The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered reimagines one of Bethesda's most important games with new visuals, gameplay mechanics, and more, but that didn’t stop the team at Virtuos from including one of the original's most iconic lines.

Most veteran Elder Scrolls fans have no doubt heard of Master Speechcraft trainer Tandilwe, a High Elf who can be found in the Temple of the One in the Imperial City. When Oblivion launched for PC and Xbox 360 more than 19 years ago, it was clear Tandilwe could use some speech training of her own. One of her voice lines is a recording of what has long been assumed to be mistakenly included audio of actress Linda Kenyon taking another stab at a line.

Begging Bethesda to keep this voice acting flub in Oblivion Remastered pic.twitter.com/rzGymRMchw

— TheNCSmaster (@TheNCSmaster) April 21, 2025

As players began their trek through a revitalized Cyrodiil yesterday, many were on the hunt to see just how faithful the ground-up remaster truly was. While so many environments, character models, and items have been given a fresh coat of paint, others have been happy to find that many of the blemishes that made 2006 Oblivion so special remain intact. Tandilwe’s infamous (and hilarious) blooper is one moment fans have been overjoyed to see return. It’s just as it was nearly 20 years ago, lack of subtitles and all.

THEY KEPT THE BLOOPER IN OBLIVION REMASTERED YESSSS#OblivionRemastered pic.twitter.com/SiwfbnF5cK

— samwise (@kojimahead) April 23, 2025

In a 2019 interview with YouTube channel Jake 'The Voice' Parr, Kenyon was made aware of the Oblivion blooper making it into the game and becoming internet famous, insisting: "It wasn't my fault!"

While the thousands of players hopping into Oblivion Remastered are debating about whether the Bethesda re-release is more remake than remaster, others are just happy to see so much of its jank remain largely untouched. It’s an aspect of the original release that Bethesda and Virtuos were determined to maintain, and so far, it seems to be going over well with both new and veteran players.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion surprise launched for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S yesterday. For more, you can learn about how the modding community banned together to release dozens of mods just hours after the remaster was revealed. You can also click here to read up on why one original designer feels the remaster is more like “Oblivion 2.0.”

We've got a comprehensive guide to everything you'll find in Oblivion Remastered, including an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Starting today, Amazon has dropped the price of the newest 2025 11th gen Apple iPad (A16) tablet. Currently the Blue and Yellow base models - equipped with 128GB of RAM and Wi-Fi connectivity - are down to $319.99 after a $30 price drop. This is the best discount I've seen for the latest generation iPad since its launch earlier this year and a great gift idea for Mother's Day, which lands on May 11. From past experience, since only a few of the colors are discounted to this price, the sale probably won't last for more than a few days.

New 2025 Apple iPad 10.9" (A16) Tablet for $319.99

The Death of Wolverine Omnibus by Charles Soule and various other Marvel creators is on sale at Amazon for $74 (41% off) for a limited time. This 1,232 page collection compiles the main Death of Wolverine event, along with every supplementary story, weaving together one of the best stories about our favorite gruff, regenerating mutant that shows us what would happen if he lost his healing factor.

This edition of The Death of Wolverine Omnibus comes with cover art by legendary comics artist Alex Ross, and is a great aesthetic addition to any collector's shelves. This discount is part of the larger Amazon book sale happening right now throught April 28.

The Best Wolverine Comic Book Deal at Amazon Today

The monster is back for more: the teaser trailer for the upcoming sci-fi action sequel Predator: Badlands just hit the internet.

In the sneak peek visual, below, we meet star Elle Fanning’s character, who appears to be the resident of a dangerous future remote planet. But it also seems as though the Predator she will come into contact with is, simply put, not like the others, and may even be the protagonist this time around. “The director of Prey welcomes you to a world of pain,” the teaser promises.

Apart from this new-look Predator, there are clear nods to the Alien universe, with some speculating Badlands may set up a new Aliens vs Predator movie. We see Fanning’s eyes do the Weyland Yutani reboot thing Andy's do in Alien: Romulus, suggesting she may be a synthetic. And there's even a snapshot of the Weyland Yutani logo (Weyland Yutani is the evil megacorp at the heart of the events of the Alien franchise) on a damaged vehicle.

I may have dabbled with Xbox in the early days, but at some point I made the full switch over to PC gaming. The high frequency of Steam sales has usually been enough to tide me over on newer releases. So while I knew Game Pass was out there and did occasionally offer some big name games, there was never a moment where it felt like it would be worth it for me, personally. Well, until yesterday.

Bethesda and Virtuos shadow-dropping Oblivion Remastered straight onto Game Pass? A badly kept secret, but still an insane reveal. Tomorrow, the gaming subscription will get Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the stylish debut from Sandfall Interactive that takes inspiration from the JRPG greats. I have to admit, as a die-hard RPG fan: Microsoft, you finally got me.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Both Hit Game Pass This Week

If Star Wars Celebration Japan is any indication, it looks like we’re about to be spoiled by animated Star Wars projects in the near future. Athena Portillo, Vice President of Animation at Lucasfilm, sat down for an exclusive interview with IGN to discuss two of the most exciting shows they have in the pipeline right now: the just-announced Tales of the Underworld and Maul: Shadow Lord series.

Portillo was particularly excited during our chat about working with Sam Witwer, the longstanding voice for Darth Maul in the Star Wars animated projects, on developing Maul: Shadow Lord. “Sam was involved a lot with the character depth and the lore, along with our head writer and supervising director,” she explained to IGN during Star Wars Celebration Japan. “He's involved with the character depth of Maul, because both him and [Lucasfilm CCO Dave] Filoni created the character together in animation, and you know, he gets to read the scripts, he gets to watch the whip reels, he gets to watch the pool color. He provides input.”

This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve seen Maul — but it is the first time we’re getting to truly delve into the story of this seemingly eternal villain. “My joke for the Lucasfilm Animation team is it's kind of like Michael Meyers or like Jason Voorhees. Like you keep killing them, but they keep coming back. There is that threat that's there, right? I mean, it's Star Wars, right? So Darth Maul has passed away so many times, but he does keep coming back. …We are diving into Maul’s history and we get to jump into that in the stories.”

Portillo made it a point to really highlight all of the elements of production that stand out as major enhancements to how Lucasfilm Animation was producing work previously, particularly the “the animation, the lighting, the effects, the matte paintings, the lighting concepts, the assets.”

“When Filoni kicked off the Maul show, which was after Covid, people were getting back into the swing of coming back to work, but he said, ‘You all need to pull yourself out of complacency, you all need to pull yourself out of your comfort level. Being uncomfortable is a good feeling, and it leads you to greater things. So, create something that is an upgrade of what we're used to doing,’ both in the animation style such as the body mechanics, facial animation, we updated all of our body rigs, and then all the lighting, everything,” she explained. “When Filoni watched one of our episodes last week, his comment was, ‘Wow, you guys, you are actually creating cinema’. He was proud of what Lucasfilm Animation has achieved with this show.”

Portillo added, “All of it is an upgrade from what we've done, and even from the Bad Batch, even from Tales of the Underworld, it's an upgrade, and we just completed Tales of the Underworld. We're releasing Maul in 2026, but we're still working on it.”

Tales of the Underworld, which will follow Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane as they navigate their respective experiences as villains, will consist of three episodes for each character for a total of six. Ventress’ three shorts will specifically center around “the fact that Mother Talzin gave her an opportunity to come back,” according to Portillo, “so Ventress meets the boy you see in the first short, and it becomes two Jedi on the run, and you'll see like a relationship story created in the three shorts.”

Interestingly enough, Ventress has been considered by some fans to have died and been reborn, based on the storyline presented in the Dark Disciple novel. However, it was generally up in the air as far as whether or not that was canon — but Portillo confirms that Tales of the Underworld is in fact picking up where that storyline left off. “Yeah. My favorite part of that is the whole Quinlan Vos and Ventress connection. When the fans saw that, and when he said, ‘I will always love you,’ it blew everyone away,” she revealed. “I think fans want to see that, you know, especially since Jedi are not supposed to get involved, but there's always that love story. There was the Obi-Wan Kenobi and Satine story, and obviously Padme and Anakin, and now Ventress and Quinlan Vos. I love those types of stories.”

She also noted that Ventress is navigating how to deal with her past in a big way, particularly in the way she is spending her time when we first meet her in the series. “Sometimes after they've gone through a lot, they start to rethink their path, and which way they want to go. Some choose a path of exile in a way, where they don't want to be a part of what their history has been. And then others turn to the dark side, as we've seen,” Portillo said. “So, with her story, it's going to be more of, you know, let's just say sometimes people come into your life for a reason to make you a better person, and the character that she meets in this first short is a good balance.”

Undoubtedly, both series are going to be interesting to watch — and we can’t wait to see where they take the Star Wars universe as a whole. Tales of the Underworld arrives on Disney+ on May 4, 2025 but we’re still eagerly waiting on a release date for Maul: Shadow Lord.

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

Sony is bringing back its popular 30th anniversary classic console themes for PlayStation 5 after removing them earlier this year.

The company announced plans to reintroduce the beloved UI customization options in a PlayStation Blog post today. Expect to personalize your PS5 with themes based on the original PS1, PS2, PS3, and PS4 home screen layouts when the latest system update begins its phased rollout tomorrow, April 24.

As the PS5 speeds through its fifth year on the market, one element fans have pleaded to see implemented are dynamic themes based on some of their favorite games. It’s a customization feature that was present on the PS3 and, eventually, the PS4, but it’s yet to be included in a similar way on Sony’s latest home console. Although there are some options for those looking to tailor their home screen experience, the PS5 has mostly gone without proper themes – until last December.

"Due to the overwhelmingly positive response from our community, we’re happy to bring back the look and feel of the four console designs for players to customize the home screen on PS5!" Sony said in its blog post.

Sony began its 30th anniversary PlayStation festivities in late 2024 with a selection of goodies to help players celebrate the company’s history in games. By far the most popular inclusion was the PS1, PS2, PS3, and PS4 themes, which allowed fans to not only customize the look of their PS5 home screens with classic visuals but their audio, too. Although they were sadly removed January 31, 2025, Sony promised at the time to eventually bring its classic console themes back.

No matter which platform you prefer, there's an excellent variety of video game deals to check out right now. Whether you're gaming on PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or PC, we've rounded up the best offers to help you get more for your money. This includes the excellent PS5 Slim and Astro Bot bundle for PlayStation fans, and PC players can score a discount right now on The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered at GMG and Fanatical.

While not on sale, we've also included where you can preorder a physical copy of Elden Ring Nightreign so you can secure your next journey to The Lands Between. A nice bonus is that Best Buy's offering a free $10 gift card with your purchase on that one, so you can enjoy a little treat alongside the game itself. Alongside this preorder and the previously mentioned deals, you can see more of our favorite video game deals below.

Best PC Game Deals

PS5 Slim + Astro Bot Bundle

Preorder Elden Ring Nightreign

Humble Choice April 2025

Best Physical Video Game Deals

If you're looking to save on physical games right now, there are plenty of deals worth checking out across PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. We've included just a few of our favorites above, but if you'd like to see more game deals for each platform, check out our individual roundups for these consoles: the best PlayStation deals, the best Xbox deals, and the best Nintendo Switch deals.

Best PlayStation VR 2 Deals

Best Xbox Accessory Deals

Best PS5 SSD Deals

Best Gaming PC Deals

Do you prefer to play on a dedicated PC tower? Navigating the options online can be quite the ordeal. Desk space, portability, and price point are often factors in the decision. However, there are some great PC deals that pop up every now and again that are worth jumping on. One of our favorite deals at the moment is on the Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 Gaming PC for $2399.99. To see even more PC deals, check out our roundup of the best gaming PC deals.

With the subscription service offering games like Black Ops 6 and Oblivion Remastered the day they hit shelves, Xbox Game Pass is one of the most cost-efficient ways to play brand-new games on your Xbox console or PC. For a monthly fee, you can access an almost overwhelming library of games, including everything from vast 100-hour RPGs and cozy farming sims to nail-biting cinematic adventures and tactical shooters.

But how much is that fixed cost? In 2023, Xbox sunset its Gold Membership and decided to fully focus on Xbox Game Pass as its central subscription service. Essentially, Gold rolled into Game Pass, with Microsoft adding more focused plans that allow you to pay for exactly what you want from Xbox’s online services. In 2024, a new "Standard" Game Pass tier was introduced, and, of course, we've already gotten price hikes.

Now that it's 2025, let’s quickly run through all of the Game Pass membership plans so you can get started playing these huge games without any of the hassle.

Assassin's Creed Shadows debuted last month to become the best-selling game in the U.S. for March 2025 in dollar sales.

This is according to analytics firm Circana, which reports that Shadows has also become the second best-selling game so far this year, trailing only Monster Hunter: Wilds and ahead of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. It was also the best-selling game on Xbox in March, and second best-selling game on PlayStation and Steam.

We reached out to Circana analyst Mat Piscatella for a bit more context on Assassin's Creed: Shadows' success. He told us that Shadows' launch was the third-biggest in franchise history in the U.S., following Assassin's Creed 3 and Assassin's Creed: Valhalla. "It's a great start, so now we'll have to see where it goes from here."

Last month, Ubisoft created a subsidiary company based on its Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six brands, with a €1.16 billion (approx. $1.25 billion) investment from Chinese megacorp Tencent.

The news came after Ubisoft announced Assassin's Creed Shadows had passed the 3 million player mark. Ubisoft suffered a number of high-profile flops, layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations in the run up to Shadows' release, and there is enormous pressure on it to succeed after the company's share price hit an historic low.

Other stats reported by Ubisoft were already revealed by IGN’s coverage of an internal email in which the company contextualized Shadows’ opening weekend performance, saying it was better compared to Origins and Odyssey rather than the “perfect storm” 2020’s Valhalla launched into.

Shadows saw the second highest day-one sales revenue in Assassin's Creed franchise history, behind only Valhalla, the biggest Ubisoft day-one ever on the PlayStation Store, and has seen over 40 million hours played so far.

March was a big month for new releases, with seven of the top 20 games entering the charts for the first time, including WWE 2K24 (No.4), Split Fiction (No.5), Bleach: Rebirth of Souls (No.9), Xenoblade Chronicles X (No.17), and Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune & Dunan Unification Wars (No.18). Hello Kitty Island Adventure also ranked No. 4 on Nintendo Switch specifically in its console debut, and free-to-play game FragPunk debuted at No.8 in the Top 10 Steam charts ranked by Monthly Active Users (MAUs).

