming keyboards. But don't wait too long—these deals end Sunday at midnight PST. Check out some of the best deals from the sale below.

Gaming Mice Deals

There are dozens of great deals on gaming mice, including 15% off our top pick for the best gaming mouse you can buy in 2025, the Razer Deathadder V3 Hyperspeed. This mouse blends performance, ergonomics, and style together to solidify its place as Razer's flagship mouse for nearly two decades.

If you're looking for a super lightweight mouse for competitive gaming, Best Buy has a massive discount (50% off!) on the SteelSeries Aerox 3 wireless, as well as some great deals on the Glorious Model O- and Logitech Pro X Superlight. One of our favorite budget-friendly gaming mice, the SteelSeries Rival 3, is also discounted, offering great performance for around $20.

Gaming Keyboard Deals

If you've been itching to replace your existing keyboard, there's no better time than now. Best Buy has discounts on every major brand, including Razer, SteelSeries, Logitech, HyperX, Corsair, and more. Some highlights from this sale include 20% off the SteelSeries Apex Pro V2 tenkeyless and full-size models, which feature some of the fastest key actuation available today thanks to its magnetic switches. The Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro is also $50 off, which we rated one of the best gaming keyboards you can buy. It uses Razer's iconic mechanical switches and a handy customizable dial. If you're looking for budget options, the SteelSeries Apex 5 and HyperX Alloy Core are both fantastic options that are on sale during this event.

If you're looking to make the move to portable PC gaming, Best Buy has also discounted the Lenovo Legion Go S with SteamOS, one of the more powerful Steam Deck alternatives.

Should You Wait for Prime Day?

The Fourth of July is a massive holiday for sales, but one of the biggest (and most convenient) shopping events is Amazon's Prime Day, which kicks off next week. Given that Prime Day starts pretty much as soon as Fourth of July sales end, you might consider waiting to see what the mega-corp has in store.

If you're in the market for gaming accessories, I'd recommend making any purchases sooner than later. Amazon will likely price match anything on sale at Best Buy, but in my time covering Prime Day, I've noticed Amazon's event isn't the greatest for gaming tech. The major discounts tend to be on mainstream Apple products like iPads and Amazon's own line of devices.

In the meantime, feel free to check out some of the other Fourth of July sales running through this weekend:

Matthew Adler has written for IGN since 2019 covering all things gaming, tech, tabletop games, and more. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

This year, Flexispot has kicked off its 4th of July Sale extra early with discounts across its entire site as well as tiered coupon codes. Flexispot has established a reputation for producing quality electric standing desks with premium features at a fraction of the price compared to other reputable brands. We like Flexispot because it offers quality electric standing desks with all the features you'd want at a fraction of the price compared to other more well-known models. We rated Flexispot's highest- end model, the E7 Pro, the best overall standing desk of 2025.

Since then, the company has branched out to other types of furniture, including office chairs, sofas, recliners, and even mattresses. These are, in a nutshell, well-made replicas of other far pricier products, and if you prioritize value over brand loyalty, then you're bound to save a lot of money by picking up one of these deals.

Flexispot 4th of July Coupon Codes

• $30 off orders $500+ with code "J4FS30"
• $60 off orders $800+ with code "J4FS60"
• $100 off orders $1,000+ with code "J4FS100"
• $200 off orders $2,000+ with code "J4FS200"

Featured in this article

You can quickly browse through all of the listed products on sale above. For more information on each product and why they are worth your consideration, read through below.

Flexispot E7 Pro Desk starting at $399.99

Our favorite standing desk for 2025

Flexispot E5 Desk starting at $179.99

Flexispot E7 Desk starting at $299.99

Flexispot E7L L-Shaped Desk starting at $499.99

Flexispot C7 Ergonomic Chair for $349.99

Flexispot Japanese Joinery Bed Frame starting at $349.99

Flexispot Premier Hybrid Mattress starting at $349.99

Flexispot Lotus Electric Rocker Recliner starting at $519.99

It’s a brand new month for Nintendo Switch 2 owners, and the first of many where we’ll be breaking down what’s hitting Nintendo’s powerful new hybrid system.

June, quite unsurprisingly, set a high bar, launching the console itself, selling out almost instantly, and delivering a flood of third-party releases, Switch 2 Editions of hits like Tears of the Kingdom, and even a brand-new Mario Kart.

But July isn’t slowing down. From major first-party launches to more surprises, it’s already shaping up to be another strong month for early adopters.

