↩ Accueil

Vue normale

Reçu aujourd’hui — 17 juillet 2025IGN

Boox Note Air 4C Review

17 juillet 2025 à 16:00

When you picture a tablet, chances are that something like the iPad comes to mind: a bright, colorful screen, pages of apps, social media, games, and video all at your fingertips. But if you’re the kind of user that needs to buckle down and get work done, or are looking for a reading tablet experience that’s easier on the eyes, the Boox Note Air 4C might be for you. Featuring a color e-ink screen, paper-like writing experience, and Android 13 for Google Play Store access and app compatibility, it’s one of the most fully featured, minimal distraction devices I’ve tested. Its oodles of apps put it in a different class than many of its competitors, like the Remarkable Paper Pro, basically making it the e-ink equivalent of a Galaxy Tab with a few extra features for writers, readers, and artists.

Boox Note Air 4C – Design and Features

The Boox Note Air 4C is a multifaceted device, at once a digital notebook, sketchpad, typewriter, Android tablet, and e-reader. It uses a 10.3-inch e-ink screen, which is the company’s current niche in the tablet market, and is one of its latest releases to feature a full color display. It’s designed to minimize, if not obliterate, distractions, making it a compelling choice for students, teachers, and mainstream users that enjoy the e-ink experience and the reduced eye strain and paper-like reader experience it can offer.

The Note Air 4C uses a Kaleido 3 display, which is the most recent release from E Ink, the company behind ePaper displays. This allows the 4C to display a full range of hues while still maintaining its parchment-like reading experience. It has natural benefits for reading PDFs with graphics and browsing the web, rendering color for a more accurate and engaging reading experience, and because the Note Air uses Android 13 for its operating system, it also makes using apps feel clean.

In short, it effectively brings together a normal tablet experience with the ePaper format… with one key exception: video.

As the technology stands right now, e-ink displays are simply not ideal screens to watch video. They don’t need to refresh like LCDs do. Because the technology works in a fundamentally different way to other types of screens, once the ink is charged and positioned, it can theoretically stay there forever, maintaining the image even after the device is turned off. Boox tablets refresh more frequently and include different modes that control how quickly it refreshes. Even at its fastest, however, watching videos is bad. At best, you’ll make out what’s going on with a perpetual sense of motion blur. On the other hand, it’s fast enough where you can use one of its faster refresh modes and scroll webpages or play a game of Threes easily.

Somewhat counterintuitively (compared to what you would normally look for in an Android tablet), this low refresh rate is one of the qualities that makes it so appealing. It’s just not feasible to use the device for distracting videos, and though you can use it for things like browsing social media, your phone will always provide a superior experience.

It goes without saying that the technology is completely different from other displays. A layer of ink particles below the screen form into text and images through electromagnetism. Above this layer is a color filter and another layer for its EMR stylus. There’s also a tiny degree of separation to accommodate its color-temperature controlled backlight. Compared to a black and white e-ink display, like the Boox Note Max or Viwoods AiPaper, there’s more depth to the screen here, so ink isn’t as immediately pooling under your stylus tip. The image is also darker, which is why that backlight layer is important when many monochrome e-ink tablets leave it out entirely.

The specs are solid for a digital notebook. It’s a bit more compact than much of the competition at 10.3 inches. The Supernote and Viwoods AiPaper each have 10.7-inch screens and the Remarkable Paper Pro is a chonker at 11.6 inches. Its screen measures 8.3 x 6.1 inches, though its full footprint is a bit more square at 8.9 x 7.6 inches. Either way, it’s slim and exceptionally easy to carry, and while it's still heavier than a paper notebook, it weighs in at 420g / 0.93 lbs while sporting both a case (when purchased through Boox) and a pre-applied paper-like screen protector.

Because of the layer-and-filter approach to colorizing its display, the Air 4C has two different resolutions and pixel densities. The black and white resolution is 2480x1860, or 300 pixels-per-inch (PPI), while color is only 1240x930 150 PPI. This was concerning at first, however it doesn’t make a huge difference in real-world use. Since black and white makes up text and, most often, the sharpest details you’ll perceive anyway, the lower density of the color filter wasn’t even that noticeable to me.

Memory and storage – 6GB of memory and 64GB of storage – aren’t the highest but they don’t need to be for a minimalist tablet like this. Since you’ll primarily be storing ebooks, documents, and productivity apps, this should last you quite a while, but it also comes with a microSD card slot to add additional storage.

The processor is a Snapdragon 750G, octa-core, with a top speed of 2.2GHz but frequently runs much slower than that. Despite it being a 5-year-old processor, it gets the job done. Still, for a new, expensive e-ink tablet, I really would have liked to have seen something a bit more modern. It works, but there are times when heavier Android apps can feel a little sluggish (like Office 365) when booting or transitioning screens, and a newer chip would have definitely helped with that.

While its purpose, display, and related specs differ from a normal Android tablet, in other ways it’s right in line with what you would expect. It supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.1. You can enter the menu system and find most of the same categories and options, which is especially useful if you’re already familiar with the operating system and significantly reduces the learning curve. It also means that you can customize the home page, organize notes and files, and navigate its file system more intuitively than something proprietary. Again, that’s if you already have experience as an Android user. If you’re new to Android, getting used to its layout, features, and menu systems will take some getting used to (but it’s not difficult if you’ve used a tablet or larger smartphone in the past).

It also has access to the full Android ecosystem and has the Play Store installed by default. Obsidian, OneNote, Google Drive, Office 365, ChatGPT… all of these things are readily available and, for the most part, work very well. This allows the Air to be much more versatile than something like the Remarkable Paper Pro, more easily integrated into different workflows, and offer wider support for backup to any service supporting Android.

Boox includes a fairly basic pencil with the tablet and outfits it with a high friction nib. There’s no eraser, which bothered me until I discovered that scribbling over what you don’t want erases every stroke beneath it. There’s a nice scratchiness to writing on the bare screen that makes it feel a bit more like paper (no tablet is a perfect match, in my experience) and improves the accuracy of your strokes. If you do want to change out the stylus, that’s easy to do thanks to the widely adopted Wacom EMR technology standard. There are lots of options out there, including premium options from LAMY, Pilot, and Staedtler, but anything with EMR will do. Because the technology works with magnetism, none of them need to charge either, so they’re always ready to go.

Boox Note Air 4C – Performance

A huge part of the user experience comes down to the software and features that Boox bakes into the device. While this could be broken down within the Design and Features section, it's so critical to using the Air 4C that it makes up a core portion of its performance and my impressions having used it for the last month. Simply put, this tablet offers a ton, from reading to writing to planning, documenting, collaborating, and more.

Before getting to that, though, let's talk about how it actually feels to use physically. Because the tablet is relatively compact and lightweight, it's easy to carry through the day and hold with one hand. The texture on the screen is good and makes for an enjoyable writing experience. However, Boox's newer Note Max is a bit better for writing, in my opinion, due to the reduced layers on the screen making the ink appear minutely closer to the tip than the 4C.

In fact, it's fair to say that the display is probably the Air's biggest selling point and its biggest concession. Because of the additional layers in its design, it's noticeably darker than its monochrome counterparts, especially the Viwoods AIPaper. This can be made up with the backlight, and I have to give Boox credit for allowing you to customize the color temperature from cool white to nearly amber, but I feel like it loses a small piece of the newspaper-like e-ink appeal. I found that keeping the backlight relatively low helped mitigate this while still maintaining good visibility, even in poorly lit environments.

For writing, these layers also result in ever so slightly more distance between the tip of your stylus and the e-ink below. While minor, it is noticeable, especially when A/B comparing it against non-backlit Carta 1300 displays. Don't get me wrong: It's still perfectly functional as a writing and sketching device and remains pleasant to use, but the difference is there and worth considering if writing is your primary purpose above all else.

For color content, such as PDFs with illustrations and ebooks like graphic novels, this display is a major upgrade from monochrome. While color rendition is nowhere near as vivid as an LCD or OLED display, it still offers a much better viewing experience for any kind of imagery. Graphics are clearer and more engaging, and contrast is much less fiddly.

Reading through one of my collected editions of classic Tales from the Crypt, the difference was night and day. If normal e-ink is similar to reading a page in a paperback, reading a graphic novel is akin to the colors of a newspaper comic strip. On the Note Air 4C using the Vivid color setting, it’s a hair more saturated than Peanuts might be, but not much. Compared to black and white displays, however, it’s a big improvement.

The normal reading experience is similar to that of any other e-ink e-reader. Taken as a whole, its color performance allows it to be a more versatile reading companion if you consume more than pure text, and unlike the recent Kindle Colorsoft, there’s no color bleeding.

The colorization also improves its performance in note-taking and with Android apps. Let's face it: Many apps, including those designed explicitly for taking notes, rely on color — choosing an appropriate highlighter, for example, comes down to muscle memory on a monochrome tablet when everything is varying shades of gray. Here, you can choose your tools with confidence and also pick up on any visual indicators the developers may have baked into their UI.

The Note Air 4C excels in writing and note-taking, but there's still room for growth. Like many other e-ink tablets, it offers a palette of writing tools, including pencil, pen, brush pen, ballpoint pen, and marker. Each of these allows you to control the width of the lines and, in the case of the pencil, the texture that you're writing with.

To support different writing styles, it comes preloaded with templates, encompassing everything from lined paper to to-do lists, schedules, brainstorming sheets, notes, comic panels, grid paper, and more. You can also load your own and, with a recent update, even use PDFs with hyperlinks for in-depth, touch-navigable planners.

The device supports OneNote and it works fine, but the best experience is certainly within this proprietary Boox Notes app. The responsiveness of writing is easily the best, and it includes tools such as layering, inserting keywords and links, AI analysis, text transcription (handwriting to text), and deeper control over what touch gestures will be supported at any given time.

There's a lot here, and it comes along with a fairly deep learning curve. For a good while, I didn't realize that I could disable the bottom gestures (typically used for navigation like a normal Android tablet) and would inadvertently turn the page or zoom in when I lifted my stylus. Experience makes a huge difference in how powerful Boox's note-taking app can truly be, and all it really takes is time logged on simple exploration. When you're done, you're able to export and share these notes or sync them to Boox's servers to use between compatible devices.

Elsewhere on the device, you'll find other tools, like a built-in e-reader (you can download Kindle and other apps that all work fine as well), calendar and task management, an integrated AI assistant, and Android staples like a calculator, clock, and sound recorder. You can even load and listen to music on it or download Spotify if that's more your flavor. The speakers aren’t great for music due to their lack of bass, but since you can connect Bluetooth earbuds, listening to music while you read remains a viable option.

There are also easily overlooked features like the NaviBall tool that adds a collapsible radial of shortcuts to the screen that follows you between apps. A number of different gesture controls and e-ink settings also reduce ghosting and improve animations. Elsewhere, you can choose when the screen completely refreshes to wipe away any traces of ghosts and set the refresh mode for each app individually based on what you decide works best.

Compared to e-ink tablets from most other brands, this one has significantly more functionality. You do trade some of its distraction-free nature for that, but I honestly didn't find that to be a very big sacrifice for the additional versatility. At the same time, this "kitchen sink" approach does mean that the Note Air 4C doesn't offer some smaller but very important features, like the deep intra-note linking of the Supernote.

The quality of the writing tools could also use improvement. While entirely functional, they all feel pretty basic. The pencil in particular leaves a lot to be desired, consistently looking a bit dull and not working nearly as well as it should for shading. Likewise, I've yet to test an e-ink tablet that makes my handwriting look quite as pleasant as the Remarkable Paper Pro with its calligraphy pen. Its handwriting refinement is a special kind of magic that I wish the Boox had.

Invincible Renewed for Season 5 at Prime Video Ahead of Season 4 Premiere in 2026

17 juillet 2025 à 16:00

Prime Video has renewed Invincible for Season 5 ahead of Season 4’s premiere in 2026.

The streamer announced its long-term calendar update today, signaling that the team behind Robert Kirkman’s animated series adaptation feel good about the direction Mark Grayson’s story is heading following Season 3’s conclusion earlier this year. Invincible Season 4 remains without a release date outside of the promise that it will arrive in 2026, so it’s no surprise to see Season 5 has yet to lock down its own date or window.

Season 5, Mark... this is GOOD NEWS pic.twitter.com/Kft2aTuS5S

— INVINCIBLE (@InvincibleHQ) July 17, 2025

Prime Video wants to continue its gruesome superhero show for at least a few more years, and it’ll do so with new talent. Alongside confirmation that Invincible is officially renewed for Season 5 is news that Matthew Rhys (Watchmen: Chapter I and II, The Americans) has joined the cast for the upcoming season. No information about which character he will play has been announced.

Warning! Spoilers for Invincible Season 3 follow.

Invincible Season 3 concluded with yet another bloody battle when its finale premiered in March. While much of the season’s eight-episode run saw Mark tangling with alternate realities as he and Atom Eve deepened their connection, its final episode brought the Viltrumite threat to Earth with Conquest's debut.

