If you're looking for an Anker power bank that can handle the demands of power hungry electronics like the new Xbox Ally X handheld gaming PC or the latest MacBook Pro 16" laptop, then the model that I currently use and recommend is on sale. Amazon is offering Prime members the Anker PowerCore 737 24,000mAh Power Bank with 140W of Power Delivery for just $74.99 with free shipping. I've owned this exact power bank for a few years and still use it regularly; it has been on multiple flights and road trips and works as intended. There are plenty of good battery brands nowadays, but Anker is still up there as of the most, if not the most reliable brands on Amazon.
Anker 737 24,000mAh 140W Power Bank for $74.99
The Anker 737 is still one of our highest rated favorite Steam Deck chargers. This is a relatively hefty power bank, measuring 4.6"x2.2"x2" and weighing in at 1.4lbs. It's something you'd put in your travel bag or backpack instead of your pocket. It's equipped with two USB Type-C ports and one USB Type-A port. The USB Type-C ports support a maximum of 140W of power delivery. That means a single port could deliver 140W, or both ports will deliver a combination of 140W depending on which devices are plugged in (for example, 70W + 70W or 100W + 40W).
In terms of gaming handhelds, the Steam Deck supports up to 45W of charging, the Asus ROG Ally up to 65W, the Xbox Ally X and Legion Go 2 up to 100W, and the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 between 20W and 30W. The Anker's 140W power output means it can charge all of these gaming handhelds even while you're playing at the same time. The new MacBook Pro 16" accepts up to 140W of charging, so the Anker 737 is a perfect battery for it as well.
A 24,000mAh battery equates to a 89Whr capacity. An 80% power efficiency rating (which is about standard for power banks) gives you about 71Whr of available charge. That means this power bank will charge a Steam Deck (40Whr) or Asus ROG Ally (40Whr) from empty to completely full 1.8 times, an Xbox Ally X (80Whr) 0.9 times, and a Nintendo Switch 2 (20Whr) about 3.6 times. You can see why a 10,000mAh power bank is too small for the more power hungry handhelds if even a 24,000mAh capacity power bank can top up an Xbox Ally X only one time.
Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.
The Xbox Ally X, the latest powerful handheld gaming PC, is a terrific machine, instantly taking the top spot on our list of the best handheld gaming PCs. For some, however, the price was a source of sticker shock (cue the Drew Scanlon blinking meme.) To help out against the $999.99 MSRP, you can now get a small discount on the Xbox Ally X at Best Buy. If you’re cool with buying an open-box unit, you can save up to $110, depending on the condition (see it at Best Buy).
Here are the price options, based on the condition of the Geek Squad Verified open-box unit you purchase:
Excellent - $949.99
Good - $919.99
Fair - $889.99
No matter which condition you choose, the Geek Squad has restored the Xbox Ally X to factory settings. You can click on the conditions in the listing for Best Buy’s definition of what to expect from each one. Excellent condition, for instance, means it looks and works like new, but “packaging may vary of be absent.” Good condition means it works like new, but may have minor scratches or dents.
As for the device itself, it’s arguably the biggest release in the handheld gaming PC space since the Steam Deck. It’s powered by the top-of-the-line AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme Processor, meaning it should be able to run just about any game you throw at it, unlike the aging Steam Deck with certain newer games. It also runs on the new Xbox Full Screen Experience, which is a streamlined version of Windows 11 that removes some of the unnecessary processes to make more RAM and other resources available for gaming. And since it runs on Windows, it also plays live-service games the Steam Deck can’t run due to its Linux operating system, games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Destiny 2.
If you’re wondering just how good the device is, you can check out our Xbox Ally X review, which says: “The Xbox Full Screen Experience alone would probably be enough for me to recommend the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X to anyone looking for a new handheld gaming PC. But the fact that it’s so comfortable to use and performs so well is just icing on the cake. All it really needs now is a couple of software updates to really refine the Full Screen Experience and it will be a device for the history books.”
That’s high praise. So if you’ve been holding off on buying because of the high price, picking up an open-box unit can help ease the strain on your wallet. It doesn’t cut the price by a ton, but any help these days is welcome.
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.
A compact power bank that is perfect for your Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, or Apple iPhone 17 has dropped in price for a limited time. Amazon is currently offering the Iniu 10,000mAh 45W Power Bank for just $10.19 after you clip the 49% off coupon on the product page. I hope you don't mind a power bank with a bit of pizzazz because this one's decked out in a fun tropical punch colorway. I expect this deal to reach its redemption limit very quickly.
Iniu 10,000mAh 45W Power Bank for $10.19
This Iniu power bank features a 10,000mAh (37Wh) battery capacity. If you factor in 80% power efficiency, here are the approximate number of times you can fully recharge some of the more popular gaming handhelds and smartphones:
Nintendo Switch (16Whr) about 1.9 times
Nintendo Switch 2 (20Whr) about 1.5 times
Steam Deck (40Whr) about 0.74 times
Apple iPhone 16 (14Whr) about 2.1 times
Apple iPhone 16 Plus (18Whr) about 1.6 times
*Apple iPhone 17 has slightly higher battery capacity than iPhone 16
The Iniu power bank has three output ports: one built-in 45W USB Type-C cable, one 45W USB Type-C port, and one USB Type-A port. The built-in cable is a popular feature on newer power banks because you no longer have to bring along your own USB Type-C cable. The 45W of Power Delivery is enough to charge the Nintendo Switch (18W) and Steam Deck (40W) at their fastest rate. This power bank is also a good match with the Apple iPhone 16, since ChargerLAB has shown that the maximum charging rate caps at about 30W. The iPhone 17 is expected to have a similar charging rate.