Switch 2 Games in July 2025 - At a Glance

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remastered – July 11
• Donkey Kong Bananza – July 17
• Super Mario Party Jamboree + Jamboree TV (Switch 2 Edition) – July 24
• No Sleep for Kaname Date - AI: Escape Code – July 25
• Wild Hearts S – July 25

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4: July 11, 2025

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on July 11, and is one of the first new major third party releases for the new console. It's not just Nintendo exclusives anymore, folks.

In our recent preview of the game, IGN's Nick Maillet had this to say: "In a time where it seems like every game from the early 2000’s is getting a modern facelift, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is shaping up to be a welcome addition to a year full of excellent remakes and remasters."

"From its faithful recreation of what made the PS2-era classics so memorable, to its modern quality of life improvements, excellent soundtrack, and overall love letter to the series early days, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 is very much something that should be on your radar if you’re a fan of skateboarding, enjoy action sports games, or just want to play something that's simple and fun. It might be the easiest kickflip you’ll land this year."

Pro Skater 3+4 is up for preorder right now, and costs just $49.99 on Switch 2.

Donkey Kong Bananza: July 17, 2025

Donkey Kong Bananza finally swings onto Switch 2 on July 17, marking the first all-new 3D Donkey Kong game since 1999’s Donkey Kong 64.

Nintendo has now confirmed it’s developed by the Super Mario Odyssey team, and that polish shows in everything from the destructible environments to the game’s momentum-driven platforming.

"8’s raw power and durability, or the fact that Pac-Man can turn into a mech that shoots lasers out of its mouth, everything about this Metroidvania is absurdly fun. The game features something for everyone here, as the platforming, combat, and puzzles each stand out on their own as enjoyable experiences."

"I implore you to suspend your disbelief about how this bizarre concept can even work, and at least give Shadow Labyrinth a try when it is released, as this insane creative bet by Bandai looks like it might actually pay off."

Super Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV: July 24, 2025

Super Mario Party Jamboree – Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV drops exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on July 24. This expanded version includes everything from the original Super Mario Party Jamboree on Switch, plus the brand-new Jamboree TV expansion, a flashy game show mode hosted by Toad that leans even harder into chaotic party-game energy.

This is also another example of Nintendo’s new pricing strategy for Switch 2. While most first-party games on the original Switch launched at $59.99, Switch 2 titles are climbing higher.

Naughty Dog head Neil Druckmann has announced he will not be creatively involved in the upcoming Season 3 of HBO's The Last of Us, opting instead to focus entirely on game development of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

pic.twitter.com/baQee9IpHO

— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) July 2, 2025

In a statement posted to Naughty Dog social channels, Druckmann said the following:

"I've made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO. With work completed on Season 2 and before any meaningful work starts on Season 3, now is the right time for me to transition my complete focus to Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our exciting next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, along with my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative.

"Co-creating the show has been a career highlight. It's been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct, and write on the last two seasons. I'm deeply thankful for the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and the continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II."

Additional reporting from The Ankler reveals that showrunner Craig Mazin will be heading up writing for Season 3, after having partnered with Druckmann on the first two seasons.

Druckmann's return to focus on game development comes following the reveal of Naughty Dog's next project, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, at The Game Awards in December of 2024. While that seems to be Druckmann's main focus for now, it's not the studio's only project. Druckmann has confirmed that there's another, unannounced game in the works internally on which he is "more of a producer role" and gets to "mentor and watch this other team and give feedback and be like the executive in the room."

HBO's The Last of Us adaptation, meanwhile, has been wildly successful. HBO said that Season 2 saw an "influx" of viewers that brought the series total global audience to over 90 million since the end of Season 1, though it added that low viewership of the Season 2 finale was due to its release timing on Memorial Day weekend.

Though Season 3 is confirmed to be in the works, it may not be the end. Mazin has said that he thinks a fourth season is essential, and the series composer said on a podcast recently that there would be "at least two more seasons, no question." It is unclear whether or not Druckmann would return in a creative capacity on a fourth season.

We gave The Last of Us Season 1 a 9/10, calling it "a stunning adaptation that should thrill newcomers and enrich those already familiar with Joel and Ellie's journey alike." Season 2 got a slightly lower 7/10, "still good, but it's also a sequel that struggles because it's only half of the story."

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.

Matt Firor, boss of The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios, has stepped down amid the cancellation of the studio’s unannounced MMO.

Sources close to the project told IGN that this MMO was a brand new IP unrelated to both Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, and that it had a sizeable team behind it. This team is now cut as part of the layoffs hitting Microsoft today.