Season 3, which we gave a 7/10 in our review, spawned plenty of memes and questions as Mark and the remainder of Earth’s Guardians prepared for the next fight. Details about how Invincible Season 4 will continue to bring Kirkman’s story to Prime Video remain largely under wraps for now, though we do at least know it will feature Grand Regent Thragg in some capacity. An introduction for this crucial Invincible antagonist has been a long time coming, and while Rhys' inclusion might already have some fans spinning theories, we don’t know who will play him or when exactly he’ll show up.

Voice acting for the next season of Invincible is also complete, but there’s no word on when Prime Video will share more about its release date, casting, or story. In other words, while fans will find comfort in knowing an additional season is on the way, more news about Invincible Season 5 likely won’t arrive for quite some time.

While we wait for any updates, be sure to check out the announcement trailer for the Invincible VS video game announced last month. Due out in 2026, the 3v3 tag-team fighting game allows players to take control of characters like Mark/Invincible, Atom Eve, Omni-Man, Rex Splode, and more.

Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images.

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).

Shadow Labyrinth Review in Progress

17 juillet 2025 à 16:00

Remember Secret Level, that Amazon Prime mini-series of short films inspired by popular video games? You know the episode that recast Pac-Man as a marooned warrior abducting strangers to help it fight its way out of a prison planet? Well, Bandai Namco fleshed that idea out into a lengthy metroidvania called Shadow Labyrinth – a rare Street Fighter: The Movie-type beat – and this bizarre reimagining of the industry’s oldest eater has been a truly challenging experience for me so far. Not necessarily because it’s difficult, as it’s not a cake walk but I’ve thrown myself against the rocks of more tortuous games in the past. No, my biggest struggle after 10 hours with it has been with staying interested in Shadow Labyrinth’s cryptic, slow, and frankly boring story while also fighting through some brutal checkpointing.

I’m not completely against the idea of a gritty reboot of Pac-Man in theory, but the execution here has not made a great case for it in practice at this point. The story, which drapes you in the rags of Puck’s (read: Pac-Man’s) sword swinging goon, sort of exists around you. It makes some sense given you’ve woken up without any memories or understanding of the wreckage of war that you’re being lead through by your scheming yellow companion, but Shadow Labyrinth’s insistence on making you stand around and watch broken, vague, trope-bloated dialogue between the handful of active characters is arduous.

The 10-minute Secret Level episode does a much more effective job of weaving an interesting parable by using the “cycle of survival” story as a parallel of the cyclical nature of Pac-Man’s eat-die-repeat gameplay. As a direct sequel to that short, Shadow Labyrinth expands on the story exponentially, but seems to fill that new space with dense, rote sci-fi lore that has so far had very few compelling plot happenings sprinkled throughout. I will hedge all of this by saying that, at the time right before writing this, the journey of Puck and the Swordsman took a pretty major turn that could unlock a lot more potential for a real compelling tale to be told – but based on what I’ve seen up to this point, I’m not going to hold my breath.

Shadow Labyrinth looks pretty good, though. The sort of moving paper doll animation used so well in games like Salt and Sanctuary is mostly solid here, too. There’s a surprising level of detail in many of the monsters I’ve encountered, especially the mechanical ones with all of their bits and doodads. Animations can feel a little stilted and floaty, like a marionette on strings, but it doesn’t affect the action in any meaningful way. The levels themselves make good use of color in their fore and backgrounds, but I wouldn’t call its renditions of the depths of a lava filled cavern or the many stories of a high tech tower all that unique. I haven’t found a zone that really has that kind of evocative wow factor, yet.

It expands on its Netflix prequel episode with dense sci-fi lore.

The actual task of moving through these expansive areas has become progressively more engaging. Platforming has yet to be much of a challenge, with some side paths occasionally leading to more dangerous mini-puzzles and obstacles that’ll test your timing and reflexes. I was regularly presented with rails that morph you into the round yellow chomp machine we all recognize. These tracks allow you to waka waka waka up designated walls, around corners, and across ceilings, munching on pellets (which is a currency to spend on perks and upgrades) as you go. Hopping from line to line or launching Puck at foes with a spinning sword attack is funny at first, but I haven’t really encountered a section of this that feels truly clever outside of the fact that the gimmick exists in the first place. These are such isolated experiences at this point that if you removed all of these sections from Shadow Labyrinth, I wouldn’t miss any of them.

While on foot, obscure signposting and an abundance of crossroads often makes it unclear where the critical path lies and has had me regularly stumbling into side paths by accident, which sometimes leads to goodies like bonus health, and other times leads to a roadblock that I don’t yet have the upgrade to surmount. Sauntering around these corners has also felt oppressively dangerous as death will jettison me back to a checkpoint that almost always feels miles away from where I fell. It’s made more stressful because the checkpointing system is actually two-tiered: there are larger Miku Sol points that you can upgrade your warrior with and teleport between, and smaller pylons that are checkpoints in the strictest, old school sense of the word. As resources dwindle and the paths to explore splinter and multiply seemingly endlessly, a little misstep here or there could erase so much of my progress that I can feel just as trapped in these places as Puck does. Maybe that's the point, they don’t like it and neither do I.

So far, combat is full of your standard fare for a game like this. You can dodge around and swing a sword in a basic combo from the start. You unlock a power attack that is used alone for large ranged damage or linked to the end of your basic combo as a satisfying finisher. There’s an air dash, a grappling hook, a parry, etc. all waiting to be found and added to your repertoire as well, each of which cost a little bit of your ESP gauge to use. Running that meter to empty puts you in a Street Fighter 6-style burnout condition, meaning you can’t do anything but attack until it recharges again. This is a heavy penalty, but a meaningful one and requires you to really pay attention to how much offense you’re attempting to unload at once. Perks can alter you in smaller ways, like making your dodge cost less ESP or showing the remaining health of the last enemy you hit, but I haven't found enough of them to determine if their effect on combat is significant. At about 10 hours in, all of these elements have not yet combined to create a stylish flow or skill checking scenarios to spice up the act of turning enemies into dust beyond much more than rote button mashing.

Puck can get in on the action on occasion, combining with your swordsman to become a sort of mechanical dragon creature that rips and tears until its timed energy bar is done. It’s fun to be big enough to ignore enemy damage and adverse terrain for a short period of time, but you are still largely just mashing the basic attack button until you can’t anymore. To recharge this mode, you have to devour fallen foes, which also give you various crafting materials that I have quite literally never looked at outside of the one time it was prudent to - the only time I’ve seen the vendor that deals with them was in passing early on.

I’ve run into quite a variety of different types of enemies to use all of this offense on, but you spend so much time in large zones that baddies turn from new challenges to nuisances pretty quickly. Enemies that you can’t simply whack to death at first sight are few and far between, and they’re rarely arranged in a way that makes them a real threat to progress, the occasional archer standing on a platform you need to jump up to hit notwithstanding. Bosses as of right now haven’t required much strategy outside of basic pattern recognition, either. A giant rooster mini-boss gave me an opportunity to use my air dash optimally just after unlocking it, but no other boss has nudged that kind of extra technical layer out of my combat strategy, yet.

I am certainly a bit down on my time with Shadow Labyrinth so far. I’m leaving my expectations open for the possibility that its just a slow starter, even if 10 hours is a long runway to give a game like this in hopes it will take flight (we are told a playthrough could take 30+). I like but do not love its combat, which sticks to the melee-heavy metroidvania formula dutifully. I’m hopeful that the levels themselves evolve both in how they look and how they challenge my platforming and swordswinging skills, as they are showing small signs of ramping up the intensity. I'm not as optimistic for more compelling storytelling from the characters and spaces I'm presently in, as my brain has been wandering this seemingly endless maze of lore chasing the ghosts of the intense, affecting promise that the Secret Level short this is based on is teased.

Harry Potter HBO Show Building Real School Alongside Hogwarts, With Space for Up to 600 Cast Members

17 juillet 2025 à 15:44

The production of HBO's new Harry Potter TV series will include the construction of a temporary school that can house up to 600 pupils.

Cast members will attend classes alongside their filming duties, with around 150 children expected to attend daily lessons, and space for up to quadruple this amount at peak periods, BBC News has reported.

The need to juggle filming with school time was also a consideration for the stars of the previous Harry Potter films — but the creation of a temporary school goes further, and speaks to the enormous size of the TV show's production, which is due to feature a cast of hundreds and last for the "next decade."

The school, housed in portable buildings at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, and overseen by the Three Rivers Disctrict Council, will be open from 5.30am each weekday morning until 8.30pm each evening, in order to fit studies around day and night filming. It's there that children, including the series' core stars, will attend lessons while being available to film when needed — swapping arithmetic for arithmancy as appropriate.

According to planning application documents seen by the BBC, the school will be in place "for the next 8-10 years" but be dismantled afterwards.

HBO marked the beginning of the series' filming this week with the release of a photo showing Dominic McLaughlin, the young actor now playing Harry Potter, in costume for the first time. This was then followed by a first look at Shaun of the Dead star Nick Frost in costume as Hagrid.

The production plans to adapt each of the Harry Potter books into a full season of TV episodes, with the first set to air in 2027.

Alongside a small army of children, veteran actor John Lithgow will play Albus Dumbledore, with Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch and Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley.

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

Exclusive First Look at 2025 Pokémon World Championships Merch 

17 juillet 2025 à 15:00

The Pokémon World Championships in Anaheim, CA are just around the corner in August, and with it comes an exclusive line of cute Pokémon merch, which IGN has an exclusive first look at. Each year, the Pokémon World Championships hosts a special Pokémon Center pop-up shop, and we’re getting three uniquely themed exclusive lines out of the event this time. Last year, we got a tropical, Hawaiian-themed Pokémon line. Check out the unique new Pokémon items, including a first-ever Pokémon bodyboard, below.

“In honor of this year’s Anaheim, CA location, Pokémon Center will be releasing three product lines – the Varsity Line, SoCal Beach Skater Line, and Rockabilly Line,” said Cindy Ruppenthal, senior director of Pokémon Center and e-commerce at The Pokémon Company International. “This year’s collection draws inspiration from bright, retro-diner design, blending vibrant colors and nostalgic elements that capture the spirit of our SoCal location.”

Check out a large selection of the exclusive merch that will be at the Pokémon World Championships in the slideshow above, but keep in mind, this won’t be everything!

The 2025 Worlds Pikachu Plush sporting a varsity jacket, revealed at this year’s North America International Championships in New Orleans, is sure to be a popular item along with the other SoCal-themed plush of Fennekin, Machamp, and Jigglypuff, but there’s a lot more to look forward to.

The standout premiere item this year is the SoCal Bodyboard, which is fully functional for riding waves at the beach, and is priced at $79.99 USD.

Ruppenthal “expects strong demand” for the SoCal Bodyboard along with other functional items from the SoCal Beach Skater Line, like the SoCal Beach Towels.

“Additionally, following popular reception from Pokémon Worlds in Honolulu, we teamed up with Reyn Spooner to create a Pokémon Aloha shirt, bucket hat, tote, and more to celebrate the event in Anaheim,” Ruppenthal said.

The Reyn Spooner Pokémon Aloha shirts from last year were so popular that I witnessed an attendee offer $300 for the shirt off someone’s back, literally, since they had sold out.

I witnessed an attendee offer $300 for the Pokémon Aloha shirt off someone's back last year

“With this year’s California location, it felt like the perfect moment to reintroduce the

apparel collaboration as our laid-back, SoCal designs align perfectly with Reyn Spooner’s bright, beach vibe and signature Aloha shirts,” Ruppenthal said.

As far as other exclusive apparel goes, there will be a varsity jacket, “as well as other standout apparel that matches the various design styles offered this year,” Ruppenthal said.

Most surprising of the designs overall this year is probably the Rockabilly line, featuring Arcanine, Squakabilly, and an edgy Pikachu wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses.

“We always keep in mind that the Pokémon community has diverse interests and styles, and as such, wanted to introduce a bolder counterpart to the Varsity Line and SoCal Beach Skater Line,” Ruppenthal explained. “The Rockabilly Line features darker tones and edgier styling – all while staying true to the retro-diner theme found throughout the Pokémon Center Pop Up Shop. It complements the store design, which takes fans through a journey (beach to boardwalk to nighttime).”

The theming Ruppenthal describes is important, as the Pokémon Center Pop Up Shop at the Pokémon World Championships each year isn’t just a plain holding room for goods, but more of an immersive experience to explore while shopping, complete with set pieces and unique art.

...this year, there will be a Pokémon Center special online-only shopping promotion taking place that same week.

Usually, all of the Worlds merch revealed here would be exclusive to the in-person Pokémon Center, which actually runs an additional two days ahead of the 2025 Pokémon World Championship, from August 13 to August 17. However, this year, there will be a Pokémon Center special online-only shopping promotion taking place that same week. During this time, the 2025 Pokémon World Championships Coin will be available online.

We don’t know anything else about this online shopping event, like whether any other 2025 World Championship items will be available, but Ruppenthall said, “It’s our way of making sure more fans can take part in the celebration.”

If you are attending in person, keep in mind that you usually need to make a separate Pokémon Center pop-up store reservation, but right now, the Anaheim 2025 Pokémon Center page says, “More information on how to attend the Pokémon Center pop-up store is coming soon!”

