There’s nothing like a good sale to remind me that my wallet fears September more than tax season. Every platform is putting up tempting discounts and some of the titles are impossible to ignore. If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably start adding these to cart faster than you can rationalise the backlog. And I fear that you and I are destined to do this discount dance for the whole entire week...

Contents

• Retro
• Nintendo
• Xbox
• PlayStation
• PC

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I’m writing in a big 20th card for PlayStation Portable, the handheld powerhouse that I personally played the absolute analogue nub off at launch. To do so meant dropping 429 dollarydoos (A$699 today) on a Value Pack, and then I was on-the-go gaming like never before with its 4.3-inch LCD screen. Yes, the PSP's UMD load times were not ideal, and Memory Stick Duos were pricey for such low-capacity MBs, but I felt more smitten than bitten with Ridge Racer, WipEout Pure, and the sheer addiction of Lumines. Top machine.

Disneyland Paris' World of Frozen will officially open in Spring 2026 alongside the official transformation of Walt Disney Studios Park into Disney Adventure World.

Announced at Destination D23, this announcement coincided with the milestone of the construction of Elsa's Ice Palace. The palace will be just one piece of World of Frozen, which will also include the Kingdom of Arendelle for guests to explore, meet characters, dine, and even ride Frozen Ever After.

While World of Frozen will kick off the start of Disney Adventure World, it will only be the beginning of exciting additions to the park.

One of the most anticipated projects in development now is the first-ever land and attraction themed to The Lion King. This ride will take guests through the biggest moments of the 1994 classic and send them down a 52-foot drop reminiscent of Tiana's Bayou Adventure but two inches taller. The land itself will also feature a 120-foot-high Pride Rock and tons of shopping, character meet-and-greets, and more.

Fans will also be able to look forward to the Raiponce Tangled Spin ride that will see Mandy Moore returning to voice Rapunzel and the first-ever attraction themed after Up that will be a "spinning carousel" that will offer a "bird's eye view of the park's stunning scenery."

World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris was almost set to open in the same year as Frozen 3, but the film was delayed to November 24, 2027. Oh, and we have to mention that, if you can't wait for World of Frozen, you can visit it at Hong Kong Disneyland right now!

For more, check out the big news from Destination D23's Walt Disney Studios Showcase, the latest details on Disney World's Villains-themed land, how Walt Disney is headed to Magic Kingdom's Carousel of Progress as an Audio-Animatronics figure, and the reveal of the magical Disney Fall 2026 film called Hexed.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.

PC gaming is more popular than ever. You have traditional desktop PCs, handheld PCs like ROG Ally or Steam Deck, and the best of both worlds, gaming laptops. Out of all gaming laptop brands, Alienware is one of the most recognizable. If you're someone who has thought about purchasing a gaming laptop before but never ended up doing so, the latest IGN Rewards giveaway could be your chance to take one home. IGN has teamed up with Delta Force and Alienware to offer one lucky reader a Delta Force x Alienware 16 Aurora Gaming Laptop.

Win a Custom Delta Force x Alienware 16 Aurora Gaming Laptop

We've rounded up the best deals for Saturday, August 30, below, so don't miss out on these limited-time offers.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 for $34.99

Hexed is Walt Disney Animation Studios' fall 2026 film and is focused on an "awkward teenage boy and his Type - A mom, who discover that what makes him unusual, might just be magical powers that will turn their lives and a secret world of magic, upside down."

The news was revealed during Destination D23's Walt Disney Studios Showcase, and we were treated to the movie's logo and a gorgeous piece of concept art. It looks to feature a magical village of sorts and we actually get to see a lot of characters and even a cat that's giving a little bit of a Cheshire Cat vibe!

This new magical film will open in November 2026 and will be directed by Josie Trinidad (co-head of story on Zootopia, director on Zootopia+, head of story on Ralph Breaks the Internet) and Jason Hand (director of Moana 2 and head of story on Encanto). Roy Conli and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster-Jones will serve as producers.

Hexed will follow Zootopia 2, which is set to be released in theaters on November 26, 2025, and will precede Frozen 3, which will debut on November 24, 2027.

Speaking of Zootopia 2, it was also one of the big parts of the Walt Disney Studios Showcase, and we learned much more about the story fo the sequel, which centers around Nick and Judy trying to help a snake called Gary De'Snake, who is trying to steal a book that he hopes will change how the world views snakes forever and save his family in some way.

For more, check out how Walt Disney is getting an Audio-Animatronics figure in Disney World's Carousel of Progress, the latest details on the inspiration behind Disney World's Villains-themed land, and when D23 is taking place next year.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.

Goodbye summer, hello new batch of streaming arrivals. Fortunately for those who want summer to last just a little bit longer, Disney+ isn’t heading straight into spooky season celebrations. Instead, the streaming service is getting the live-action Lilo & Stitch, the latest season of The Simpsons, and some MCU and Star Wars spin-offs. It’s a month where Disney+ really goes all in on “entertainment for the whole family,” with something of interest for pretty much anyone.

Let’s get into it: Here’s the breakdown of what’s coming to Disney+ this month.

Everything Coming to Disney+ in September

Ongoing Series

Several series that premiered on Disney+ earlier this year will continue to stream new episodes through September, including Project Runway Season 21, with new episodes every Thursday, and the Japanese docuseries Traveling With Snow Man, with new episodes every Sunday. After premiering on September 16, Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars will continue to stream new episodes as they air every Tuesday.

September 2

• The Rich Eisen Show
• Minnie’s Bow-Toons: Pet Hotel (S1, episodes 6-11)

The legendary sports talk show will simulcast every episode on Disney+ starting September 2 as Rich Eisen also joins the cast of several other ESPN programs. Disney+ will also get the rest of the Season 1 episodes from the Disney Channel’s Minnie’s Bow-Toons spin-off.

September 3

• Lilo & Stitch (2025)
• Reminder (S1, all episodes)

The live-action Lilo & Stitch movie made waves at the box office earlier this summer and currently stands as the second-highest grossing movie of 2025. IGN’s review describes how the remake “retains and often amplifies the most stirring aspects of the rightfully beloved animated film.” On the same day, Disney+ will also get the full first season of the Turkish romance drama Reminder.

September 10

• Tempest (S1, 3 episode premiere)
• To Catch a Smuggler (S9)

Disney+ will premiere Tempest, a Korean espionage series that will release in weekly episode batches, while picking up the latest season of To Catch a Smuggler.

September 12

• How Not to Draw: Shorts (S4, all episodes)

The latest batch of shorts from Disney Channel’s How NOT to Draw series, which features Disney characters interrupting animators’ attempts to explain how to draw them. Very cute.

September 13

• Lost in the Jungle

From Nat Geo, Lost in the Jungle was created by E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the same people behind the documentary Free Solo (which I consider the most terrifying movie of all time). Their latest doc tells the story of siblings who were stranded in the Colombian rainforest from the perspective of the children themselves and the rescuers who worked to find them.

September 16

• Dancing With the Stars (S34, premiere)

Another slate of celebrities will hit the dance floor in a new season of Dancing With the Stars, which will stream new episodes on Disney+ at the same as they air live on ABC on Monday night. Season 34 is arriving during the 20th anniversary of the series and will feature the likes of wildlife guy Robert Irwin, influencer Alix Earle, and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt.

September 17

• Electric Bloom (S1, all episodes)
• Top Guns: The Next Generation (S1, all episodes)

The day after it premieres on Nat Geo, Disney+ will stream Top Guns: The Next Generation, a documentary mini-series following several months of grueling Advanced Flight Training in the Navy and Marine corps. The streamer will also get the first season of the comedy musical series Electric Bloom, which aired on the Disney Channel earlier this summer.

September 19

• Dolphins Up Close with Bertie Gregory
• LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy: Pieces of the Past (four episodes)
• Random Rings: Shorts (S4)

LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy arrived on Disney+ last year, with IGN’s review saying it “has one of the best uses of the multiverse we've seen in a while, with enough funny and wacky cameos to appeal to every kind of fan of the franchise.” Pieces of the Past is a four-episode follow-up that has Sig Greebling and Darth Dev facing a new threat in the galaxy. The series is generally a quirky approach to highlighting some of the more niche tidbits of Star Wars lore.

At the same time, Disney+ will be getting a new dolphin-focused documentary from Nat Geo and the latest batch of the Disney Channel special Random Rings.

September 24

• Marvel Zombies (S1, all episodes)
• Lost Treasures of Egypt (S6)

Back to the MCU, we’re getting the full Marvel Zombies series. The concept, which originally appeared in the comic of the same name, was adapted as a single episode of “Marvel’s What If…?” spin-off series before getting the green light to fly on its own. The new series will continue from that episode, taking place in an alternate timeline of the MCU.

September 26

• Cleopatra’s Final Secret

Another one from Nat Geo, this time for anyone who got way into that Egyptology picture book as a kid. Archaeologist Kathleen Martinez heads to the Mediterranean in pursuit of Cleopatra’s lost tomb.