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.
Gearbox has released the big Borderlands 4 Day 30 patch, which makes a number of key balance changes to the game.
This update, released October 23, includes widespread stability improvements, multiplayer fixes, UI polish, and a suite of quality-of-life upgrades across visuals, audio, and accessibility. It also addresses various reported issues for Vault Hunters including major balance tuning, loot systems, gear, and achievements — further refining late-game, mission flow, and overall player experience.
Borderlands 4 players had been bracing themselves for this patch, as it finally takes aim at what Gearbox called "unintended interactions." Chief among these were builds that revolved around what was dubbed the 'crit knife,' which caused so much damage players were able to one-shot bosses even on Borderlands 4's toughest difficulties.
“We will monitor the community closely for feedback and respond after the changes have settled,” Gearbox said. “This measured approach to your input will provide a consistent and better experience. As a reminder, our primary goal with balance adjustments is to provide you the greatest number of viable builds.”
The update launches alongside the free Horrors of Kairos Seasonal Mini-Event. From today, October 23 to November 6, players will experience “a terror-inducing blood rain during all world boss encounters, with the added chance to loot the all-new legendary ‘Murmur’ Tediore Assault Rifle and ‘Skully’ Order Grenade.
Borderlands 4 Day 30 October 23 update patch notes:
Change List:
Horrors of Kairos!
Added support for the Horrors of Kairos! This free mini-event will be live from October 23 to November 6.
Added the "Murmur" Legendary Tediore Assault Rifle and "Skully" Legendary Order Grenade to the rewards for world bosses across Kairos! These special drops will only be available during Horrors of Kairos, and delivered to the Reward Center. These do not change the rates on any other gear for that boss.
Read the official announcement article for Horrors of Kairos for more information on the event and a spooky SHiFT code to shoot fear into your enemies!
Progression, Loot, & Rewards
Reduced Specialization Respec Machine cost from 5000 Eridium to 1500
Added drops to a certain boss fight that was not dropping loot
[PC] Ultimate Vault Hunter Level 5 Rank Up mission now correctly increases rank on Steam
Granted missing cosmetic rewards for players who completed Kairos Speaks with 155 Echo Logs prior to a previous update
Improved equipment handling when opening Rewards while driving
Lost Loot Machine logic updated to better prioritize higher-quality loot in overflow situations
Lost Loot Machine SDU upgrades now properly expand slots in multiplayer sessions
Addressed a reported issue with the Lost Loot Machine that could cause duplications in multiplayer
Loot enemies now drop more cash
Golden Chests can now consistently be opened after joining a session and redeeming SHiFT keys
Reward Center behavior adjusted after claiming the Gilded Glory Pack, to prevent it from losing function
Break Free reward bundle redemption standardized, will now correctly apply account-wide as intended
Adjusted unlock conditions so Rift Incompatible achievement now correctly completes for all players in multiplayer
Cut That Out achievement now unlocks when viewing the board from a further distance.
Level-based progression updated so Crimson Rising achievement unlocks at character level 10 as designed
Timing adjustments made so Catch a Ride! achievement unlocks only at the intended progression point
Challenge tracking updated so Jakobs Throwing Knives no longer count as gun kills
Ensured that Bobblehead collectibles in Pester’s Grotto and Motherbird Node were accessible.
Discovered locations now stay discovered when returning to single-player after multiplayer
Various Fast Travel stations have been adjusted to unlock when they’re intended to, including concerns seen in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode
Vault Key animations now play correctly during ECHO-4 sequences
ECHO Log pickup in Unpaid Tab now counts properly
Amara’s Escort to Core objective now consistently advances when replayed
Improved various instances of mission waypoints not showing up accurately
Gameplay & Missions
Maurice’s Black Market Vending Machine is able to be interacted with reliably in multiplayer
Legendary Vending Machine no longer closes unexpectedly during Vend of the Line
Made general improvements to prevent enemies from getting stuck when spawning, and addressed various reported spawn point issues
Addressed bounties Beatloaf, Grip, and Shagriculture not reliably spawning
Addressed reported instances of Terminus Range Vault enemies getting stuck on ledges during encounters
Addressed a reported issue in co-op during the Splashzone boss fight, leading to more consistent behavior
The Howl Capture Station no longer reactivates after safehouse capture
One Fell Swoop has been updated to prevent players from being left floating in the air. Bio-Bulkhead now shows the correct elemental icon and movement has been smoothed to eliminate jitter after certain attacks
Warden Scathe no longer clips through arena walls in his boss fight
Improved Echo Location guidance across several missions
Patched collision gaps, holes, clipping, and invisible walls
Corrected Order drop pod events to consistently reach that ground and no longer appear stuck in the air
NPCs should no longer cause players or vehicles to get stuck when the player runs them over
Pangolin enemies can now be damaged by grenades while in ball mode
Chain Master trait now tethers to all allies in range when multiple enemies have the ability
Mangler enemies no longer desync their position when dodging in multiplayer
Vault Hunter Changes
Harlowe the Gravitar
Addressed some Gravitar builds that reportedly caused performance slowdowns; they should no longer prevent UI elements from updating or Fight For Your Life sequences from completing
Gravitar passive and Augment bonuses to Gun Damage now correctly apply to Ripper Heavy Weapon barrels and the Ripper Legendary Heavy Weapon Steamer; Entanglement interactions also function as designed
Gravitar class mods have been adjusted to no longer roll +5 Pencils Down and push passives past their intended cap
Creative Bursts
Balance Adjustments:
Neutron Capture now converts all Gun Damage into radiation, and now only applies to Gun Shots, and not all instances of Gun Damage.