We’ll be sure to cover the Pokémon Center Pop Up Shop and a lot more during the 2025 Pokémon World Championships from August 15 to August 17 in Anaheim, so stay tuned for updates.

Casey DeFreitas is a deputy editor of guides at IGN. Catch her at the 2025 Pokémon World Championships, or on socials @ShinyCaseyD.

Jump into Cyberpunk Battle Royale Off The Grid, Available Now on Steam

17 juillet 2025 à 15:00

Off The Grid, the fast-paced, third-person cyberpunk battle royale from developer Gunzilla Games launches today on Steam, meaning more players can experience the game’s high-octane multiplayer combat and gritty near-future setting. Alongside its PC launch, the release delivers full cross-play support with Xbox, PlayStation and PC, so no player is left behind.

Since its initial release, the free-to-play game has steadily built a strong following, thanks to its slick third-person combat, fast-paced gameplay, and a deep looting system. Frequent updates keep things fresh and bring players back for more. One of the game’s most unique features is the cyberlimb system; players can swap out limbs to gain special abilities, adding a layer of unpredictability and strategy to every match. These limbs can be looted, earned through trades, or taken from defeated enemies, offering plenty of ways to customize your loadout and playstyle.

Creatively led by film director Neill Blomkamp, writer and director of films District 9, Elysium and Chappie, Off The Grid has become “one of the most dynamic and responsive battle royales on the market” according to Gunzilla Games’ Executive Producer David Nicholson. Recent updates have been made to the game in direct response to community feedback, and it is that “commitment to player-driven development” that will help Off The Grid continue to build momentum as it prepares to roll out even more content.

The launch of Off The Grid on PC opens the door to a larger and broader player base that can become part of the community and continue to improve the game through active engagement. Player feedback continues to be an integral part of Off The Grid with key features such as limbs, weapons and maps all receiving tweaks in response to community involvement.

As the game prepares for its next phase, new and active players can expect to see Off The Grid’s packed roadmap unfold over the course of the next few months, including new gameplay elements and community-driven experiences.

Play Off The Grid on Steam by downloading here. To stay up to date on new announcements and information, join the active community on Discord or follow the X page for future updates. Want to see more, check out the Steam launch trailer here.

Pokémon TCG: Black Bolt and White Flare Preview — Why This Dual Expansion Is Epic

17 juillet 2025 à 15:00

I’ve been opening packs from Black Bolt and White Flare for the past week, including a White Flare Elite Trainer Box, the Poster Collection, Black Bolt Binder Collection, the Victini Illustration Collection, and a White Flare Booster Bundle. Right away, these don’t feel like typical Scarlet and Violet products. This dual-set format means there are two completely separate card lists, with Black Bolt focusing on Zekrom, Kyurem, and Genesect, while White Flare leans into Reshiram, Samurott, and Keldeo. It’s a clean split that doesn’t feel like filler or overlap. It feels especially fresh considering we've had two sets of trainer Pokémon cards with Journey Together and Destined Rivals.

This is also the final expansion in the Scarlet and Violet era, and I can tell the designers knew it. Pulling cards from both sets, there’s just a lot more to look at and sort through. You’ve got Poké Ball reverse holos, Master Ball reverse holos, Illustration Rares, Special Illustration Rares, and the new Black White Rare cards. Every single Unovan Pokémon is included across the two sets, which was obvious the moment I started ripping packs, trying to keep track.

The Black White Rare cards specifically caught my attention, although I didn't pull Reshiram, Zekrom or Victini. In Black Bolt, Zekrom ex has a new monochrome foil treatment, and in White Flare, Reshiram ex has the same look but in pure white. These aren’t just normal secret rares with a different background (although they look fantastic too), They look completely different from anything in their respective sets.

One thing I appreciate about this setup is how each set feels like it has its own identity. Black Bolt leans into electric types and edgy designs, while White Flare has a lot more reds and fiery aesthetics. Even the packaging, from the ETBs to the mini tins, reflects that. Sorting the cards felt like two separate collections that just happened to release on the same day.

From a collector’s angle, there’s a lot going on here. I noticed pretty quickly that even commons have an Illustration Rare version somewhere in the set. For example, I pulled two different artwork versions of Patrat (one regular and one IR) and it wasn’t just alternate art slapped onto a foil. It felt intentional, with each version telling a different story. That kind of thing keeps me opening packs longer than I probably should.

It also helps that I had pretty consistent pulls across all the products I opened. Between the Poster Collection, the Binder Collection, and the Booster Bundle, I pulled several ex cards, a couple of Illustration Rares, and one Master Ball reverse holo that honestly looks better than I expected. It feels like The Pokémon Company made a conscious effort to avoid the rough pull experiences some of the smaller sets had earlier this year.

Where to Buy

Unboxing and Impressions

I got my hands on an awesome selection of Black Bolt and White Flare products: a White Flare Elite Trainer Box, Unova Poster Collection, Black Bolt Binder Collection, the Victini Illustration Collection, and a White Flare Booster Bundle.

I don’t always open this many different product types when previewing a set, but with the way this dual release is structured, The Pokémon Company wanted to show this large duel-set off. Both sets have their own exclusive promos and packaging styles, which made the whole thing feel like more than just pulling from the same booster packs over and over.

White Flare Elite Trainer Box

I started with the White Flare ETB. Inside were the usual dice, sleeves, and nine booster packs. The promo is an epic Tornadus Illustration Rare. As for the pulls themselves, this ETB wasn’t the wildest I’ve opened, but I did manage to pull a Jellicent ex hyper rare, Whimsicott ex SIR, Accelfor IR, Keldeo ex, then a Mienfoo IR, Woobat Master Ball and Whimsicott ex in one pack! Epic result, but it’s ultimately potluck. Ripping packs of Black Bolt and White Flare open was certainly off to a cracking start.

Unova Poster Collection

The Unova Poster Collection felt more like a side product. It’s not packed with boosters (just four) but it does come with promos of the Unovan starter common cards from the set and a fold-out poster showing Unova Pokémon featured in both sets on one side, then box art for Black Bolt and White Flare on the other. So there’s two Black Bolt and two White Flare boosters in the Poster Collection. I pulled a Jellicent ex, Venipede IR and a Kyurem ex, which isn’t bad at all for four pack openings.

Black Bolt Binder Collection

The Binder Collection includes five boosters plus a nine-pocket binder themed around either Black Bolt or White Flare, depending on which version you buy. I got the Black Bolt version and pulled a Drilbur IR, so not a great experience with Black Bolt from the binder collection but the extras will come in handy.

Victini Illustration Collection

Out of everything I opened, the Victini Illustration Collection was probably the most surprising. It comes with a Victini promo IR, a giant card of the same and a common Victini Pokéball, plus two Black Bolt and two White Flare. I managed to pull another Keldeo ex, Excadrill ex and a Amoonguss Masterball. The Victini promo’s are worth it on it’s own, but I got some half-decent pulls as well. Fantastic!

White Flare Booster Bundle

Finally, I went through a White Flare Booster Bundle. Six packs, no extra promos or sleeves. This one was all about straight pulls, of which I got one Whimsicott ex, a Patrat IR (my favorite pull of this preview) and Hilda Trainer Full Art in one pack, another Woobat Master Ball. The demi god pack energy in Black Bolt and White Flare is real, and it’s so cool to open one.

I really like Black Bolt and White Flare, with me leaning towards White Flare due to my personal luck with the set. If you’re not pulling IRs and Exs, you’re pulling Pokeball and Masterball rares. I think the ball rares are the new holo and reverse holos for Pokémon TCG, which is a win for everyone in my opinion.

Black Bolt / White Flare: Top Card Pulls

I can't argue with the amount of pulls from this preview. Out of 27 booster packs I managed to pull four ex's, three Master Ball rares, five Illustration Rares, one Hyper Rare and one Secret Illustration Rare. That's an overall pull rate of over 50%, which isn't bad at all.

We have to consider this isn't a normal set thanks to the amount of Illustration rares and ball rares floating around, but it's an absolute blast to open. Although it's nice to see Pokéball and Master Ball rares coming back to English sets after Prismatic Evolutions, it feels like filling up an already packed set. It would be great to see how many epic pulls trainers could get without the inclusion of Pokéball and Masterball rares.

My Favorite Black Bolt / White Flare Pulls

Whimsicott ex Secret Art Rare

I was lucky enough to pull a Secret Art Rare version of Whimsicott ex, and as usual the artwork is fantastic. Full art cards have a special way of making you love Pokémon you either forgot existed or thought were a bit naff. Whimsicott is one of them and I couldn't be happier with this pull.

Patrat Illustration Rare

I love these bold Illustration Rares that again make a big fuss about overlooked Pokémon. Patrat is a Pokémon that went straight out of my party as soon as I could catch something to take that sixth spot on my team, yet this is my favorite pull from this preview. Go figure.

Meinfoo Illustration Rare

Bringing that Charmander, Charmeleon and Charizard ex 151 vibe, Mienfoo Illustration Rare is a cracking snapshot of a wild Pokémon. We're at that point in Pokémon TCG where these cards are works of art. The pose, backdrop and overall artstyle pops out of the card and I'm here for it.

Hilda Supporter Full Art

Supporter Full Arts rarely get much love and often plummit in value unless your a Kanto or Johto mainstay. Personally I love them, and the artwork with Hildas Supporter Full Art is just cool to look at. She's slightly popping into the borders and the subtle movements suggested in the artwork just make it interesting to look at.

Victini Illustration Rare Promo

Yes I know it's a guaranteed promo, but I couldn't leave out Victini Illustration Rare. It takes me right back to the launch of Black and White working at Gamestation in the UK (which was owned by Game at the time). We had an event cartridge in an old DS that allowed customers to unlock the Victini event and play through Black and White with this absolute gem of a Mythical Pokémon. Owning Pokémon cards with great memories like this attached to it like this is one of the many reasons why I'm into the TCG, and this artwork is gorgeous. 100% a big preview highlight for me.

Should You Buy Pokémon TCG: Black Bolt White Flare?

If you haven't secured preorders for Black Bolt and White Flare sealed products, feel free to try your luck at launch at your local brick and mortar or online. Alternatively, TCG Player pricing for presale sealed product is crashing, so I reckon we're seeing the usual price crash post-launch coming earlier.

What do I think of the set? I think it's great and possibly the best opportunity to pull Illustration Rares in the Scarlet and Violet era, it's ending on a high note. Personally I'm not a fan of stuffing the set with Pokéball and Masterball rares, but in terms of quality and presentation they look cool. It would be grand to see Mega Evolution double down on the dual format and loads of Illustration Rares, but this is an encouraging sneek peek into what's next for Pokémon TCG.

Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.

Thanksgiving Is a Hilarious But Disturbingly Relevant Horror Comic

17 juillet 2025 à 15:00

Halloween and Christmas may be the two holidays most commonly associated with horror, but let's not count out Thanksgiving. That combination worked out well enough in Eli Roth's Grindhouse spinoff Thanksgiving, and now it's the basis for a new satirical horror comic from AHOY Comics.

IGN can exclusively debut a new preview of Thanksgiving #1. Get a closer look in the slideshow gallery below:

Appropriately, Thanksgiving #1 is written by Mark Russell, one of the masters of modern comic book satire thanks to books like The Flintstones and Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles. The issue is illustrated by Mauricet (Edgar Allan Poe's Snifter of Terror, Howl).

Here's AHOY's official summary of Thanksgiving #1:

Thanksgiving: a day for American families, when the alienated, the estranged, and the politically antagonistic come together to perform unity—until the strain inevitably tears them apart. But for one family, the addition of a cruel and deadly secret—involving the continuing rampage of the mysterious Turkeyneck Killer—solidly binds them together in the saddest, most shameful way.

“Thanksgiving is a black comedy using the most American of holidays as a metaphor for what our nation is in danger of becoming,” said writer Mark Russell. “It tells the story of a nuclear family with many of the same divisions you find within our nation and how deep the rifts between people become while we aren’t paying attention. About how a monster lurks in plain sight, but we choose not to see it.”

"Mark got mad about something big and wrote this story—I think to help process it,” said AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief Tom Peyer. “I think it'll help us all process it. Whenever he gets mad, I hope he brings it to AHOY. Mauricet, meanwhile, is doing the best work of his career, but then he always seems to be."

Thanksgiving #1 will be released on October 22, 2025.

In other comic book news, Cult of the Lamb is returning to comics for the new Schism Special, and Marvel introduced David Colton, the forgotten post-9/11 Captain America.

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

Everything We Know About James Gunn's DCU Video Game Plans

17 juillet 2025 à 14:30

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s the very first movie in James Gunn’s revamped DC Universe!

Now that Superman has hit theaters, James Gunn’s DC Universe is fully underway… Or is it? While Gunn has now released a movie, a TV show (Peacemaker), and an animated series (Creature Commandos) under his stewardship, there’s still a missing piece of the DC Universe puzzle: video games.

Gunn told fans back in 2022 that his master plan for an interconnected DC Universe includes video games. But unlike on the movies and TV side of things, there have been no official announcements regarding what the first DC Universe video game will be.