Heads of State is a tonally lopsided buddy action comedy. With middling slapstick humor and poor attempts at witty banter, it struggles to provide genuine laughs. But thanks to some impressive action sequences – featuring a badass showing from Priyanka Chopra Jonas – and compelling performances from the rest of the cast, Heads of State still manages to be an entertaining popcorn movie.

The unfortunately timely premise centers on a rivalry between two world leaders and their reluctance to work together, even amid a global crisis. One side of it is Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) who, having worked his way through the British Parliament all the way up to becoming Prime Minister the old-fashioned way, is understandable in his strong disdain for his counterpart, movie star-turned-U.S. President Will Derringer (John Cena). And to a lesser extent, the same can be said of Will’s attitude towards Sam: he believes that Sam should take him seriously, regardless of the route he took to the White House.

This constant clash of opposing views is initially promising – the seasoned politician teaming up with a celebrity hire to fight terrorists is a solid foundation for a few laughs. At the very least, it should’ve led to some comical bickering between two charismatic actors. Unfortunately, Sam and Will’s personal conflict mostly amounts to dull bouts of one-upmanship and backhanded compliments.

What passes for witty banter between Sam and Will is yawn-inducing. None of the jabs at America’s fixation with pop culture or stereotypical displays of British elitism work as apparently intended. Most of the physical humor falls flat as well, which is disappointing considering Cena’s track record. Scenes depicting a person accidentally being set on fire, characters clumsily leaping from a train, or someone gassing themselves with a smoke grenade all strain to garner a smile, let alone induce laughter. This is a shame given how compelling Elba and Cena are in scenes where they aren’t trying to be funny. With Heads of State being the first time they’ve reunited since 2021’s The Suicide Squad, their on-screen chemistry reflects a strong work relationship.

Elba does a great job as Sam. His gruff demeanor and sharp line delivery echoes the sentiments of a cynical government official. When Air Force One is shot down, leaving Sam and Will stranded in a foreign country, it’s his abrasive yet well-meaning assertions that accurately convey the gravity of their situation. Cena’s charming depiction of Will, on the other hand, is much more hopeful. Will’s naïve understanding of politics can be grating at times, as reflected by Elba’s dismayed responses. That said, Will’s moral compass always points in the right direction; Cena’s enthusiastic ramblings about uniting the world via Will’s self-proclaimed “iconic” action films are as endearing as they are nonsensical.

Elba and Cena make a good pair, their “odd couple” vibe proving to be relatable despite the wild situations their characters keep finding themselves in. And thanks to director Ilya Naishuller (known for Hardcore Henry and Nobody), they also look good throwing punches and dodging bullets. The car chases, explosive shootouts, and chaotic fist fights are all entertaining.

Of course, given Naishuller’s pedigree for shooting great action scenes, this sort of thing is expected. What’s unexpected is Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ awesome portrayal of Noel Bisset, an MI6 agent sent to protect Sam and Will on their journey back to the US. Known for performing her own stunts, Jonas seems to effortlessly float between enemies as she violently beats them to a pulp. And that’s to say nothing of the times when she has a weapon; it’s exciting to see her take down several goons with their own guns, moments before tackling a villain hanging from a helicopter.

The rest of the cast have solid showings. Paddy Considine’s stoic portrayal of the hardened war criminal Viktor Gradov is convincing, and Carla Gugino and Jack Quaid are also engaging as Vice President Elizabeth Kirk and Agent Marty Comer, respectively – the latter of which providing some of Heads of State’s only effective comedic moments.

Pokémon Go's development team has now acknowledged a frustrating in-game bug plaguing the game's big 9th anniversary event, days after players first reported the issue.

The game's current 9th birthday shenanigans focus on Gimmighoul, the tiny coin-loving goblin Pokémon that is typically only available when you connect your Pokémon Go account to a Nintendo Switch with a copy of Pokémon Scarlet or Violet.

Now, to celebrate the hit smartphone game's latest anniversary, Gimmighoul has a new costumed variant and is also available in its Shiny version for the first time — though the mechanic to gather resources to evolve the creature isn't working as intended.

Gimmighoul has a unique evolution requirement that requires players to collect 999 Gimmighoul coins, before the treasure-hungry creature's appetite can be sated enough that it transforms into its evolution, Gholdengo. Collecting these coins is meant to be a challenge, with many players still a long way from amassing the required amount years after Gimmighoul's introduction. And it's because of this that the current event was so widely anticipated.