In second place this month, just behind Assassin's Creed, was another debut title: MLB: The Show 25, which was also the best-selling game for the month on PlayStation. Its sales were 23% higher than its predecessor, MLB The Show 24, during the same debut month last year.

Other games doing well in March included Fortnite, which led all games in MAUs on both Xbox and PlayStation, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which leapt from No.103 in February to No.10 in March on PlayStation specifically thanks to being added to PS+. Co-op horror game R.E.P.O. made a similar leap from No.93 in its debut month of February to No.1 in March on the Steam MAU charts, likely due to growing social media virality over time.

Despite all these exciting new releases doing pretty well for themselves, March was actually a bit of a low month for games as a whole. Overall games spending dropped 6% year-over-year to $4.7 billion, and content spending dropped 4% year-over-year to $4.2 billion, Circana reports. Non-mobile subscriptions and digital premium downloads on console were the only content areas showing growth.

I asked Piscatella for context as to why content spend was down, and he pointed to mobile as the primary perpetrator. Mobile spending, per SensorTower's report, was down 6% year-over-year.

"Mobile being such a big component of content means that a dip there usually means the market dips. Console full game download spending was up this March. But declines in mobile and drops in PC full game spend and a drop in digital add on content spending meant overall content fell."

As for hardware, spending was down 25% year-over-year to $286 million, the lowest March spending total since 2019 ($279 million). PlayStation 5 was the best-selling console of the month, but its sales were still down 26% year-over-year. Xbox took second place, down 9% year-over-year, and Switch sales were down 37% from last year, likely in anticipation of the impending successor, the Nintendo Switch 2.

March 2025 U.S. Top 20 Best-Selling Games:

1. Assassin's Creed: Shadows (NEW)
2. MLB: The Show 25* (NEW)
3. Monster Hunter: Wilds
4. WWE 2K25 (NEW)
5. Split Ficton (NEW)
6. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
7. PGA Tour 2K25
8. NBA 2K25
9. Bleach: Rebirth of Souls (NEW)
10. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
11. Minecraft*
12. Grand Theft Auto V
13. EA Sports FC 25
14. Red Dead Redemption II
15. Madden NFL 25
16. Elden Ring
17. Xenoblade Chronicles X* (NEW)
18. Suikoden I & II Remaster: Gate Rune & Dunan Unificaiton Wars (NEW)
19. Marvel's Spider-Man 2
20. EA Sports College Football 25

* Indicates that some or all digital sales are not included in Circana's data. Some publishers, including Nintendo and Take-Two, do not share certain digital data for this report.

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.

Wolverine may have a hefty rogues gallery, but Sabretooth will always be his number one foe. Diamond Select Toys is capturing that iconic villain in all his fury in their latest addition to their Marvel Gallery Diorama line of statues.

IGN can exclusively debut the first images of the Marvel Gallery Diorama Comic Sabretooth PVC Statue. Check it out in the slideshow gallery below:

The Marvel Gallery Diorama Comic Sabretooth PVC Statue depicts Victor Creed in his classic '90s costume and crouching to attack atop a snowy base. This piece measures about 6.25 inches tall and is made of PVC.

This statue was designed by Caesar and sculpted by Alterton.

The Marvel Gallery Diorama Comic Sabretooth PVC Statue is priced at $59.99 and will be released in Winter 2025/2026. Preorders will open on Friday, April 25 on the Diamond Select Toys site and other retailers.

If you want to pair this Sabretooth with a companion Wolverine statue, you can order the Weapon X Gallery Diorama Statue on Amazon. You can also check out the many Marvel collectibles available on the IGN Store.

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

Starting today, Amazon has dropped the price on the officially licensed WD Black C50 2TB Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S consoles to $179.99 shipped. That's a 28% price drop from its original $250 list price and the best price we've seen for an officially licensed 2TB Xbox expansion card ever. The C50 is one of the best SSDs for the Xbox, which isn't surprising since your options are pretty limited.

WD Black C50 2TB Expansion Card for Xbox for $179.99

The ferocious beasts of Monster Hunter Wilds have many dangerous, even lethal moves they can throw at you. Some players are finding some interesting ways to dodge those attacks though, like emoting their way around them.

The Photo Pose Set Vol. 1 contains a few extra emotes players can purchase for $3.99 in Monster Hunter Wilds, including the Photo Pose: Vanish Sign. This can pop your hunter up into the air, leading one player to try dodging a specific attack in a very strange way, and succeeding.

やったぜ！･:*+.(( °ω° ))/.:+ pic.twitter.com/M2n5KkcukR

— 小百合 (@sayurin_kk) April 20, 2025

It's a neat interaction and fun, possibly consistent way to dodge Mizutsune's aquatic beam sweeps. As for whether this is a real advantage or not, it still seems only usable in very specific circumstances, and with a good deal of planning and forethought. It's a cool novelty, for sure.

An emote leading to strange, interesting interactions is also not new territory for Monster Hunter. The Street Fighter Hadoken emote added to Monster Hunter World led to some strange interactions, and even spurred one player to Hadoken their way through the entire game, without using any weapons. Ryu would be proud.

Alongside the Dragoon Jump emote that played into the Behemoth fight in World, these rare dodges and interactions are little more like a fun novelty than a game-breaking tool. Players might be bummed that they'll need to buy the pack to try dodging it themselves, but outside of a handy strategy for one of Mizu's moves, the radial menu emote dodge seems both fun and benign.

The latest seasonal event is underway, as the Festival of Accord Blossomdance has kicked off. New garb, seasonal food, cherry blossoms, and more await in the hub, giving players something to work on as they tussle with Title Update 1's monsters and await the arrival of Title Update 2 this summer.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Season 2 of Andor is a real crowd pleaser. In fact, the season has officially made Andor the most critically acclaimed live-action Star Wars film or TV show ever, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

Right now, Andor’s second season is sitting at an impeccable 99% on the review aggregator site with a solid 68 reviews. That’s a pretty excellent average — and it’s about 3% higher than Season 1 of Andor, which holds a 96% rating from 609 reviews.

IGN’s own review for the first three episodes of Andor Season 2 gave the show an excellent 8 out of 10, highlighting that Andor “continues to be the most interesting Star Wars has been in years” in its return. “There’s a feeling throughout these first three episodes that any sense of normalcy or comfort is going away. The way the team behind Andor sets out to accomplish that is really savvy,” critic Clint Gage wrote.

“This season is written and edited so well, and particularly in these first three episodes, Andor is built in such a way that very directly contrasts the realities of managing a rebellion with continuing to live in the Empire while you do it. It’s a fascinating little tight rope act, and one that the writers and directors almost flawlessly pull off.”

That said, the Star Wars animated series kind of have Andor beat, if only slightly. Several seasons of The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels hold the coveted 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. That said, they each have fewer reviews than Andor, so make of that what you will. Either way, that does give Andor the coveted best live-action project crown.

Season 2 of Andor is currently airing on Disney+ and will premiere its season finale in a three-episode block on May 13, 2025.

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

Original The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion senior game designer Bruce Nesmith has said Bethesda and Virtuos' Oblivion Remastered is so impressive that he’s not sure calling it a remaster "actually does it justice."

The mastermind behind much of what made the OG 2006 RPG so special shared his thoughts about the newly announced – and released – Oblivion remaster during a recent conversation with VideoGamer. He touched on the “blood, sweat, and tears” that went into bringing every inch of Cyrodiil to life, and that’s why it’s been such a shock to see Oblivion reimagined in nearly every way.

“I was assuming this was going to be a texture update,” Nesmith said. “I didn’t really think it was going to be the complete overhaul that they’ve announced it to be... I would not have batted an eye at that. But to completely redo the animations, the animation system, put in the Unreal Engine, change the leveling system, change the user interface. I mean, that’s, you’re touching every part of the game.”

Bethesda didn’t officially mention Oblivion Remastered before its launch yesterday. Still, longtime fans have been left mostly impressed by the countless changes that range from shallow visual touchups to fundamental gameplay tweaks. Additions such as a new sprint mechanic and changes to the leveling system have many feeling like Oblivion Remastered is less of a remaster and more of a remake, and Nesmith is leaning the same way.

“That’s a staggering amount of remastering,” he added. “It almost needs its own word, quite frankly. I’m not sure remaster actually does it justice.”

Elsewhere in his chat, he attempted to label what he’s seen from Oblivion Remastered so far: “The closest that could come [to categorising it] is Oblivion 2.0.”

As fans gather to appreciate the work that’s gone into Oblivion Remastered, Bethesda has chimed in with its own explanation for how it came up with the name for its RPG re-release. In a statement posted to social media yesterday, the studio explained that it “never wanted to remake” Oblivion. Instead, its focus was maintaining the experience players know and love while modernizing it for newcomers, warts and all.

“We know many of our longtime fans will be thrilled to revisit Oblivion and the land of Cyrodiil,” Bethesda’s statement added. “But there are also so many who have never played it. We can’t thank you enough for all the support you have given us and our games over the years. Our hope with this remaster is, that no matter who you are, when you step out of the Imperial sewer – you feel like you’re experiencing it for the first time.”

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered was revealed and released yesterday as a shadow drop from Bethesda. You can hop into its reimagined version of Cyrodiil on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S now, and if you’re an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber, it’s available at no extra cost. For more on how Oblivion Remastered has reinvigorated the Elder Scrolls community, you can check in on how the modding community responded to the surprise launch.

We've got a comprehensive guide to everything you'll find in Oblivion Remastered, including an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Superhero comics aren’t just inspiring movie and TV adaptations these days, but also big-budget podcasts and audio dramas. DC recently kicked off its most ambitious podcast initiative to date with the debut of DC High Volume: Batman, a series that aims to adapt some of the Dark Knight’s most iconic comic book storylines.

But if you’re only listening to DC High Volume: Batman itself, you’re not getting the full story. That’s because DC is also launching a companion show within the main DC High Volume feed. These episodes, hosted by writer and journalist Coy Jandreau, offer a look at the making of the series through interviews with the cast and crew, as well as some of the creators whose work inspired DC High Volume: Batman in the first place. The first companion episode, due out on Thursday, April 24, features interviews with Batman voice actor Jason Spisak and DC’s Creative Director, Animation & Audio Content Mike Pallotta.

IGN recently had a chance to chat with Jandreau over the phone to learn more about the series and how it acts as a companion and extension of the DC High Volume: Batman saga. Read on to learn more about how these episodes will enrich your Batman experience.

What Is DC High Volume: Batman?

To understand what DC is looking to accomplish with this companion series, it’s best to establish what DC High Volume: Batman is in the first place. Essentially, the series is a collaboration between DC and podcast giant Realm - an ongoing audio drama closely based on iconic Batman comic books like Batman: Year One. The series stars Jason Spisak as the voice of Bruce Wayne/Batman and Jay Paulson as the voice of Jim Gordon.

“DC High Volume is the first of its kind to this scale, basically one-to-one telling of classic Batman comic books but in this incredible audio long-format radio play,” Jandreau tells IGN. “It's taking Batman: Year One. It's taking Long Halloween, and it's turning them into this full, immersive audio experience with incredible production design, audio special effects, super-talented voice actors, a score where different villains and heroes/characters have their own piece, and it adds up to this incredible new way to listen to a story that, for me, I've been reading my whole life but now can hear in a new way.”

As Jandreau explains, the idea is to craft an ongoing narrative using the seminal Batman graphic novels as key chapters in Batman’s story. That’s why High Volume starts with Batman and Gordon’s shared origin story in Year One and then progresses into The Long Halloween, which is set in Year 2 of Batman’s career.

“The idea is kind of have the long-running Batman myth but in this new medium and allow the audience that either is a ride-or-die fan, like myself, that's grown up with these characters as well as brand-new audience members that might only know the character from the movies or from the animated series or just be aware of Batman to have a jumping-on point,” Jandreau says. “It is going back to the roots for a reason and playing the big moments but in this shared universe and keeping the same voice actors and making sure it is something that grows and evolves through the storytelling of these classic stories.”

As a lifelong comic book fan, Jandreau sees plenty of appeal in experiencing these iconic stories in a new way and seeing stories from an entirely visual medium translated into a purely auditory experience instead.

“Listening to this, it's crazy the emotion and the experience that comes out of these stories in a different way,” Jandreau says. “I don't personally see it as subtracting art. I see it as adding audio. And what's really great is you can listen to these by themselves and listen in a car or listen with incredible headphones or listen with tower speakers and get an experience.”

Jandreau continues, “You can also listen while you read if you want, and then you've got a full different experience than just audio. You can also do this and to have conversations around a fire in the old 1920s way. And there's so many ways to do it, but none of them are taking away from the comic. And I love that because I've listened to this by itself. I've listened to this while reading. I've listened to this while driving, and each version is different, but none of them make the comic any less interesting.”

The High Volume Companion Series

Jandreau’s companion series is just that - a companion to the ongoing DC High Volume: Batman saga that delves into the making of the show and the challenges of adapting the comics for audio. The series is being released both in audio format on the DC High Volume: Batman feed and as a separate video series. The first episode premieres on April 24, just one day after High Volume kicks off its adaptation of Batman: The Long Halloween.

“They've been developing this for a number of years before I was brought on board, but they always wanted to highlight the incredible behind-the-scenes talent,” Jandreau says. “Whether it's voice actors or the composer or people actually at DC that have been involved all the way to the writers of the original story or artists of the original story, they always felt it was important for people to get to know them as well.”

Jandreau explains that he was brought on board due to his work on the DC Studio Showcase video series, making him a natural fit to dig into the making of DC High Volume: Batman.

“I've been working at DC Studio Showcase, which is a bi-weekly show every other Friday on Max and Max's YouTube, and that is the studio side. DC Studios being the James Gunn, Peter Safran leg of this world they're building, and I'm the comic correspondent there. Once that started going well, they tapped me to do this, and I was so honored because comics are the reason I want to do any of this. I love the medium of comics, so it's really cool to have a show that's about comics and another way to adapt them.”

As mentioned, Spisak is one of the two guests in the first companion episode. Jandreau teases their discussion, saying much of the talk centered around the challenge of finding Batman’s voice in this universe and exploring the ways in which it changes depending on which characters Batman is interacting with.