An absence of reveals doesn’t mean we don’t have a reasonably clear picture of what to expect, though. Across multiple interviews and press events, Gunn and co-studio head Peter Safran have explained their plans, including the fact that while they don’t technically oversee Warner Bros.’ gaming division, there’s now a much deeper collaboration between WB Games and DC Studios that could dramatically alter the way future DC video games are made. With that in mind, let’s analyze what the future of games will look like in the new DCU era.

Gunn Takes Over DC

The first time we learned that video games factored into Gunn’s DC plans was shortly after he and producer Peter Safran were announced as co-heads of DC Studios on October 25, 2022. While answering fan questions on X, Gunn responded to one user who asked if games would be connected to the DCU alongside films and TV. To this, he simply replied, “Yes.

It wouldn’t be until a few months later that Gunn revealed what movies and shows were in development as part of Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, which is the DCU’s equivalent of the MCU’s Phase 1. And while video games were conspicuously missing from the Chapter 1 roadmap, Gunn told members of the press, “Television, movies, and games all intertwine within the same universe. We’re going to cast actors who are going to be able to play the characters in [animation and TV], as well as in other things.” This was the first clear indication from Gunn that video games were indeed a part of his plans for the DCU.

One important thing to know is that Gunn’s job as head of DC Studios doesn’t include control over any of Warner Bros’ video game studios, which include developers like Avalanche Software (Hogwarts Legacy), NetherRealm Studios (Mortal Kombat), Rocksteady Studios (Batman Arkham), and TT Games (Lego).

Under the current Warner Bros. Discovery corporate structure, Warner Bros. Games exists separately from DC Studios and is overseen by Warner Bros. Discovery's CEO of global streaming and gaming, JB Perrette. But after Gunn and Safran were named DC co-heads in 2022, Perrette appears to be deferring to the new DC bosses when it comes to matters of comic book video games.

The Walls Break Down Between WB Games and DC Studios

In an interview with Variety in 2024, Perrette revealed, “Frankly, there hasn’t been as close a relationship between the studio and the games business as there should have been. And James [Gunn] is actually a gamer, so having someone who’s passionate about it is super helpful.” Perrette added that the games departments are now “actively working with [Gunn and Safran] on the core franchises within the DC Universe.”

Based on this interview, it appears there was once a wall that divided WB’s gaming division from the movie and TV studios. And according to Perrette, it was only after Gunn and Safran took over DC Studios that a newfound sense of collaboration was achieved.

“Whether it’s NetherRealm or whether it’s Rocksteady, [we] sit with them and talk about characters and stories that we’re interested in and that they’re interested in.”

This dividing wall was confirmed a year later during a DC Studios Presentation held on February 24, 2025. During the event, James Gunn and Peter Safran confirmed Perrette’s statements regarding the separation between the two WB divisions and how that relationship has changed since they took over.

“We work incredibly closely with JB Perrette, who runs that division, and it’s really the first time ever it’s been this way at Warner Bros,” Safran confirmed. “It’s been great, and we’ve enjoyed it enormously. Everything had been so siloed, and now that’s completely broken down, and it’s been great. Because it also applies to consumer products and experiences, and everything that DC touches runs up through us now, which is awesome.”

“James [Gunn] and I sit with literally the guys that run the studios underneath JB,” Safran added. “Whether it’s NetherRealm or whether it’s Rocksteady, [we] sit with them and talk about characters and stories that we’re interested in and that they’re interested in.”

It’s funny that Safran mentions Rocksteady, as it was reported earlier this year that the studio is developing a new single-player Batman game. While it may be too soon to tell, at least according to Gunn and Safran, there will likely be some input from their side of things at DC Studios.

“We see designs for the projects in their very earliest stages,” Gunn said at the event. “When they’re talking about what the story might be, we say, ‘Well, maybe you want to go this way because we’re planning on maybe doing something with this character and so forth and so on,’ and help deal with that.”

Does this mean Gunn will be fully in charge of the next Rocksteady Batman game? Not quite. Gunn confirmed that “not all” games will be connected to the DCU’s overarching story when another fan on X shared their concern about losing standalone experiences like Rocksteady’s Arkham series. So, depending on where Rocksteady wants to take its next single-player Batman game, there’s a chance it could be incorporated into the DCU, or treated as a separate universe like Matt Reeves’ The Batman movies.

Furthermore, Perrette said in the aforementioned Variety interview that WB’s game studios will still be making projects based on what’s best for the studios and gamers, saying, “We’re not going to launch a Superman game purely because we feel obligated. We have to do something that makes sense for the gaming strategy and for fans and for the consumer.”

How James Gunn’s DCU Is Already Shaping Games

Even if DC’s full gaming plans remain a mystery, we’re already seeing Gunn’s unified vision for DC play out in several games right now.

“Our characters can move in and out of animation or jump into a game or onto the big screen, but they will remain consistent throughout: same character, same history, same actor,” Gunn said during the press tour for Creature Commandos last year — a couple months after Peacemaker was added to Mortal Kombat 1 as a DLC character on February 28, 2024.

Just as Gunn said, NetherRealm enlisted John Cena to reprise his TV and movie role as Peacemaker in Mortal Kombat 1. Not only is his likeness and design identical to the version of the character that appears in the HBO series and The Suicide Squad movie, but even his Victory Pose in Mortal Kombat 1 is a direct reference to Peacemaker’s glam rock-themed opening credits.

Similarly, this month’s Superman-themed content for Fortnite features skins for Superman, Mr. Terrific, and The Engineer, which are all based on the likenesses of their movie counterparts. So, rather than a comic-book version of these characters, you’re playing as David Corenswet’s Superman, Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific, and Maria Gabriela de Faria’s Engineer. Like Peacemaker, it seems that any appearance by a DCU character in a video game will be identical to their movie and TV counterpart, just as Gunn promised (with the exception of those standalone projects Gunn also promised, of course.)

“Since taking the reins, our true north has been to bring DC film, TV, animation, and gaming into alignment under a single banner and bring a sense of unity and consistency into the DCU as a whole,” Gunn said ahead of the premiere of Creature Commandos. “This frees us to create a range of products that are diverse and compelling, and deliver great stand-alone entertainment experiences on every medium, while also being part of a larger story that we’re telling within our unified DCU.”

It’s been a rough couple of years for DC games under Warner Bros.. Between the closing of Monolith Software and the cancellation of a Wonder Woman video game, to Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s lackluster release, the future of DC video games appeared to be in major flux. Warner Bros. even considered selling off its gaming business entirely.

And while WB Games’ fortunes have changed with the massive success of games like Hogwarts Legacy, there’s still no official word yet on the future of DC video games. But it’s clear based on statements from Gunn, Safran, and Perrette that Warner Bros. Games and DC Studios are collaborating deeply when it comes to any upcoming video game starring DC’s caped heroes. Although the basic expectation is that if a character from DC’s movies and shows appears in a game, it will feature the same actor, the full plans for DC video games, especially from developers like Rocksteady, remain to be seen.

Be sure to check out our full list of upcoming DC movies and TV shows, as well as our Superman review for our full DC coverage.

Matt Kim is IGN's Senior Features Editor.

Grow a Garden Codes (July 2025)

17 juillet 2025 à 11:00

Looking for Grow a Garden codes? Plenty of Roblox experiences have codes, and Grow a Garden is no exception. Way back during the Lunar Glow Event, a code redemption system was added. Since then, however, we've seen no new codes. That looks set to change this week, however, with teasers from the developer's social media pages. When that new code drops, IGN will have you covered and update this article.

Working Grow a Garden Codes (July 2025)

There are currently no active Grow a Garden codes! As soon as new ones are announced, we'll update this article to include them. For now, why not take a look at all the new content that was just added to GaG for their latest update? This week, it's the Pet Mutation Update we've seen added to the game.

Expired Grow a Garden Codes (July 2025)

Unfortunately, these codes have now expired:

  • LUNARGLOW10 - This gave players 3x Seed Packs.

How to Redeem Grow a Garden Codes

Now that there's a code redemption system in the Roblox experience, here are the steps you need to follow to use Grow a Garden codes:

  1. Launch the Grow a Garden Roblox experience
  2. Look in the top left corner to find the Settings cog next to the icon of the backpack
  3. Click settings and scroll down to the bottom
  4. Copy and paste codes from this article into the Redeem Codes box
  5. Press claim and enjoy your goodies!

Why Isn't My Grow a Garden Code Working?

There are usually two reasons why a code isn't working. It's either because:

  • The code is expired
  • The code has been entered incorrectly

If a code has been entered incorrectly or is expired, it will say the "code is invalid." To stop this from happening, we'd recommend copying and pasting the code directly from this article. We check and test each of the codes before we add them to our articles. However, when copying them, you can sometimes accidentally include an extra space somewhere, so always double check there's no additional spaces!

Where to Find More Grow a Garden Codes

If new codes are added to the game, we'll update this article, so you can always check back here and keep up-to-date with the latest codes. Grow a Garden has its own dedicated Discord server where codes will be announced, as well as game updates.

What is Grow a Garden in Roblox?

Grow a Garden is a new Roblox experience that's become incredibly popular since it launched. The gardening simulator allows players to show off their green fingers, as you buy seeds and plant a variety of crops from basic carrots to exotic dragon fruit trees.

As fruit and vegetables finally sprout, you'll be able to harvest them to sell for Sheckles. To go from a beginner gardener to a pro worthy of awards, you'll want your crops to experience mutations that increase their value. This can happen randomly, with Gold and Big mutations being down to chance, while weather events like snow can increase your luck of a Frozen mutation. There's also gear, and even pets now, that can affect how fast your crops grow, their value, and more.

When is the Next Update in Grow a Garden?

Grow a Garden hosts new events each weekend, where players can come together and try out the fresh content for the ever-expanding game. The next update is planned for Saturday July 19, 2025. This update is being called the Zen Update. All we know so far is that there will be a limited-time Zen Event, which we imagine will bring plenty of new rewards. We're also being told that there's new seeds, new tranquil themed pets, and more!

Lauren Harper is an Associate Guides Editor. She loves a variety of games but is especially fond of puzzles, horrors, and point-and-click adventures.

With Iron Man and Steve Rogers' Captain America Gone, The Fantastic Four: First Steps Director Reveals Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards Will 'Lead the Avengers'

17 juillet 2025 à 13:49

When Earth's mightiest heroes finally unite to take on Doctor Doom, who will lead the charge? Well, according to The Fantastic Four: The First Steps director Matt Shakman, it'll be Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards — an answer that has surprised many Marvel fans.

Cast your mind back to the last Avengers film, Endgame, and the superhero team's previous leaders then. Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man and Chris Evans' Captain America may no longer be with us, but Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson has taken up the latter's mantle — and he was last seen in Captain America: Brave New World establishing a new Avengers team once more.

Brave New World did not name Wilson's Captain America as the team's leader specifically, but this was certainly implied — especially as Marvel's next film, Thunderbolts* / The New Avengers, then referenced a rivalry between Wilson's Avengers and the Thunderbolts' "New Avengers" team.

Now, despite Marvel already having two Avengers squads on its books, it sounds like the team's true leader in Avengers: Doomsday will end up being someone else entirely — and someone who is still yet to make their MCU debut, rather than a character fans have seen previously.

"He goes from being the nerdy scientist who's locked away in the lab, to the husband and the father who'd do anything to protect his family, to the guy who's leading the Avengers," Shakman said of Reed Richards, discussing the character in an interview with Variety.

It's a slightly odd thing to hear — especially as surviving OG Avengers veterans such as Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner and Chris Hemsworth's Thor are also still around. Why aren't either of these higher up the pecking order? What about Captain Marvel, even? And why not Sam Wilson?

Perhaps this is about star power — with Pedro Pascal seen as a bigger draw. Perhaps this is about the middling box office performance of Captain America: Brave New World, and a desire not to remind audiences of a film that is not beloved. Or perhaps this is simply about the film's story — with Reed Richards and Doctor Doom positioned as mortal enemies in the Marvel comics, after all.

Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards will make his big-screen Marvel debut in just a matter of days, when The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters on July 25. The character — along with the rest of Marvel's first family — will then return next year for Avengers: Doomsday, currently due to launch on December 1, 2026.

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

Sega Addresses Concerns Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Will Be Sold As a Game-Key Card on Nintendo Switch 2, Confirms The 'Full Base Game' Will Be Included On the 64GB Cartridge

17 juillet 2025 à 13:09

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will be sold as a physical Nintendo Switch game with the "full base game" included on a 64GB cartridge.

Switch 2 Game-Key Cards are physical cards that contain a key to download your chosen game. That means there’s no actual game data on the card you insert into your Switch 2, and you’ll instead need to download the full game once the card is inserted. Every Game-Key Card case should be appropriately labeled on the front of the box, but the practice has been troubling some gamers, especially those who prefer to physically own their games, not just license them digitally.

This is particularly good news for Sonic fans because there had been confusion and conflicting reports about CrossWorlds in particular. Now, however, Sega has removed all doubt, confirming in a new FAQ that "the physical version will feature the full base game on a 64GB cartridge."

The FAQ also confirmed that crossplay will be available for Nintendo Switch 2 players, progress will carry over from the original Switch to the newer edition, and yes, there will be a $10 upgrade pack for anyone hoping to upgrade to the Switch 2 version in the future.