Dev Note: Neutron Capture is one of the best damage scalars in the entire game, but during testing, we found that this was erroneously applying to all instances of Gun Damage and was able to scale in unanticipated ways as a result. This new change will still see Neutron Capture being one of the best (if not the best) damage scalars in the game, but the power level will be much more in line with our expectations. Additionally, since all damage from the Gun is converted into Radiation, it should have more scaling vectors for clever build crafters, and allow for meaningful boosts from Gun Damage.
Cosmic Brilliance - Passive
Flux Generator + Annihilation interaction updated so spawned grenades now scale correctly with character level
Amon the Forgeknight
Shield visuals adjusted for improved clarity in combat situations
Trait - Forgeskill
Adjusted interaction with Forge Master class mod so Forgeskill now respects its cooldown in multiplayer
Onslaughter - Calamity
Camera behavior stabilized when combining Onslaughter with Order Legendary Pistol Noisy Cricket
Attack frequency of Rocket Punch is now consistent in multiplayer
Balance Adjustments
Seeing Red Duration restored no longer increases per point invested, and is now 4 seconds for all ranks.
Dev Note: Seeing Red was always meant to have huge damage scaling potential, but was always meant to be hard to maintain. We didn't want to nerf this passive's power, but we're making the effect harder to maintain.
Scourge - Vengeance
Scorched Kairos passive now displays consistent magazine size values for the Ordnance gadget
The Forgewave no longer fires unintentionally during Glacial Rapture
Projectiles no longer get stuck in the air when Forgemaster Firewall is active during the Fortress Indomita boss fight
Blackout Shock Damage now properly scales with points invested
Blackout is now 15% per point, down from 21% per point
Dev Note: After fixing the scaling of the DoT (damage over time), we found that Blackout was overperforming a bit, so we gave it a slight re-adjustment. This will still be an overall buff, now that the DoT properly scales.
Crucible - Cybernetics
Visuals corrected so Forgeknight Forgeaxe no longer disappears when activating Crucible at the same time as throwing with Double-Edge
Corrected animation of Crucible while climbing
Raging Inferno Incendiary Damage now properly scales with points invested
Vex the Siren
Challenge “Me, Myself, Myself, and I.” now tracks correctly in multiplayer, independent of clone duration on other players
Dead Ringer - The Fourth Seal
Specter’s copied weapon now displays proper visual effects when firing with a Maliwan Element Switcher
Incarnate - Vexcalation
Bleed from Bloodletter has been updated so it no longer recursively triggers itself, preventing unintended damage loops
Phase Phamiliar - Here Comes Trouble
Balance Adjustments
Double Trouble Illusion Damage Multiplier is now 75%, up from 50%
Double Trouble Illusion's Duration is now 8 seconds, up from 5 seconds
Apex Beast Damage Dealt increase increased to 15% from 10% per stack of Unsealed
Rafa the Exo-Soldier
Free Grenade from Filantropo class mod now deals appropriate damage even when no grenade is equipped
People Person skill tree
Action Skills - APOPHIS Lance
APOPHIS Lance changed to penalize Gun Accuracy instead of Gun Handling, resulting in projectile speed being unaffected.
APOPHIS Lance now benefits from cooldown reduction effects
Gear
Skills that boost Gun Handling now properly increase Projectile Speed
Addressed reports that swapping weapons with the Free Loader Enhancement on an Order weapon with a Ripper magazine would cause all weapons to not consume the accurate amount of ammo
Health restoration from Legendary Repkit Adrenaline Pump now works correctly when combined with Legendary Shield Guardian Angel
Reduced critical chance on Jakobs crit knife to 30%
Dev Note: It had to happen, you knew it was going to happen!