“Not to give spoilers for the first episode, but talking to Jason Spisak, who is our Bruce Wayne Batman, he really found a fascinating new take on Batman in doing the role,” Jandreau says. “In Year One, as you've been hearing, it's Bruce Wayne becoming the Bat, and we've seen that in TV. We've seen that in movies. We've read that. But hearing it, it's fascinating to hear the Bat voice develop, to hear it play like an equalizer and discover levels in it and how Batman sounds with Gordon versus how Batman sounds with Alfred versus how Bruce Wayne sounds with Alfred versus, what does the voice in Bruce Wayne's head sound like, and does that change as he becomes Batman?”

We were curious about the structure of the series. Will there be one episode of the show for each chapter of DC High Volume: Batman, or is the format less rigid? Jandreau explains that it’s more the latter, with the companion show tied to key emotional beats and plot points from the main series.

“It doesn't always go this is Year One four issues, and then we have a conversation, and then it's Long Halloween,” Jandreau says. “I actually love our first one is following a huge, huge moment in the first issue of Long Halloween. We've got Year One, and then we have right from Year One a beat of Long Halloween. And then I dive in, and that way I got to discuss the evolution from Year One into Long Halloween, the character growth and all those things. It's more for me trying to hit an emotional beat that resonates with the people I'm interviewing that ties into where the audience is getting that interview, and I always want to make sure what I'm doing is additive to their experience. It's giving them context at the right time to what they just experienced.”

We were also curious if Jandreau was inspired by any particular interview shows or podcast companion series for this project. He revealed that his show draws inspiration from Inside the Actors Studio and Hot Ones, along with classic late-night talk shows.

“I went Inside the Actors Studio. James Lipton has always been a hero of mine. It was kind of a blend of how James Lipton does his interviews in long form meets how Sean Evans finds very, very nuanced ways to uncover new ideas from the talent across the table's perspective. And then old-school talk show Johnny Carson, Conan O'Brien. A blend of long-form Lipton, new wave, ‘find a question talent has never been asked’ Sean Evans. And then I want it to feel the energy of a talk show a la a Conan or a Johnny Carson. To me, I want to blend all the different forms of this.”

The Future of DC High Volume: Batman

Looking ahead, we were curious what DC creators Jandreau is hoping to interview on the series. Unsurprisingly, he’s hoping to get The Long Halloween writer Jeph Loeb on board, along with Loeb’s Batman: Hush collaborator Jim Lee.

“Jim Lee, now that he's at his position at DC, has been so inspiring because he's got so much creative oversight while also being an artist,” Jandreau says. “His own work is some of my favorite, and his insight is some of my favorite. Since he inspired so many stories I love and because of what he's doing at DC broadly, I think Jim Lee is definitely one.”

Jandreau continues, “Jeph Loeb I've actually talked to at Cons. I've hosted some of his panels, and Jeph Loeb is responsible for so many of the comics that I consider the framework for the adaptations people know. When people look at classic Batman stories, a lot of times they don't realize it's Long Halloween. A lot of the DNA of Long Halloween. It's a lot of Dark Victory, and I feel like Jeph Loeb is someone who I want to have that long-form chat with to have that insight.”

“Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee also just very conveniently are doing Batman: Hush again. Those two guys are absolutely cornerstones for me. I want to pick their brains about Batman.”

Jandreau also specifically named Tom King, who wrote a lengthy Batman run from 2016-2019 that included the controversial, failed marriage between Batman and Catwoman. It’s not clear when or if King might appear on the show, given that his Batman run is set much later in the Caped Crusader’s career, but he’s definitely on Jandreau’s bucket list nonetheless.

“He used to work for the CIA, and he literally has lived a Batman-adjacent life,” Jandreau says. “The way he sees Batman and his view of the Bat and the Cat, the way he writes love, the way he writes women, the way he writes this pathos and vengeance, and especially the way he writes Bruce's pain and learning from it has always been how I see Bruce Wayne.”

Jandreau continues, “And I've really wanted to have a conversation with him in a way that I got to share it with others. I've talked to him briefly at Comic-Cons and those places, but I think it'd be really great to talk with someone who did such a long run on Batman who is currently working on the Lantern show. He's responsible for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow which is being adapted. He's clearly such a diversified talent in what's being adapted. It'd be really cool to talk with him about Batman while we are adapting it in an all-new way. Tom King's up there as well.”

Ultimately, Jandreau’s hope is that his companion series can be a source of positivity for Batman fandom in a time when positivity is often in short supply.

“I think the internet can be a very dangerous place,” Jandreau says. “I think it can be a place of hostility, especially in fandom, right? Genre content is very tribal because people are protective over these stories. These stories mean the world to them. There's so much passion, which is why they thrive, which is why Batman's been around for so many decades, which is why these stories can come out weekly, and we can still get excited about them, which is why you can adapt them so many times, so many ways.”

Jandreau continues, “I think it's important we find the positivity in that because there's plenty of negativity in the world. I don't see any reason to make negativity about this genre content, about this fandom. I just think any way we can make fandom more positive and we can share in the internet a little bit more in an uplifting way ... That's what I want to do with this show and any show I'm a part of. I hope it makes comic fans, especially diehards, that have wanted to share in these stories in a new way, feel like they have a new home, a new comic store, but I also hope people that have always been like, ‘Batman's so cool. I wonder what it's like to read a comic book,’ ... They get a chance to also come in and go, ‘This is something so special.’ We want this to be the least gatekeeping. The comic book store door is wide open, and that's really important to me.

For more Batman fun, check out the top 10 Batman costumes of all time and the top 27 Batman comics and graphic novels.

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

The Jurassic Park trilogy and the Jurassic World trilogy are getting some brand new, shiny 4K steelbooks and both are now available to preorder. The former is currently listed for $64.98 and comes with Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Jurassic Park III. The latter is also listed for $64.98 and comes with Jurassic World, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and Jurassic World Dominion.

Both of these 4K steelbooks are set to release on June 17, which is perfect timing with Jurassic World Rebirth releasing on July 2. Below we've listed where you can buy each of these steelbooks and what bonus features you can dig into on them.

Preorder Jurassic Park Trilogy 4K Steelbook

Jurassic Park Trilogy 4K Steelbook Bonus Features

Disc 1 - Jurassic Park:

• Includes a digital copy of Jurassic Park Trilogy (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.)
• Features Dolby Vision and HDR10 for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color
• Return to Jurassic Park: Dawn of a New Era
• Return to Jurassic Park: Making Prehistory
• Return to Jurassic Park: The Next Step in Evolution
• Archival Featurettes
• Behind the Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer

Disc 2 - The Lost World: Jurassic Park:

• Deleted Scenes
• Return to Jurassic Park: Finding The Lost World
• Return to Jurassic Park: Something Survived
• Archival Featurettes
• Theatrical Trailer

Disc 3 - Jurassic Park III:

• Return to Jurassic Park: The Third Adventure
• Archival Featurettes
• Behind the Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer
• Feature Commentary with Special Effects Team

Preorder Jurassic World Trilogy 4K Steelbook

Jurassic World Trilogy 4K Steelbook Bonus Features

Disc 1 - Jurassic World:

• Includes a digital copy of Jurassic World Trilogy (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.)
• Features Dolby Vision and HDR10 for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color
• Deleted Scenes
• Chris & Colin Take on the World
• Welcome to Jurassic World
• Dinosaurs Roam Once Again
• Jurassic World: All-Access Pass
• Innovation Center Tour with Chris Pratt
• Jurassic's Closest Shaves – Presented by Barbasol
• Classic Jurassic
• Building the Gyrosphere
• Your Host for Jurassic World…Jimmy Fallon!
• Jurassic Props
• The Experts
• The Sounds and the Fury

Disc 2 - Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom:

• Features High Dynamic Range (HDR) for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color
• On Set with Chris & Bryce
• The Kingdom Evolves
• Return to Hawaii
• Island Action
• Aboard the Arcadia
• Birth of the Indoraptor
• Start the Bidding!
• Death by Dino
• Monster in a Mansion
• Rooftop Showdown
• Malcolm's Return
• VFX Evolved
• Fallen Kingdom: The Conversation
• A Song for the Kingdom
• Chris Pratt's Jurassic Journals
• Jurassic Then and Now - Presented by Barbasol

Disc 3 - Jurassic World Dominion:

• Features Dolby Vision and HDR10 for Brighter, Deeper, More Lifelike Color
• Battle at Big Rock
• A New Breed of VFX
• Dinosaurs Among Us: Inside Jurassic World Dominion

As you can see, there are plenty of bonus features here to keep you busy for hours. They truly spared no expense on these steelbooks. They feature fun cover designs as well, filled with plenty of dinosaurs, that'll look great within a physical media collection. If you're a Jurassic Park fan, they're worth preordering now before they sell out.

More 4K and Blu-ray Deals: $33 for 3 DVDs on Amazon

Amazon is currently offering a 3 for $33 deal on select 4K and Blu-ray releases. These aren't new releases, but there are plenty of classic sci-fi movies in the mix. You can check out the full list here.

If you're looking for even more 4Ks and Blu-rays to add to your physical media collection, it's worth having a look through our breakdown of upcoming 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases. Not only does this feature some great films releasing over the next few months, but also a wonderful selection of TV shows that are getting physical releases soon.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

Whether you're looking to save on games, storage, or accessories, there are plenty of Nintendo Switch deals to check out right now. We've gathered up some of the best Switch deals currently available, including discounts on Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. You can see these deals and even more of our favorites at the moment below. For more updates on the latest discounts, follow @IGNDeals on Twitter/X.

When Do Nintendo Switch 2 Preorders Go Live?

It's official: Nintendo Switch 2 preorders go live on April 24. Below we've included a helpful breakdown of what times preorders are expected to go up at various retailers, so you can be fully prepared to secure your console.

• Target has announced preorders will go live at 12am Eastern Time on April 24, which means you'll likely have to be online then to have a chance at getting one.
• Walmart will also launch preorders at 12am Eastern Time, April 24.
• GameStop will sell preorders when "doors open" in store and starting at 11am Eastern Time online.
• Best Buy preorders will begin on April 24, but a start time has not been given.
• No details on Amazon Switch 2 preorders have been released.

Nintendo Switch OLED with Super Mario Bros Wonder Bundle

Best Nintendo Switch Game Deals

While Woot's Spring Sale is still going strong - with great deals on Sonic X Shadow Generations, Princess Peach: Showtime, and more - Amazon's also offering some great discounts at the moment. This includes deals on Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics and LEGO Horizon Adventures. You can see those deals and many more of our favorites above.

Preorder the LEGO Mario Kart Set

Best Switch Micro SD Card Deals

The best Switch SD card should be fast and reliable. Therefore, you're going to want to opt for a micro SDXC UHS-I U3 A2 V30 memory card. That's a lot of random letters, so to save you a bit of time we've left our top suggestions and deals below for your convenience. We've also included a selection of Switch 2 compatible MicroSD express cards if you're planning on picking up the brand new console.

Best Switch Power Bank Deals

Looking for a new power bank to keep your Switch charged up? Thankfully, there are some nice deals to check out at the moment. Our favorite picks right now are over at Amazon, where the INIU power bank has gotten a great discount down to just $15.99 and the Anker 737 has dropped down to $109.99.

Best Nintendo Switch Accessory Deals

Whether you're looking for a new controller or case for your Switch, there are quite a few different accessory deals that are worth checking out. Here, we've listed just a few of our favorite discounts at the moment, including a deal on the PDP gaming bundle (which comes with an AIRLITE wired headset and REMATCH wired pro controller) and a Princess Peach carrying case.

More Accessory Deals:

• PowerA Joy Con Comfort Grips for Nintendo Switch - Black for $9.88
• PowerA Enhanced Nintendo Switch Controller Wireless - Black for $34.99

When Should You Buy a Nintendo Switch?

The short answer is that you should buy a Nintendo Switch whenever there’s any kind of sale, regardless of the time of year. Amazon will likely offer the same console bundles on any other sale as it will on Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day, so there’s no real reason to wait if you’re in need of a Nintendo Switch.

That being said, there are sometimes some unique bundles and promotions during Black Friday that you won’t find any other time of the year. They usually include additional games (like the famous Mario Kart 8 bundle) or Switch accessories for free, but quantities tend to be limited. As always, do your research into the seller before you make a purchase and keep in mind that the Nintendo Switch 2 is coming soon.

Where to Buy a Nintendo Switch in 2025

• Nintendo Switch Console for $299.00
• Nintendo Switch Lite Console for $199.00

With how expensive gaming is getting in 2025, we're trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We've got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as PlayStation and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand-new offers. If you're trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.

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

IGN can exclusively reveal four new photos from Netflix’s The Old Guard 2, which can be seen by scrolling through the gallery below. Like the 2020 original, the action sequel is based on the graphic novel series of the same name written by Greg Rucka and Illustrated by Leandro Fernandez.

Oscar winner Charlize Theron reprises her role as Andromache of Scythia, aka Andy, the leader of a band of immortal mercenaries who must once again protect humanity from a grave threat, but Andy’s situation is far more dire here than it was in the first film. (Read IGN’s The Old Guard review.)

“The stakes have never been higher. Andy is mortal now, so there's a very real possibility that she could die during any mission this time around,” Theron told us via e-mail.

“The last film saw some intense changes in the dynamic of the group: Andy lost her immortality, Nile [KiKi Layne] became immortal, and Booker [Matthias Schoenaerts] was exiled. We see that Andy’s leadership style has changed. Because she’s mortal now, she’s dedicating however much time she has left to doing the most good she can.”

Theron, who is also a producer on the movie, said “the Old Guard has also never been more powerful — with Nile fully assimilated into the group, they're even more lethal, and the action sequences in this film are next-level. They'll face old friends and new foes, and Andy will certainly have to face her past in a way we haven't seen yet – and decide what that means for her future, however long that might be.”

In addition to Theron, Layne, and Schoenaerts, Chiwetel Ejiofor returns as the team’s handler Copley and Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli are back as Joe and Nicky, respectively.

Veronica Ngô also returns as former Old Guard member Quynh, who it was revealed in the original film had escaped her centuries-long underwater imprisonment.

Kill Bill’s Uma Thurman has joined the cast in an undisclosed role, while The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’s Henry Golding plays a team member named Tuah.