By contrast, Square Enix was criticised by fans earlier this week for confirming there would be "no upgrade path" for its Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake on Switch 2, and that its save files would not be compatible across platforms.

Sega has said CrossWorlds will feature a huge roster of over playable characters, if you include DLC. Characters you’d expect to see, such as Sonic, Dr. Eggman, Knuckles, Shadow, and Tails are present and correct, but now you can add the likes of SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into the mix.

CrossWorlds is, of course, going up against Switch 2 exclusive kart game Mario Kart World, which has so far resisted adding guest characters from outside Nintendo's portfolio. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is set for release on both the Switch and the Switch 2, so it looks like we’ll be set for some old-fashioned Mario vs. Sonic kart racing rivalry when Sega's effort launches in September.

IGN recently went hands-on with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and came away impressed. “It’s a vibe,” we said, “and one that I’ve enjoyed and will look forward to drifting through.”

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

Roblox's New Safety Features Include an AI That Will Guess Your Age Based on a Video Selfie

17 juillet 2025 à 13:01

Roblox has announced a new range of safety features directed specifically at teenagers ages 13-17, including a new age estimation technology that uses AI to guess a user's age based on a video selfie they submit.

Today's announcement reveals several new features being implemented in Roblox that the company claims will improve teen and child safety on its platform. At the core of the announcement are new features specifically for teens ages 13-17, giving them more freedom on the platform than younger children but still less than adults. Teens will be able to designate "trusted connections" on Roblox, with whom they will be able to chat on the platform without filters. Per Roblox, the goal is to better monitor conversations teens are having on Roblox rather than having them lured to third-party platforms where unmonitored conversations could become inappropriate.

Trusted connections are intended to be set between users who know one another well, and if a teen intends to set someone 18+ as a trusted connection, they can only do so using a QR code scanner or a contact importer.

In the past, Roblox has relied on the submission of a government ID verifying that users are 13+ or 18+ to unlock certain platform chat features. However, it is now implementing an alternative verification method. Individuals can submit a "video selfie" to Roblox, and an AI will determine if it believes the person in question is 13+ by analyzing it against "a large, diverse dataset." Google began testing a similar feature earlier this year, as did Meta the year prior.

In addition to these changes, Roblox is also adding new tools such as online status controls, a do not disturb mode, and parental controls for parents who have linked their accounts to a teenage's account.

Roblox has long been in an uncomfortable spotlight regarding its handling of children's safety. In 2018, it made headlines when a mother reported her seven-year-old daughter's Roblox character was violently sexually assaulted by other players in-game, and separately a six-year-old girl playing Roblox was reportedly invited into a "sex room". In 2021, People Make Games published a report on the ways in which Roblox's business model allegedly exploits child labor. In 2022, Roblox faced a San Francisco lawsuit accusing it of enabling the financial and sexual exploitation of a 10-year-old girl. In 2023, it was sued both for allegedly facilitating "an illegal gambling ecosystem" and more generally for having lax child safety protocols that allegedly led to financial loss and children's exposure to adult content. Just last year, Bloomberg published a damning report highlighting the prevalence of child predators on the platform. That same year, the platform claimed it reported over 13,000 incidents of child exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the year 2023, resulting in the arrest of 24 individuals who allegedly preyed on children through the game.

"Safety has always been foundational to everything we do at Roblox," said Roblox chief safety officer Matt Kaufman in a statement alongside today's new feature news. "Our goal is to lead the world in safety and civility for online gaming. We are dedicated to supporting experiences that are both deeply engaging, and empowering for players of all ages, while continuously innovating how users connect and interact."

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.

Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala Are the FC 26 Cover Stars — and Fans Are Now Wondering if the 'Madden Curse' Has Spread to Soccer

17 juillet 2025 à 12:47

It’s that time of the year again and EA has revealed the cover stars of its next soccer game, FC 26. But this go around there’s concern that the infamous 'Madden curse' has spread to EA’s soccer series, after joint cover stars Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala suffered significant injuries that left them facing lengthy spells on the sidelines.

“It’s really nice to share this moment with Jamal, as a reflection of how far we’ve come,” said Real Madrid and England midfield star Bellingham in a comment accompanying the announcement.

“I remember our times rooming together in the England Youth team, we’d play the game all the time. Where I’m from, everyone knows the game, everyone plays it and talks about it so much. I’m grateful to be given the opportunity to be on the cover again.”

And here’s a comment from Bayern Munich and Germany forward Musiala: “When I found out I’d be on the cover of FC, it was such a crazy feeling. I thought, how could I tell my little brother? He’s a big fan of the game, so this will be a nice surprise for him. It’s something I always wanted growing up and it’s such a big part of football culture. Who knows, maybe I can still beat Jude at FC.”

The problem is, both players are injured and are set to miss a significant chunk of the next season. Let’s start with Bellingham. The 22-year-old just had surgery on a long-standing shoulder injury that’s set to keep him out of the game for up to four months. That means he’s going to miss the start of next season and may not return until November.

It’s worse for Musiala, though. He suffered a horrible injury playing at the Club World Cup that rules him out for between four and five months. After breaking his leg and dislocating his ankle in the same incident, the 22-year-old is set for a long absence.

All this means FC 26 launches in September with both its cover stars unable to play the game. One potentially won’t play again until 2026. Hardly ideal for the marketers at EA Sports, who must be wondering whether they are now cursed.

The Madden curse fan theory suggests any athlete who appears on the cover of Madden NFL suffers a downturn in their career, either from an injury or generally underperforming. The long-standing Madden curse most recently afflicted Madden NFL 25 cover star Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers, who was shifted to the injured reserve list due to calf tightness and achilles tendinitis one month after he graced the cover of the latest American football entry from EA Sports, which arrived August 13, 2024.

CBS Sports analyzed the history of the Madden curse upon McCaffrey's announcement as 2024's cover star, deeming that, between 2000 and 2024, 58% of players struggled after appearing on the cover.

EA’s FIFA series — now FC — has a long way to go before a ‘FIFA curse’ spreads online, but perhaps FC 26 has started something new. FC 26 launches across PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, PC, Amazon Luna, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 on September 26, 2025, with early access through the Ultimate Edition beginning September 19, 2025.

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

Amid Fan Confusion Around the Risks of Using a Well-Known Pokémon Go Exploit, the Game's Developer Responds by Pointing Back to its Terms of Service — Which Lay Out its Rules on Cheating

17 juillet 2025 à 12:07

The alleged risk of using a well-known Pokémon Go exploit is causing widespread confusion among the game's community, fuelled by a dire warning from a senior player that supposedly originates from the app's own development team.

Said warning states that Pokémon Go's developers are aware of the exploit in question — which allows users to interact with in-game locations from further away than normally possible — and consider it "a violation of the Terms of Service of the game."

Continued use of the exploit is detectable by the developer's anti-cheat teams, the warning goes on to claim, and risks users' accounts being flagged for cheating — an offense that can eventually result in a permanent account ban.

The appearance of this message, and the claim it is being passed on from Pokémon Go's makers, has sparked a firestorm of debate, primarily over the rights and (mostly) wrongs of this exploit being viewed as cheating in the same vein as more nefarious tactics.

Many players have said that this "trick" simply makes use of a unintended bug in how the game functions, and is not comparable to the tools some players use to actively break the game, such as by using third-party apps and hacks to spoof their location.

There's also a debate over the veracity of the message itself — both over its origins, which appear to be from a senior player marked as a Community Ambassador who has spoken to the game's developers, and over the likely intent behind what was said.

To understand the nuances here, it's worth taking a look at the issue in more detail. At a base level, the exploit allows players to access a raid lobby slightly beyond their normal interaction radius via a Daily or Premium Raid Pass, rather than by using a more expensive Remote Raid Pass.

Performing the exploit — referred to locally among players as "flying," "floating," or "tricking" — is clearly not intended behavior, but can hardly be considered game-breaking. Accessing a raid lobby that's less than 100m away but slightly out of your normal range is considered by many players to simply be a convenience — and potentially an aid to taking part in more raids overall, even if this is done so without the top-tier Remote Raid Pass.

That said, a simple glance at the game's Terms of Service (TOS) shows that, according to the letter of the law, this could indeed fall under the game's description of cheating as it stands.

IGN contacted the Pokémon Go development team to ask about the origins of the warning, whether the exploit was indeed considered cheating, and what actions players might expect if they continued to use it. In response, a spokesperson pointed us back to the game's TOS document, and specifically its section on cheating, which we'll quote below.

Now, it's entirely possible to see how this exploit could fall under the TOS' definition of using "techniques to alter or falsify a device's location" and therefore — again, according to the letter of the law — is something that could be considered cheating.

But by pointing IGN back to its TOS, the Pokémon Go development team is also — deliberately or not — highlighting something potentially crucial around this issue's enforcement. And that's the fact that, once again, according to the letter of the law, playing with multiple accounts is also considered cheating — despite it being something that a percentage of the game's playerbase does, with absolutely zero infraction.

What this may all ultimately boil down to is someone purportedly asking the Pokémon Go development team for its view on an issue that the game's makers would obviously never sanction, but which seems unlikely to suddenly result in waves of players being banned. And yet, because of the murky origins of the warning, and because nuance can be difficult when messages get passed over the internet, players have now been left aggrieved and concerned.

Will the exploit stick around in the game forever? It seems unlikely. Will players suddenly find themselves banned for using it while it's still possible? This seems unlikely too. But, we should state, this is just one reading of the situation, in lieu of any formal statement being provided — something which, if formalised, would likely only prompt the need for actual enforecement, which the majority of players seem to be against.

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

Donkey Kong Bananza Credits Confirm DK's New Voice Actor — and There's a Fresh Voice for Pauline Too

17 juillet 2025 à 11:55

Donkey Kong Bananza is out today, and the game's credits have now confirmed Nintendo's main new voice actor behind Donkey Kong.

Unusually for a Nintendo game, Bananza's credits list out each of the game's voice actors with their specific roles — and right at the top is Kouji Takeda, credited as Donkey Kong in all of the game's various language options.

Takeda, who voiced Donkey Kong in the Japanese dub of the Super Mario Bros. Movie, now appears to have taken over as the video game voice of Donkey Kong as well, unifying the ape's grunts across mediums. This was something that was previously speculated — though not confirmed — when his name popped up in the credits of Switch 2 launch title Mario Kart World, while DK's previous veteran voice actor did not.

Eagled-eyed Nintendo fans noted that Takashi Nagasako, who previously voiced Donkey Kong for 21 years, was no longer credited for the character as of Mario Kart World. At the time, this was discussed as likely yet another change by Nintendo of its long-term voice acting cast, following the replacement of Princess Peach and Toad actress Samantha Kelly after 18 years and more than 70 games, and the retirement of Charles Martinet as the voice of Mario, Luigi, Wario and Waluigi after almost 30 years.

Bananza's credits also reveal a new voice for Pauline, with actress and musician Jenny Kidd now voicing the character for its English dub.

In Super Mario Odyssey, Pauline is voiced by Kate Higgins, who also sings the game's theme song Jump Up, Super Star! But perhaps this change is to be expected — after all, Bananza's Pauline is now a younger, 13-year-old incarnation.

Fans have some interesting theories around this version of Pauline being a precursor to the character we see in Odyssey, something that would make Bananza a prequel — and we even asked the game's development team for their take. But to say more, for now, would venture into spoiler territory — something that's best left avoided until you play the game for yourself.

Intrigued? We dubbed the game as a "a brilliant successor to Super Mario Odyssey and a smashing return for a classic Nintendo character" in IGN's Donkey Kong Bananza review. "Every element comes together in complete harmony to create Nintendo’s first Switch 2 masterpiece."

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

Silent Hill and Slitterhead Creator Keiichiro Toyama Is Already Working On His Next Game — And It's Not Slitterhead 2

17 juillet 2025 à 11:45

Silent Hill and Slitterhead creator Keiichiro Toyama is working on a brand new game.

Talking to Famitsu at an exhibition celebrating Slitterhead's wild concept art, Toyama discussed the horror game's reception, what it's like to run his own studio, and hinted that he's already working on another unannounced project.

While Toyama stressed the studio wasn't overly concerned about making a commercial game, he did acknowledge Bokeh Studios had expected the game to sell better, despite it becoming a cult classic. He also suggested that there was a little confusion about whether Slitterhead was a horror or action game, which muddied the message, but was proud of the work Bokeh developers did to make Slitterhead such an unusual game.

"As for how long we’ll be able to continue, it becomes a difficult topic, especially if we take my age into consideration," Toyama admitted, as translated by Automaton. "However, I believe that moving forward, I also have to pass the baton to the next generation. As a studio, we’re still midway to reaching our goal."

As for what his next game will be?

“I can’t reveal the exact details, but we have started working on our next title. In the beginning, we wanted this to be a studio where we could do many different things, like implementing the ideas of younger generations and even working on more light-hearted projects," he said, admitting that even though Bokeh's indie status allows it to try creative ideas, it's a long way from being able to do whatever it wants.