September 28

• The Simpsons (S36, all episodes)

A moment plenty of us have been waiting for. Season 36 of The Simpsons technically kicked off with the 2024 holiday special, which has always been a Disney+ exclusive. The rest of the new season, which aired on Fox this past spring, is finally heading to Disney+ on September 28.

September 30

• Little Angels (S1-6)

To cap things off, Disney+ is picking up six seasons of Little Angels, a nursery rhyme series for toddlers that reminds me a lot of Cocomelon.

The Latest Disney+ News and Bundles

Disney+ had quite a few updates coming out of August. For one, it was announced that Hulu and Disney+ would merge into one app starting in 2026. Not entirely surprising, given how intertwined the two services have already become, but still a pretty significant shift in the streaming landscape.

Disney+ also launched a new bundle alongside ESPN’s new DTC streaming offering, ESPN Unlimited. Existing subscribers to the Disney+ bundle with ESPN+ will now see their ESPN subscription as “ESPN Select.” A special offer that lasts until January makes the more robust ESPN Unlimited bundle $29.99/month for your first year.

This bundle joins last year’s bundle with Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max, which is still my overall bundle recommendation (in large part because HBO Max has The Batman and Studio Ghibli movies). However, if you’re interested in live sports, ESPN Unlimited is a pretty unbeatable deal.

Blythe (she/her) is an SEO Coordinator at IGN who, when she isn't following streaming news, spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.

Labor Day weekend, like other three-day holiday weekends, is one of the best times of the year to buy furniture. If you're looking to spruce up your home or office with something new, you can probably find a really good deal right now on pretty much everything from major furniture retailers. And if you're looking to do some furniture shopping online specifically, I'd suggest checking out the Wayfair Labor Day sale.

I've purchased a few things from Wayfair and had a generally positive experience. If you specifically wanted a West Elm couch or whatever, you should shop directly from those stores, but for a collection of under-the-radar furniture makers, the prices are surprisingly good for what you get. I picked up a TV stand from there during last year's Labor Day sale and have had no issues so far – though I am admittedly having some buyer's remorse after digging through some of the deals available in 2025.

Walt Disney Imagineering stopped by Destination D23 to reveal new details about the upcoming Villains-themed land, including that the team created the term 'Conjured Architecture' to describe how they are utilizing "the magical, fluid, and organic appearance of both the animated villains and the Art Nouveau style of construction" to build this new space.

Alongside Disney Parks Blog, we were able to hear from Imagineers Wyatt Winter and Caroline May at Destination D23's Villains panel, and they shared how the team is bringing the yet-unnamed Villains-themed land to life. As with many of Disney's features, the team embarked on a research trip to find the right styles to do justice to the likes of Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Scar, Ursula, Jafar, Hades, and Cruella de Vil.

Severance Season 2 has ended, which means the unbearable wait for Season 3 has begun. While we know a Season 3 is on its way, nothing else has been confirmed regarding plot, returning or new characters, or even when we may expect it.

To help with the wait, we’ve gathered all the main players we think may be part of Severance’s third season and discussed a bit about where we last left them. We’ll keep updating this page as we know more, but for now, check this out and let us know below about your wildest theories and thoughts on the future of Severance!

Adam Scott as Mark Scout / Mark S.

Adam Scott will undoubtedly return as both Mark Scout and Mark S. in Season 3 of Severance, and his story will remain a central one of the series. We left Mark at a huge moment at the end of Season 2, as his innie chose to leave Gemma behind and run through the hallways of the Severance floor with Helly (Helena?!) to who knows where.

While he helped save Gemma, getting her outside and back to herself, he is now holding Mark Scout hostage in a sense, as he chose to keep living instead of perhaps blinking out of existence forever by walking out that door and bringing his outie back. I mean, it’s hard to imagine Mark S. and Helly R. having a happy life at Lumon, especially after Mark accidentally killed Mr. Drummond and broke Gemma out.

Britt Lower as Helena Eagan / Helly R.

Mark S. and Helly R. were the last two characters we saw at the end of Severance Season 2, and that all but confirms Lower will be back; however, the specifics of her return are a little less clear. There are some theories that it was actually Helena Eagan who was at the end of the hallway when Mark S. left Gemma behind, but Lower pretty definitively said that’s not the case in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times.

Zach Cherry as Dylan George / Dylan G.

Zach Cherry’s Dylan George will surely return for Season 3, and the ramifications of his actions during the finale will be one of the most interesting threads to follow in the new episodes. After all, he did lock Mr. Milchick in the bathroom with a vending machine in a rebellious uprising with Helly R. that allowed Mark to rescue Gemma.

Dylan G.’s storyline was one of the most fascinating ones in these latest episodes, as we got to see him interact with his outie’s wife and watch them fall for each other for different reasons. Sadly, their love could not develop, as his wife Gretchen chose to stop visiting after she told outie Dylan what was happening. However, this experience appeared to change things for Gretchen and both Dylans.

John Turturro as Irving Bailiff / Irving B.

John Turturro was absent from the Season 2 finale, and we sure did miss him! The last time we saw Irving was on a train with his dog, Radar, as they were heading to an unknown destination. This was after he was kicked out of Lumon for outing Helena Eagan pretending to be Helly R. and meeting with Burt. Turturro will probably return in some fashion, but if he doesn’t, there is a small joy for him in knowing he was loved by Burt both inside and out, even if they couldn’t live happily ever after.

Tramell Tillman as Seth Milchick

We last left Tramell Tillman’s Seth Milchick in the bathroom of MDR, trapped in there by both Helly R. and Dylan G. in an attempt to keep him from interfering with Mark rescuing Gemma. While he’ll obviously be furious about that and being assaulted with a trombone, his storyline in Season 3 should prove to be one of the most interesting.

We’ve seen him begin to grow frustrated with the other Lumon employees after his review session – he did tell Mr. Drummond to devour feculence and provide some snark to the Kier Eagan figure, after all – so there is a chance he could end up on the good side of the battle we are witnessing between Lumon and its flock.

Patricia Arquette as Harmony Cobel

Patricia Arquette’s Harmony Cobel, whom we once also knew as Mrs. Selvig, was last seen trying to convince Mark S. to go along with the plan to save Gemma. She also laid down the hard truth that he and his friends are probably not long for this world, whether he cooperates or not.

We’ve learned much more about Harmony’s life this past season, and saw the fallout when she lost her job as the head of the Severance floor, which could indicate she really has changed for the better and will continue to help our main cast. However, we wouldn’t put it past her to be playing an even longer con than we realize.

Dichen Lachman as Gemma Scout / Ms. Casey

Season 2’s big revelation was learning part of what happened to Dichen Lachman’s Gemma Scout. As it turned out, she’d been trapped on the lower levels of Lumon and forced to live out the lives of over 20 different personas that Mark S. has unknowingly created for her as part of Lumon’s tests. When we left her, she was back as Gemma after Mark’s innie saved her and got her out of the Severance floor. However, Mark’s innie decided not to go with her, running away with Helly R. while Gemma was left confused and screaming for Mark to come back.

What will happen to Gemma now? Will she be able to escape without anyone from Lumon finding her? Are Harmony and Devon waiting for her outside? Whatever happens, we can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

Jen Tullock as Devon Scout-Hale

Mark’s sister, Devon Scout-Hale, played by Jen Tullock, will surely be back for Season 3, waiting in the wings with Harmony Cobel to see if Mark can successfully save Gemma from the depths of Lumon.

Michael Chernus as Ricken Hale

Devon’s hilarious and ridiculous husband Ricken Hale, played by Michael Chernus, should be back for Season 3; his work is one of the greatest books to ever grace the halls of Lumon, after all!

Christopher Walken as Burt Goodman / Burt G.

Much like John Turturro’s Irving, we may have seen the last of Christopher Walken’s Burt. However, their parting of the ways in Season 2’s penultimate episode leaves things just open enough for these fan-favorite characters to get some more screentime.

Sarah Bock as Miss Huang

Sarah Bock’s Miss Huang was one of the big new additions to Severance in Season 2, and her youth was questioned hilariously by many of the refiners in MDR. While Milchick said her work at this branch of Lumon was over, sending her away to seemingly get her out of the way, she could always return as a thorn in his side.

Sydney Cole Alexander as Natalie Kalen

Natalie Kalen, as played by Sydney Cole Alexander, always appears to have a hand in the goings-on at Lumon, and Season 3 should be no different. There are some lingering story threads for her character, including how she really feels about working at Lumon, and those paintings given to Milchick that she also received in the past.

Karen Aldridge as Asal Reghabi

Karen Aldridge’s Asal Reghabi left Mark’s house after Devon chose to call Harmony Cobel to help him after he fell into a coma from the reintegration procedure, so we may have seen the last of Reghabi. However, it seems more likely she still has a bigger role to play in taking down Lumon.

Michael Siberry as Jame Eagen

Michael Siberry’s Jame Eagen is still the current CEO of Lumon and his true intentions are still unknown. I mean, we need to know what his revolving actually is, right?!