Jakobs Legendary Pistol San Saba Songbird no longer stacks infinitely when swapping weapons
Using a Jakobs Shotgun with Torgue sticky projectiles and the Knife Launcher underbarrel no longer deals knife damage after switching fire modes
Jakobs weapon parts updated so ricochet effects only trigger from intended damage sources
Ripper Legendary Shotgun Golden God overheating effect now clears correctly when switching weapons
Corrected behavior on Maliwan Legendary SMG Ohm I Got so the first three shots no longer consume ammo without dealing damage during continuous fire
Maliwan Legendary Heavy Gun Gamma Void corrected to apply proper increased Radiation damage to enemies inside the Singularity
Weapons with COV magazines now function correctly if a repair animation is interrupted with a Repkit in multiplayer
Daedalus Legendary SMG Frangible removed from chest loot tables
Daedalus Legendary AR First Impression reduced the critical damage multiplier
Recoil behavior improved while charging and firing Order ARs and Torgue Heavy with Triple Barrel parts with Gun Handling passives
Vladof Flamethrower underbarrel no longer deals infinite damage or bypasses Bio Armor
Torgue Grenades with Spring and Apex Augments now always explode on its first apex
Grenades with Spring Augment and Divider Payload now have the intended three additional bounces when paired
Gadgets no longer reset to maximum uses after gaining Second Wind
Healing Orbs spawned from Legendary Repkit Kill Spring can no longer heal enemies
Order Legendary Shield Cindershelly combat voice lines now trigger at the intended frequency, less often to be less distracting
Tediore underbarrel names now match correctly across item cards and ammo widgets
Maliwan Lingering Payload and Splat Pack Augment projectiles no longer persist when thrown at vending machines
Gear Balance: Assault Rifles:
Star Helix fire rate increased by 33%
Bonnie and Clyde base damage increased by 40%; Pair of Thieves: Bonus damage granted increased to 150% from 100%
Bugbear base damage increased by 40%; Rotary Gun: Max Damage increased to 200% from 100%
Rowan's Charge base fire rate increased by 100%
Rowan's Charge recoil reduced slightly
Lucian's Flank base damage increased by 50%
Lucian's Flank recoil reduced slightly
Aegon's Dream base damage increased by 35%
Heavy Weapon Ordnance:
Gamma Void base damage increased by 450%; Singularity Duration decreased to 6s from 10s, Radiation damage amp increased to 50% from 40%, Gamma Void Cooldown increased by 100%
Ravenfire base damage increased by 25%
Class Mods:Dev Notes: Class Mods relating to Melee Damage, Action Skill Damage, and specific one-off stats on Legendaries have been buffed to make them more desirable.
All Class Mods:
Melee Damage Action Skill Damage on level 50 class mods has increased to 60%
Skill Damage on level 50 class mods has increased to 45%
Siren Class Mods:
Avatar's Attunement Skill Duration on level 50 class mods has increased to 45%
Kindread Spirits' Command Skill Cooldown rate on level 50 class mods has increased to 45%
Forgeknight Class Mods:
Blacksmith's Forgedrone Duration on level 50 class mods has increased to 45%
Blacksmith's Legendary Effect now also increases all Forgedrone Damage by 20% per active Forgedrone
Viking's Detonation Damage on level 50 class mods has increased to 60%
Forge Master's Forgeskill Damage on level 50 class mods has increased to 60%
Elementalist's Legendary Effect now also increases all Damage Dealt by Amon by 2% per active Affinity Stack
Gravitar Class Mods:
Bio-Robot's Hazard Damage on level 50 class mods has increased to 60%
Skeptic's Stasis Damage on level 50 class mods has increased to 60%
Other Gear:
Dev Notes: Gear effects that are related to Melee and Action Skill Damage have increased effectiveness. We want these builds to be pushed up a bit, but wanted to distribute the power among the various pieces of gear to make them more desirable.
Rep Kits:
Hard Hitter now grants 50% Melee Damage Dealt, up from 40%
Firm Ware:
Reel Big Fist now grants 25% Melee Damage at rank 1 and 2, up from 15%/25%
Action Fist now grants 25% Melee Damage at rank 1, up from 15%
Action Fist now grants 30% Action Skill Damage at rank 2, up from 30%
Action Fist now grants 30% Action Skill Damage on Melee Kill, up from 25%
Shields:
Boxer Armor Shields now grant 20%/30%/50% Melee Damage depending on parts rolled, up from 15%/25%/40%
Berserker Energy Shields now grant 20%/30%/50% Melee Damage depending on parts rolled, up from 20%/27.5%/35%
Specializations
Groundbreaker:
Groundbreaker now only stores Gun, Action Skill, and Ordnance damage.
Dev Note: Groundbreaker was causing recursive loops that could lead to infinite damage by storing “Bonus Damage” across the board. We still want this skill to be effective, but it should not be able to scale infinitely. We’ll be monitoring Melee builds after this change to make sure they are meeting expectations, and will further adjust if necessary. This ultimately had to be fixed so we can establish a baseline before we investigate further buffs/changes.