Victoria Mahoney directs The Old Guard 2 from a screenplay by Greg Rucka and Sarah L. Walker.

The Old Guard 2 launches on Netflix on July 2, 2025.

By Azura, by Azura, by Azura – the rumors were true. Yesterday, Bethesda set the internet on fire by finally pulling back the curtain on Virtuos’ remaster (or is it really a remake?) of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. An ‘Elder Scrolls Direct’ of sorts culminated in the surprise shadow-drop, which near-immediately transformed into hundreds of thousands of concurrent players. This moment of global hype and celebration feels like a much-needed port in the current storm Bethesda Game Studios has been facing in recent years. From conducting years-long damage control to rectify Fallout 76’s misfire launch, to the lackluster reception of its new sci-fi universe, Starfield, the studio’s most recent output has had many fans asking the same question: Has Bethesda lost the magic? There’s fiercer competition in the RPG space these days, with Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 and Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds franchise both garnering critical acclaim as Elder Scrolls and Fallout spiritual successors. But while Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 may be years away from reclaiming their crowns, this re-release of Oblivion may be a step in the right direction – just not in the direction you’d expect.

At its peak, Bethesda Game Studios was an RPG juggernaut. In 2020, Microsoft’s leaked FTC documents revealed that Fallout 4 had sold 25 million units-to-date. The game shifted over 5 million units in its first week alone according to VGChartz. Likewise, in 2023 Todd Howard announced Skyrim had crossed 60 million sales (though it’s worth noting rereleasing it 50 times likely helped). So what about Starfield? Estimates put it at just over three million units a year-and-a-half post launch. While taking into account Game Pass subscribers (which would boost players if not sales) and Starfield’s lack of a PlayStation presence, this must still be something of a disappointment for Bethesda. And while there is a Starfield fanbase, it’s far smaller than that enjoyed by The Elder Scrolls or Fallout, and even it has voiced displeasure with the game’s first expansion, Shattered Space.

This all leaves the developer with a big problem. With The Elder Scrolls 6 “years away” and Fallout 5 just a whisper in the hallowed halls of the studio’s corridors, how can this once-iconic RPG developer enchant their fanbase once more? The answer lies in its past.

Rumours of the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster began back in September 2023, when leaked Microsoft documents revealed a number of unannounced Bethesda titles, including a remaster of 2006’s landmark trip to Tamriel (it also includes another interesting remaster – we’ll get to that soon). All was quiet until January 2025, when a former employee of Virtuos let slip more details, dividing Elder Scrolls fans as to their authenticity like the Stormcloaks vs. the Imperials. Finally, last week the dam broke (albeit early), setting the internet ablaze – there were over 6.4 million Google searches for ‘The Elder Scrolls VI: Oblivion’, rising by 713% in the last week alone. At its peak, Bethesda’s reveal livestream had over half a million viewers watching. Despite the leaks (or perhaps because of them), over 600,000 people tuned in to see a 19-year-old game re-revealed to them. The intense fervent demand to play the remaster caused discount game key websites like CDKeys to crash, and slowed Fanatical and Green Man Gaming to a crawl. As of yesterday, Steam’s concurrent players stood at 125,000 and the game is firmly the #1 best seller. The enthusiasm Bethesda fans have for Oblivion burns as bright as the flames that spill from the Oblivion gates themselves.

The message from players is clear: if you (re)build it, they will come. What better way to keep fans engaged and invested during these long development periods than to invite them to take a trip back to the mysterious isles of Morrowind or the hollowed-out husk of the East Coast? From a commercial standpoint, it makes clear sense. While Bethesda’s main development staff toils away on long-gestating new projects, trusted partners like Virtuos can use historic blueprints to craft remasters in shorter time frames. Such remasters are based on games with built-in audiences, and for many they’re the first real RPGs gamers will have sunk their teeth into during their respective generations. Restoring these works also invites a whole new generation to become obsessed with the inner workings of the land of Tamriel or crawl out from the post-apocalyptic fallout into Las Vegas and D.C.

Bethesda has already strategically uplifted its own catalogue once before. Fallout 4 was discounted by up to 75% during the Fallout TV show’s first season on Prime Video, alongside a cleverly scheduled next-gen update which brought over certain homages from the show. As a result, Fallout 4 sales jumped over 7,500% in Europe alone despite being nearly a decade old.

Season 2 of Andor is here, wowing critics and audiences alike with the return of major characters like Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), droid B2EMO and Rogue One Villain Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn). But fans hoping to see another Star Wars fan-favorite are going to have to wait a little longer.

Although teased in trailers ahead of Andor’s Season 2 premiere, reprogrammed Imperial security droid K-2SO has yet to make an appearance. The snarky sidekick is portrayed in voice and motion capture by Alan Tudyk, whose very appearance at Star Wars Celebration Luna called a “sitting spoiler.”

Speaking exclusively with IGN at the fan event in Japan, Tudyk said stepping back into the role was easy, especially since he used some of the same gear nearly 10 years after appearing in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

“The stilts were the same stilts [from Rogue One]," Tudyk said. “And when I put them on, it was amazing to see all of the wear and tear that we had put on them. You could see the scuffs and all of this stuff. It was like, oh, these are mine, these are mine. I put stickers on them. When they came out of the box it took me a minute to remember how to put them on, but I could walk on them fine. I was always hopeful [that K-2SO would return] because I knew that [show creator] Tony [Gilroy]'s vision was to have [Andor] end up in Rogue One. [I knew] I would be in the show since I'm in Rogue One with Diego.”

Tudyk is tight-lipped as to when we might finally see K-2SO show up as Andor Season 2 rolls on. But given our glimpses of the chraracter in Andor marketing materials so far, fans can expect more of the same Imperial-bashing, ship-piloting, mouthy sidekick that we’ve all come to love.

Check out more from our roundtable with the cast of Andor from Star Wars Celebration. And be sure to read our review of Andor Season 2, where we said that the show was “even better” than in Season 1.

Michael Peyton is the Senior Editorial Director of Events & Entertainment at IGN. He leads entertainment content and coverage for tentpole events including IGN Live, San Diego Comic Con, gamescom, and IGN Fan Fest. He's spent 20 years working in the entertainment industry, and his red carpet adventures have taken him everywhere from the Oscars to Japan to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Follow him on socials @MichaelPeyton

It's hard to believe that James Gunn's 2025 Superman movie is almost here, but you can start off your collection of new DC cinematic universe merch in advance with pre-orders of new Superman Funkos already live on Amazon from $12.99 each.

Set to release on July 11, 2025 — the same date that the film comes out — the range currently boasts four of the biggest characters we know about so far: David Corenswet's Superman, Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane, Nicolas Hoult's Lex Luthor, and best boy super-dog, Krypto.

Each of the $12.99 figures comes in at their usual 3.75-inch size, but the highlight of the new collection is undoubtedly the ten-inch-tall monster that is the Jumbo Superman figure. Still the David Corenswet-suit version of Superman (but in a battle-ready pose instead of flying), this mega collectable is 25.4cm in height compared to the base version's 9.5cm.

Whether you're a diehard DC fan who wants the latest and greatest figures of the Man of Steel, or you know someone who just loves comic book-based gifts, you can't go wrong with any of these.

Of course, Superman 2025 is only the live-action debut of James Gunn's new DC universe, with the animated show Creature Commandos being the first entry.

Developer Sway State Games has announced Into a Hearth Yonder, a new cozy creature-collecting MMO-lite with a charmingly colorful art style that's in the works for PC. It's due out next year.

Players in Into a Hearth Yonder, whether playing solo or with friends, will explore the world of Viteria with your loyal following of automata – little companions that can augment your gameplay, like by buffing combat, farming, fishing, mining, and crafting. "We thought it would be fun to embody player stats and skills as cute, Tamagotchi-like automata," said Sway State studio head Chris O'Kelly. "You take joy in collecting and caring for them, and in return, they enhance your exploration of Viteria, improve your quality of life, and empower you to lean fully into your favorite playstyle."

"We aimed to lay out a cozy table of adventure, to explore at your own pace, with plenty of building, crafting, exploration, magic," O'Kelly added. "'Survival' but with less struggle - just a worry-free deceleration, really."

The Into a Hearth Yonder development team is comprised of a group of people who have worked on the likes of worked on Divinity: Original Sin, Dying Light 2, Harold Halibut, and Horizon: Call of the Mountain. Wishlist Into a Hearth Yonder on Steam if you're interested.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered has only been out for 24 hours, but already players are enjoying its nostalgia-fueled gameplay — bugs and all.

Every veteran Bethesda fan knows the studio’s games come with a generous dollop of jank. Oblivion, which first launched in 2006, was one of the chief culprits, with objects flying all over the place, characters making poorly-timed (but often hilarious) on-screen interjections, and things happening in the background that, in the context of what was going on in the foreground, were perfect meme material.

Nearly 20 years later, and Bethesda’s remaster (not a remake, it’s insisted), has all the “charm,” of the original, as Todd Howard put it. And that’s not an issue. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

“Oblivion is back,” is what players of the remaster are saying in response to clips of the game going wrong in some way, or doing that Bethesda game thing of having a random NPC's face steal the scene.

Even glitches players exploited in the original Oblivion have been found to work in the remaster.

The permanent bound weapons and armour glitch still works in Oblivion Remastered LMAO pic.twitter.com/Nzp8gCAucK

— Nerbit (@Nerbit_13098) April 22, 2025

And players are recreating Oblivion memes, trying to recapture the hilarity of the game’s NPC behavior as it was all those years ago.

Original for comparison pic.twitter.com/egYXGxe438

— crobb 🌹 (@corombb) April 23, 2025

None of Oblivion Remastered’s jank is seriously affecting player enjoyment of the game. For some it offers a warm familiarity. Can you imagine if the game had stripped all this out? It would feel… soulless, somehow, and nothing like the original fans fondly remember. Perhaps such attention on polish is best reserved for The Elder Scrolls VI.

Bugs, glitches, and memes are just one aspect of Oblivion Remastered’s success, which has seen players use the character creator to come up with some hilarious and nightmarish faces. There are also already loads of mods available, despite Oblivion Remastered not officially supporting them.

And it really does look like Oblivion Remastered is a hit. On Steam it enjoyed an impressive peak concurrent player count of over 180,000 on release day — a figure that’s set to increase as the game heads into its first weekend on sale.

We've got a comprehensive guide to everything you'll find in Oblivion Remastered, including an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Netflix has released the debut trailer for Wednesday Season 2, and confirmed a split release date on the streaming platform.

The trailer shows Wednesday returning to Nevermore Academy, which she describes as “like returning to a scene of a crime… I already know where the bodies are buried.” There are creepy dolls, mysterious creatures, and a big monster to contend with. Emma Myers returns as Enid Sinclair, Wednesday’s cheery werewolf roommate, and we get a first look at Joanna Lumley as new Addams Family member Grandmama, and Steve Buscemi's character.

Wednesday Season 2 launches in two parts: Part 1 on August 6, 2025, and Part 2 on September 3, 2025.

Back in black. From visionary Tim Burton, Wednesday Season 2 premieres this summer.

Part I August 6 🖤 Part II September 3 pic.twitter.com/Fx50nUEPFR

— Netflix (@netflix) April 23, 2025

Lady Gaga's first role since her ill-fated turn in Joker: Folie à Deux is a cameo in Season 2. Wednesday actor Jenna Ortega has teased of Gaga's appearance: “She’s great in the show and I don’t think she’s what people expect her to be.”

What we can expect are dances in Season 2 after Season 1 went viral for Ortega’s off-beat moves. Indeed, Lady Gaga's appearance follows a meme that went viral in the wake of Season 1, in which Wednesday dances to a sped up version of 2011's Bloody Mary.

Lady Gaga joins a guest star line-up that includes Haley Joel Osment and Christopher Lloyd, who starred as Uncle Fester in the 1991 Addams Family film and its 1993 sequel before Fred Armisen took over the role for Wednesday's debut season.

Wednesday Season 1, which released in 2022, is the number one most-viewed English language series in Netflix history, and so anticipation for Season 2 is high. Not much is known about Season 2's story, though it will apparently ditch romance in favor of more horror, with Ortega saying it will be "bolder, more dark" this time around. You can certainly see that from the debut trailer.

IGN’s Wednesday Season 1 review returned a 7/10. We said: "Wednesday introduces a whole new generation to the Addams family with creepy and kooky hijinks and an incredible performance from Jenna Ortega. Some tertiary characters struggle from weak writing while more interesting players are kept on the sidelines, but it’s not enough to bog down the series too much."

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The following contains major spoilers from Episodes 1-3 of Andor Season 2.

After nearly three years, the long-awaited second season of Andor has arrived on Disney+. Taking place in the lead-up to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (which itself leads directly into Episode IV - A New Hope), Andor follows a cast of characters - both Rebel and Imperial - as they fight for control of the Galaxy.

The first three episodes of Season 2 were filled with action, drama, heartbreak, and some of the funniest scenes of the show so far. Talking exclusively with IGN at Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, the cast spoke in depth about some of the most jaw-dropping moments from Episodes 1-3.

Cassian Andor struggles to fly a TIE Avenger.

In the opening scene of Episode 1, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) works with a nervous undercover spy to steal a TIE fighter (specifically a TIE Avenger first seen in 1994’s Star Wars: TIE fighter PC game) from an Imperial test facility on the planet Sienar. And instead of expertly maneuvering the ship out of the building and off-planet, Cassian sneaks into the cockpit and has no idea how to fly it. This leads to a comical sequence in which he awkwardly lurches the Interceptor around a flight hanger before blasting through doors and nearly flying off a cliff. Luna explains there was a deeper meaning to the comedy in the sequence.

“The fun is over after minute four!” Luna jokes. “No, I think there's a lot of humor in this season. Not that we were looking or searching for it, but it's just implicit. For that (scene), we were not planning to do a comedic moment, but it is this man battling his ignorance, which makes it very fun. He's against the Empire and the big problem is himself. He doesn't know what to do with the equipment he's trying to fly. I think it's a very cool action sequence and action is much better when there's humor around.”

Sony has confirmed Ghost of Yōtei releases on October 2, 2025.

Sucker Punch's PlayStation 5 exclusive sequel also has a new trailer that introduces the Yōtei Six — gang members protagonist Atsu has sworn to hunt down — as well a new gameplay mechanic that lets players "glimpse Atsu’s past and understand everything that was taken from her."