Merritt Wever as Gretchen George

Merritt Wever’s Gretchen George is one of the most compelling guest stars in Severance’s history, as her meetings with both Dylans highlight just how important and valid the lives of innies and outies are.

Gwendoline Christie as Lorne

Gwendoline Christie’s Lorne was another exciting guest star in Season 2, and her return as the head of Mammalians Nurturable in Season 3 would be most welcome.

Robby Benson as Dr. Mauer

The evil Dr. Mauer, played by Robby Benson, saw all his hard work go up in flames when Mark rescued Gemma, and he may return in Season 3 to try to get this program back on track.

Sandra Bernhard as Nurse Cecily

Sandra Bernhard’s Nurse Cecily was in charge of helping Gemma complete all of her tasks leading up to Cold Harbor, and we could see her return in Season 3 to try to pick up the pieces after Mark ruined all their plans.

John Noble as Cecil Fields

John Noble’s time as Cecil Fields was powerful, as it gave us a glimpse into how loved ones are impacted by someone getting severed. Cecil put on a brave face most of the time, but the fact that Burt had a thing with Irving on the inside clearly upset him. If Burt and Irving do return in Season 3, we very well may see Cecil again as well.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.

Labor Day 2025 is upon us, which means two things. First, the summer is coming to an end (welcome, cooler weather). Second, Labor Day sales abound this weekend. Alongside several major retailers, Walmart has launched its Labor Day sale, offering discounts on a wide range of items, ranging from Apple products and patio furniture to garden tools and toys. You can shop the wholesale here, or keep on reading to see our top 10 picks. Let’s dive in.

Walmart’s Labor Day Sale - Top Deals Live Today

If you don't care to read about each product, you can see our top 10 picks right here.

Daybetter Led Strip Lights

2025 Apple 11-inch iPad A16 Wi-Fi 128GB

MorisMos Giant Teddy Bear

UNO Show ‘em No Mercy Card Game

LEGO Disney and Pixar ‘Up’ House

Play-Doh - Neon Colors

Zunmos Fabric Storage Dresser with 9 Drawers

NapQueen Victoria 10" Queen, Gel Infused Memory Foam and Pocket Spring Hybrid Mattress

Astercook 6-Piece Color-Coded Kitchen Knife Set

Best Choice Cast-Iron Dutch Oven

Here’s some good news for bargain hunters: Best Buy’s Labor Day sale 2025 is now live. It has discounts on pretty much every category of item that Best Buy sells. We’re talking 4K TVs, laptops, gaming PCs, video games, appliances, cell phones, speakers, home office furniture, and more. It’s a lot. But that means you can save a lot on anything you’re in the market to buy as summer winds down. You can check out the full sale, or keep on reading for some of our hand-picked selections. Just make sure to make your purchases before the sale ends on Monday, September 1.

Best Buy Labor Day Sale - Top Deals Today

Best Buy is treating this Labor Day sale just like any of its major sale events. That means you’ll find discounts on just about everything. You can shop the sale by category by clicking into Laptops & Computers or Apple or Major Appliances. You can scroll through the main sale page to see what deals the retailer thinks are worth highlighting.

If you’re in the market for a new TV, I can 100% recommend the LG C5 series that’s on sale for Labor Day. My main TV is the LG CX from the same series five years ago. Despite its half decade of daily use, it’s still an absolutely gorgeous OLED 4K TV. And LG has continually improved the line each year, so this one is even better. In fact, last year’s model, the C4, is our pick for the best 4K smart TV to buy — but that’s probably just because the C5 just came out.

A whole bunch of video games are on sale, including a rare $20 discount on first-party Nintendo Switch games. That means you can get games like Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, and Mario & Luigi: Brothership, all for $39.99 each. Note that the discount price appears when you add them to your cart for most of those.

Now is a great time to buy a new gaming laptop, since you can save up to a cool $400 off select models. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is one such powerful portable. It comes with a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti graphics card and 32GB RAM. The display is a 14-inch OLED, which ought to look fabulous no matter what game you’re playing. Other gaming laptops, from Acer, MSI, and Lenovo are also on sale, as are desktop PCs and accessories like monitors, mice, and headsets.

Apple products are always good to pick up when you can find them on a discount. Best Buy has iPads up to $200 off, with discounts on everything from the baseline iPad and iPad mini, all the way up to the 13-inch iPad Pro. AirPods are also on sale, as are iPhone 14 models and iMacs. If there’s an Apple item you’re interested in picking up, chances are you’ll find it on sale right now.

And even though the summer is drawing to a close doesn’t mean you can’t keep going outside after Labor Day. A bunch of outdoor living items are on sale now, too, ranging from grills and fire pits to battery-powered lawn tools and even generators. Now is a good time to pick up leaf blowers and patio furniture, too, seeing as fall will bring with it cooler weather.

More Labor Day sales to shop

If you don't see anything you want to buy in the Best Buy sale, the good news is that there are quite a few other Labor Day sales live ahead of the weekend. Most notably, the Amazon Labor Day sale has similar tech discounts offered here. And The Home Depot also has similar deals on appliances. You can check out this quick thread for all of the biggest retailer sales going on now.

All of the major Labor Day sales are live already. Here's a thread of where you can find discounts this weekend.

— IGN Deals (@IGNDeals) August 27, 2025

Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.

D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event will officially return to Anaheim, California, from August 14 through 16 in 2026, and it will once again be a celebration and look forward of all things Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and more.

The news was announced during Destination D23 alongside other big D23 events fans can expect, and it was confirmed that the event will once again be held at both the Anaheim Convention Center and the Honda Center.

There will also be "marquee showcases and presentations," "immersive experiences, exclusive shopping opportunities," and "extended magic throughout the week leading up to the event, including the return of D23 Day at Angel Stadium and D23 Day at Disneyland."

For those interested in attending, Disney announced that tickets will go on sale in Spring 2026.

“D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event offers fans from around the globe a chance to experience the very best in storytelling and innovation in a way that only Disney can deliver,” said Michael Vargo, head of D23. “We are already hard at work dreaming up ways to continue raising the bar for Disney fans next year when we return to Anaheim, and we can’t wait to bring them a truly unforgettable event.”

As for the other D23 events fans can look forward to in the future, the team has shared the following;

• Exciting new offerings from the D23 Spotlight Series such as a D23 Spooktacular Spotlight event with Walt Disney Imagineering coming to Orlando, FL; a Halloween “Boo-nanza” event in California, featuring a panel of some Imagineering and Walt Disney Archives favorites, themed activities, a DJ, and more; and an event celebrating the second season of the Disney+ Original series Percy Jackson and the Olympians this December in California.
• The next D23 On the Road series, kicking off November 1 and celebrating 35 years of the family holiday classic Home Alone with immersive, interactive screenings in over 18 U.S. cities—bringing D23 directly to the fans.
• The fan-favorite “A Jolly Holiday on the Lot” will be returning to The Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, CA on Sunday, December 14.
• The next D23 Gold Theater virtual event, hosted by Disney Legend Don Hahn and featuring a never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes look at the Haunted Mansion’s transformation overlay that occurs each year as it becomes Haunted Mansion Holiday.
• Details for the all-new Walt’s Los Angeles Tour for D23 Gold Members that will include visits to the Walt Disney Studios lot, Walt Disney Imagineering, Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn, the location of Walt’s first studio on Kingswell Ave, and so much more, ending with dinner at one of Walt’s favorite restaurants. More information on Walt’s Los Angeles Tour coming soon.
• Additional dates to be released soon for The Official Walt Disney Studios Walking Tour – Presented by D23, which will feature new interactive tour elements and expanded ticket opportunities allowing D23 Members to purchase up to four (4) tickets as well as full tour buy outs.

Furthermore, Vargo also helped share the news that Disney Legend Jodi Benson (the voice of Ariel!), will be the first official D23 Fan-bassador, meaning she will be "engaging with fans and making appearances with D23" leading up to D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in 2026.

For more, check out all the big news from Destination D23's Walt Disney Studios Showcase and everything announced at the Disney Experiences Showcase and Disney Entertainment Showcase from last year's D23!

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.

The Amazon Labor Day sale has been dropping new deals all week. If you're looking to do some shopping this weekend, now is a great time to save some money. Although Labor Day sales aren't as good as the bigger shopping events like Prime Day or Black Friday, these discounts are still some of the best you'll find all year. With U.S. tariffs still going into effect this summer, it's unlikely that prices are going to get any better.

Amazon's sale has some great discounts on things you need and things you want right now, but not everything listed as a Labor Day deal is actually a good deal. You can dive right into the official sale page below, or scroll down further to see some of the best discounts I could find.

Amazon Labor Day Sale 2025 - The Best Deals So Far

There are a ton of items listed on Amazon's Labor Day sale page, but I dug a little bit deeper to find the overall best deals. Everything on this list is either at its lowest price ever, its lowest price in 2025, or is a special promotion that Amazon is running concurrently with its Labor Day offerings. I made use of CamelCamelCamel, the popular price tracker, to make sure everything listed here is truly a great discount.