UI & UX & Text
Sorting settings in menus now persist when switching tabs or leaving the menu
“Toggle Junk” behavior has been corrected to target the desired item in Bank menus and Backpack
Weapon wheel no longer sticks when opened near Guns vending machines
Combat Radar now features a dedicated Legendary Loot Indicator, making high-value drops easier to spot in the heat of combat
Press/Hold input now cancels correctly without triggering unintended actions
“Apply Settings” prompt only appears when changes are made
[PS5 and Xbox] Splitscreen updates, including number text scaling, Equipment/Backpack improvements, scrollbar behaviors, Party list layout, and “Flip Card” functionality
Restored Fullscreen resolution controls and switching behavior
Weekly Activities now populate after campaign completion
Maurice's Black Market Vending Machine timer updates to show correct cooldown
Firmware 3-Piece bonuses (Ahoy, Oscar Mike, Daed-dy O’) now show cooldown icons; Deadeye Tier-3 stacks now appear in the passive bar
Boss Bar spacing corrected when Combat Radar is active
Transfer Machine naming has been standardized across the game
Travel notification now displays the initiating player’s name
ECHO Location path remains readable over time; made improvements to pathfinding
Updated various UI visuals and icons for alignment, consistency, and clarity
Updated localization and various text descriptions across the game
Standardized/updated terminology across gear, menus, customization, and manufacturers
Visuals
Updated various character and NPC animations
Corrected various reported instances of VFX not rendering correctly
Grapple Vault points now show proper models instead of placeholders
Reduced reported instances of visual pops at cinematic starts
Audio
Audio and VO now remain active when returning to menus after level traveling in multiplayer
Adjusted audio mix for improved balance across gameplay and VO
SFX volume slider now correctly applies to high HDR-value sounds
Addressed several reported instances of VO not playing as intended across multiple missions and scenarios
Vault Hunter battle voiceover frequency has been tuned so lines repeat less often
Missing pain reaction audio restored for several named NPCs
Improved various subtitle timing and text
Background music now continues as expected during the Idolator Sol boss fight
Unique audio cue restored for Phosphene (shiny) gear spawns
Settings & Accessibility
Personal Cross-play settings can now be adjusted immediately after switching Party Privacy from Local Only to Public in Session Settings
Air Dash is now fully usable on controller when Toggle Crouch is set to Off under Accessibility → Gameplay
Individual graphics options now reset properly after making changes and then selecting Run Auto-Detect in Options
[PS5 and Xbox] Field of View resets consistently to Default on consoles without showing mismatched values
Player Experience
Improvements to stability
We are continuing to investigate and will make further improvements to stability and performance.
Addressed multiple reported issues across multiplayer, missions, menus, and engine systems.
Improved matchmaking and session stability.
Addressed performance in multiplayer when there were large numbers of homing projectiles
Refined graphics settings and shader handling
Improvements made to patch reliability and automation processes
Ocean could occasionally fail to load
Miscellaneous
[Epic] Rich Presence now displays correctly in non-English languages on Epic
[PS5] Friend list now loads properly after logging out and back in during patch checks on the title screen
Joystick input now behaves consistently when lowering deadzones
[PS5 and Xbox] SHiFT account linking verification codes now auto-copy and apply correctly on console
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.
Bethesda Softworks will soon kick off its Fallout Day 2025 livestream, and we’re here to share every new announcement and detail it has to offer.
With no new mainline Fallout game in sight and fans – including celebrity and Fallout alum Danny Trejo – always asking for more Fallout: New Vegas news, we do have some idea of what Bethesda will show. Yesterday, the studio teased updates for the 10-year-old Fallout 4, as well as its ongoing Fallout 76, for example, while also promising to share news related to Fallout Shelter. Fans can also expect to catch a glimpse at new merch, upcoming events, and more.
Although it’s unclear when the next Fallout game will arrive, fans of Bethesda’s post-apocalyptic role-playing game series already have their hopes up for today’s stream. Fallout Day 2024 kept announcements light but still included a few reveals, such as a sneak peek at what the series’ first ever playable Ghouls would look like and the introduction of Camp pets. Keep checking in with us on this story when the Fallout Day 2025 stream kicks off at 10 p.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET, and be sure to leave your predictions in the comments below.
Fallout Day 2025 Is Here
Following a very musical pre-show, the Fallout Day 2025 livestream began with an introduction from senior community director Jess Finster and senior community manager Richard Stanford – and even a live-action Dog Meat. They tease updates on projects like Fallout 4, Fallout 76, and Fallout Shelter, while also promising appearances from a few special guests.
Celebrating 10 Years of Fallout 4 With an Anniversary Edition
Studio and production director Angela Browder showed up for the Fallout Day 2025 livestream to talk about 10 years of Fallout 4 and what Bethesda had planned for it next. Fallout 5 is surely many years off, but the newly announced Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition should help with the wait.
It’s a bundle aimed to revitalize the fourth mainline Fallout game with a re-release that includes all six pieces of DLC: Nuka-World, Far Harbor, Automatron, Vault-Tec Workshop, Contraptions Workshop, and Wasteland Workshop.
“In addition to the add-ons, the Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition also includes over 150 pieces of Creation Club content, including some previously unreleased items to supplement your adventures,” associate art director Daniel Lee said during the show. “And now, with this anniversary, we’re taking your experience to the next level because Creations are coming to Fallout 4. That means you’ll see even more new content coming to the Commonwealth.”
Developing…
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer 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).
Fancy having DLSS 4-powered gameplay on the go with a Nvidia RTX 5070ti gaming laptop? Lenovo Legion has you covered for under $1,800, which is an insane pricepoint when you check the overall specifications. Let's gets into it:
Hulu (with ads) + Live TV for $64.99/mo for 3 Months
30% off Hulu just in time for the world series? Yes please! It contains adds, but a saving is a saving especially when it's commitment free after the offer ends. Just in time for the holiday season, you can have cosey film nights for less this year.
77" LG Evo C5 4K OLED Smart TV
Over $2,000 off one of the best TVs of this year, plus you get free stand or wall mount setup and a LG S40T Soundbar and Subwoofer bundle (Worth $229.99), just add it to your basket. If you need a new TV in time for the holidays, this is an absolute banger to have in the lounge.