In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Sucker Punch senior communications manager Andrew Goldfarb described the game's story.

"16 years ago in the heart of Ezo (called Hokkaido in present day), a gang of outlaws known as the Yōtei Six took everything from Atsu. They killed her family and left her for dead, pinned to a burning ginkgo tree outside her home. But Atsu survived. She learned to fight, to kill, and to hunt, and after years away she has returned to her home with a list of six names: The Snake, The Oni, The Kitsune, The Spider, The Dragon, and Lord Saito.

"One by one, she’s hunting them down to avenge her family, armed with the same katana used to pin her to that burning tree all those years ago. But while Atsu’s story begins with vengeance, she’ll find there’s more to her journey than just revenge. As she explores Ezo, Atsu will meet unlikely allies and forge connections that help give her a new sense of purpose."

Ghost of Yōtei comes to PS5 on 2nd October.

New trailer introduces the Yōtei Six — gang members Atsu has sworn to hunt down: https://t.co/oTQQcKXxoz pic.twitter.com/UuPNFUlqZq

— PlayStation Europe (@PlayStationEU) April 23, 2025

By releasing Ghost of Yōtei in October, Sony is potentially running up against the all-consuming Grand Theft Auto 6, which is still down to release fall 2025. But Rockstar has yet to announce a firm release date for its surefire smash hit, and clearly Sony felt it needed to make an announcement now rather than wait any longer.

The trailer is heavy on story set-up and cutscenes, but there's a decent dollop of gameplay too. We see the gorgeous environments and Atsu's travel through them on horseback, as well as greusome combat.

Sucker Punch's goal is to give players more control over Atsu's story compared to the first game. Creative director Jason Connell had said that one of the changes compared to Ghost of Tsushima will be a less repetitive open world: “One challenge that comes with making an open-world game is the repetitive nature of doing the same thing over again," Connell said. "We wanted to balance against that and find unique experiences.”

Now we know what this means. According to Goldfarb, players choose which leads to follow as they pick which Yōtei Six member they want to hunt down first. Atsu can also track other dangerous targets and claim bounties, or seek out weapon sensei to learn new skills.

"Ezo is wild, and as deadly as it is beautiful," Goldfarb continued. "As you trek across the open world you’ll find unexpected dangers and peaceful reprieves (including some returning activities from Tsushima), and you’ll be able to build a campfire anywhere in the open world for a rest under the stars. We want you to have the freedom to explore Ezo however you decide to, and we can’t wait to share more."

New weapon types include ōdachi, kusarigama, and dual katanas, and there are “massive sightlines that let you look far across the environment, skies of twinkling stars and auroras, and vegetation that sways believably in the wind,” as well as “enhanced performance and visuals on PlayStation 5 Pro.”

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The most pivotal moment in any Pokemon game comes right at the start – choosing your partner Pokemon. The first moment you lock eyes with the creature you’ll spend tens of hours raising, bonding with and sending into battle is a special experience. That decision is usually based on vibes and taste to the point where many fans see it as a personality test. However, in those moments, you have no knowledge of how that decision will affect your journey to becoming a Pokemon master, with the gyms, rivals and secrets of the region yet to reveal themselves to you.

Well, we’ve done the research, looked into the base stats, found every strength and weakness of every starter Pokemon and all their evolutions and pitted them against their native regions to determine who is the best starter pick, not just to get you past the first couple gyms, but to take on the Elite Four and beyond. This is the first step to becoming a Pokemon master across all iterations.

Gen 1: Bulbasaur

While being the obvious pick to tackle the first gym in Pokemon Red and Blue (Grass beats Rock, as any Pokemon fan knows), Bulbasaur outshines both Charmander and Squirtle as the best starter pick in any bid to dominate the Kanto region.

Initial analysis might understandably lean towards Charmander. Fire types are a minority in Gen 1, many random encounters pitt you against Flying types (which are strong against Bulbasaur’s Grass) and the final gym is heavy on Ground types – something Charizard is immune to.

However, those who are Bulbasaur-inclined will find themselves flying through the majority of the game, with the Grass type being super effective against Brock’s Rock Pokemon, Misty’s Water collection, and the Giovanni’s final gym line-up, as well as being the best choice to take out the first two members of the Elite Four. The biggest challenge Bulbasaur will face are Erika’s Grass type gym, where strategy will be vital to overcoming the barrage of “not very effective” attacks, and Blaine’s Fire type gym, which can be defeated thanks to the abundance of water types present in Kanto.

There are some issues a Bulbasaur trainer will have to contend with, not least the many Pidgeys and Spearows you’ll come across in tall grass, whose Flying typing will provide a problem for anyone looking to grind their way to a high level. Thankfully, the amount of Ground and Rock types in caves will provide ample opportunity for Bulbasaur to wipe out entire bloodlines of Pokemon to gain a few XP. Also problematic are the frequent encounters with Blue, whose Pidgeot and Charmander will be a consistent issue, the latter of which can be helped by a Water type on your team.

But Bulbasaur, along with having well-balanced base stats, has the added bonus of evolving into Venasaur who also is a poison-type, giving him a solid advantage over the other two offerings from Professor Oak.

Gen 2: Cyndaquil

Pokemon Gold and Silver introduced just eight new Fire types to the series, in comparison to 10 Grass and 18 Water types. That minority means snapping up a powerful Fire Pokemon like Cyndaquil from the start adds a great deal of diversity to your team. More importantly, Cyndaquil proves to be the best matchup for the majority of gyms and Elite Four members that populate Johto.

Bugsy’s (you guessed it) Bug type gym and Jasmine’s Steel type gym will easily fall before a few Embers and Flame Wheels from Cyndaquil and his subsequent evolutions. The same cannot be said for the cutest of the starters, Water type Totodile, with there being no Fire, Ground or Rock gyms for him to dismantle. Grass type Chikorita (or more likely her third form, Meganium) would have a field day in Pryce’s Water gym but would struggle with the early Bug and Flying type gyms as well as Morty’s Poison type gym. Pryce will pose a problem for Cyndaquil, and so you’ll want to put together a well-balanced team to get you through that penultimate gym, but you’ll have many hours to assemble the perfect group before that hurdle.

Also working in Cyndaquil’s favour are the Grass and Bug types dotted throughout the Elite Four’s roster. Though all four of these teams are well-balanced enough to give you trouble no matter who you pick as a starter, the many Poison types and Lance’s team of Dragon/Flying types makes this a no-go zone for Meganium. Meanwhile Totodile’s final evolution, Ferligator, would certainly hold its own against many of these Pokemon, but won’t blaze through a few like Typhlosion will.

Picking Cyndaquil does come with its issues. There will be many Rock and Ground Pokemon bothering you with random encounters in caves and Lance’s team containing a Charizard and a Gyrados will require some solid strategy to overcome, but the effects of these are much lesser compared to what ails Chikorita and Totodile.

Gen 3: Mudkip

You might pick Mudkip because you just think he’s neat, but the reasons to go Water type for Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire run a bit deeper. In terms of gyms, Water type Mudkip has a bit of competition from the Grass type Treecko as both of them are super effective against three of the eight. They both have an advantage in Roxanne’s and Tate & Liza’s Rock/Ground gyms, while Mudkip will be best suited to take on Flannery’s Fire gym and Treeko for Wallace’s Water gym.

By the time you get to Wallace, Treeko would have almost definitely evolved into Sceptile, as Sootopolis City houses the final gym. The significance of that can’t be understated, but Treeko’s Grass typing sees it at a disadvantage in battles with Flannery and with Winona’s Flying type lineup. Mudkip, on the other hand, will struggle with just the one gym – Wattson’s (you guessed it) Electric type gym early on in Mauville City. Your third option, Torchic, doesn’t really enter the conversation here, with Fire types being super effective against none of the gyms and Fighting (a type gained by Torchic’s third form, Blazicken), only super effective against one, not to mention being at a massive disadvantage for Wallace’s battle.

The makeup of the Elite Four can lend a slight advantage towards Treeko’s final form, Sceptile, as you come across Glacia’s Ice/Water Pokemon and a few Grass Pokemon along the way which will cause Swampert (Mudkip’s third evolution) some issues. However, as Mudkip evolves into its final form, it gains Ground typing and very nicely balanced stats which see it gain a huge defensive boost, becoming immune to Electric and its only weakness being Grass. This makes Swampert able to power through battles where it usually might be the underdog.

Another consideration may be the amount of water present in the Hoenn region, meaning random encounters can be a bit of a grind, but Mudkip shows enough advantages in other areas to overcome that obstacle. Bonus points for being the cutest of the bunch.

Gen 4: Chimchar

Continuing the trend from the very first game, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl adds far fewer Fire type Pokemon to the series; just five in comparison to the14 introduced for Water and Grass. Though this isn’t a deciding factor in which starter to pick, it adds to the list of attributes going in Fire type Chimchar’s favour over Grass type Turtwig and Water type Piplup. Three is the magic number in terms of how many gyms a Pokemon needs to be super effective against to come out on top over its peers, and Chimchar’s Fire typing helps it overcome Gardenia’s Grass type gym, as well as the sixth and seventh gyms ran by Byron’s Steel types and Candice’s Ice types.

Chimchar faces tough competition from Turtwig, who can eliminate Roark’s Rock type and Crasher Wake’s Water type gyms with ease. After evolving into Torterra, it also gains Ground typing, making it immune to Electric attacks which will see it waltz through the final gym owned by Volkner. Though they may seem perfectly matched, a lot of Turtwig’s strengths are most exemplified in the early stages of the game, while Chimchar’s abilities sees him primed for late game success.

Coming through the gyms with minimal fuss is important due to the Sinnoh region’s very well-balanced Elite Four. Chimchar’s final evolution, Infernape, is perfect to take on Aaron’s Bug Pokemon, which would be super effective against Torterra, but the Grass type would admittedly be best to dismantle Bertha’s Water and Ground types. Piplup, despite evolving into the very resilient Empoleon, doesn’t have a significant advantage over many of the gym leaders or the Elite Four to make a dent here.

It’s a close matchup between Chimchar and Torterra, but due to the frequent battles with Team Galactic’s Bug types, the advantage falls with Chimchar, who has the gym battle credentials to back it up.

Gen 5: Tepig

Gen 5 makes for a more clean cut decision, with the Fire type Tepig making the biggest claim for being the smartest pick. Grass type Snivy doesn’t quite make the cut as it only has an advantage over just the one gym, nor any significant advantages over any Elite Four member, as well as being plagued by the various Bug and Flying types across the Unova region’s tall grass and boss battles. Water type Oshawott isn’t as embattled as Snivy, being the best choice to take on Clay’s Ground type gym and being resistant to Brycen’s Ice Pokemon, which are super effective against Snivy. But like the Grass type, there are no Elite Four members who lean into a type specifically tailored to Oshawott or its evolutions.

However, Tepig’s Fire abilities, and its final form, Emboar, also being a Fighting type, allows it to have a smoother ride through Unova. Firstly, Burgh’s Bug gym and Brycen’s gym are light work for a Fire type, the latter being the penultimate gym in the game. Alternative solutions will need to be found to make it through Clay’s Ground-based gym, but the same can be said for Oshawott as it arrives in Elesa’s Electric gym.

The Elite Four battles are where Emboar’s Fighting type comes in handy, being super effective against Grimsley’s Dark type Pokemon. Emboar is admittedly vulnerable to Caitlin’s Psychic types, but if you have a strong enough bench, this battle can easily be overcome.

Also working in Emboar’s favour are his strong attacking stats and the presence of Team Plasma, who have an abundance of Steel types. Having to fight the Elite Four twice makes Pokemon Black and White a tough challenge no matter who you choose, but Tepig can put your mind at ease more often than the others.

Gen 6: Fennekin

Pokemon X and Y continue the dominance of Fire types in this list. The sixth generation has a quirk where you can choose from two sets of starters, first between the new bunch of Chespin, Fennekin and Froakie, and later between the Kanto starters from the original games. For this list, we’ll focus on the starters unique to this game, of which Fennekin is the standout. The Fire Pokemon can almost stroll through the gyms, being super effective against three and resistant to two more. Though two of those gyms are in the early stages of the game, the final three being Fairy, Psychic and Ice based means that Fennekin’s third evolution, Delphox, now imbued with Psychic typing, can head off to the Pokemon League relatively unscathed.

Froakie evolves into Greninja, a Water/Dark type Pokemon, making it super effective against Olympia’s Psychic team but weak against Valerie’s Fairy types. Being a Water type mostly gets it into trouble, matching up poorly against Ramos’ Grass types and Clemont’s Electric types, something Grant’s early Rock gym doesn’t make up for. Chespin’s story makes for similar reading, struggling off the bat with Viola’s Bug gym and going on to gain a Fighting typing after evolving into Chesnaught which leaves it at a disadvantage against Olmpia and Valerie.

As the games progress, the Elite Fours get a bit more balanced. Pokemon X and Y is another example of a series of battles suited to a different type each time. You’ll want Water to overcome Malva, Fire to overcome Wikstrom and Grass to overcome Siebold. Delphox just about has the edge, able to resist whatever Diantha’s Gardevoir throws at it.

Gen 7: Litten

Rounding out this Fire type four-peat is Litten from Pokemon Sun and Moon. Despite having to struggle through the first couple trials (the Alola region’s version of gyms, of which there are only seven), Litten is the obvious choice for the rest of the battles. Mallow’s Grass trial is the only lineup where each Pokemon is weak to Fire, but Sophocles’ Electric gym contains two Steel types and a Bug type. And by the time you arrive at Acerola’s Ghost trial you could have evolved Litten into the Fire/Dark type Incineroar whose attacks will be super effective against the whole lineup, especially the Grass and Ice Pokemon in Acerola’s team.

The final trial, in which you must face Mina with her Fairy Pokemon, is a little more complicated because of Incineroar’s Dark typing. A regular Fire type would be able to resist Fairy attacks, but Incineroar is damaged normally by them. Helpfully, Mina has a Steel, Grass and Bug type in her team.

Litten’s starter counterparts, Rowlet and Popplio, will find success with one of the first three trials, but will cease to have an advantage over any of the late game battles. Rowlet’s evolution, Decidueye, gains Ghost typing, which is a blessing and a curse for Acerola’s trial, but doesn’t garner much of an advantage elsewhere. Popplio evolves into the Water/Fairy type Primarina, but that doesn’t affect its fortunes with the trials at all.