The most enticing deal I could find is a discount on a Magic: The Gathering bundle. The Final Fantasy crossover has been extremely popular and this is one of the first discounts we've seen on anything from that set. We actually covered this deal earlier this week when it went live, so it's unclear how much longer it will last.

If you're more interested in finding deals on Nintendo Switch accessories, the CoBak Switch 2 carrying case is currently at its lowest-ever price. This case comes bundled with two screen protectors, thumb grips, and can hold up to 24 game cartridges. And while Amazon doesn't seem to have many Nintendo games on sale right now to help you fill this case, Best Buy has Switch game discounts you can browse ahead of Labor Day weekend.

If you're looking to save on everyday essentials, there's also a special promotion going on now that gives you a $15 credit when you spend $50 or more on select items. This includes things like toilet paper, trash bags, hand soap, plastic wrap and other household items. The credit will only apply to future Amazon purchases, but it's definitely worth browsing if you need to stock up on some things for your home.

For PS5 owners there's a surpringly great deal on Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4. This is a game that just recently came out in 2025 and this is the first major discount we've seen. Amazon has quite a few other PS5 games on sale as well if you're not into skating games, but this is the best deal of the bunch.

For parents looking to do some back-to-school shopping, I managed to find a great deal on a Pokémon backpack. It's a bundle that also includes a pencil holder, a utility case, a keychain, and some additional items for only $25.99. This is a great value if you're just looking for a backpack for a younger kid.

Finally, the last few deals I want to highlight are on some fun items that don't get discounted that often. The most notable discount in this area is the LEGO Hogwarts Castle and Grounds set. It's a recreation of the castle from Harry Potter and has dropped back down to its lowest price ever for Labor Day. This is one of the best LEGO deals I could find available on Amazon, but the Target Labor Day sale has some Star War sets worth checking out as well.

Then there's the Mistborn board game deal, which has dropped further in price since I first covered this board game deal earlier last week. It's a great buy for any fans of Brandon Sanderson's book series of the same name.

What should you buy during Labor Day sales?

In general, everything goes on sale during Labor Day weekend. That being said, this isn't necessarily the best time to buy everything just because it has a fresh discount plastered on it. If you're looking for some general advice about what products are likely to have the biggest price drops, I've put together a quick list of what to look for. Each of these product categories featured below tend to get some of the best discounts during this time every year as Labor Day coincides with back-to-school season.

• Furniture
• Appliances
• Laptops & PCs
• TVs
• Mattresses
• Clothing & Shoes
• Grills
• Books
• School Supplies

Should You Shop Now or Wait for Black Friday?

Historically, Labor Day sales are not even close to the same level as Black Friday. This is true on Amazon and at pretty much every other major retailer. That being said, 2025 has been a bit of an outlier so far in terms of prices. The ongoing U.S. tariffs have continued to cause uncertainty, and we're already seeing the impact of that on things like recent gaming console price increases. So while Black Friday will still most likely have bigger savings, it doesn't hurt to get some shopping in now while things are discounted.

In general, right now is probably one of the best times of the year to buy a laptop, mattress, or just about any furniture. So you can likely feel good about any discounts you find in those areas as long as you do some price research first. A lot of the clothing deals we see during Labor Day sales are also unlikely to be around during November as retailers try to dump summer clothes at a discount during this time.

I'd still suggest waiting for Black Friday to come around before you try to make any really big purchases. Despite all of the uncertainty around price increases, this will still be the time when retailers bring out their best discount to compete for your business.

More Labor Day Sales

If you're looking for more Labor Day sales, pretty much all of the major retailers have big discounts this weekend. Most notably, the Walmart Labor Day sale and Best Buy Labor Day sale has kicked off with some tech and gaming deals that Amazon doesn't have. There's also the massive Wayfair Labor Day sale that has similar discounts on furniture you'd find on Amazon. You can check out the thread below for more or browse the sales I've featured above.

All of the major Labor Day sales are live already. Here's a thread of where you can find discounts this weekend.

— IGN Deals (@IGNDeals) August 27, 2025

Following Walt Disney – A Magical Life at Disneyland, Walt Disney is getting another Audio-Animatronics figure at Disney World’s Carousel of Progress at Magic Kingdom.

The big news was revealed during Destination D23, and it was confirmed that Walt Disney will now introduce Carousel of Progress in a new scene that will precede four scenes of John, Sarah, Rover, and the rest of the family as we once again follow them throughout the decade and see the evolution of life in the United States.

This is such a big moment for so many reasons, including that, much like Disneyland’s Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Carousel of Progress was one of Walt’s greatest creations. It first debuted at the New York World’s Fair in 1964, moved to Magic Kingdom in 1975, and has since had more performances than any other stage show in the history of American theater.

“We are grateful to The Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney Imagineering for their continued collaboration and ongoing partnership with The Walt Disney Family Museum. The introduction of a new Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney in ‘Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress’ marks an exciting milestone in our shared mission to celebrate the story of the man behind the magic and inspire new generations with his innovations and vision for the future. We appreciate the continued efforts and meticulous care that Imagineering has taken to keep Walt’s legacy alive,” Kirsten Komoroske, Executive Director of the Walt Disney Family Museum said.

We've rounded up the best deals for Saturday, August 30, below, so don't miss out on these limited-time offers.

Save on the Magic: The Gathering - Final Fantasy Commander Deck Bundle

As we head into September, it’s getting colder, the sun is setting earlier, and we’re forced to reckon with the inevitable passage of time. Thankfully, we’re also coming up on the best season for sitting in the darkness watching TV. And what service has shows that can be hard to watch when you have any natural light in your room? Yep, I’m talking about HBO Max.

While I unfortunately do remember the final season of Game of Thrones, HBO Max is still a personal favorite and probably the service I watch the most. Whether you’re already subscribed, considering a new subscription, or honestly don’t remember what you’re paying for anymore, here’s a look at everything coming to the service in September.

What’s Coming to HBO Max: Highlights

I’ve picked out some highlights for the audience here at IGN, but feel free to jump to the very long bulleted list of the full September lineup.

New Deal With GKIDS Kicks Into Gear (September 1)

A series of highlights this month stems from HBO’s recently announced deal with GKIDS. A spread of otherwise hard to find live-action and anime movies from Japanese directors are joining the streamer’s existing slate of Studio Ghibli movies. The following films will all make their North American streaming debut on September 1:

• Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko
• Ghost Cat Anzu
• Lonely Castle in the Mirror
• Love & Pop
• The Place Promised in Our Early Days

Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name. will also be making its 4k streaming debut on the service, though keep in mind 4K streaming is limited to Premium HBO Max subscribers.

Rick and Morty Season 8 (September 1)

The latest season of Rick and Morty aired on Adult Swim earlier this year. IGN’s review describes a slow start, but that “things do get markedly better as the season progresses, culminating in two all-time banger episodes.”

Unlike most animated shows in the modern era, Adult Swim decided against streaming new episodes after the live premieres. Instead, the full season is coming to HBO Max several months after its finale.

The Fate of the Furious: Director’s Cut (September 1)

Fast and Furious is one of those franchises where it’s impossible to find every movie on one service. The eighth installment, The Fate of the Furious is just one of the several movies in the series that is only available to rent or buy on digital. Well, until now. Both the theatrical and director’s cuts are landing on HBO Max on the first of the month.

Friendship (September 5)

If you’re a fan of Tim Robinson or cringe comedy in general, you have to watch Friendship. The comedian stars alongside Paul Rudd as neighbors, one of which is certainly on the quirkier side. (Take a guess on who plays who.)

Katie Rife’s review for IGN goes so far as to say it’s “an absurdist take on the buddy comedy that plays like a loosely connected series of sketches from Robinson’s Netflix hit I Think You Should Leave.” Which, again, I truly think is a good thing. The directorial debut from Andrew DeYoung hits HBO Max on September 5.

Task (Premieres September 7)

From Brad Ingelsby, the creator of Mare of Easttown, Task is a new crime drama that follows a Philadelphia detective assembling a task force to take on a local criminal. The series stars Mark Ruffalo, Tom Belphrey, and Emilia Jones, and will take HBO’s prime time spot, streaming new episodes at the same time they air live on Sundays at 9pm ET.

Warfare (September 12)

The latest from Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza hit theaters this past April, and while it arrived on digital within a few weeks, the movie is coming to HBO Max around five months later.

As an immersive look at the Iraq War, IGN’s review describes Warfare as “the kind of film where you’re sitting holding your breath, tensed up, for much of the run time. (94 minutes, in case you’re wondering whether or not it’ll be too much to endure.)” Garland’s next project is none other than the Elden Ring movie, which he seems to be preparing for in appropriate ways.

Everything Coming to HBO Max in September

Destination D23 2025 has arrived, and a weekend's worth of panels has been kicked off by the Walt Disney Studios Showcase. It was filled with surprises and reveals, including Toy Story 5's intro with an army of High-Tech Buzz Lightyears, the reveal of Walt Disney Animation Studios' Hexed, a clip of Din Djarin that evoked Darth Vader's iconic scene from Rogue One, and much more.