Anker 25,000mAh 165W Power Bank
No more loosing USB-C cables with this bad boy. It pumps out enough power to charge anything from your phone and Nintendo Switch 2 to a Macbook. The 25,000mAh power capacity means it'll store more than enough more to charge two devices at once too. It's a win-win kind of deal.
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro Gen 10
30% off an Nvidia RTX 5070Ti gaming laptop brings the price of entry for DLSS 4 to way under $2,000. 16GB of DDR5 RAm alongside a Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor backing up the GPU means this 16-inch Lenovo Legion beast is well worth it!
Football Manager 26 (Steam)
Preorders are now available for Football Manager 26 over on Fanatical, which gives players early access for pre-purchasing. New features such as Premier League and Womens Football is included this time around, to there's plenty to go at in this new instalment.
Once Upon A KATAMARI (Steam)
Releasing today, Once Upon a Katamari introduces tiem travel to the frankly insane cult classic series from Bandai Namco. Roll through Jurrasic, Ice Age and other eras to rebuild the Earth and Moon that the king destroyed whilst playing as The Prince and one of his 68 cousins. Mental.
SILENT HILL f (Steam)
Set in 1960s Japan, Silent Hill f follows Shimiza Hinako as she deal with her town and home covered in a strange fog, turning her life into a living nightmare. This next instalment focuses more on Psycological horror and finding beauty hidden in terror. I'd find out for myself, but i'll be giving my goldfish a bath instead (I'm scared).
Alienware Gaming Desktop Discounts
Fancy a solid RTX 5080 build for under $2,000 including free delivery? You'll be able to take advantage of DLSS 4 with more gas in the tank than a RTX 4080 Super, which is one of Nvidias best graphics card releases last year. Buyers can look forward to high frame rate 4K gameplay with all the bells and whistles added. We're talking ray tracing and definition sharper than any console can currently output. Check our review out for more information on this epic GPU.
Alienware Gaming Laptop Discounts
When it comes to gaming laptops in general, picking one within your budget is the first major step. For something worth gaming on, the $1,000 mark is the price of entry. That will include a RTX 5060, going all the way up to $3,549 for a RTX 5090 build if you really want that mobile gaming flex.
Nvidia RTX 5000 Series Refurb Deals
Still running a Nvidia RTX 1000 to 3000 series? This is your chance to upgrade your rig to DLSS 4 and Ray Tracing with Woots RTX 5000 series refurbished sale. The sweet spot with this generation has to be RTX 5080 that includes 16GB of GDDRR6 RAM that can handle 4K gaming and all the frames. Need to upgrade on a budget? RTX 5070 12GB is a great option for $529 too.
MTG: Cheapest at Amazon
There's a handful of booster boxes available for slightly less at Amazon this week, but it's a bit of a poor turnout for Magic: The Gathering players. Most of the listing on Amazon are above MSRP and higher than secondary market values, but the carosel above are good deals when compared to TCGPlayer.
MTG: Cheapest at TCGPlayer
TCGPlayer's sellers are keeping away from the sneaker-heads and crypo bro mentality that's hit Magic and Pokémon TCG is 2025 and is keeping prices down. Market value for MTG sealed product goes off what people are willing to pay, and it shows. There's so much here that's at a lower price than big box retailers it's embarassing. But, it's great for your pocket!
Blaziken ex & Volcanion ex Premium Collection
Trainers and collectors will get five Destined Rivals Boosters and five Journey Together Boosters in this bad boy, so that's about the right kind of ball park for ten booster packs, plus you're getting the promo Volcanion ex and Blaziken ex promo card and a jumbo version of Blaziken ex.
I think these promo's would work great together in a fire-themed deck. Use Blazikens Seething Spirit to grab fire energy from your discard pile to build up Volcanion. In the meantime Volcanion can burn opposing Pokémon then use Scorching Cyclone for 160 damage then transfer all it's energy to a benched Pokémon. So many possibilities here.
Poké Price Check: Mega Evolution In Stock
Mega Evolution seems to be a well-printed start to the next era of Pokémon TCG. I'm seeing boosters in convienience stores and some products on physical shelves, not to mention the Booster Bundle ($52.89), Gardevoir ETB ($88.81) and Three Booster Blister ($28.90) available on Amazon. Like the rest of the products in this carousel though, the cheapest is TCGplayer right now.
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.
Some Battlefield 6 players are up in arms after first information about Season 1 revealed what they believe is an out of place soldier skin.
Fans have waited weeks for a first look at Season 1 and its new maps, modes, and guns. However, after EA and Battlefield Studios finally pulled back the curtain with a trailer yesterday, the only thing on the community’s mind was a question: could this be the beginning of the end?
New Battlefield 6 maps like Blackwell Fields and Eastwood certainly served as meaningful attention grabbers, but it’s just one skin that has completely controlled the conversation. The cosmetic in question is Wicked Grin, a new skin for the Assault Class. A sneak peek at the suit arrived via various Battlefield 6 Season 1 previews that hit the web yesterday, revealing a wardrobe that fans feel ranges from grounded to gaudy.