"Once again, we have to pour in all our efforts as a studio and prove that we are up to the task. We are currently working towards that goal. However, we’re still in the beginning phase, so I believe we’ll be able to reveal more details [about the new game] somewhere in the future."

Interestingly, Toyama did stress that he did not conclude Slitterhead with "a sequel in mind," suggesting his next game will not be Slitterhead 2, although it's possible we'll get one in the future.

We thought Slitterhead was mediocre, securing a 5 in IGN's review: "Like a bloody blade worn down by a few too many battles, Slitterhead grows increasingly dull over time and ultimately just doesn’t cut it."

As for the Silent Hill franchise itself? Well, Silent Hill f is next. While the series' J-horror roots have shriveled with each release, Silent Hill f looking to change all that, complete with a firmer emphasis on combat. Watch IGN’s Nick Limon, Matt Kim, and John Davison talk about what this Japanaese-based Silent Hill means for the future of the franchise.

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

RoboCop: Rogue City - Unfinished Business Review

17 juillet 2025 à 10:00

Good news, ‘80s action fans: Blasting bad guys’ brains out and balls off is still RoboCop’s business, and business is… unfinished. A standalone expansion to 2023’s entertainingly authentic RoboCop: Rogue City, RoboCop: Rogue City - Unfinished Business takes Robo’s relentless rampage off the scum-riddled streets of Old Detroit and up through the heavily guarded heights of OMNI Tower in an all-new, 10-hour killing spree. The bad news is that with precious few new weapons and enemy types, the action of Unfinished Business never really elevates enough to match the skyward trajectory of its setting or distinguish itself as little more than a replay of the original. There’s still plenty of ultra violence to indulge in here, but it’s a form of mindless fun that’s as familiar as it is ferocious.

Not unlike the 2012 sci-fi splatterfest movie Dredd, the action of Unfinished Business is contained almost entirely within the one highrise building and sees RoboCop making his way from the ground floor to its upper reaches in search of some stolen OCP equipment. It borrows a bit of BioShock as well, since Robo is initially led along by an anonymous assistant on the other end of a two-way radio, and that helps to lend a welcome air of mystery to the story’s opening half – even if it doesn’t eventually pay off with any shocking plot twists like Irrational Games’ underwater classic.

As was the case with the previous game, the success of Unfinished Business’ storytelling largely hinges on the often hilarious deadpan delivery of original RoboCop actor Peter Weller in the main role. Whether he’s repeating iconic lines from the movies or making subtle mockery of almost everyone he meets, Weller’s performance is a noticeable cut above the rest. Admittedly, that’s not a super high bar to clear since the supporting cast often sound like they’re voiced by hastily dashed-out placeholder recordings someone forgot to fill in with the real ones, and each seem to draw from the same shallow pool of character heads, making it tough to really distinguish one from the other. In the end, I was happy to go along for the ride all the way to Unfinished Business’ bullet-riddled gore-gasm of a climax, in spite of the fact that I didn’t particularly feel compelled to focus on anyone other than the scumbags standing squarely in front of my ironsights.

Business As Usual

Beyond the story, though, Unfinished Business is a fairly flat 10 hours because while it increases the amount of bad guys you have to shoot, it doesn’t do nearly enough to expand the variety of ways you do it. If you’ve played 2023’s Rogue City, then you’ve already experienced the bulk of what Unfinished Business’ combat has to offer. Once again, you’re able to ricochet bullets off walls to stylishly snipe enemies hidden behind cover, perform breach-and-clears on almost every door you come across in bloodsplattered slow-motion, and shoot explosive barrel after explosive barrel as you RoboStop and RoboDrop absolutely every criminal you come across. It’s all presented with the same fan-pleasing flair, from the green Apple IIe-like graphics of Robo’s heads-up display to the iconic theme music that swells along with the increasing enemy numbers, and that certainly still goes a long way. It’s just a shame to see the skill and Auto 9 upgrade systems copied across seemingly unchanged. You unlock the exact same perks like armour-piercing rounds and the ability to automatically deflect incoming enemy fire, just a little faster this time thanks to the story’s shorter runtime.

If you’ve played 2023’s Rogue City, then you’ve already experienced the bulk of what Unfinished Business’ combat has to offer.

There are a handful of new mechanical enemy types to contend with at least, though none of them really shake things up to a dramatic degree. I did find myself making more consistent use of Robo’s returning slow-mo skill in order to combat the fast-moving robobombs that rapidly roll towards you, as well as the swarms of flying security drones that dart unpredictably through the air above. But while the nimble killbots that cartwheel around the place seem threatening at first blush, they quickly prove to be about as resilient as a jar of baby food as I either shattered their robot skulls with a quick burst of bullets or simply picked them up and disposed of them like katana-wielding Kleenexes, even on the hardest difficulty setting.

OMNI Tower itself does offer the occasional interesting space to host the slaughter in, from the vibrant video arcade and cinema found in the relaxation zone to the trashbag-strewn underbelly of waste management (complete with a Star Wars-style trash compactor to frantically blast your way out of). Those are the exception, though, and most of the carnage takes place in the charmless concrete corridors in between. That’s to be expected from a tour through a corporate dystopia, sure, but it doesn’t make for a lot of fun surprises. Despite the striking gallery of gore and particle effects that shower over each firefight, there were times that Unfinished Business’ drab interiors made it feel less like a thrilling action adventure and more like wandering in circles through a shopping mall carpark trying to work out where I left my 6000 SUX.

Still, the biggest problem I had with Unfinished Business’ gunplay was the same one I found with 2023’s Rogue City. That is, Robo’s signature Auto 9 – blessed as it is with unlimited ammo, easily upgradeable attributes, and an undeniable cool factor – makes the dozens of other firearms found throughout the campaign almost entirely redundant. It’s just so overequipped to deal with everything that’s thrown your way that I never found a good enough reason to holster it. It would be akin to a Star Wars adventure in which you default to the use of a lightsaber – you’re probably not ever going to clip it to your belt and pick up a Tusken Raider’s gaffi stick to crack heads with instead.

There is one exception: the cryo cannon that’s introduced in the second half proved to be worth a few charged-up trigger squeezes, especially since its sub-zero rounds turn your targets into instant ice sculptures that can be subsequently shattered like the T-1000. That’s a time-honored video game tradition that dates back to Duke Nukem 3D. But otherwise I almost never felt the need to bend over and grab any other dropped firearms – and not just because Robo appears to have the knee joints of an 80-year-old man (as well as the voice of a 78-year-old). In fact, the only time I felt forced to employ enemy uzis and shotguns was during an especially violent rescue mission late in the story – and that’s only because the thing I was trying to rescue was, funnily enough, my stolen Auto 9.

Murphy’s Law

Unfinished Business’ structure is effectively built around a cycle of using your Auto 9 to deep-six hordes of mercenaries, pausing to settle disputes between citizens in side missions that veer from moderately humorous to completely banal, and then flicking some switches and turning valves in its basic puzzle sections to open the path ahead before resuming the unrelenting blaze of glorious gore. There are only a handful of detours along the way that at least try to mix up the otherwise predictable pacing, with varying degrees of success.

In one flashback mission we get to pull on the kevlar-lined vest of Alex Murphy in his pre-RoboCop days, as he and his fellow officers are dispatched to investigate the whereabouts of some known perps. I enjoyed this small glimpse of Murphy’s origins in the Metro South precinct even if the stilted banter between his squad was more than a little wide of the mark, and there were some fun Easter eggs to find here including a memo that referenced the ominous rise of a new criminal on the scene that I won't spoil here.

However, the setting of this sequence lacks imagination given that its abandoned mill surroundings are a bit too similar to the site of Murphy’s infamous ‘crucifixion’ scene witnessed in the first film, and its combat feels somewhat topsy turvy. Where RoboCop must scramble to find OCP charges in order to replenish his rapidly depleting health, regular flesh-and-bone Murphy somehow magically regains it in between shootouts. That’s typical for a lot of first-person shooters, but it’s less of a contrast to playing as a walking tank than I’d been expecting. On the flipside, Murphy can only wield his boring old service pistol, which is frustrating because this was one of the few times I actually wanted to pick up a gun I found but couldn’t. It all makes for a diversion that’s important to the plot, but not particularly compelling to play.

[RoboCop] always seems to be lit with ambient neon lights like he’s emerging out of the driver’s side of a Ford Taurus on the poster for the 1987 film.

Thankfully, the same can’t be said for the late-game level where you get to pilot an ED-209 mech. This fabulously frenetic stretch of fan service allows you to use twin arm cannons to shred through each hapless human like they’re that one poor bastard executive that probably should have hid in the bathroom during the original ED-209 demonstration, blast through concrete walls with rocket barrages, and even trample over a model of Old Detroit’s skyline while battling rival robots like you’re revelling in a small-scale clash of Kaiju. Sure, it’s perhaps not as cathartic as it could have been given that by that point I’d already very efficiently turned hundreds of mercenaries into mincemeat with Robo’s Auto 9. But I can’t pretend I wasn’t grinning like an idiot through the entire sequence, which ratchets up the carnage to ludicrous levels and doesn’t linger long enough to outstay the welcome of playing as a near-invincible killing machine.

I never got tired of seeing RoboCop himself onscreen either. As was the case with the previous game, his polished steel armour looks absolutely spot-on and he always seems to be lit with ambient neon lights like he’s emerging out of the driver’s side of a Ford Taurus on the poster for the 1987 film. That said, outside of the smooth lines of Robo’s movie-accurate character model there’s a noticeable roughness to Unfinished Business, at least on the PlayStation 5 version that I played. During my time with it I suffered frame rate dips, audio dropouts, animation glitches, dodgy lip syncing, ridiculous moon physics during slow-motion breaches, characters disappearing completely during finishing moves and story cutscenes, and even the occasional crash to the home screen. After a while I started to wonder if the “Unfinished Business” title was a nod to RoboCop’s everlasting quest for justice or merely a reference to the launch state of the game itself.

Big Summer Warhammer Preview Adds Black Library Logo and Now Warhammer 40,000 Lore Fans Are Hoping Games Workshop Is Finally Ready to Move the Narrative Forward

17 juillet 2025 à 08:17

Games Workshop has added a Black Library logo to its official Big Summer Warhammer Preview showcase, sparking speculation the company may announce new novels that finally move the overarching Warhammer 40,000 narrative forward.

Big Summer Warhammer Preview, set for this Friday, July 18, will contain reveals for Games Workshop’s main tabletop games, including Age of Sigmar, The Horus Heresy, and of course Warhammer 40,000. Its initially released digital poster for the event did not feature the logo for Black Library, Games Workshop’s in-house book publishing division. However, on July 16, it released a new version of this poster with the Black Library logo added, sparking speculation that fans will get new novel announcements as well.

Why is this exciting for fans of the setting? There is a great deal of speculation that Games Workshop may finally be ready to move the Warhammer 40,000 narrative forward with either a brand new series of books, the teased meet-up between two returned primarchs, or the long-awaited third book in Dan Abnett's Bequin trilogy.

IGN has reported on the now mythical Pandemonium before, when fans speculated its delay might have something to do with Games Workshop and Amazon getting their narrative ducks in a row ahead of the Henry Cavill-fronted Warhammer 40,000 Cinematic Universe. It is perhaps the most-anticipated book in all Warhammer fandom. The first novel in the Bequin series, Pariah, came out in 2012. Its sequel, the Warhammer 40,000 lore treasure trove that is Penitent, followed nearly a decade later, in March 2021. Pandemonium does not have a release date, and the wait for an announcement is fast becoming Warhammer 40,000’s version of George R. R. Martin’s M.I.A. Game of Thrones book, The Winds of Winter. Some fans are speculating — perhaps more with hope than expectation — that now is finally the time for a Pandemonium reveal.

There's heightened interest in Pandemonium because it promises to actually move the overarching Warhammer 40,000 plot forward. Penitent ended with a significant lore revelation (it has to do with the identity of the mysterious King in Yellow, which we won’t spoil here), and so the ramifications of Pandemonium for the wider Warhammer 40,000 universe could be huge.

Perhaps more realistic is a new novel series set during the period known as The Scouring. This is the largely unexplored time in Warhammer 40,000 history when the Imperium ran down the traitor legions following the defeat of Horus 10,000 years before the current setting. With the Horus Heresy seemingly wrapped up following the release of Era of Ruin, The Scouring seems like a natural next step for Games Workshop if it wants to continue filling in the gaps in the Warhammer 40,000 narrative.

Or this may all be much ado about nothing, and Black Library’s presence at the show ultimately goes down as a disappointment. You’d like to think that Games Workshop knew what it would do to fan expectations by slapping the Black Library logo on its preview poster, though.

Which leads me neatly into why Warhammer 40,000 lore fans get excited by teases like this in the first place. As I’ve reported before, the Warhammer 40,000 story, such as it is, is a slow moving beast. The scribes at Games Workshop sometimes take years to inch the overarching plot forward. Take, for example, the return of beloved primarch, Lion El'Jonson, which was announced in March 2023. Now, over two years later, the character is yet to do much of anything in the setting, his hotly anticipated reunion with his brother, Roboute Guilliman, seemingly further away than ever. Could a new novel finally detail this sure to be spicy meet up?