There was a lot revealed during the showcase, and you can find all the biggest reveals below! Let us know which one was your favorite!

Toy Story 5 Opening Scene Features a Ton of High-Tech Buzz Lightyears Stranded on an Island, Conan O'Brien to Voice a Potty Training Toy

Toy Story 5 is set to be released in on June 19, 2026, and we were treated to the opening scene of the much-anticipated new entry in the beloved franchise, and it featured a ton of Hi-Tech Edition Buzz Lightyears.

We open on one of these Buzz toys waking up on an island, and we see a ton of others, in and outside of their boxes, who have crashed on a small island after their shipping container got lost at sea. We see that these toys are updated versions, as Buzz has a digital display on the front and he looks very new and shiny.

He starts opening up the other Buzz toys and they begin searching the island for an escape, using their lasers along the way, even though they don't work... because they are a toy haha. They realize their chance to escape is not great and gather around a fire. One of the Buzz toys looks up and sees a star in the sky and speaks his first words - "Star... Command... Rendezvous Star Command"

We then see the stars in the sky form the Toy Story 5 logo and the footage is over!

That wasn't all, however, as it was revealed that Conan O'Brien will be playing a new character named Smarty Pants - a potty training toy! He will join Lilypad, the new iPad-like toy that Bonnie was gifted and will feed into the theme of the film - Toy Meets Tech. Additionally, Toy Story will be returning to theaters on September 12 and Buzz Lightyear will once again fly in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year.

The Mandalorian and Grogu Clip Features Din Djarin Acting Like Darth Vader in That Iconic Rogue One Scene and Many Adorable Grogu Moments

The Mandalorian and Grogu is set to be released in theaters on May 22, 2026, and we were treated to a clip of the film at Destination D23 featuring AT-ATs, Grogu being just absolutely adorable, and a scene of Mando acting just like Darth Vader in Rogue One

The footage kicks off with a group Snowtroopers getting ready to defend themselves from a threat we soon learn is Din Djarin. He uses all kinds of tools to just take everyone down with ease, from his flamethrower to knives to a blaster and more. It was a very exciting scene that, like we said, very much felt like that iconic scene from Rogue One.

It then cut to one of the AT-ATs exploding and falling off a treacherous and snowy path in the mountains, and it's an epic look at how The Mandalorian translates to the big screen.

Sigourney Weaver was also seen on-screen with Grogu trying to steal her snacks, Zeb popped up for a moment, and Grogu is even seen using the Force to handle a GONK-like droid and dodging one of its tires in a wonderful way.

The last shot was of a Hutt in an arena who just may be the one played by Jeremy Allen White, and it ends with what looked like Grogu eating something like popcorn in excitement.

Avengers: Doomsday Directors Joe and Anthony Russo Share A Message on Set That Is Crashed by Paul Rudd

While we didn't get any news about Avengers: Doomsday, those in attendance at Destination D23 were treated to a very funny message from directors Joe and Anthony Russo that was crashed by Paul Rudd.

The team is developing the movie in London, and Paul Rudd just does what he does best and keeps unintentionally getting in the way while just trying to help and say hi.

Walt Disney Animation Studios' Fall 2026 Film Is Called Hexed

Coming to theaters in Fall 2026, Disney’s #Hexed is an all-new original film that follows an awkward teenage boy and his Type - A mom, who discover that what makes him unusual, might just be magical powers that will turn their lives and a secret world of magic, upside down.… pic.twitter.com/wGEM3gNkor

— Disney Animation (@DisneyAnimation) August 30, 2025

Hexed is a new Walt Disney Animation Studios film that's headed to theaters in Fall 2026, and we learned it "follows an awkward teenage boy and his Type - A mom, who discover that what makes him unusual, might just be magical powers that will turn their lives and a secret world of magic, upside down."

Hexed will be directed by Josie Trinidad and Jason Hand, and Roy Conli and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster-Jones will be serving as producers.

Zootopia 2 Clips Show How a Very Important Book Can Change How the World Sees Snakes Forever and How Stunning a Horse Mayor Can Be

Zootopia 2 is headed to theaters on November 26, 2025, and this sequel helped end the presentation with some new clips and fun moments.

We learned that Zootopia 2 kicks off with Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps as Zootopia Police Department's newest rookie cop partners. According to director Jared Bush, we will learn if they have what it takes to last in the long run, and that this film will be "what moving in feels like," as the original was like a "honeymoon."

The opening scene was also shown, and it sees Nick and Judy undercover and chasing after an anteater smuggler in a stolen catering van. They are racing through an area with a ton of sheep, and they crash into a collection of wool and it gets everywhere, including on Nick's face as a beard. The pair also have to deal with other ZPD members, who don't believe these two can handle this job.

As it turns out, the anteater was smuggling in a pit viper named Gary De'Snake, who is played by Ke Huy Quan, and he is after a book that he hopes will change how the world views snakes forever and save his family in some way.

Patrick Warburton, who is playing a horse/stallion named Mayor Winddancer, also stepped on stage and talked about his character. He is an actor-turned-politician who starred in such films as The Neighsayer Part 2. In a great line from the fake movie, he says, "You say justice is dead... I say... NEIGH."

We then learned Judy and Nick will actually become fugitives when they try to help Gary escape. Their journey takes them to Marsh Market, which is kind of cut off from the rest of Zootopia and isn't the most welcoming to land animals, which is demonstrated hilariously by Nick thinking he knows how to deal with these animals and failing miserably.

Before we got to see our final clip through this area, we learn the villains of this film have committed murder to keep the secret of this book hidden, and Nick and Judy need to chase Gary to get it back and solve this mystery. This chase, which Bush described as one of the studio's "most ambitious chase scene ever animated," involved hopping on different types of boats, on the top of walruses, away from ZPD hippos (complete with a Hungry, Hungry Hippos nod!), and a trip down a water tube travel system that ends over a waterfall."

Also revealed at Destination D23 was that Yvette Nicole Brown will be part of the cast as The Bearoness and EMT Otter.

Pixar Reminds Us That Hoppers Isn't Avatar, But It Will Use The Comparison in a Great Way

Pixar's Hoppers is set to be released in theaters on March 6, 2026, and the team and film promises it isn't Avatar! However, it does share some DNA with that film as it involves people building tech to be able to jump into the minds of beavers.

Our hero, Piper Curda's Mabel, gets ahead of the game and uses the tech to jump into the mind of a beaver. She then finds herself in the wild that is threatened by an encroaching beltway that is being developed and destroying the nature in its path.

The clips we were shown were all about seeing Mabel's experience as this beaver, including her first moments which involve talking to a dragonfly and a pack of birds before a bear starts eating another beaver. Mabel is horrified and tries to stop it, but the pair don't react as she expected. Apparently, there are set Pond Rules that state if an animal is caught, it accepts that it is to be eaten! Now that Mabel has ruined this, the bear and other beaver said it's all awkward now and the bear doesn't even want to eat the beaver, who was ready to let him eat him.

Another clip introduces us to Bobby Moynihan's King George, who walks Mabel through the area he has built for animals that have been displaced, and it is getting very crowded. In a funny/tragic moment, a worm is explaining the animals' situation to Mabel before getting eaten by a passing bird!

The next clip shows a group of beavers celebrating by building a dam, because "work is the party!"

Lastly, we saw footage starring Jon Hamm's Mayor Jerry, who is up for re-election and is leading this new beltway construction. As he gets in his car, Mabel, King George, and the now-famous lizard from the end-credits of Elio. They use text-to-speech to say his life is in danger and he needs to listen to them and stop this beltway. This danger is seen as a growing group of birds outside the car, and the clip ends when they drive away.

Tron: Ares Clip Shows a Stunning Light Cycle Chase in the Real World

Tron: Ares is nearly here, and a new clip shown at Destination D23 was an exciting one that featured Jared Leto's Ares, Greta Lee's Eve, Jodi Turner-Smith's Athena, and Evan Peters' Julian Dillinger. In the clip, we see Julian and his team building Light Cycles in the real world for Ares and Athena, who are ordered to capture Eve in the next 29 minutes.

What followed was an exciting chase through the city that featured a Light Cycle using its beams to cut a police car in half, Eve using her motorbike to knock Athena off her Light Cycle, and Eve taking over that same Light Cycle to escape Athena after she was knocked down a parking garage and was sprinting back up.

Tron: Ares will be released in theaters on October 10, 2025.

It was also revealed that a red overlay and music from Nine Inch Nails will be added to Tron Lightcycle Run at Walt Disney World and Shanghai Disney Resort.

Worlds are colliding.

A red overlay and music from Nine Inch Nails are on the way to Walt Disney World and Shanghai Disney Resort to celebrate Tron: Ares coming to theaters October 10. 🎶 https://t.co/PRnCWSKK0w pic.twitter.com/NXQEYHjkOz

— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) August 30, 2025

It was also shared that, for the first time, Disney has fully remastered 1982's Tron and Tron: Legacy in 4K Ultra HD.