Collecting Gimmighoul coins in Pokémon Go is possible via two ways — from coins dropped when catching Gimmighoul itself using the Coin Bag feature (which requires fussing around and connecting your phone to your Nintendo Switch/Switch 2 every time you want to use it) or by spinning Golden PokéStops.

Normally, Golden PokéStops only appear when activated by a Golden Lure (which also requires fussing around and connecting to a Switch, five times in total) but, during the current event, any PokéStop can randomly turn into a Golden PokéStop for a brief time. This means the event is the easiest way to collect Gimmighoul coins in a long time, or it should be — except that the feature is currently bugged in a way that is sending fans to social media in enormous frustration.

The troubled Perfect Dark reboot is canceled and Xbox studio The Initiative has shut down amid devastating layoffs sweeping across Microsoft today, sources have told IGN.

Perfect Dark's demise comes as part of what is fast becoming a bloodbath at Microsoft, with reports suggesting over 9,000 staff at the company are set to lose their jobs. Sources have told IGN that Rare’s Everwild is canceled as layoffs hit the legendary UK studio. Candy Crush maker King is also hit hard, as is Bethesda’s London office.

In a memo sent to all Microsoft gaming staff and viewed by IGN, Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, confirmed Everwild and Perfect Dark's cancelation and said the company was winding down several unnanounced projects.

Following Phil’s note, I want to share more about the changes to the Studios business units.
We have made the decision to stop development of Perfect Dark and Everwild as well as wind down several unannounced projects across our portfolio. As part of this, we are closing one of our studios, The Initiative. These decisions, along with other changes across our teams, reflect a broader effort to adjust priorities and focus resources to set up our teams for greater success within a changing industry landscape. We did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represent years of effort, imagination, and commitment.

Our overall portfolio strategy is unchanged: build games that excite our players, continue to grow our biggest franchises, and create new stories, worlds, and characters. We have more than 40 projects in active development, continued momentum on titles shipping this fall, and a strong slate headed into 2026.

For those directly affected, we are working closely with HR and studio leadership to provide support, including severance, career transition assistance, and where possible, opportunities to explore roles on other teams.

To everyone across our studios: thank you. Your creativity and resilience continue to define who we are. I believe in the strength of our teams and the direction we're taking on the path ahead.

- Matt

Perfect Dark was conspicuous by its absence during Microsoft's June 2025 showcase, having starred a year earlier with a flashy new trailer. It featured a look at gameplay for the first-person shooter, as well as the welcome return of protagonist Joanna Dark.

The Initiative was a studio spun up by Xbox in 2018 to steer Perfect Dark towards release, with Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics brought in to support. Perfect Dark first debuted on the N64 back in 2000, developed by Rare, which has survived today's cull.

In a memo to staff sent today and reviewed by IGN, Xbox boss Phil Spencer failed to confirm specifics, telling staff “any organizational shifts will be shared by your team leaders in the coming days.”

The following message from Phil Spencer was shared to all gaming staff today:

Today we are sharing decisions that will impact colleagues across our organization. To position Gaming for enduring success and allow us to focus on strategic growth areas, we will end or decrease work in certain areas of the business and follow Microsoft’s lead in removing layers of management to increase agility and effectiveness. Out of respect for those impacted today, the specifics of today’s notifications and any organizational shifts will be shared by your team leaders in the coming days.

I recognize that these changes come at a time when we have more players, games, and gaming hours than ever before. Our platform, hardware, and game roadmap have never looked stronger. The success we're seeing currently is based on tough decisions we've made previously. We must make choices now for continued success in future years and a key part of that strategy is the discipline to prioritize the strongest opportunities. We will protect what is thriving and concentrate effort on areas with the greatest potential, while delivering on the expectations the company has for our business. This focused approach means we can deliver exceptional games and experiences for players for generations to come.

Prioritizing our opportunities is essential, but that does not lessen the significance of this moment. Simply put, we would not be where we are today without the time, energy, and creativity of those whose roles are impacted. These decisions are not a reflection of the talent, creativity, and dedication of the people involved. Our momentum is not accidental — it is the result of years of dedicated effort from our teams.

HR is working directly with impacted employees to provide severance plan benefits (aligned with local laws), including pay, healthcare coverage, and job placement resources to support their transition. Employees whose roles were eliminated are encouraged to explore open positions across Microsoft Gaming, where their applications will be given priority review.