Sun and Moon’s Elite Four are just a small fraction of what awaits you in the Pokemon League. After becoming champion yourself, you face challenges from 10 more trainers looking to take your place. These battles, on top of the Elite Four themselves, are too diverse for any starter to have any advantage over the other, meaning Litten’s ability to clear the trials is even more vital. The Alola region also introduces just eight Fire Pokemon in comparison to Grass and Water’s 13 (after the series had become more balanced in that regard) so snapping Litten up early is a great aid.

Gen 8: Sobble

Sobble’s victory over Grookey and Scorbunny might be the closest of the lot. All three Pokemon are the best picks against three gyms, with Gordie and Raihan’s Rock and Ground gyms being perfect for Sobble and Grookey, and Melony’s Ice gym and Opal’s Fairy gym being tailor made for Scorbunny. Additionally, the first three gyms are Grass, Water and Fire typed, in that order, lending no advantage to any of the three starters. Raihan’s gym being the final one gives it a bit more importance, so the gym battles give a hair’s breadth of a lead to Grookey and Sobble.

The Galar region’s version of the Elite Four, The Champion Cup, allows Sobble to just inch past Grookey in the standings. None of these Pokemon’s final evolutions gain any new types, making them work with what they’re given from the start. The semi-final opponents don’t lean any particular way, but Bede's Fairy Pokemon, followed by Nessa’s Water types and Raihan’s Fire and Ground heavy Dragon team, favour Fire, Grass and Water respectively. If success against the toughest opponents is most valued, then Sobble just about edges victory here.

Other considerations like the rivals, Team Yell, and random encounters are even less impactful than normal in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Team Yell uses mostly Dark types, which attack and defend normally against Fire, Water and Grass types, and the introduction of overworld Pokemon means random encounters happen less. If there’s any other factor that tips the scales towards Sobble, it would be that its final evolution, Inteleon, has a nicely balanced set of stats.

Gen 9: Fuecoco

The sixth Fire type to be chosen on this list is one of the clearest winners. You might think that the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s focus on player freedom might allow for little separation between Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly – You can do the gyms and raid Team Star bases in any order you like and you can avoid encounters with wild Pokemon almost entirely. But even with all of that, the Paldea region feels designed to be dominated by Fuecoco.

The gyms in Scarlet and Violet don’t level scale, so if you have a bad matchup, you can just return once you’re able to power through a disadvantage. Still, the highest level gyms being Psychic/Fairy and Ice types, courtesy of Tulip and Grusha, and the two lowest level gyms being Katy and Brassius’ Bug and Grass types, means there’s a good reason to go with Fuecoco (and its Ghost type final evolution, Skeledirge) regardless of your strategy. Being a water type, Quaxly isn’t strong against any gym until it reaches its third form, Quaquaval, where it becomes a Fighting type, helping it in Larry’s Normal type gym. Sprigatito fares a bit better, evolving into Grass/Dark type Meowscarada, enabling it to best Tulip’s gym and Ryme’s Ghost gym.

The Team Star base raids place even more importance on what starter you pick, being vital to the story progression of the game. The crews based around Dark and Poison Pokemon have an abundance of Bug Pokemon who have to be cleared before you can face the boss, while crews based around Fairy and Fighting types are perfect for Skeledirge, who is immune to attacks from the latter. Quaquaval and Meowscarada are worthy opponents for the first member of the Elite Four, Rika and her Ground Pokemon, but from Poppy’s Steel team onwards, Skeledirge finds itself miles ahead of the competition.

I’m always looking for deals that feel like smart picks, not just filler with a discount tag. Today’s lineup actually delivers, and it includes Oblivion Remastered at it's lowest price for PC Players. There’s a Charizard box that’s packed with value for collectors and players, a power bank that charges fast enough to keep up with modern laptops, and a $7 game utility that quietly makes your old Steam library look and play better. You’ll also find a cleanly designed pair of open-ear headphones with premium sound and battery life, plus a moody vinyl release that fans of Stray will appreciate.

TL;DR: Best Deals Today

Each one of these stands out in a useful way. I’m not just talking about decent prices—I mean the kind of stuff you’ll actually use, display, or revisit more than once. Here’s a closer look at why these are worth your attention today.

Pokémon TCG Charizard ex Super Premium Collection

Pokémon TCG 151 Single Card Crashes

Lossless Scaling

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered

Stray Soundtrack 2 LP Vinyl

CUKTECH 15 Ultra Power Bank

Cleer ARC 3 Open Ear Headphones

Pokémon TCG 151 Booster Bundle

3 Godzilla 4K Blu-rays for $33

Starting today, you can purchase three of the most recent Godzilla movies in 4K for only $33. Now is the time to add three films involving the legendary beast to your Blu-ray collection.

This sale is part of Amazon's larger three for $33 4K movie promotion that just started. There are quite a few other great films in there if you'd prefer to shop the full sale yourself.

49" Odyssey QD-OLED G9

57" Odyssey Neo G9 Curved Gaming Monitor

Supreme Unreal & Unity Game Dev Bundle

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Journey Together Booster Bundle

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Poké Ball, Premier Ball, Moon Ball Tin Bundle.

Poké Ball, Great Ball and Ultra Ball Tin Bundle.

Surging Sparks Booster Bundle

Paradox Clash Tin

Azure Legends Tin

As thousands flock to the launch of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, the character creator is being used to generate terrifying (and often hilarious) abominations. Yes, Oblivion is back, and so are those funny faces.

Oblivion Remastered, developed by remake specialist Virtuos using Unreal Engine 5, has a long list of visual and feature improvements. It runs at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second, as you'd expect, but other changes are more meaningful. Everything from the leveling systems to character creation, and combat animations to in-game menus have been improved. Meanwhile, there's lots of new dialogue, a proper third-person view, and new lip sync technology. The changes are going down well with fans, some of whom believe Oblivion Remastered would be more accurately described as a remake. Bethesda, however, has explained why it went down the remaster route.

Bethesda’s remaster gives Oblivion a new lick of paint, and while everything in the game looks a lot better than it did 20 years ago, there’s no getting away from that trademark Bethesda face jank.

And, as is typically the case with Bethesda games, Oblivion Remastered’s character creator lets you create some outlandish faces. Some of these have already gone viral across social media, despite the remaster being less than 24 hours old. Here’s a snippet of our favorites:

This is my magnum opus in Oblivion Remaster. Sir Vancealot pic.twitter.com/q3hsDd3Uys

— CAMELCAST OFFICIAL (@CAMELCASTOff) April 22, 2025

Trying the Oblivion remake, character creation is going well, elves are gorgeous now pic.twitter.com/fjw4oqoPBl

— Julia (@Julia_CaSsian) April 22, 2025

As old-school Fallout fans may have noticed, there’s something worryingly familiar about these Oblivion Remastered faces. That’s probably because they rekindle memories of the original Fallout talking heads, which, at the time (late ‘90s) looked impressive, but now look, well… a bit like some of these Oblivion Remastered faces.

oblivion so funny to me. we finally have the technology to recreate the og fallout talking head renders in real time pic.twitter.com/SSG5iVLlKq

— 🦇🩸𝕸𝖔𝖓𝖌𝖗𝖊𝖑🩸🦇 (@FearMongrel) April 22, 2025

one thing that's pretty neat is that the way some faces are done in oblivion remastered is similar to faces in fallout 2 which means a fallout 3 remaster could look closer to fallout 2 and have WAY COOLER LOOKING GHOULS pic.twitter.com/dHVawmh9cl

— shley died from lavender town syndrome (sad!!) ˂/3 (@gloomygvrl666) April 23, 2025

It’s all in good fun, of course, and evidence, really, that Oblivion is back in a big way. What would be a big Bethesda game launch without some reliably old face jank? Veteran fans wouldn’t want it any other way.

And it really does look like Oblivion Remastered is a hit. On Steam it enjoyed an impressive peak concurrent player count of over 180,000 on release day — a figure that’s set to increase as the game heads into its first weekend on sale.

We've got a comprehensive guide to everything you'll find in Oblivion Remastered, including an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.

Image credit: @CAMELCASTOff.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Nintendo has issued a warning to its customers in Japan, saying a “significant” number will miss out on pre-ordering a Switch 2 direct from the company.

In a statement issued to X / Twitter, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said the company had seen 2.2 million people in Japan alone apply for a pre-order of the Switch 2 from the My Nintendo Store. This “extremely large number of applications… far exceeds our expectations, and far exceeds the number of Nintendo Switch 2 consoles that can be delivered from the My Nintendo Store on June 5,” Furukawa explained.

As a result, Nintendo expects a “significant” number of customers will not be selected when the winners of the My Nintendo Store lottery sale are announced tomorrow, April 24. Nintendo has so far not issued a similar warning to customers in the west.

Those who miss out will be carried over to the second lottery sale, but even here Nintendo can’t guarantee a pre-order. “We deeply apologize for not being able to meet your expectations despite our prior preparations.” Furukawa said.

Nintendo is now working to improve its production system, and from April 24, game retailers and online stores across Japan will begin accepting pre-orders or lottery sales for the Switch 2. The console will also continue to be sold at the My Nintendo Store after the release date. “With the cooperation of retailers, we will continue to ship the console and make efforts to get as many Nintendo Switch 2 consoles as possible into your hands,” Furukawa added.

“We plan to continue producing and shipping a considerable number of Nintendo Switch 2 units in the future. We apologize for the delay in our ability to meet your expectations, and we appreciate your understanding.”

While Furukawa’s statement is aimed at the Japan market, it raises the question of whether Nintendo will suffer similar issues in the west. According to a FAQ posted to Nintendo’s website, the first batch of invitations will go out starting May 8, 2025 for the My Nintendo Store in the U.S. Additional batches of invitation emails will then be sent “periodically” until purchasing on My Nintendo Store is opened to everyone.

Initial invitation emails will be delivered on a first-come, first-serve basis to “eligible registrants who meet the priority criteria.” Invitees will have 72 hours from the time when the email is sent to complete their purchase.

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order invitation priority requirements:

• you must have been the one who purchased any Nintendo Switch Online membership
• you must have had any paid Nintendo Switch Online membership for a minimum of 12 months, and
• you must have opted in to share gameplay data and have at least 50 hours total gameplay hours.

Last week, Nintendo announced that Switch 2 pre-orders would begin in the U.S. on April 24, 2025, and that the original price of $449.99 and launch date of June 5 would remain the same. Alongside the base console price remaining the same, Nintendo confirmed the Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle will remain at $499.99 and pricing for both the physical and digital versions of Mario Kart World ($79.99) and Donkey Kong Bananza ($69.99) will not change at launch. But Nintendo raised the price of Switch 2 accessories amid the ongoing tariff turmoil.

Nintendo had originally planned on opening pre-orders for Switch 2 on April 9, but it made the decision to delay them as it needed time to "assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions."

If you're looking to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2, GameCube controller, or other accessories and games, make sure to keep an eye on our Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order hub, which will stay updated with news and info. You can also find out more about how to increase your chances of getting a new Nintendo Switch 2 console on day one.

Photo by PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Here's a sentence I never thought I'd write: there's a live-action Toys "R" Us movie in the works.

According to Variety, Story Kitchen — the team behind pretty much every video game movie adaptation you've seen recently, including the Sonic the Hedgehog movies — hopes to "capture that childhood wonder in a modern, fast-paced adventure that taps into the Toys 'R' Us brand’s relevance across its more than 70 years in the toy industry."

“Toys 'R' Us is a cultural touchstone that continues impacting the child in all of us today,” said Story Kitchen co-founders Dmitri M. Johnson and Mike Goldberg. “As '80s kids who considered Toys 'R' Us one of the most magical places on Earth, we’re honored to partner to create a film that will capture the spirit of adventure, creativity and nostalgia that Toys 'R' Us represents.”

Nintendo has clarified compatibility concerns around its all-new GameCube controller, confirming there may be "issues" using it to play contemporary Nintendo Switch 2 games.

The GameCube controller was unveiled at the 60-minute Nintendo Direct earlier this month. At the time, we noticed the small-print warned the controller was "only compatible with Nintendo GameCube" games in the Nintendo Switch Online retro library, and not other Switch 2 games.

Nintendo has now clarified that small print, reiterating that the retro controller was designed to be used primarily with GameCube games. Players may be able use their GameCube controller for other Nintendo Switch 2 games, but there "may be some issues" doing so given the retro device will be missing "all the buttons and features" found in more modern controllers.

Nintendo also repeated its warning that the GameCube controller is only compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 system.

"The Nintendo GameCube controller is designed for use with the Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics collection of games and is an optional way to play those games," Nintendo confirmed in a statement to Nintendo Life.

"Since it doesn’t have all the buttons and features found in other controllers that can be used with the Nintendo Switch 2 system, there may be some issues when playing other games. The Nintendo GameCube controller can only be used on Nintendo Switch 2 and is not compatible with Nintendo Switch."

The GameCube collection is a major update to the Nintendo Switch Online library, and grants subscribers access to a laundry list of classic 2000s-era titles, including The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and Soulcalibur 2, which will all be available at launch this summer. Of course, this library will be expanded in the years to come, with some teased titles including Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi's Mansion, Super Mario Strikers, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, and more.

If you're looking to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2, GameCube controller, or other accessories and games, make sure to keep an eye on our Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order hub, which will stay updated with news and info. You can also find out more about how to increase your chances of getting a new Nintendo Switch 2 console on day one.

Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

It’s one thing to wear your influences on your sleeve, and it’s another to wield those influences to create something that can confidently stand on its own merits. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is explicitly built on many of the ideas of great modern and classic Japanese RPGs, and French developer Sandfall isn’t shy about it – nor should it be. From the bold stylings within its magnificent turn-based combat to the melodramatic but genuine storytelling tropes it largely embraces, so much of Clair Obscur feels familiar yet refreshing. Its superb execution on those ideas puts its own stamp on them for one of the more somber but hopeful journeys I won’t soon forget.

In Clair Obscur, the people of Lumiere live in a fractured reality: Every year, a godlike figure they call The Paintress marks a number on a tower far off in the distance, counting down the age at which people will perish into nothingness. You lead the survivors of the latest in a series of annual expeditions that set sail in hopes of destroying The Paintress, none of which have ever come back despite decades of attempts. It’s a harrowing premise that hangs a heavy layer of melancholy over the entire story. Knowing that your people are fighting against their own extinction by signing up for a death march, facing unknown dangers and picking up the pieces left behind by expeditions long gone, it’s easy to become invested in their fate and the mysteries that dictate their world.