Ice Age: Boiling Point Is the Name of the Next Entry of the Chilly Franchise

Ice Age: Boiling Point was just announced at Destination @DisneyD23! Coming to theaters on February 5, 2027, the newest adventure takes the herd to visit never-before-seen corners of the treacherous Lost World! #DestinationD23 pic.twitter.com/ZfyeUa5if9

— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) August 30, 2025

Ice Age: Boiling Point is the official name of the next entry of the chilly franchise that is set to be released in theaters on February 5, 2027. There wasn't much else revealed, but it was confirmed Scrat and Baby Scrat will be involved and it will take us to "corners of the treacherous lost world we haven't seen before."

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw Clip Takes Place on a Chaotic Snow Day

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw will debut in theaters on December 5, 2025, and we were shown a clip that involved Greg Heffley trying to remove snow from the lawn of an older lady who is just trying to enjoy the Christmas spirit. They want a way to clean faster, so they get a lawn mower out of the garage and think it will help. Sadly, it goes haywire and destroys all of the Christmas decorations and even the dog house.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.

If you’ve played more than a few role-playing games, you’ll know how your hero's journey typically plays out. In the prologue, a terrible thing will happen – an event that demands you move quickly to prevent an apocalypse or defeat an all-encompassing evil. In the following hours, you’ll spend 90% of your time completely ignoring that impending threat, instead helping randomers you met in the pub and collecting loot from dungeons. That’s okay, though, because the big bad will always wait for you. The world perpetually teeters on the brink of extinction until you’re ready to fix it.

Not so in The Blood of Dawnwalker, the first RPG from Rebel Wolves, a new studio founded by former CD Projekt Red staff. Its campaign puts you on a clock: you have 30 days and 30 nights to save your family from evil vampires.

That hold-on-while-I-do-a-thousand-side-quests meme “was definitely one of the reasons” for this interesting approach, creative director Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz says with a smile. “I wouldn't say it was the sole reason, but I would say this was definitely a starting point for a conversation.”

To properly understand that time pressure system, it’s best to start with how The Blood of Dawnwalker’s campaign is structured. Dubbed a “narrative sandbox,” it doesn’t follow a linear sequence of events. There’s no quest one, quest two, quest three and so on.

“After the prologue, you can go directly to the castle. You could try to rescue your family immediately,” explains Tomaszkiewicz. “There's a variety of quests you can participate in. You can ignore them, or you can do them. There are a lot of activities that are directly targeted against [main villain] Brencis that will weaken him, for example, and make the attack easier. But at any point you can decide, ‘Okay, I've got enough, I'm going to the castle, I'm going to do it.’”

If The Blood of Dawnwalker was a book, then, you’d read the first chapter and then would be free to skip directly to the end. As for the optional chapters between those two points, you can read them in any order… but you’ll need to find the pages first. “You are not railroaded into these plotlines,” Tomaszkiewicz reveals. “You have to find them [in the world] on your own. We do leave breadcrumbs of course, but we want to make sure that it doesn't feel like ‘These are the three plotlines, do them and then go there,’ right? We wanted to enhance the feeling of exploration and finding these stories in the world.”

That brings us back to the time system. You have 30 days and 30 nights to explore Vale Sangora, a 14th-century kingdom nestled in the Carpathian Mountains, and undertake as many (or as few) of those plotlines as you want. That time element evolved out of Dawnwalker’s protagonist, Coen. A man suffering from both silver poisoning and a vampiric curse, he lives as a mortal during the day and becomes a blood-sucker at night. “The time passage was kind of central to the character,” Tomaszkiewicz notes, especially since your vampiric abilities allow for a very different, more supernatural playstyle after dark.

A Clock That Never Ticks

Perhaps the most important thing to know is that there is no real-time ticking clock in The Blood of Dawnwalker. The minutes do not start counting down from the moment you start a new game. This is not Majora’s Mask or Outer Wilds. “We were thinking that if time would flow naturally, it might be quite unpleasant. The playstyle would change on the go [from human to vampire and back to human] constantly without your input,” explains Tomaszkiewicz. “So that's where the time as a resource idea came in.”

It’s best to think of time in The Blood of Dawnwalker as a currency rather than a stopwatch. A bar, split into eight sections and displayed in the upper-right of the screen, represents your daily allowance of that currency. Performing significant actions marked with an hourglass icon, such as completing objectives or engaging in certain conversations, will “spend” a section of the bar. Similar to Deathloop, then, simply exploring or completing lower-level tasks will not progress time. Theoretically, you could stay in the noon period of the seventh day for dozens of in-game hours, provided you don’t do anything marked with that hourglass symbol.

While Rebel Wolves is very excited about the way time has shaped The Blood of Dawnwalker’s choices and quest design (of which you can learn more about in our recent preview), Tomaszkiewicz is aware that many people will be skeptical of the system. “I know there are a lot of players that are afraid of missing out, so we definitely tried to not cut off too much content,” he explains. “We are aiming, at least in a normal, average playthrough, for you to be able to do 80% of the content.”

Rebel Wolves has twisted temporal rules to deliver on that goal, particularly when it comes to how time-sensitive events are handled. For example, one storyline involves a burning house, but the flames will blaze indefinitely until you actually discover the building. Only then will you need to act before you spend too many sections of the time bar. There’s no chance of you turning up one day to find a house you never knew even existed is now a pile of rubble and ash.

Of course, regardless of how quests and time are handled, there’s always that looming pressure: 30 days and 30 nights to save your family. But there’s unwritten nuance in that deadline. “Don't think about it as a game over thing,” Tomaszkiewicz hints. “It's more like a choice and consequence thing.”

That’s the vital takeaway: you may have a time limit to save your family, but there is no time limit to complete the game. You can continue to play indefinitely after that point. And who is to say that saving your family will even be the most important part of your story? The Blood of Dawnwalker’s Steam page states: “Embark on the quest to save your family, or swear revenge on your sire and destroy everyone standing in your way.” Perhaps that tale of revenge will provide an alternate journey for the main campaign? I ask Tomaszkiewicz to elaborate, but he refuses. That Steam description is already more than enough, he says.

Control Your Dark Urge

It’s easy to see time, even when it only moves during specific actions, like sand slipping through your fingers. As something you lose. But it’s important to remember that progressing time brings you closer to one of The Blood of Dawnwalker’s most exciting features: Coen becomes a vampire at night. When the moon rises, you unlock the ability to walk up walls and along ceilings, and to teleport to rooftops and out-of-reach balconies. Such skills unlock a variety of opportunities, not to mention a stealthier play style. And so, if you want, you can skip the days and play only during the night. It’s a “totally viable way to play,” Tomaszkiewicz confirms, albeit with a warning that ignoring the day also means missing quests only available during the waking hours.

A vampire’s supernatural strength and skills come at a price, though, and it’s one we all know: gulping down vast quantities of blood. You’ll need to satisfy Coen’s hunger regularly, and the only truly gratifying meal is found in the neck of a human. You can opt to ignore that hunger, or feast on much less-satiating animals, but there are consequences to such a lifestyle.

“If you starve Coen, if you don't feed him enough, and if you go into important conversations, he can lose control and just kill off important NPCs,” Tomaszkiewicz reveals.

Rebel Wolves isn’t unique in creating a game in which you can kill significant characters, but it’s doing so in its own way. You can’t just stride up to someone and cut them down with your sword, for instance – it’s always to do with your vampiric urges. But you do have a choice. “You can decide to give into your vampiric nature whenever it comes knocking,” Tomaszkiewicz explains, describing it as “the whispers of your dark nature.” But that’s only possible if Coen is merely hungry. If you starve him, then every conversation is a roll of the dice. The hunger could seize control, and you’ll have no option but to watch him chow down.

This system is possible thanks to that aforementioned “narrative sandbox” campaign structure. “In a game that has more of a strict core narrative, you couldn't kill off a character that is pivotal to the story, right? Because the story would fall apart,” notes Tomaszkiewicz. Since all quests in The Blood of Dawnwalker (aside from the first and last) are essentially optional, it means anyone can be killed without derailing the story. Instead, those deaths become the story. You can punish characters you hate, or be caught off-guard by surprise slaughter.

This bloodlust is part of a wider set of overlapping systems designed to make the kingdom of Vale Sangora feel alive. NPCs have routines, and they’ll raise the alarm if they see you stealing or feeding on their neighbours. Rival factions will brawl each other in the streets. And the evil Brencis watches you from afar.

“As you gain more notoriety in the valley, as you do these acts against Brencis, he won’t stay passive,” Tomaszkiewicz reveals. “He will enact these edicts that will hamper your progression. So he might send out more soldiers into the streets, or patrolling the roads, or enforce a curfew. So now it's more difficult to feed at night.”