Thank you to everyone who has shaped our culture, our products, and our community. We will move forward with deep appreciation and respect for all who have contributed to this journey.

Phil

Microsoft has made a huge number of cuts to its gaming business since acquiring Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. It laid off 1,900 staff in January 2024, then made further cuts just a few months later when it closed Redfall developer Arkane Austin and Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks. In September 2024, Microsoft cut a further 650 staff from its gaming business. And in May this year, Microsoft cut an eye-watering 6,000 staff, or 3% of its entire workforce. Today's round of layoffs is the fourth to hit Microsoft's gaming business in 18 months.

Speaking to IGN in June 2024, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said: "I have to run a sustainable business inside the company and grow, and that means sometimes I have to make hard decisions that frankly are not decisions I love, but decisions that somebody needs to go make."

The cuts come hot on the heels of Microsoft's confirmation that it plans to release next-gen Xbox consoles, and has a strong presence at video game show gamescom.

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.

I’ve rounded up some killer deals today, stuff I’d actually grab myself. We’re talking fan-favorite book sets, a vinyl gem for Pokémon collectors, and a fresh wave of PC games from Humble Choice. There’s even a white noise machine and a bladeless neck fan in the mix, both priced low and ready to save your summer sanity.

TL;DR: Deals For Today

From cozy farm sims and cat pirates to the grimdark chaos of Warhammer and Westeros, this list covers all kinds of tastes. If you’re looking to cool down, gear up, or zone out, there’s something here worth checking out before prices shift or stock vanishes.

Coke Zero Sugar 12 Pack

Dreamegg Portable White Noise Machine

FrSara Neck Fan

Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection

The Witcher Boxed Set

George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones 5-Book Boxed Set

Humble Choice

Symphonic Journeys Pokémon Red & Blue Vinyl

Assassin's Creed: Shadows Limited Edition (PS5)

M3GAN 2.0 - Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)

WOWBOX 32 PCS Clear Plastic Drawer Organizer Set

Tunise Rechargeable Portable Neck Fan

The Silmarillion Deluxe Illustrated by the Author

Amazon Prime Day Is Coming

6 Months Free Amazon Prime For Young Adults

3 Months for $0.99 Audible Deal

3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited

Pokémon TCG Price Comparison

Some of the pricing here by Amazon is insane, but there's some deals to be had when comparing these products to TCG Player. For example, Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection was a massive 56% below market value, but TCG Player is coming in cheaper now at $195. On the other end of the scale, TCG Player has Cynthia’s Garchomp ex Premium Collection at a massive 48% below Amazon's current price, which is very close to MSRP. I've compared all the prices in the carousel above, but another pro tip is clicking through to eBay to see if there's any new bargains to be had.

This Weeks Pokémon Card Crashers and Climbers

I’ve been keeping a close eye on the Pokémon TCG market this month, and we’re seeing two very different stories unfold. On one side, Surging Sparks cards are going through a steep correction.

On the other hand, Crown Zenith cards are showing early signs of what could be a long-term value surge. The bottom line? If you're a collector or investor, now is the time to buy into both.

I’m picking up what I can from both sets. The current dip in Sparks is a glimmer of hope for long-suffering 2024-2025 collectors. And Crown Zenith is a train I want to be on before it leaves the station.

Pokémon TCG Classic

The Sam's Club Pokémon TCG Classic deal is back, and it's massively undercutting other big box retailers and the secondary market. Just for comparrison, the top four cards from this set, Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur and Mewtwo, are worth the same price as this discounted offer. This deal is well worth it and should be snapped up as soon as possible.

Mega Evolution Pokémon Cards Are Climbing

I can't believe the X Y era of Pokémon cards came out 12 years ago, but it was an amazing era for the TCG introducing the Mega Evolution mechanic. Mega's will be returning later this year with the start of the Mega Evolutions era and the end of Scarlet and Violet, so snapping up these top Mega cards before prices go even higher is a wise move. We know how it'll play out, no one will be able to grab the new sets at launch, then the nostalgia will kick in and these cards will skyrocket. Just the Charizards and Rayquazzas alone are worth a look.

Magic: The Gathering Price Comparison

MTG doesn't seem to be struggling to keep up with demand despite it being one of the biggest trading card games on earth, but that doesn't stop big box retailers getting cheeky when they notice a peak in demand. Like with Pokémon TCG, i've gone through the majority of MTG stock on Amazon and compared their pricing to market values on TCG Player. The Theros Beyond Death booster made me spit out my tea. Amazon is listing a single booster for $378.08, but these can be picked up any day of the week for $5.59 on TCG Player. Go figure. Another big difference is Marvel's Spider-Man - Play Booster Box. Amazon has their preorder price guarantee on this, but it's still 17% cheaper to preorder on TCG Player.