I finished the main story and a decent amount of side content in about 35 hours, and that length speaks to how Clair Obscur doesn’t waste a moment – there isn’t really any filler along the critical path and it doesn’t get bogged down in drawn-out exposition. It makes a strong first impression, then naturally tells you more about its characters through their interactions, conversations, and expressions. While some of my favorite moments in RPGs come from the downtime that offers a chance to breathe and take in the world, there's an embedded urgency here that cuts to the chase in a way that mostly works in its favor. Don't get me wrong, I love a good 80+ hour RPG, but this is a nice change of pace.

Because of that shorter length (relatively speaking), the sharpness of the combat system never dulls. At a glance, you’ll get unmistakable Persona vibes from its slick battle menu and stylish flourishes. More prominent is its active element, with real-time button inputs that boost potency in spellcasting and let you avoid attacks, which keeps you engaged during enemy turns as much as your own. It’s reminiscent of the Mario RPGs or, more recently, Like A Dragon RPGs, and it works wonders for making turn-based combat thrilling – especially when so much of your survival hangs in the balance of being able to dodge and parry.

Against bosses and tougher enemies, you don’t really stand a chance unless you’re paying close attention to the audio and visual cues to establish a rhythm. When it comes to combos that have a varied cadence between hits, I’m locked in like it’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, staving off a flurry of attacks to certain beats. It can be frustrating at times, especially in first attempts since there’s some trial and error in learning these attack patterns. But when I’m trying to nail down the timing, it instills an intensity I don’t think I’ve ever felt in turn-based combat. While dodging offers a wider window for execution, parrying demands more precision, and there’s nothing quite like the rewarding slow-motion camera cut and emphatic counterattack of a precisely timed parry, flipping the enemy turn to deal big damage off a free hit.

Every party member has their own specific mechanics that typically revolve around building up their unique resource in battle and managing action points (AP) to execute the more heavy-hitting skills. For example, Gustave gains charges for every hit he lands then uses those charges to increase the output of his Overcharge skill. In contrast, Lune is a mage who gains elemental stains from casting specific spells, dealing higher damage and getting access to bigger spells by stacking the right elements. Meanwhile, Maelle is all about going into different stances and has the potential to do the most damage, but the conditions in which she enters those stances can depend on status effects or the properties of the weapon she has equipped.

There’s even a card-dealing Scythe wielder in Sciel, who manages light-dark phases and card stacks to use her skills properly, almost like a combination of the Astrologian and Reaper Jobs from Final Fantasy XIV. And if that wasn’t enough, two late-game characters I won’t spoil take things even further, with one using a Devil May Cry-style grading system with attacks and dodges while the other takes spells from fallen enemies in the style of a Blue Mage. All of this gives each character a distinct identity and function that makes every turn in battle an exciting endeavor no matter who’s in your party

Their skill trees are also concise, letting Clair Obscur stay approachable since you’re only given a handful of tools and then asked to have a strong grasp of how they work. With an emphasis on meeting certain conditions and inflicting specific knock-on effects when lining up attacks, it reminds me of mechanics you’d see in a CRPG like Baldur’s Gate 3, but fine-tuned for a classic-style Japanese RPG. The way these skillsets are able to synergize and play off other party members shows an understanding of what makes a turn-based system sing. You may fall into a routine opener, but as a fight goes on, it becomes more about adapting to the myriad variables thrown at you and earning the satisfying moments of pulling off your most powerful attacks.

Then there’s another layer called Pictos, which are attachments that offer game-changing stat boosts and perks to drastically affect how you gain AP, the bonuses from dodging and parrying, the way status effects work, and more. Using Pictos for long enough eventually allows you to stack their perks in what are called Lumina, letting you build a character in ways their skill tree cannot. Navigating these menus is kind of a pain since things get messy once you’re sifting through 50+ options packed into a tight screen, but it’s something I learned to deal with and sort through once I grasped the nomenclature – and when it all clicked, taking the time to configure my party was well worth the hassle. At first I thought I'd be far too overpowered (and I was in some cases), but setting the right loadout elevated my party members in ways that were crucial for the most challenging fights.

In fact, my biggest worry early on was that Clair Obscur was going to be too easy, as I steamrolled almost every enemy in roughly the first-third of the main path – aside from a handful of optional bosses that tested my mastery of the combat system (or one-shotted me, telling me to come back in the endgame). It definitely ramps up as it goes on, however, weaving in more creative enemy attack patterns and adding layers that sometimes tease out new approaches to constructing your party and skill loadouts. It eventually struck a good balance as bosses evolved in interesting ways, either by doing more with status effects and enemy shields, or by mixing up attacks that also ask you to time a jump or hit a special "Gradient Counter" alongside the usual parries and dodges, which could make my survival in combat feel like a rhythm game.

That gives Clair Obscur enough depth without feeling unwieldy, and just enough complexity while still staying focused. And if you’re clever enough, you’re allowed to “break the game,” so to speak, as its systems let you scale up in a way that’s rewarding rather than exploitative. I’ve played these kinds of RPGs my entire life, and so I’m confident when I say Clair Obscur has one of my favorite turn-based combat systems, ever – even if it has room to grow in a potential sequel, it’s already brilliant.

There’s something very old-school about Clair Obscur, and its overworld is one of clearest ways in which it harkens back to classic RPGs. You have oversized models of your characters navigating a map filled with optional locations and secrets, many of which aren’t accessible until you unlock new travel methods, similar to getting chocobos and airships in the Final Fantasy games of yore. It’s actually really charming, embracing its video game-y aspects and knowing that it doesn’t always have to take itself so seriously. Floating islands, far off shores, or massive creatures in the distance create a sense of wonder, and eventually you can go visit them to fight superbosses, play silly minigames for unique weapons and Pictos, or uncover a bit more of the story you wouldn’t see otherwise – and that side content can account for roughly 20 hours of gameplay on top of the main story. There’s no real quest log, so there isn’t an elegant way to track what you stumble upon. But rather than feeling obtuse, it gives the impression that these secrets are yours to discover in true throwback fashion.

The main locations you visit function like dungeons where you fight your way along a fairly direct track, with extra items tucked in nooks and crannies off the beaten path. For as linear as these places can be, a minimap would have been handy, as you’ll often get lost in the winding paths that blend in with the environment. (If nothing else, I’d like one just to keep track of where I had already been.) You approach enemies to initiate combat, and they respawn if you decide to replenish your health and items at flags planted by previous expeditions that function like checkpoints. Exploration is limited in this regard, but it helps each main story sequence stay focused and consistently paced. It’s also a consolation that every place you visit is visually striking, whether it’s thanks to an ethereal whimsy and natural beauty, or the brutality of the trenches and battlefields where bodies of past expeditioners are piled high – regardless, I was often in awe of Clair Obscur’s world.

What really etches an RPG into the pantheon of greats, however, is always going to be its story. My heart was all-in on Clair Obscur’s themes of facing mortality, making sacrifices for future generations, and the different ways we handle grief. I’ve written a lot about the latter, especially in relation to the stories many recent RPGs tell, and this is another harrowing exploration of it – for the way it contextualizes time and age, but also for its portrayal of grief becoming destructive to those around you, should it consume you. Final Fantasy X is one of its main influences, and it shows, but Clair Obscur also separates itself by how it tells its story. Massive credit is due to the impeccable acting and voice performances from an A-list cast, as well as script writing and scene direction that has dialogue playing out like natural, real-life conversations – small gestures, subtle expressions, and the cadence of the line deliveries are qualities that ground its story in something that feels as real as it is fantastical.

Its brevity does work against it at times as the story shifts in sudden directions later on that somewhat undermine the initial premise. I wish it dedicated a little more time and attention to fleshing out the parts that went a bit underdeveloped, but what’s here is still powerful – especially as it relates to the ugliness that comes from processing loss, and with a certain focus on the complicated impact it has on families. There’s a thematic coherence in showing how we use art and fiction as a coping mechanism and the dangers of getting lost in it.

Despite its deeply sad premise, Clair Obscur also manages to inject some levity that is largely charming rather than forced. Silly wooden guys called Gestrals occupy most of The Continent, working as both comic relief and a lens to help understand unknown parts of the world. Your party will goof with each other and share pieces of their personal lives at camp, and while not all of it is riveting stuff necessarily, those brief moments are vital for rounding out the human element that this story channels. Admittedly, there are moments in which Clair Obscur embellishes in its sorrow a bit too much, getting a little overdramatic at times. But it’s always able to find its footing by evoking a very specific tone – one that leans heavier into what you’d expect from a theatre production than a Hollywood blockbuster. And from that perspective, playing out like a classical tragedy is an integral part of its identity.

Clair Obscur often feels like an expression of French art history, using its culture as an enticing artistic foundation (and even poking fun at itself with mime bosses and a fun accordion jig). That's not just in the distinct Belle Epoque aesthetic or the French phrases characters use casually in conversation, but also in motifs that invoke theatre, painting, dance, and music which are woven into the very fabric of this fictional world – with music in particular being the most powerful one. Like every great RPG, an evocative soundtrack can uplift it to become a truly memorable experience, and Sandfall understood the assignment here. There’s almost too much good music, in that certain tracks didn’t even get enough time to stick in my head, but at every turn are amazing songs that hype you up for battle or set a wistful mood. With a multifaceted approach that includes string quartets, symphonic rock, moving opera vocals, and atmospheric synths, Clair Obscur’s soundtrack is stunning, and will be one of the reasons I won’t forget this game.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered launched big launch on Steam, where it enjoyed a peak concurrent player count of over 180,000 on release day.

After Bethesda shadow-dropped Oblivion Remastered yesterday, April 22, the game climbed to the top of Steam’s global top-selling games list, which is sorted by revenue. It’s ahead of the likes of Valve’s own Counter-Strike 2, viral hit Schedule I, and Blizzard’s Overwatch 2, which itself received a significant new update.

Oblivion remastered was also the fourth most-played game on Steam yesterday, behind only Counter-Strike 2, PUBG, and Dota 2. It’s currently the most-played single-player RPG on Steam, ahead of the resurgent Baldur’s Gate 3, and has a ‘very positive’ user review rating.

Steam stats do not tell the whole story, of course, and when it comes to Oblivion Remastered, there’s much more to its success. As a Microsoft-owned game (Microsoft owns Bethesda parent company ZeniMax Media), Oblivion Remastered launched straight into Xbox Game Pass for Ultimate subscribers. It seems likely the game will have many players through the subscription service alone.

And then there’s the PlayStation 5 and standard Xbox Series X and S release to add in. So, while neither Microsoft nor Sony make player numbers public, Oblivion Remastered’s true peak concurrent player count on launch day will be much higher than 180,000.

It seems like a big success already, although Bethesda is yet to announce a total player or sales number. And player numbers will surely get bigger as Oblivion Remastered heads into its first weekend on sale.

Oblivion Remastered, developed by remake specialist Virtuos using Unreal Engine 5, has a long list of visual and feature improvements. It runs at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second, as you'd expect, but other changes are more meaningful. Everything from the leveling systems to character creation, and combat animations to in-game menus have been improved. Meanwhile, there's lots of new dialogue, a proper third-person view, and new lip sync technology. The changes are going down well with fans, some of whom believe Oblivion Remastered would be more accurately described as a remake. Bethesda, however, has explained why it went down the remaster route.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion launched in 2006 as a follow-up to fan-favorite Morrowind on PC and Xbox 360, with a PlayStation 3 release following in 2007. It’s set in the fictional province of Cyrodiil, and revolves around the player character's bid to defeat a fanatical cult that wants to open portal games to the demonic realm known as Oblivion.

We've got a comprehensive guide to everything you'll find in Oblivion Remastered, including an expansive Interactive Map, complete Walkthroughs for the Main Questline and every Guild Quest, How to Build the Perfect Character, Things to Do First, and much more.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

It vanished fast the last time it was available, but now the Charizard ex Super Premium Collection is back in stock at Amazon, and down to just $49.94 (see here). That's 38% off its current list price, and well worth considering if you’re even casually invested in the Pokémon TCG. This is one of the few boxes for 50 big ones that’s actually worth your time—and your money.

Here’s what’s inside:

• A foil Charizard ex promo, plus matching Charmander and Charmeleon
• A Charizard figure—not essential, but a solid shelf piece
• And most importantly: 10 booster packs, not the usual 4 or 6

My Favorite Obsidian Flames Cards

If there’s one thing Lucasfilm has accomplished with shows like Star Wars: Andor and Star Wars Rebels, it’s in showing us the many heroes and worlds that played a key role in fighting and eventually overthrowing the Empire. We know Yavin-IV and Hoth and Endor from the movies. But what about Lothal and Ferrix? And thanks to the first three episodes of Andor Season 2, there’s another world that’s entered the Star Wars zeitgeist - Ghorman.

What is Ghorman, and why is this world so important to the conflict that is the Galactic Civil War? Why does the situation on Ghoman develop into a watershed moment for the Rebel Alliance? Here’s what you need to know about this little-known but surprisingly important corner of the Star Wars universe.

Ghorman in Star Wars: Andor

Star Wars: Andor first alluded to the planet Ghorman in the Season 1 episode “Narkina 5.” In a meeting between Forest Whitaker’s Saw Gerrera and Stellan Skarsgård’s Luthen Rael, Saw references the doomed anti-Imperial group known as the Ghorman Front. To Saw, the Ghorman Front is a cautionary tale when it comes to discussing how best to fight the Empire.

Now this world is playing a much more direct role in Season 2. In the premiere episode, we see Ben Mendelsohn’s Director Krennic speaking to a group of assembled ISB agents about a delicate problem involving the planet. He shows them a cheesy documentary reel extolling the virtues of Ghorman’s textile industry. Their silk fabric, harvested from a special breed of spider, is Ghorman’s chief galactic export.

The problem, as Krennic explains, is that the Empire is more interested in another of Ghorman’s natural resources. The Emperor himself covets Ghorman’s vast supply of calcite. Krennic claims that this calcite is needed to help the Empire’s research into renewable, unlimited energy. However, given what we know about Krennic from Rogue One, we can probably assume he’s lying. More likely, Krennic needs vast stores of calcite to complete construction of the Death Star. Like Kyber crystal, calcite is one of the limiting factors in Project: Stardust, and one of the reasons completing that terrible battlestation is taking so long.