Notoriety initially sounds like GTA’s wanted level, or the escalating response of Metal Gear Solid’s guards. But it’s actually more complex than a simple difficulty spike. “Sometimes it can actually be a boon,” Tomaszkiewicz explains. “It's not just Brencis and his soldiers [who react to your notoriety,] it's also the people in the valley. They will recognize you and be afraid of you. So in some quest situations it actually might be helpful. There are some factions that fight against Brencis, they don't like him. So building up notoriety is actually a good way to gain a good standing with them.”

The End and Beyond

The narrative sandbox approach means Rebel Wolves has had to pay close attention to how the story ends. The ability to skip over every major quest, or kill off significant characters, means every player will hit the finale with different levels of knowledge. Some may not even know what a Dawnwalker is, while others will have found solutions to all the major problems. And so when I ask how many endings the story has, Tomaszkiewicz doesn’t have an easy answer.

“This is a very complicated web of connections,” he says. “I can tell you the designer working on the endings is… let's say the meme of [It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Charlie Day] with the red tape. That's him basically. It is a lot of fun, but it's a lot to keep track of.”

That’s not the only thing the story team needs to consider, either. The Steam page claims that this project is “the beginning of a brand-new saga built with love for the role-playing genre,” and so The Blood of Dawnwalker is just chapter one. The Rebel Wolves team may be building a game, but they are also building an entire universe that they plan to explore in subsequent games.

“We have ideas for the overarching story of Coen,” reveals Tomaszkiewicz. He says sequels are, of course, not guaranteed, but the team has ideas of where to go should this first game be a success.

“There is much more in the IP than just vampires, let's say,” he teases. “There is this whole hidden world that we are not exploring on purpose in this first game. We want to leave a lot of fuel for the sequels and so on. But we do leave breadcrumbs and hint at these things. So yeah, we have a general idea of where we want to take Coen.”

Such sequels and grander saga ambitions are beyond Rebel Wolves’ grasp for now, just as The Blood of Dawnwalker is beyond our own – at this year’s Gamescom, we were only able to watch a demonstration rather than go hands-on ourselves. And as exciting and promising as that demo was, it’ll take first-hand experience of the narrative sandbox to truly tell if the studio’s bold approach to RPG design has paid off. But just as Coen thirsts for the blood of mortals, I hunger to taste more of this fascinating, risk-taking Slavic fantasy.

Matt Purslow is IGN's Executive Editor of Features.

Storied film and television executive Frank Price passed away on August 25, 2025, at age 95. Besides being one of the primary developers of the TV movie and miniseries concepts, Price was himself a story editor/writer of 1950s programs like The Virginian and Tales of Wells Fargo before becoming the head of Universal Television where he oversaw shows like Kojak, Baretta, and The Rockford Files. He segued into the movie business in 1978 as president of the film division at Columbia Pictures, greenlighting classics like Kramer vs. Kramer, Gandhi, The Karate Kid, and Ghostbusters. In late 1984 he moved to Universal where he ported over Columbia projects like Back to the Future and Out of Africa to become monster hits.

I first encountered Price as one of the executive figures in Jack Matthews' classic behind-the-scenes exposé The Battle of Brazil (about the conflict between director Terry Gilliam and Universal over that film), and then much later as a figure of importance for my own non-fiction book, A Masterpiece in Disarray, about David Lynch's Dune, which Price supervised the release of. After being generous with his time on that book, I got to speak to Price again last year where the subject of his fortuitous – and arguably crucial – involvement in bringing Marvel Comics to live-action came up.

"I think I am indirectly responsible for the whole Marvel thing because of the Incredible Hulk television series," Price told me in June of 2024. "I did that at Universal, and Marvel was basically going out of business. We could have bought Marvel for $50 million at that point, but [Universal boss] Sid [Sheinberg] decided against it. Today that's worth billions."

Taking a Chance on Stan

Marvel Comics properties have been arguably the dominant force in movies since the launch of X-Men in 2000, with films in the interconnected Marvel Cinematic Universe alone accounting for $32 billion in global business since 2008. A comic book fan since childhood, Price had known Stan Lee and by the mid-1970s was willing to take a chance on Marvel's sprawling universe of characters in a live-action milieu.

"I had 10 of the Marvel comics," Price stated. "I had an option deal with Marvel where of their 110 or 120 characters I could select 10, so I had the pick of the litter. This is just before I left to go to Columbia, and so I didn't get all of them done. Fortunately the thing I got from Bob Wessler, who was head of CBS, was a commitment of 10 two-hour movies on these superheroes. The way I did it was I had our art department make life-size [cardboard] cartoons of these characters. I took them all over to a meeting at CBS, put them around the room to pitch this, and he bought it. He committed to the two-hour movies. The first one was Incredible Hulk."

To bring Lee and Jack Kirby's The Incredible Hulk to life on the small screen, Price went to one of Universal Television's newest big producers, Kenneth Johnson, who was fresh off of creating The Bionic Woman (a spin-off from Harve Bennett's The Six Million Dollar Man), which ran for three seasons.

Price said, "I did Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman, and that was before Incredible Hulk, so I like the superhero things. There are certain basic things you need to observe to keep the premise, right? On my superhero stuff I had rules, that if the Six Million Dollar Man had the strength of 20 men, that means 21 can overcome it. That's the danger point. You've always got to have a vulnerable superhero."

"Frank called me and he said, 'Look, we just acquired the rights to five of the Marvel Comics superheroes. Which one would you like to do?'" Johnson told IGN in the wake of Price's death. "He was giving me the first choice, which was flattering, but I said, 'Gee, Frank, thanks, but none of them.'"

Johnson did not necessarily want to be pigeonholed as a science fiction guy, unable to identify with Marvel's slate of "spandex and primary colors" characters. At the time there was so little demand for them in Hollywood that Price got the rights for a song, with Johnson claiming the number was around $7K for each title. Although Universal had the rights to 10 of the superheroes, the potential first wave had been whittled down to five, which consisted of The Hulk, Captain America, The Human Torch, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and Ms. Marvel. The latter two would have been competing directly with similar TV fare like NBC's short-lived Man From Atlantis starring Patrick Duffy and Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman.

"I had a lot of respect for him, but I just didn't want to go down that road with Marvel stuff," Johnson continued. "But at the time, I was reading a book my wife Susie gave to me called Les Miserables, so I had the fugitive concept rattling around in my head with the inspector pursuing him. Sitting there at night, I thought, 'I bet I could take a little bit of Victor Hugo and a little bit of Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and take this ludicrous thing called The Incredible Hulk and turn it into an adult psychological drama. Not a comic book show.' I went back to Frank with that concept and he said, 'Okay, that's great.' We were going to do two movies, that was the order CBS had in mind: A genesis movie where we show how it begins/how the situation arose, and then a two-hour follow-up movie about how this could be an episodic."

Part of Johnson's deal with Price involved him making the two Hulk movies in exchange for a "one for me" that would keep him from being pigeonholed as a sci-fi guy, i.e. a dramatic four-hour miniseries based on Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe.

Said Johnson, "We shook hands on it and Bob's your uncle. Then I sat down and in seven days wrote the story and screenplay for the pilot movie of The Incredible Hulk. Frank was great, he completely left me alone. We shot the white pages of my first draft screenplay, which was a rarity at that time… still is. I also insisted on casting it myself, writing it with Bill Bixby in mind. I had seen a performance Bill had done in a TV movie called Steambath, so he'd always been in my head. I wrote, produced, and directed the pilot that Universal later released as a foreign theatrical, which I had no idea. I got a call one day from Universal, 'Hey, congratulations, you have the top-grossing movie in Europe!'

“Then I began working on the script for Ivanhoe, but by the time the script was written, Frank had left the studio. The new guy who had come in to replace Frank said, 'Well, we're not going to do that.' I said, 'I shook Frank's hand,' and he said, 'Yeah, well Frank's hand is no longer here to sign the check.' Welcome to Hollywood, Kenny."

In the world of Kaiju No. 8, titanic, otherworldly beasts are a constant threat in Japan: to the extent that not only is there a military organisation – the Japan Anti-Kaiju Defense Force (JAKDF) – set up to deal with them, but there are also regimented clean-up crews whose jobs are to come in and cut up then cart away the often skyscraper-sized foes once they’ve been felled.

Lead character Kafka Hibino dreams of being a JAKDF officer, but at the start of the series is working in clean-up, and hoping that when there’s work to be done he doesn’t get assigned the intestines… for obvious reasons. It’s not long, however, before he’s – season one spoiler alert here – both a member of the JAKDF and dealing with the fact that he’s somehow been gifted/cursed with the powers of a kaiju himself, designated by the powers that be as Kaiju No. 8.

Stylish action, goofy humour and bad-ass characters all come together to make what follows a whole heap of fun, and frankly, excellent fodder for a video game. Why so? Well, in terms of action, the series focuses around squad-based combat against bizarre and menacing enemies both large and small, with battles decided by exposing each creature’s core (i.e. weak point) and finishing it off. Pair that with highly individual characters, who have a range of expertise in different weapons and fighting styles, and you’ve got a video game waiting to happen.