This Weeks MTG Crashers and Climbers

As we covered in our recent synergies feature, Harmonic Prodigy gives double Wizard triggers – nice! That means it's gone up by 118.70% in the past month (246.76% in three) – not so nice!

That's good for those that own the card, not so good for those who are looking to pick it up standalone. Still, market is still just $12.75 right now, so it could be a lot worse.

Moving away from Vivi, Tifa’s getting some love from Bristly Bill, Spine Sower. This Outlaws of Thunder Junction card can help power up our martial artist heroine, but at a cost of almost $40 now.

Another nifty synergy that's climbing is Perch Protection. This Instant has climbed from a dollar to almost $6, since it handily ties into Chocobo decks.

WAOAW Sleep Mask w/ 3D Eye Cups & Adjustable Strap (Black)

Netflix is celebrating Squid Game Season 3 breaking fresh records for the streaming service, despite a mixed response to the show's finale from fans.

Season 3 earned itself a "record-breaking debut", Netflix has said, by becoming its first series ever to rank #1 in all of the company's main 93 markets during its debut week. The new season has also broken Netflix's record for the most views notched up by a show over its first three days.

According to Netflix's publicly-available stats, Squid Game Season 3 had an astonishing 60,100,000 views over the week ending June 29, with 368,400,000 hours watched. But while Netflix has gone on to also boast of having "all three seasons certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes," this claim is only valid when you look at critical scores, rather than user reviews.

On Rotten Tomatoes, Squid Game's third season user rating stands at just 50%, a sizable drop compared to the audience response for the show's first and second runs (84% and 63%, respectively).

Squid Game Season 3 has drawn fire from some fans for its uneven pacing and character development, particularly for its hero Seon Gi-hun, Player 456. Further cringe-inducing scenes featuring the games' non-Korean VIPs have also been criticised, as well as a general sense that the show simply isn't as good, or surprising, as its breakout debut season.

And then there's the matter of the show's unexpected finale cameo, which sees a Hollywood star make a bizarre appearance that some fans have said is an entirely uncessary addition, and an obvious attempt by Netflix to suggest the franchise would continue on further, now well beyond the initial story envisioned by its original creator.

It is, of course, not surprising that Netflix would want more from Squid Game. The series has been an enormous hit for Netflix overall, with its first season now the company's biggest TV release of all time by some margin, and Squid Game's second season only beaten by the first season of Wednesday.

But by continuing the show to its third season — and potentially further, if reports that David Fincher is now developing a US-based spin-off come to fruition — could Netflix be stretching the concept too far?

"Squid Game’s long-awaited finale comes with some creative missteps," IGN wrote in our 7/10 Squid Game Season 3 review, "but it continues to bring the captivating thrills and blood-stained social commentary that made it a runaway hit from the start."

Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions Super Premium Collection in stock and listed at $208.31 right now. That’s a big jump from its original MSRP of $89.99, and while still cheaper than the $259.99 it peaked at recently, it’s clear this set is being treated as a premium collector’s item rather than a typical retail product.

Alternatively, you could skip the sealed product altogether. Singles from this set are trending down, and if there’s a specific chase card you’ve been eyeing, now might be the time. Sylveon ex SIR, for example, has dropped from $562 in May to around $400 for a near-mint copy.

Pulling one from a premium box is a long shot, especially with Prismatic’s tough pull rates and reverse holos soaking up the rare slots, so buying outright may be the smarter move.

Or skip the gamble altogether. With Prismatic Evolutions singles trending downward, this might be the perfect moment to snag specific cards you want without rolling the dice.

Prismatic Evolutions Single Cards: What to Buy?

While a few top-tier pulls like Roaring Moon ex SIR and Vaporeon ex SIR are holding steady, or even creeping upward, a bunch of Prismatic Evolutions heavy-hitters are absolutely tanking in value right now. And that’s your opportunity.

Yes, suggesting that Pokémon cards priced over $200 are a deal might sound unhinged. But here’s the thing: pulling a Special Illustration Rare from this set is brutal. Thanks to those Pokéball and Masterball reverse holos clogging the rare slots, your odds are garbage. Booster packs are running over $10 a pop, and most people will burn through a mountain of them with nothing to show for it.