As Krennic and his underlings discuss, the challenge with calcite is that extracting it in the quantities the Empire needs will likely leave Ghorman a barren, uninhabitable wasteland. That raises concerns about what to do about the native Ghor population. Palpatine’s grip on the galaxy isn’t quite so ironclad that he can just lay waste to an entire world and its people with impunity. That’s precisely why he wants a Death Star in the first place. At that point, there will be no contesting his Empire, no matter what war crimes it commits.

Krennic’s solution is to turn public sentiment against Ghorman so that the Empire becomes justified in taking control of the planet and displacing its people. This is a world with a history of anti-Imperial leanings, after all. But while his propaganda ministers believe that this process can be handled through social manipulation alone, Denise Gough’s Dedra Meero understands the reality. The Empire needs to install its own band of radical rebels who can be relied on to further the narrative that Ghorman is a dangerous, lawless place. Only then can the Empire swoop in and claim its calcite under the guise of restoring law and order.

All of this looks to be setting up an ongoing storyline in Season 2. No doubt Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor, Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma, and others will be drawn to Ghorman as the political situation deteriorates and this planet becomes a renewed battleground in the Galactic Civil War. Based on what we know about Ghorman already, it’s bound to end in both tragedy and a pivotal moment for the Rebel Alliance.

What Is the Ghorman Massacre?

In short, Andor Season 2 is gearing up to showcase an event known as the Ghorman Massacre. While this event has only been alluded to in Disney-era Star Wars media, it’s actually one of the most important developments leading to the creation of a true, unified Rebel Alliance.

The Ghorman Massacre has its roots in the pre-Disney Star Wars Legends universe. In that version of events, set in the year 18 BBY, Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin was the instigating offender. When Tarkin traveled to Ghorman in the midst of a peaceful protest against illegal Imperial taxation, he made the characteristically ruthless choice to land his ship directly on top of the protesters. Hundreds were killed or injured as a result.

The Ghorman Massacre quickly came to be seen as a glaring example of Imperial cruelty. It not only sparked public outcry, but it also led Senators like Mon Mothma and Jimmy Smits/Benjamin Bratt’s Bail Organa to begin fomenting and supporting the growing rebel movement. There’s a direct line between the Ghorman Massacre and the formation of the Rebel Alliance.

Lucasfilm is taking a somewhat different approach to the Ghorman Massacre in this new Disney era, and with Andor Season 2 in progress, we’re still making sense of the revised timeline. But the basic idea remains the same. The Ghorman Massacre is an incident where the Empire overplays its hand and inspires a renewed wave of rebel backlash.

Warning: the remainder of this article contains possible spoilers for upcoming episodes of Andor Season 2!

Most of what we know about the Ghorman Massacre in the Disney timeline is established in Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire and other reference books. In this version, the massacre takes place in 2 BBY. Once again, the Empire is guilty of slaughtering innocent protesters on Ghorman, sparking immediate and deep backlash.

We also know that the Ghorman Massacre serves as the critical dividing line in Mon Mothma’s political career. Up to that point, Mon is committed to working within the Imperial Senate system to oppose and resist Palpatine’s agenda wherever she can. But after the Ghorman Massacre, Mon finally throws caution to the wind and speaks publicly against the Emperor, labeling him “a lying executioner.” At that point, Mon is considered a traitor to the Empire, forcing her to go into hiding and become the full-time leader of the Rebel Alliance.

We’ve actually seen the immediate aftermath of the Ghorman Massacre play out already, thanks to the animated series Star Wars Rebels. In the Season 3 episode “Secret Cargo,” the Spectres rescue Mon and escort her to the Rebel Alliance high command. From there, Mon delivers a speech known as the Declaration of the Rebel Alliance, and the Galactic Civil War officially begins.

Modern streaming platforms like Netflix and Max have changed our content diets dramatically, allowing reality TV lovers and Letterboxd sickos to beam the latest movies and shows directly into their homes. In lieu of heading out to a theater and getting caught in a ‘Chicken Jockey’ related incident, you may be wondering — how can I summon a cinematic level of fidelity from the comfort of my couch? Well never fear, dear reader, as our guide to streaming Netflix in 4K will explain everything you need to know.

How to Stream Netflix in 4K

Before we get started, it’s worth checking which Netflix plan you’re on — as not all of them allow for 4K streaming. The Streaming (with Ads) and Standard plans only allow for streaming at resolutions up to 1080p. The only plan that supports 4K streaming at this time is the highest-tier Premium Plan.

Here are the current Netflix US plans and their prices:

• Standard with ads: $7.99 per month (No 4K)
• Standard: $17.99 per month (No 4K)
• Premium: $24.99 per month (4K streaming)

Do you have the right equipment for 4K?

The next step in your 4K streaming journey is making sure all of your hardware can support streaming Netflix content in 4K. If you’re using a monitor or smart TV for streaming, it needs to be capable of outputting a 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution. If you’re using an external streaming device like a Fire Stick or an Apple TV, then this also needs to support 4K streaming. And, if you are using external devices to stream Netflix, then the cables connecting the device to the TV will need to be good enough to support the signal. Netflix suggests users should use a Premium High Speed HDMI or Ultra High Speed HDMI cable to stream Netflix in 4K.

Check your playback settings

Once you’ve made sure you’re on the right plan and have all the correct equipment, it’s time to check your playback settings. To do this you’ll need to log into your account on your PC. From here you’ll need to click on your profile icon and select ‘Manage Profiles’. It should automatically show the menu bar for your account, however if it hasn’t, select the specific account you wish to stream 4K content from. Now, scroll down and select the Playback Settings option and set it to ‘High’. From here, when using that profile, you should stream in 4K when watching content that supports that resolution.

There are few caveats to this selection worth considering. By selecting High, you may be subject to more buffering and freezing if your internet isn’t up to the job. Additionally, if you’re using mobile data to watch your favourite films or shows be aware that streaming in 4K uses more data and so you might hit your limit quicker than you might expect.

Are There Other Ways to Watch Netflix Movies and Shows in 4K?

Physical media may seem like a thing of the past. However, a Blu-Ray revival has meant a handful of popular titles have broken free of their digital prisons. Blu-Ray editions of original shows like Daredevil, Arcane, The Crown, Stranger Things, and Wednesday are available for fans to buy (though sometimes hard to find). In a world where a show can be dropped from a platform overnight, owning physical copies is often the only way to ensure you can watch your favorite shows for all eternity – or at least until disc drives completely disappear.

Season 2 of Andor’s first of four chapters, episodes 1 through 3, picks up a year after the events of season 1 and starts sprinting. It’s a funnier-than-I-expected opening to season 2 as well. Like the first season did so well, Andor is still focusing on the small things. While the big picture of the rebellion is never far out of mind, this first chapter takes great pains to highlight the personal costs of taking on the Empire with great characters, some truly impressive filmmaking, and one of the best dance parties Star Wars has ever seen.

There’s a scene almost right off the bat between Andor and an Imperial technician who’s helping him steal an experimental new TIE fighter. She’s nervous, scared, wondering if the risk she’s taking is even worth it, but Cassian is there to help talk her through it. He says all the right things, clearly drawing on experience he’s had in the year since we last saw him. It’s a perfect way to immediately show his growth.

But the most important part of this conversation is when the tech talks about how she’d had an okay life at this facility. She had fun. It’s like she feels guilty about ever being happy as a part of the Empire and she’s not sure how to deal with it. This is a small conversation about a very small thing, but it says so much about this first chapter of Andor season 2, and it’s really quite something that they were able to do so much so efficiently in these opening moments.

There’s a feeling throughout these first 3 episodes that any sense of normalcy or comfort is going away. The way the team behind Andor sets out to accomplish that is really savvy. This season is written and edited so well, and particularly in these first 3 episodes, Andor is built in such a way that very directly contrasts the realities of managing a rebellion with continuing to live in the Empire while you do it. It’s a fascinating little tight rope act, and one that the writers and directors almost flawlessly pull off. Even in the opening sequence, we see him very capably tending to this would-be rebel helping him, but immediately he’s back in over his head when he narrowly escapes in a ship he can barely fly.

Another great example of this arrives in episode 1. While Cassian is stuck on a forest planet with a group of rebels that don’t trust him and can’t even get on the same page with each other, we’re taken to a secret meeting of top Empire brass in a snowy, mountain top fortress. The way the episode jumps back and forth between these two scenes connects them in a really sneaky way. It’s edited quickly, almost like a montage, but these are two seemingly unrelated scenes being drawn together.

On the one hand, you see the uphill battle that the rebellion is facing, with factions fighting for the same cause but killing each other because of distrust. This crew holding Andor hostage is just a bunch of selfish idiots – but, meanwhile, the Empire is quite casually plotting the destruction of an entire planet over coffee and canapes at a corporate retreat. These moments get lumped together as effectively one scene, and that one scene isn’t about what the rebellion or the Empire are up to separately. It’s a scene about how far apart the two sides are in their plans and how they get executed. While the Empire can get the ISB and the smear-campaign-pitching Ministry of Enlightenment douchebags marching in lockstep, the rebellion is literally starving in the mud, fighting each other while stranded on a planet full of beasts. They are not playing on the same level.

It’s also a scene that proves just how well Andor is put together. Smart and efficient filmmaking like this pops up throughout this series to subtly drive home the themes while you’re not even looking.

I will say though, episode 2 gets a little long where Cassian’s part of the plot is concerned. This band of misfits in the jungle are just too meatheaded to be interesting for as much time as we spend with them. They did their job very well in episode 1, but I don’t know that I needed the Star Wars version of rock, paper, scissors to play such a big role in Andor’s escape. It’s another vote in favor of the release schedule for season 2, though. I would’ve been a little more critical of episode 2 if I had to wait a whole week to see episode 3.

Thankfully this first batch of episodes also features the galaxy’s most intriguing character, Mon Mothma. The fact that a major plot point of season 1 involved the senator agreeing to arrange the marriage of her daughter to a mobster’s son in order to finance the rebellion was one of the reasons I fell so hard for this show.

Season 2 uses that wedding on Chandrila to do a couple of very cool things. It’s already incredible that Mon sending her daughter to marry into a shady financier’s family plays such an enormous role in the organization of this rebellion. But now her childhood friend and banking guru Tay has lost some money and gotten divorced, which in turn is causing him to make uncomfortable waves for Mon and Luthen Rael’s plans.

Just to say that again, because it’s wild: A dude’s wife leaving him has enormous implications for the future of the rebellion. Forget teaching a kid in the desert how to use a light saber, this is the kind of fascinating butterfly-effect stuff that the second season of Andor is doubling down on in all the right ways. That something as tiny and personal as a marriage falling apart is a real threat to these early days of the rebellion is such a fun thread to pull on.

More than Chandrillan divorce – and there’s always one guy who just got divorced at a wedding – the four-day extravaganza at the Mothma estate highlights that contrast that’s painted so well early in this season. Mon Mothma has always been obliged to play nice in the Senate and at home, while secretly funding the rebellion. Placing all of her anxiety around the rebellion, including the unexpected arrival of Stellan Skarsgaard’s Luthen Rael, against the backdrop of such a traditional event shows how determined the rest of her world is to carry on as though nothing is amiss and the Empire isn’t capable of blowing up a whole planet for a mineral.

By the time the wedding is over, Tay’s been dealt with in the only way Luthen knows how to deal with loose ends, and Mon is doing shots – shots that she has very much earned, and dance-partying her way through some pretty boss EDM. Her tragedy is juxtaposed with a fresh and terrible loss for Cassian. Not only does Mon have to grin and bear it through an upper-class tradition, that contrast is used to invade Cassian’s life as well. It’s another sequence like cross-cutting the jungle meatheads and the Empire planning to strip-mine Ghorman. It creates a single story out of two otherwise unconnected threads.

The real craft of Andor season 2 is in these moments, because they corral disparate parts of the rebellion into the whole. Mon Mothma and Cassian Andor have not met. Their only connection is that they both know Luthen Rael, but quite independently of each other. Here at the end of episode 3 though, they’re in the same place thanks to the absurdly clever editing of that house music.

Meanwhile, on the antagonist’s side of the spectrum, the two main villains from season 1 are embroiled in a domestic chamber piece. Dedra Meero and Syril Karn squaring off against Syril’s mother, who, by the way, I believe to be the second or third best character in this entire show, is an incredible scene. It’s written with some of the most passive-aggressive dialogue humankind has ever seen. The three performances have at least a few layers of awkward subtext at play and, beyond any of that, we get more of what makes this first chapter great – the attempt at normalcy in the midst of rebellion.

Taking a relationship to the “meet the parent” phase is a big and stupidly normal step for two ambitious, true-believer imperial agents like Dedra and Syril. There’s an incongruity to it that’s both really funny and really creepy. Seeing Syril more or less trade one mom for another is a wild place for this series to go, but at the same time, it’s exactly the kind of thing that made the first season so intriguing – and that season 2 is highlighting even more effectively.

And while I was happy to see Bix again, her peaceful bit of respite harvesting grain with Brasso and Wilmon interrupted by an imperial audit is the most on-the-nose part of chapter 1. The officers are so blatantly slimy and their tactics so familiar, the storyline just didn’t have nearly as much to offer as the others. I certainly preferred the farmers on that planet to the meatheads in the jungle, but to be fair that’s a pretty low bar to clear.

There’s never been a better time to start building a big ol' pile of shame, my fellow patient gamer. Whether you’re keen to pick up a cult favourite or just want to marvel at how cheap Mass Effect is going for, today's best gaming deals are a tidy mix of crowd-pleasers and critical darlings. And now, without much more ado, here are my favourite deals on The Citadel.

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I'm celebrating the 32nd birthday of the Sega Mega Drive II, a beast I still own and adore. Bristling with 16-bits of power (and blast processing technology), this bit of kit arrived on my birthday, with a copy of Streets of Rage from a MegaZone subscription deal, and basically made my year. I was to eat well with Sonics 1 through 3, Bonanza Bros., RoboCop vs. Terminator, Disney's Aladdin / Lion King, Streeties, MK, Golden Axe, Earthworm Jim, a bunch of Shinobis, and more. Absolute peak Sega era.

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