Enter Akatsuki Games, and Kaiju No. 8 The Game. This free-to-play turn-based RPG on mobile (with PC to follow) very much fits the mold for modern Japanese live service mobile games, with gacha rolls for characters and weapons, and numerous different currencies and crafting materials that allow you to level up characters, moves, weapons and more. This is a game with daily check in rewards, time-limited events and grinding for materials so you can enhance your characters and take on the next challenge.

Whether that’s your kind of thing is up to you, but there’s no doubt that the team has put a lot of effort into this title. Akatsuki Games has been working on Kaiju No. 8 The Game for more than two years – since well before the anime started airing – with a team size of around 200 people.

The result is a game with excellent presentation, thanks to well-realised 3D character models, a good sense of scale, and super slick combat animations. The core gameplay loop is compelling too, putting you in control of a four person squad in turn-based battles that move quickly and have plenty of room for strategic depth.

Kaiju No. 8 The Game also has an impressive amount of content out of the gate. Not only does it have an original story to play through (set during the second season of the anime, which is airing now), complete with an impressive amount of voice acting (in Japanese), but it has other modes that highlight iconic moments from the manga/anime’s story, tell side stories for the main characters, and so on. It even has a side-scrolling combat mini-game.

Check out this powerful 2025 Legion gaming PC deal from the Lenovo Labor Day Sale. You can order a Lenovo Legion Tower 5 Gen 10 AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D GeForce RTX 5070 Ti gaming PC for just $1,821.59 after you apply coupon code "LENOVOLIVE10". There's a second code "BYESUMMER10" that should automatically be applied. Free delivery is included. This CPU/GPU duo can run even the latest and most demanding games with high framerates at up to 4K resolution.

Lenovo Legion RTX 5070 Ti Gaming PC for $1,821.59

Fans eagerly anticipating the second installement of the new Mortal Kombat movie franchise will have to wait a little longer. As reported by Deadline, the sequel starring Karl Urban and directed by Mortal Kombat fillmaker Simon McQuoid has officially been delayed until next summer.

Mortal Kombat II will now debut in theaters May 15, 2026 instead of October 24, 2025. Deadline claims Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema believe the movie will perform better at the summer box office given the wild fan response to the trailer.

New Line Cinema describes the sequel as "the latest high-stakes installment in the blockbuster video game franchise in all its brutal glory. This time, the fan favorite champions—now joined by Johnny Cage himself (Karl Urban)—are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders."

Urban will star in Mortal Kombat II along with Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, and more.

Back in July, IGN teamed with Warner Bros. and IMAX to exclusively debut the first trailer of Mortal Kombat II. We also spoke to Karl Urban about playing Johnny Cage and how the character has "no self confidence" at the beginning of the new movie. Plus check out our breakdown of who's who in Mortal Kombat II.

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

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

Dell and Alienware Coupons

Dell is kicking off its Labor Day Sale with some great discounts on Alienware gaming PCs and laptops, including the new 2025 Alienware Area-51 models equipped with Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 series graphics cards. Not everyone is the DIY type. If you're in the market for a prebuilt gaming PC, Dell is one brands we would recommend. Alienware desktops and laptops feature solid build quality, top-of-the-line gaming performance, excellent cooling (further improved on the newer models), and aggressive styling. They are generally more expensive than other prebuilt options, but the Labor Day Sale offers some hefty discounts that make the prices much more competitive. For example, you'd be hard pressed to find another retailer that is selling an RTX 5070 Ti gaming PC for $1,700 or an RTX 5080 gaming PC for $2,100.

Alienware Gaming PC Deals

Alienware Gaming Laptop Deals

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

Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 Gaming PC

Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5070 Ti Gaming PC

Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 Gaming PC

Dell has dropped the price of the new 2025 Alienware Aurora 16 gaming laptop equipped with an GeForce RTX 5060 mobile GPU to just $1,100 with free delivery. Compared to other Alienware laptops, the Aurora 16 is designed to look less like a gamer's laptop. It boasts a sleek, understated design with the absence of extraneous visual-only embellishments or unnecessary RGB lighting outside of the keyboard's white-only illumination. The RTX 5060 is about 15%-20% more powerful than the RTX 4060 that replaces, making it a perfectly capable GPU for most games at up to 1600p. It approaches the performance of the RTX 4070, especially in games that support DLSS 4.

You can pick up an Alienware 16X Aurora gaming laptop equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and GeForce RTX 5070 mobile GPU for $1,649.99 after a $350 instant discount. This is the best Alienware laptop for gamers on a budget.

The best Alienware high-end gaming monitor just went on sale. The 32" Alienware AW3225QF 4K QD OLED gaming monitor has just dropped to $899.99 with free shipping after a $300 off instant discount. If you're looking for the best 4K gaming monitor, this should definitely be on your short list.

Some other resources you might be interested in:

• Best gaming laptop deals of 2025
• Best gaming PC deals of 2025

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

Having access to a space that’s totally your own is a freeing feeling. Not only can you display your Sonny Angel collection in all its glory and buy a worryingly cheap electric stove from TikTok shop, but you can also start to invest in technology that will likely stay with you beyond your college experience and into your first home.

While it’s unlikely that all the decor and homeware you buy for college will last quite as long as your courses, a TV is an expensive piece of technology that can almost certainly go the distance. Our list of the best TVs for dorms and small rooms will run you through the best options on the market right now, whether you’re a gamer, budget buyer, or are simply looking to throw cash at the problem.

TL;DR – These Are the Best TVs for Dorm Rooms:

Fitting your entire life into a box-shaped room doesn’t leave you with much space. That’s why the best TVs for dorm rooms deliver slim designs, ample ports, and high-quality resolutions. With these features, you can ensure your movie nights and FIFA sessions go off without a hitch. To save you the trouble of scrubbing the web, we’ve rounded up the best of the bunch so you can focus on the important parts of college life, like seminars, study sessions… and parties, of course.

1. LG 48" Class B5 Series OLED

Best Overall TV for Dorm Rooms

2. Samsung 32" Class Q60D Series QLED

Best TV for Desks

3. LG 42" Class C5 Series OLED

Best Premium TV

4. Samssung 43" Class QN90D Series QLED

Best TV for Gaming

How to Choose a TV for Your Dorm Room

What size TV do you need?

It can be very easy to walk into an electronics shop and find yourself awed by a mammoth 85-inch 4K TV. Look, Costco puts them up front for a reason. However, when it comes to finding a TV that works for your space, it’s important to consider details like your wall height, TV position, and room size first. Anywhere between 32–50 inches would be more than enough (and the top end would be pushing the limits of a comfortable viewing experience, depending on space). RTINGS has a good size-to-distance breakdown.

What features do you need?

Whatever TV you end up buying for your small space, you want to ensure it’s got essential details to future-proof the purchase. Features like smart TV capabilities, which eliminate the need for external streaming devices, and HDMI 2.1 ports, which allow for 4K streaming (amongst other important features like console connectivity), can be key to longevity and convenience. Additional considerations like cable length and screen brightness can be important too, though these features can be helped with extension cables or blackout curtains in a pinch. If you are someone who likes to relax and play games after a hard day, looking for TVs with dedicated gaming hubs with cloud gaming services built in may also be worth considering.

If you’re looking for a deeper look on essential TV features like screen size and design, be sure to check out our guide on how to buy a TV.

How much should you spend on a TV?

The amount of money you’d like to spend on a TV is a purely personal decision, but it’s worth remembering that a big price doesn’t always equate to a massive improvement in features or user experience. In the same token, whatever TV that’s cheapest you see on a run to Target might also do the trick for you if you don’t care much about picture quality or high refresh rates and just need a screen for your room. Regardless, make sure to check if sites offer a student discount on hardware that may reduce the overall cost.

Dorm TVs FAQ

Should you buy a TV or a monitor for your dorm?

If your space is small, or you only want one screen in your personal space, a monitor can be a fantastic alternative to a TV. Often boasting a slimmer design and high refresh rates, a monitor can be used with a PC tower, gaming console, or both to get the feel of a TV without the space or technical limitations. Still, if you are more concerned with streaming content conveniently and at higher fidelity, then a smart TV is still a viable, and likely more convenient, option.

Do all smart TVs come with streaming apps included?

Yes, but there are some caveats. To use smart TV features, you’ll have to connect it to the internet via a Wi-Fi connection or an Ethernet cable (depending on your TV). Once connected, you’ll then have to navigate the software to find and download your apps. Each TV will have its own proprietary software, such as Tizen for Samsung TVs or webOS for LG TVs.

Not all TV software is made equal, though, and while you’ll almost always find streaming titans like Disney+ or Netflix available, niche apps such as the Xbox Cloud Gaming app might not be accessible on your TV’s native platform. One way around this is to use an external streaming device, like the Fire Stick 4K, which, when used in tandem with your TV, can access the Xbox Cloud Gaming app.

Sarah Thwaites is a freelance tech writer at IGN, with bylines at GameInformer, TrustedReviews, NME and more.