PC Gamer was one of a few sites to share an image of the skin, which features dark blue highlights from head to toe. It’s Class operator also sports a toothy smile painted across their bandana. It’s been more than enough to set off alarm bells among the Battlefield 6 community, especially considering the Wicked Grin skin description teases that it can be “unlocked as a free store gift.” It suggests Assault players could flood lobbies with those standout blues as soon as next week, potentially bringing fans' fear of goofy skins into reality. Even if this or any of the other Season 1 skins remain a far cry from the dozens of celebrity, superhero, and cartoon character crossovers present in other popular shooters like Call of Duty and Fortnite, tens of thousands of fans are clearly unhappy with what they’re seeing so far.
“So, weren't we supposed to have realistic skins for some time?” one popular comment from a fan says. “Something that someone would really wear during a war? Yet it seems that with the start of Season 1, everything will turn to colorful mess, with no way of differentiating teams based on uniforms, the game will look more like a Paintball or [ActionSportGames] event.”
“I will not revive anyone wearing this kind of skin. My take,” one Reddit user says. “I’m gonna miss the days when everyone has default and beta skins,” another Reddit user adds. “I’m afraid this game won't be recognizable in the future.”
EA and BF Studios have never set a hard rule describing what exactly their version of a grounded Battlefield 6 looks like. Still, the Season 1 skin is being perceived as a breach of trust after the community had been told to expect grounded visuals across the board for at least a while.
“We are a gritty, grounded, realistic shooter,” Ripple Effect and BF Studios technical director Christian Buhl told IGN last month. “That's what we intend to be, and that's what the game is going to look like for a while.”
Many admit that there is still much ground to cover before Battlefield 6 stops looking like the grounded military shooter that it currently is and starts introducing some of the more outrageous characters seen in other games. There's also the fact that there are, of course, many other more grounded outfits both in the Battlefield 6 base game and coming in Season 1. As for what we’ve seen from Season 1 so far, though, fans are now more on edge than ever.
“Is it realistic? No,” another community comment adds. “Is it more grounded then Beavis and Butt-Head, Peter Griffin, Sgt. PsPsPs, Wubz, Feelin Sloothy, the list goes on... I would say yes.”
"If you want to use regular, realistic outfits, there are plenty," someone else says. "If someone wants to wear one with a bit of colour, they can. It’s a video game, not real war."
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer 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).
Netflix is doing stranger things lately — and this time it's both literal and figurative. The series finale episode of Stranger Things will officially be shown in movie theaters, a move that goes against the streamer’s well-known ethos.
The two-hour Season 5 finale episode, titled 'The Rightside Up,' will premiere both on Netflix and in over 350 nationwide theaters in tandem on December 31, 2025 at 8pm ET and play into New Year’s Day. This marks the first time a Netflix episode will premiere both on streaming and in a theatrical setting, let alone simultaneously. An official list of participating theaters will be announced at a later date.
In a recent Variety story, Stranger Things co-creators and showrunners Ross and Matt Duffer opened up about wanting the series finale to have its day in the theater.
“That would be amazing,” Ross told the outlet. “Because the fans could be there with other fans, and experience it as a communal thing — it would be incredible.”
“People don’t get to experience how much time and effort is spent on sound and picture, and they’re seeing it at reduced quality,” Matt added. “More than that, it’s about experiencing it at the same time with fans.”
Netflix has been notoriously against and uninterested in exhibiting its films theatrically. In fact, Netflix’s chief content officer Baja Balaria recently said she didn’t think a show on the level of Stranger Things needed what a theatrical release could offer.
“A lot of people — a lot, a lot, a lot of people — have watched Stranger Things on Netflix,” she told Variety earlier this month. “It has not suffered from lack of conversation or community or sharing or fandom. I think releasing it on Netflix is giving the fans what they want.”
However, late this summer, Netflix took its mega hit animated film KPop Demon Hunters to theaters for a one-weekend special singalong edition release — which totally killed at the box offices and fans (I can say from experience, I actually hosted one of these) had a blast. Did KPop Demon Hunters blaze a trail for Netflix in theaters?
Stranger Things Season 5 is set to release in three sections: the first four episodes will drop for Thanksgiving on November 26, the next three episodes will come out on Christmas, and the final episode will debut on New Year’s Eve.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
Originally planned for a 2025 launch, the Switch 2 version of FromSoftware’s 2022 Game of the Year-winning fantasy RPG, Elden Ring, will now arrive next year to “allow time for performance adjustments."
This new package of the base game plus its Shadow of the Erdtree DLC was due to land on Nintendo’s new console sometime this year, but the studio has now pushed it to presumably focus on the technical concerns that have been raised by those who have played it in its pre-launch state.
This is something IGN has first-hand experience of, having called Elden Ring on Switch 2 “a disaster in handheld mode” after checking it out at gamescom a couple of months ago. Performance was said to suffer in particular when exploring the world.
We noted that “frame rate drops were significant when turning the camera whilst exploring outside of the tutorial area, and this, combined with a confusing button layout on Switch 2, made combat confusing and exploration fairly dispiriting.”
FromSoftware has apologized to fans looking forward to playing Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R. R. Martin’s epic on a handheld console, but thanked them for their “patience and support."
We don’t yet know when in 2026 Elden Ring Tarnished Edition will arrive, with a firm date still being kept close, but let's hope it's in a much better state when we get to see it next.
Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.