Maybe, on Friday, we’ll finally get some answers. The Big Summer Warhammer Preview is set for 7pm BST / 11am PDT on Friday, July 18.

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

The Cheaper Razer Iskur V2 X Is A Solid Gaming Chair With A Few Compromises

17 juillet 2025 à 03:20

Quality gaming chairs don’t usually come cheap, especially if you prefer shopping with big, well-known brands – the Razer Iskur V2 X aims to change that. Coming in at a base price of $300, it blends comfort and style at around half the price of the higher-end flagship Iskur V2, with a few compromises to take note of. It’s not necessarily the cheapest option, but it’s a quality and comfortable offering that’s definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a brand name budget-level gaming chair.

Razer Iskur V2 X – Design and Features

The Razer Iskur V2 X doesn’t break the mold in gaming chair designs and doesn’t aim to. If you’re seen the previous iteration of the Iskur we reviewed a while back, or most other racing style gaming chairs, then you’ll have a good idea of what to expect here. It sports a typical bucket seat-inspired design when it comes to its overall shape and design. It has a tall back and wide seat with ample padding for your bottom and back. The backrest is tall, extending all the way behind your head, and both it and the seat have stylized bolsters to guide you toward their center. Unlike most gaming chairs of this type and price range, these bolsters aren’t overly pronounced and there’s no sense of being cramped or hugged into place.

There’s a recline lever on the right that allows you to lean back up to 152 degrees if you want to take a quick nap or kick back with your feet up. The armrests are adjustable, but only in two dimensions (height and rotation). You can rock in place or lock the chair at a certain angle using a lever below the chair or adjust its resistance with a large knob on the bottom, and the height is also adjustable by around four inches. It’s all standard stuff when it comes to typical racing-style chairs.

This is a quality chair that’s definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a name brand at a reasonable price.

What you don’t get is any kind of adjustable lumbar support, and there are no pillows in the box to fill in any gap you might have in the lower back area. Instead, it comes with an integrated lumbar curve and a contoured backrest that helps position you properly without needing to think about it, at least for me. I’m 5-foot 8-inches and found that it was well positioned for me, so I didn’t miss having a lumbar pillow. Razer recommends the chair for people up to 6-foot 2-inches, but without any kind of adjustability, it won’t be a match for everyone.

Its lack of pillows is disappointing; at $300, it’s “budget” compared to Razer’s higher-end chairs, but it’s not necessarily cheap and you’ll be stuck paying extra for pillows if you need them. This is especially noteworthy since the original Iskur was so well known for its lumbar support.

Thankfully, in most other respects the Iskur V2 X impresses, especially with its build quality. It’s available in black and green or grey and black fabric, which is what I had in for testing. The quality of the weave and embroidery was excellent and includes stylized touches such as the snake-like diamond scales on the back and seat. Aesthetically, it’s a good match against the full Iskur V2, so if you like its looks, this is a much cheaper way to add it to your setup.

Razer also did a nice job making sure it nails the basics for durability and comfort. The wheel base is made of aluminum instead of plastic, which is a nice upgrade at this price and eliminates a common point of failure. I also appreciate that the tilt base, while definitely simpler than the full-fledged Iskur V2, operates smoothly and quietly and still includes key adjustments like tilt tension and angle lock. It also uses a steel frame to support long-term daily use, which isn’t always the case with more affordable chairs.

The cushioning is thick enough and soft enough to be comfortable straight out of the box and the fabric hits the midpoint between softness and robustness. It’s not quite as thick as the Iskur V2, but it’s as thick as it needs to be for a decent seating experience long-term. The armrests are also topped with a dense foam padding that’s soft enough to stave off elbow pain.

There are definitely some trade-offs here, as mentioned above – the biggest ones being the non-adjustable lumbar, lack of pillows, and 2D armrests. Apart from the backrest, the others really aren’t as impactful, and if you mesh with the backrest, it’s not that big of a deal. The overwhelming impression is that, for the most part, this is a chair that makes reasonable compromises on accommodating a range of needs in order to keep its price down.

Razer Iskur V2 X – Assembly

Assembling the Iskur V2 X is straightforward, so if you’ve assembled a gaming chair before, you’ll already know what to do. If not, Razer includes detailed instructions and everything you’ll need to get started. Everything comes separate in the box, which means lots of packaging material, but you don’t need to be especially handy to get it put together within about 20 minutes.

If it is your first time, I recommend getting everything set out ahead of time. With the parts in front of you, it’s pretty easy to intuit the assembly process. You’ll start by getting the casters inserted into the wheelbase, which is a toolless friction-fit. Then, you insert the gas piston into the center hole, cover it with the plastic shroud and wheel it to the side.

From there, I recommend attaching the backrest if you’re by yourself. This is a simple two screws on their side, but lining the threaded holes up with the side brackets can be awkward due to the size of the backrest. With that done, you cover each with their own shroud and then tip the whole setup forward for easy access to the bottom of the chair.

The tilt base attaches with four screws and Razer uses channels for each, so you can easily line them up and move the whole unit as needed before tightening it down. After that, you simply take the wheel assembly you put together before and slide the top of the gas piston into the hole in the base– tip the chair upright and you’re done.

Razer Iskur V2 X – Performance

I was able to spend about a month with the Iskur V2 X and over that time I truly put it through its paces. It lived at my home gaming PC setup for the first half of the review period and then I moved it into my office to see how it would hold up to long hours throughout normal workdays. Like I alluded to in the beginning of this review, the V2 X’s lumbar support was a good match for my back, so across my entire test period, I never got up sore or felt like I was paying a price for using it for too long – well, with one exception near the upper body.

The lack of a neck pillow turned out to be a big omission. Such a small accessory may not seem like it means a lot but it truly does, at least on the Iskur V2 X. The back contours in such a way that it leaves a larger gap behind your head. Leaning back feels immediately awkward unless you’re also reclining and shifting away from a normal seating posture. I eventually harvested a pillow from another gaming chair, but you should probably plan on getting one alongside this chair if you don’t also have a spare, because it really needs it.

With that problem addressed, the chair comes into its own and begins to demonstrate its value through looks and overall comfort. The fabric stands up to more expensive fabric chairs I’ve tested, including those from Secretlab that cost around double the price of the Iskur V2 X. And, if you care about looks, you can rest assured that it doesn’t look budget at all.

I was worried that the 2D armrests would be an issue when swapping between a controller and mouse and keyboard, but they offered just enough to accommodate either, at least by adjusting the width using the fasteners under the seat. Technically, 2D armrests aren’t width adjustable, but since each armrest runs on a track, you have an inch or two of give/movement to better accommodate the natural lay of your arms. It’s a middle ground that may not be elegant, but it gets you there.

And that’s really the story of this chair. There are sacrifices in adjustability, but the core is very good and is made to be more durable and rougher-wearing for the kind of rigorous use whether it be for a gaming setup or office setting. Although it is the “budget” option in the Iskur lineup, It’s not the cheapest, but those extra dollars get you that build quality and fabric finish you should expect. Whether that’s a worthy exchange is up to you.

I Just Banana Slipped Into a Bunch of Not Prime Day Deals That Are Way Better

17 juillet 2025 à 02:59

There’s something oddly satisfying about scooping up post-sale scraps that should be gone by now. The Prime Day rush is done and dusted, yet a slew of cracking offers have somehow avoided the discount bin cull. I’ve been trawling the dregs so you don’t have to, and what’s still kicking around is honestly worth your time and wallet.

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I’m lighting a 17-candle cake for Secret Agent Clank using the low-heat blast of a Tie-A-Rang (that tuxedo-grade gadget that slices through henchmen and decorum with equal style). I fondly recall this offbeat PSP spin-off from the Ratchet & Clank universe as a genre-jumper, swapping the series’ traditional bombastic platforming for a stealth-lite spy parody, all deployed to smooth jazz riffs.

While it never hit the highs of the mainline series, Secret Agent Clank did something admirable: it gave the sidekick his moment. With Ratchet framed for a crime he didn’t commit, Clank stepped out of his buddy’s shadow and into a tux, creating a rare handheld experience that mixed rhythm games, QTE spy action, and mini stealth sequences with Bond-level puns. It wasn’t a revolution, but it showed how Insomniac’s world was elastic enough to stretch into spin-offs without snapping.

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

- Gran Turismo Concept (PS2) 2002. eBay

- Secret Agent Clank (PSP) 2008. eBay

- Echochrome (PSP) 2008. eBay

- Sonic Mania Plus (NS,PC,PS4,XO) 2018. eBay

Contents

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

On Switch, Super Mario RPG is a must-grab. This remake not only nails the SNES original’s off-kilter humour and rhythm-based battles, but it’s also secretly the first Mario game with a Square Enix touch. If you’d rather go full outlaw, Red Dead Redemption runs beautifully in handheld mode and yes, you can hogtie NPCs on a moving train. It still works. I checked.

Expiring Recent Deals

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

Back to top

Exciting Bargains for Xbox

Xbox Series X players, Alan Wake 2 is absurdly good value right now. It's a masterclass in digital horror, with Remedy writing actual playable pages of the in-game novel. Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 is (kinda sorta) finally the game we were promised, and Night City has never looked better or felt more alive thanks to the Phantom Liberty DLC injection.

Xbox One

Expiring Recent Deals

Or just invest in an Xbox Card.

Back to top

Pure Scores for PlayStation

Over on PlayStation, I’ve been loving Epic Mickey: Rebrushed on PS5. It’s not just a port – it retools the physics and AI while keeping the concept art-inspired charm. Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut on PS4 is also a no-brainer. Its Kurosawa Mode isn’t just visual flair because the devs studied actual samurai films to get the camera angles and lens grime just right.

PS4

Expiring Recent Deals

PS+ Monthly Freebies
Yours to keep from Jul 1 with this subscription

  • Diablo 4 (PS5/PS4)
  • The King of Fighers XV (PS5/PS4)
  • Jusant (PS5)

Or purchase a PS Store Card.

Back to top

Purchase Cheap for PC

And finally, on PC, Pacific Drive is a wild roguelike driving sim I can’t stop recommending. It turns car maintenance into a full-on survival mechanic. If you want bang for buck though, Moonlighter at under four bucks is insane. It’s Zelda by day, capitalism by night. Trust me, it works.

Expiring Recent Deals

Or just get a Steam Wallet Card

Laptop Deals

Desktop Deals

Monitor Deals

Component Deals

Storage Deals

Back to top

Legit LEGO Deals

Expiring Recent Deals

Back to top

Hot Headphones Deals

Audiophilia for less

Back to top

Terrific TV Deals

Do right by your console, upgrade your telly

Smart Home Deals

Back to top

Adam Mathew is our Aussie deals wrangler. He plays practically everything, often on YouTube.

College Football 26 Review

17 juillet 2025 à 01:45

There’s an old idea called the sophomore slump that says second efforts generally aren’t as good as the first. Sophomore students don't care as much as freshmen; bands have less time to make a second album than the “out of nowhere” breakout hit they worked on for years; athletes who have exceptional rookie years regress to the mean; and so on. There’s no denying the power of new car smell, and part of the reason College Football 25 popped off as hard as it did (and trust me if you’re unsure: it popped off) was because it’d been more than a decade since NCAA 14. People really, really wanted a new game based on college football. It didn’t hurt that it was also a good one, but the annual “it’s the same game as last year” fatigue of the sports genre hadn’t set in yet. College Football 26 doesn’t benefit from new car smell anymore, but it’s not a game suffering from the sophomore slump, either. This season is better than last year’s; it’s just more focused on steady improvement than breakout success.

Here’s the secret, y’all: once a sports series “solves” the gameplay, it’s never really going to be bad. And College Football 26 (and frankly, Madden, too) has largely solved the “make the football video game play good” part of the football video game. At worst, it’s going to feel samey from year to year, like you’re stuck in football-themed purgatory at a party that’s never quite bad enough to leave. That’s not College Football 26; this is good-ass barbeque, and I’m happy to be here. But like a good-but-not-great QB working on his footwork and release, the devil is in the details. Improvements here are more evolution, less revolution, but this is an annual sports game. You kinda knew that going in.

Part of that is because College Football 26 is built on a really firm foundation. College Football 25 was a good game, and it still has that infectious spirit and sense of tradition that made it a nice change of pace from the more straight-laced Madden. This year’s iteration expands on that in good ways. One of the things I appreciate most is the Trophy Room, which tracks the real world trophies you’ll accumulate across your entire career, no matter what mode you’re in. It’s cool to see stuff like the Heisman Trophy, the Unitas Golden Arm Award, and the Orange Bowl Trophy collected in one place, and be able to learn about them, too. There’s a lot of history to college football, and I appreciate that EA has tried to capture that.

Aside from the addition of the Trophy Room, though, there are no new modes in College Football 26. The options are the exact same as last year, so I am going to copy and paste last year’s paragraph breaking down the modes. Fair’s fair, right?