Take Sylveon ex SIR: easily one of the most striking cards in the set. It’s dropped 28% in just a couple weeks, from $562.60 in early May to around $400 for a near-mint copy right now. If you’ve been eyeing it, this might be the sweet spot before prices rebound, and you’re definitely not pulling it from a single $260 Super Premium Collection box.

Stock Alert: Amazon vs. Market Price

It’s still wild to see Pokémon sets climbing past $200 just months after launch, but if you’re looking for value, comparing Amazon and TCGPlayer is worth your time. In some cases, Amazon's price isn’t far off market value, but in others, like Cynthia’s Garchomp ex Premium Collection, TCGPlayer is nearly 50% cheaper vs Amazon.

We’ve rounded up the best live prices in the carousel above, but don’t forget to check eBay too, sometimes the real deals are hiding just off the main drag.

Looking for more TCG discussion and market watch? Check out the full Pokemon TCG release schedule for 2025, the most expensive 151 cards going right now for Pokemon trainers, and last week's MTG price movers and shakers, alongside all the big price changes for Pokemon cards this week.

Should You Wait For Amazon Prime Day?

Yes and no. It's unlikely Amazon will drop the price of the Prismatic Evolutions SPC any further for Prime members, but that doesn't mean we won't see any Pokémon card deals or restocks over the four day shopping event.

It's also worth noting that Walmart, Best Buy, and Target are also running discount sales through July 4th and beyond to compete with Amazon, so keep an eye on those as well for more top deals.

But, if you're 24 and under, Amazon is the top choice right now for freebies, as you can currently get six months of Prime, three months of Audible, and three months of Kindle Unlimited, all for zero cost.

With PS5 games getting bigger each year and SSD prices rising, we want to make sure you can find the best storage for the lowest price possible. Here, we'll point you in the direction of some of the greatest 2TB SSD deals we can find, which includes this deal on the Crucial T500 2TB SSD with Heatsink for $124.99. And with Amazon Prime Day right around the corner, there are sure to be plenty more SSD deals popping up as we get closer to the sale event, too.

It's worth noting that you can't use any old SSD and expect it to perform well on the PS5 console. You'll want to pick up a PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 solid-state drive with at least a 5,500MB/s read speed to match the PS5's internal drive. We've gathered up SSDs that match or exceed these specs in the list below to make your search easier.

Note that Sony recommends that you have a heatsink attached to your SSD, and not all SSDs listed here have pre-installed heatsinks. For the ones that do, we'll be sure to mention it. For the ones that don't, all you have to do is purchase your own heatsink (like this one for $10) and install it yourself. For our top recommended picks for 2025, check out our full breakdown for the Best PS5 SSDs.

2TB Crucial T500 SSD (PS5 Compatible) for $124.99

South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are not happy about Paramount’s decision to delay the premiere of Season 27 for two weeks — so much so that the writing duo took to the show’s social media accounts to make a statement claiming the Paramount and Skydance merger, which is still in progress, is “f—king up” their show.

“In response to the press release from Comedy Central about the change in premiere date for South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone said: 'This merger is a s**tshow and it’s f**king up South Park,'” their statement read after the July 2 announcement from the network. “We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow.”

The pair dropped their statement just a half hour after the announcement went live, so there’s no denying that Parker and Stone feel a bit betrayed by the way their long-running hit is being treated amid Paramount’s restructuring. Season 26 of the series debuted over two years ago in March 2023 with only six episodes, with another three one-off episodes debuting between October of that year and March 2024.

pic.twitter.com/gNwBAtjOh4

— South Park (@SouthPark) July 2, 2025

Though Parker and Stone failed to mention specific aspects of the merger that have affected the show, Paramount (which owns South Park’s home network Comedy Central) has dealt with other release date changes amid the merger, as well as massive layoffs and straight-up cancellations.

Plus, the deal with Skydance is still technically pending until its deadline of July 7, which is just around the corner, as the FCC has yet to approve the merger nearly a year after it was announced.

Additionally, there’s a legal battle in process over the streaming rights for South Park. The exclusive rights were owned by HBO Max, but its deal expired in June, which leaves the episodes in limbo as Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery have yet to reach a new agreement. The episodes are still available to watch on the streamer and talks to extend the contract are ongoing — but according to Variety, Parker and Stone claim incoming Paramount president Jeff Shell has interfered in negotiations with both WBD and Netflix.

Season 27 of South Park will now premiere on Comedy Central on July 23, rather than the original release date of July 9.

Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.