“You’ve got Play Now, Road to the College Football playoffs, which is a quickfire online ranked mode where you’ll pick a team and try to guide them to a National Championship; Road to Glory, which lets you create your own player and pilot them through their college career; the flagship Dynasty mode, where you’ll helm one of College Football 25 26’s 136(!) [Delaware and Mississippi State are new additions] teams as either a head coach or an offensive or defensive coordinator; Practice and Minigames; and finally, College Ultimate Team (CUT), the college version of Madden Ultimate Team. Just like its big brother, CUT is a slot machine masquerading as a trading card game that will almost assuredly make EA hundreds of millions of dollars and eventually earn the ire of the community as it gets more updates per year than every other mode combined.”

Leaving tutorials in Ultimate Team is still a bad system and a deeply cynical move.

I was kinda hoping that College Football 26 would move its tutorials out of Ultimate Team, but no such luck. This is still a bad system and it’s still a deeply cynical move on EA’s part. Again, I quote from last year’s review:

“The only reason to do it this way is to corral new players into CUT so they can fall down the money hole – of course, it’s somewhat self-defeating that they have to figure out that the tutorials are in CUT in the first place, which is something College Football 25 26 doesn’t actually tell you. As someone who doesn’t play Ultimate Team beyond my obligations as a critic for obvious reasons [and presuming I hadn’t played College Football 25], I would’ve just assumed that there were no tutorials at all and EA simply wanted college football-curious folk who didn’t already play their football to wander around aimlessly until they figured it out for themselves. In actuality, EA wants all of us to get hooked on CUT and spend lots and lots of money. I’m not sure which is worse.”

That’s all still true, but the College Football team has at least made some really nice quality of life updates to Ultimate Team. I’m going to single out two I appreciated in particular: One is the Pack Helper, which will immediately tell you if a player is better than someone in your current lineup and let you equip them on the spot without entering another menu. The other major one is that you can now see your challenges from the play call screen and bring them up at any time pre-snap, no more pausing required. These, as well as some other changes, are very nice tweaks. That said, I functionally believe, deep in my soul, that these modes are predatory, more than a little evil, and designed to trigger the dopamine-producing parts of our brain that gambling stimulates in the hopes that you will continue to spend money for a chance at a good outcome, which is what gambling is, and I cannot endorse anything about them. Yes, you can build a team without spending money, but it is designed to take much longer than just opening your wallet, and given that doing so can literally make your team better, it is pay to win. These are unremarkable and verifiable truths. Do with them what you will. I say we move on to greener pastures.

The mode that has seen the most meaningful changes in my eyes is Road to Glory, where you’ll create a player and begin your college journey. Notably, you can now (kind of) play through your high school phase, which determines how colleges view you. Last year, my very own Joe Throw was a five-star recruit because I work hard enough already. This year, I said “f*** it, we ball,” and legendary QB Joe Throw started down the more challenging path of a two-star prospect because why not? You have more customization options this year – I could select my throwing style, shotgun stance, running animation, line up look, and so on – that is really cool, and once I got Joe Throw all prettied up and ready for the dance and selected my archetype (I opted for Backfield Creator), it was time to step out onto the floor. There are six preset teams to play for (I played for the Rattlers), but you can build your own in the Team Builder if you’re so inclined.

After a brief interview with a local reporter allowed me to talk about what I was looking for in a college program, I set up my recruiting board, which showed me what potential schools thought of Joe. You might think you’d play full high school games, but the reality is you’ll select up to four of five possible goals and play through drives based around them, whether that means throwing a play action pass while avoiding a ball-hawking safety, leading your team on a late drive to win the game, or converting an important third down.

The high school system is solid, even if I wish we were playing full games.

How well you do will determine what you put on tape, which is how colleges will evaluate you. Each school has its own criteria and is looking for different things in its players, so some will jive with certain goals (and player archetypes) more than others. Navy is probably more interested in a mobile QB who can run the option than a pocket passer, and will evaluate you accordingly, while a school that runs a pro style offense probably wants a cat who can sling it.

It’s a solid system, even if I wish we were playing full games instead of regular drives. That said, I do like it overall, and it’s a big improvement over last year. I also like that you get a limited number of retries per game depending on your difficulty, and that teams will give you special challenges you can undertake to improve your tape score with them, or tell you that they’re just not that into you thanks to their current lineup or because they’ve just secured a commitment from another player at your position. That doesn’t mean they won’t give you a scholarship or you can’t try out for them as a walk on; it’ll just be harder.

As a two-star recruit, my path was really difficult. I essentially had to play perfectly to get an offer from my preferred school (Virginia), but I liked the challenge. I also like the little touches EA has added: Senior Night, how the camera trails your player during run outs, and a hat ceremony where you can fake people out before you select your school. I started off as a third string QB at Virginia, but it wasn’t long before Joe Throw was in a position battle for the backup spot. Once I won that, he was soon promoted to starter.

Otherwise, stuff is more or less the same as last year, and the same problems persist. It takes too long to get access to things like audibles and hot routes, your coach will make boneheaded play calls (why are we constantly running play action when we never run the ball, coach?) with limited options for you to change them, and your coach will blame you for “stalled drives” when your receivers drop the ball or your running back gets stuffed. You know, things that are not your fault, reducing his trust in you. Some of these restrictions don’t even make sense. Why am I allowed to call timeouts and not audibles? Why can I flip the play on the play call screen but not after I come to the line? It’s maddening until you earn the ability to do basic things. I get that this is meant to simulate earning your coach’s trust and serve as progress in what is essentially a sports RPG, but it can also be frustrating to deal with.

Outside of the games, Road to Glory is largely the same. You’ll manage your time between studying, resting to restore your health, upping your leadership skills, training, and managing your brand. There are occasional extras, like NIL deals and the opportunity to study for or cheat on tests, and so on, all of which mostly boil down to text exchanges that offer their own risks and rewards. You now have to manage Coach Happiness and Career Health, which are nice additions, though the former is very easy if you’re smart (and don’t get caught cheating). The latter requires making sure your Season Health stays as high as it can, otherwise it reduces your career health pool in the subsequent season. These are good additions, if still a little easy to manage. Joe Throw is once again almighty, and Road to Glory is still the same as it was: solid, but not great.

Dynasty is where most people will spend their time, and it’s got the same highs and lows as it did last year, though there are some great upgrades. Over 300 real world coaches are in College Football 26, complete with their own playbooks, tendencies, and skills. Custom coaches have more customization options, from their clothing to how they behave on the sidelines, and they all now have a level cap of 100 up from College Football 25’s 50. Jack-of-all-trades builds are harder than specializing, though you can compensate for this by hiring coordinators who supplement your weaknesses.

There have also been an enormous number of quality of life changes here. I won’t go into all of them because we’d be here forever and EA has a blog explaining all of that anyway, but I dig many of them, like how bringing in a player close to your school costs fewer recruiting hours than flying in someone from across the country, and that you can always see your team needs when you’re on the recruiting menu because they’re now pinned to the top of the page. Oh, and now every player has a dealbreaker (some of which change over time), so there’s more players in the Transfer Portal at the end of any given year, and how much they progress between seasons (or how much weight they gain) is based on how good your school’s training facilities are. Better still, you can finally level them up manually. It’s great stuff, and I saw how much harder it is to recruit at a school like UConn (my online dynasty) and Boise State (my solo world). All very good, very welcome changes, among many, many others.

However, many of Dynasty’s improvements are largely still around the edges, under the hood kind of stuff. This is the same engine and the same car, and you have to love the act of recruiting, leveling up your coach, and playing games because, beyond that, there isn’t much else to do. Dynasty is still good, but it’s very much “more of the same, just better.” If you liked it last year, you’ll like it this year. If, like me, you wish there was more to do, that hasn’t changed. I’m going to try to stick with my Online Dynasty longer than I did last year, but it still doesn’t compel me the way Franchise does in Madden.

The best stuff might be the on-the-field tweaks.

The best stuff might be the on-the-field tweaks. The little change I’m happiest about is to how defenders play the football when it’s in the air. If you’ve played College Football or Madden in the last few years, you’ve probably noticed defenders intercepting passes that they couldn’t have seen without turning around. They essentially had eyes in the back of their heads, and it could be very frustrating. EA has said they’ve changed that, and in my testing, it’s proven true. Now a defender has to see the ball to pick it off, and you’ll notice defenders turning their heads (or not) before the ball arrives. If they don’t, however, it doesn’t mean that defender can’t make a play on the ball. They can still swat it. It’s a good change because it’s two-fold: you now actually have a reason to swat the ball down instead of going for the pick every time, and better defenders can now make plays average ones can’t.

I’m also a big fan of dynamic subs and custom zones for defenders. The former allows you to swap players on the field and not just on the playcall screen (thank God), though you have to wait a play for the substitution to take effect, and the latter is the defensive version of last year’s custom stems for routes on offense. I enjoy the defensive game more than the offensive one, so being able to set where I want my zones to be on the field in real-time and not in a menu is welcome. I’m enjoying playing around with this stuff, and I imagine I’ll be using it quite a bit. And man, being able to sub on the field is a godsend, even if it’s not immediate. Maybe one day we’ll get to the point where players are running on and off the field in real time. That would be neat, but this is a good first step to that (hopefully possible) future.

The Fate of the DC Universe Rests on a Death Tournament in DC K.O.

17 juillet 2025 à 00:14

Ahead of San Diego Comic-Con, DC continues to reveal big plans for Fall 2025. Hot on the heels of the reveal of Absolute Evil, DC is shedding light on DC K.O., the publisher's next big crossover event.

Overseen by Absolute Batman writer Scott Snyder and Superman writer Joshua Williamson and building on the foundation of 2024's DC All In, DC K.O. explores what happens when the fate of the entire DC Universe hinges on a Mortal Kombat-style death tournament. 36 fighters will enter the tournament, with only one standing the chance of rising through the ranks and building up enough Omega Energy to challenge Darkseid himself.

“DC K.O. is a knock-down, drag-out fight between all your favorite DC Super Heroes in a cosmic tournament to save the universe from Darkseid,” said Snyder in DC's press release. “Darkseid has evolved into something bigger and stronger than ever.”

“He’s destroyed the future,” added Williamson. “There’s no future for the DC Universe because of what he’s done—the heroes’ only shot is to stop him in the present.”

DC is teasing that readers will be greatly surprised at which heroes enter the tournament and, especially, which ones make it through the early battles. However, the core of DC K.O. is built around Superman.

“Metal was a Batman story, Death Metal was a Wonder Woman story—and DC K.O. is a Superman story,” said Williamson.

“I wanted to tell a story about Superman looking into his own heart of darkness,” said Snyder. “It’s a very personal story wrapped in nine layers of candy exploding in your face.”

The core, five-issue DC K.O. miniseries will be written by Snyder and illustrated by Javi Fernández (Batman & Robin). Williamson, meanwhile, will write several tie-in books spinning out of the main series. Other ongoing DC books like Justice League Unlimited and Titans will also tie into DC K.O.

DC K.O. kicks off with the prologue issue Justice League: The Omega Act #1 on October 1, 2025, followed by DC K.O. #1 on October 8.

For more on Snyder's current DC work, find out what happens when Absolute Batman meets Absolute Joker.

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

Donkey Kong Switch Games Are Getting Price Cuts Alongside the Release of Bananza

16 juillet 2025 à 23:56

While nowhere near as popular as Mario games, Donkey Kong has continuously released some of the best 2D platformers in the entire market. The Donkey Kong Country series, which started on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, has released two remasters on Nintendo Switch specifically. One of these is Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, launched earlier this year for Nintendo Switch, and if you're a fan of 2D platformers, this is easily a must-own game. Then there's also Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which is on sale for the same price at Woot as well.

These deals are part of an ongoing video game sale at Woot, which lasts until August 1 and includes a ton of other Switch games.

Donkey Kong Switch Games Are on Sale at Woot

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD features over 80 levels across nine different worlds. This version of the game brings the new features found in the 3DS release, in addition to a new Modern Mode that increases the number of hearts per level. Some of the levels you'll come across will be incredibly challenging, but the platforming is very fair and exceptionally fun, whether playing alone or with a friend.

DKC Returns initially launched on the Wii in 2010, but even 15 years later, the game still holds up. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review, stating, "Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a passable remaster of an amazing platformer – more modern improvements and a larger graphical update would have been nice, but this is still one of the greatest 2D platformers Nintendo has released this century."

The other deal worth mentioning in this sale is Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which was originally released for the Wii U. We gave that game a 9/10 in our review, stating, "Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is a fun and challenging platformer that isn’t afraid to make you work hard."

Now is the perfect time to jump into DK's previous adventures, as Donkey Kong Bananza (out tomorrow!) is set to feature numerous references to older games in the series. If you're excited for Donkey Kong's big debut on Nintendo Switch 2, be sure to check out our 10/10 review of the game.

What is Woot?

If you aren't familiar with Woot, the easiest way to learn more about it is through the about page on its website. In a nutshell, Woot is a daily deals site that was founded back in 2004 and later purchased by Amazon. They offer deals on just about everything that many other retailers don't often have. The products themselves are always high-quality and backed by Amazon, so it's legit. Prime members even get free standard shipping on anything they buy on Woot, so you don't need to worry about hitting a minimum price or total shipping costs if you already have Prime.

In addition to this video game sale, there's also a pretty good sale on board games and puzzles worth checking out.

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

❌