Blumhouse boss Jason Blum has opened up on the disastrous launch of M3GAN 2.0, admitting to a number of failings.

M3GAN 2.0 saw $10.2 million domestically and just $6.958 million internationally during its launch weekend, which suggests the first M3GAN movie, released in December 2022, may have been a lightning in a bottle moment with its eventual $180 million global haul.

IGN’s M3GAN 2.0 review returned a 6/10. We said: “M3GAN 2.0 hotswaps horror for sci-fi/action to mixed results, but M3GAN’s absolutely heinous wit and killer moves leave her, and not the new genres, the star of the show.”

But why did M3GAN 2.0 flop so hard? CEO of Blumhouse Productions, Jason Blum, appeared on the latest episode of The Town with Matthew Belloni podcast to reveal his early thoughts.

“I’ve been in pain all weekend long and I’ve been thinking about all this stuff way too much,” Blum began in the 20-minute chat. “If Blumhouse is in a slump, I’d like to tell that story. I don’t want other people telling that story.”

Blum revealed that 10 weeks before launch, M3GAN 2.0 was tracking to open to $45 million, "and we were seriously talking about how amazing it would be for the little movie M3gan to outgross F1.” But those predictions went downhill fast. With eight weeks to go it was 40, at six weeks it was 35, and four weeks 30. “The first movie did $32 million,” Blum said. “We had an in, we thought we’d do maybe 20% less than the first movie, so 30 was good. International, same thing.”

He continued: “Five days before opening, it goes from 30 to 20. That’s Monday. So then I was upset. Thursday, we were really at 20, maybe 19, and I was in a death spiral of depression. Wake up Monday morning and it’s 10.”

This is where Blum got into the weeds on M3GAN 2.0’s opening weekend.

“We all thought M3GAN was like Superman,” he said. “We could do anything to her. We could change genres. We could put her into summer. We could make her look different. We could turn her from a bad guy into a good guy. And we classically overthought how powerful people’s engagement was really with her.

“We decided to genre swap. The audience was not ready to genre swap. People wanted more M3GAN just like she is.”

This is a reference to M3GAN 2.0 being less of a thriller horror, like the first film, and more of an action comedy. Clearly, this didn’t work.

“The second thing is, we thought she could live in the summer,” Blum continued. “We thought, we’re going from a little horror movie to a tentpole."

Again, this release window change didn't work.

“When you genre switch, your execution has to be A+," Blum said. "We did get a higher cinema score on this M3GAN than our last M3GAN. The few who saw it really liked it. The critics were mixed, a little worse than the first M3GAN.”

Blum then suggested the shorter amount of time director Gerard Johnstone had to turn around the second film for its summer release compared to the first was a contributing factor.

“We got too excited by M3GAN, and you know, she didn’t work,” Blum concluded. “That’s what happened.”

So, what happens now? Blum said he’s not suffering an existential crisis about Blumhouse or the movie business, but confirmed the company is taking a look at its slate, and expressed a belief that there is too much horror doing the rounds at the moment.

“We’re used to a market that can absorb 12-15 horror movies where you get these singles and doubles,” he said. “I think that’s gone. It might come back, who knows? But for right now, I don’t think the market can absorb much more than there is, for sure.”

Another response is to make Blumhouse movies more of a theatrical event in order to break through, which in turn requires increased budgets. Blum pointed to the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy’s sequel as an example of this.

“I’m not existential about it,” he added. “But at the same time you can’t cover your ears. You have to say, I think we should look at the slate. I think we are gonna look at the slate. Did we make too many movies this year? And are all our movies theatrical events? That’s a different filter than we used a year ago. If we kept using the same filter then it would be an existential crisis because I think we’d be out of business.”

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.

Some great classic comedies have been getting the 4K steelbook treatment lately - from Monty Python and the Holy Grail to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective - but it's time to make space for another. The 40-Year-Old Virgin is next to get its own 4K steelbook to celebrate its 20th anniversary, and it's now available to preorder from various retailers (see here at Amazon). There's also a standard 4K version of the film up for preorder, if you'd prefer a non-steelbook copy to add to your library. It's set to be released this year on August 12, so you don't have to wait too much longer to get your hands on it.

Preorder The 40-Year-Old Virgin 4K Steelbook

IGN's Death Stranding 2 maps are here! Our interactive maps track essential locations across Australia and Mexico, including Main Orders and Sub Orders, locations such as Prepper Shelters and APAC Facilities, and more.

Death Stranding 2 Interactive Maps