A new report has shed light on the goings on at Microsoft, which has allegedly pushed Xbox studios to deliver a 30% profit margin — much higher than the industry average.
Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reported that Microsoft’s 30% profit margin goal had led to the gaming division’s huge layoffs, canceled projects, controversial price rises, and multiplatform push.
The cuts to Xbox have been deep. Thousands of staff have lost their jobs over several rounds of layoffs. Games such as Rare’s Everwild and The Initiative’s Perfect Dark reboot were canceled after years of development. ZeniMax Online Studios game Project Blackbird was canned, leading to mass layoffs. The Initiative was also shut down. Last year, Microsoft closed Redfall developer Arkane Austin and Hi-Fi rush developer Tango Gameworks.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has increased the price of the Xbox Series X and S consoles, and the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to $29.99 a month — the latter of which was a hugely controversial move. Microsoft tried to make the jump to $80 video games, but ended up reverting to $70 after fans pushed back on the idea of paying $10 more for Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds 2. Most expect Microsoft to go to $80 at some point next year.
Bloomberg said the average profit margin in the video game industry is 17-22%. Over the past six years, Xbox has hit 10-20%. To put that 30% target into more context, Sony's PlayStation division achieved a 16% profit margin in Q1 FY25. Bloomberg said Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood enforced the new target in fall 2023 — amid Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard.
The upshot now is, according to Bloomberg, that games that are cheap to make or considered more likely to make lots of money may take priority over riskier projects. Xbox’s “floundering” hardware division, meanwhile, may face “a significant rethinking.”
“We look at the business as a whole, balancing creativity, innovation, and sustainability across a diverse portfolio of offerings. As with any creative business, sometimes that means making hard decisions and stopping work on things that are no longer working for a variety of reasons, and shifting resources toward the projects that are more aligned with our direction and priorities.”
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.
If Star Trek is the optimistic dream of what humanity could become, The Outer Worlds 2 is the nihilistic nightmare of what it will probably be. Thankfully, both make for highly entertaining material to explore, and this second run through Obsidian’s corporate dystopia is a significant step up from the original. With a story that’s more grounded and interesting, significantly more competent combat, and an irresistible RPG grind, I had a blast putting my fist through the kafkaesque final frontier alongside a cast of memorable companions, even when a weak first act and some truly terrible enemy variety made the going less exciting. Across the more than 65 hours my completionist playthrough took, I fought with myself over moral dilemmas, giggled at absurd worldbuilding, and brought several would-be dictators to their knees – that’s exactly what the for-profit space doctor ordered.
The Outer Worlds 2 is a good old-fashioned single-player, open-world RPG in the same vein as Dragon Age, Fallout, and Avowed. Y’know, the ones where you’re an especially cool person given undue authority to insert yourself into the various conflicts of the world and decide the fate of all living beings while collecting a cast of snarky companions in the process? Well, as a followup to 2019’s The Outer Worlds and a sorta, kinda followup to 2010’s Fallout: New Vegas, Obsidian is at it again with a very similar blueprint here. It lays out a new dystopia to shoot your way through as you level up, grab every piece of loot within reach, and solve all the galaxy’s long-standing problems in no time at all. It’s not the most novel concept, to be sure, but it’s one I love that we simply don’t get enough of, and pulls it off better than the vast majority of recent attempts.
This sequel returns to a wonderfully satirical alternate reality where unfettered capitalism has conquered the stars to turn majestic celestial bodies into tacky outdoor strip malls. Though it shares the same pessimistic vision for the future, it ditches the first game’s Halcyon system for a different part of the galaxy called Arcadia, with a fresh batch of planets for you to single-handedly decide the fate of. More prominent than the new planets to explore though is a distinct shift in tone. While there’s still plenty of goofy jokes and ways to make your trek through corporate-owned space completely absurd, this sequel is much more interested in telling a grounded story – one that focuses squarely on the politics of Arcadia’s various factions and repeatedly forces you to make judgement calls on which of these deeply flawed organizations is the lesser evil.
While there are still plenty of goofs, this sequel tells a more grounded story.
That bet on more serious topics and the delicate balance of warring political entities is one that pays off, thankfully, and I found myself genuinely torn by who to side with and even frustrated by my inability to appeal to the better angels of these selfish, power hungry monsters, which is exactly what I look for in these kinds of make-your-mark-on-the-world games. The way you’re positioned as a central figure who will decide which of these power-hungry factions will emerge victorious is quite reminiscent of one of my favorite Obsidian RPGs, Fallout: New Vegas, and just like with that one, there aren’t any truly good answers here. Auntie’s Choice is a supposedly freedom-forward capitalistic organization that actually functions as an oppressive, monopolistic pseudo-government that would make Helldivers 2 proud, while The Protectorate is an openly fascistic society that seeks to suppress any thought diverging from their orthodoxy, and choosing which of these two vipers nests gets to control the fate of an entire planet is rarely straightforward. Even the groups that seem more reasonable like the Order of the Ascendant, which uses science and math to predict the future as it tries to guide humanity towards enlightenment, will get caught casually committing atrocities to prevent some supposed future they’ve seen through their abacus, which made me ponder if their way of life was actually any better.
When The Outer Worlds 2 is putting the political jockeying front and center, it’s sick as hell, and without question has some of the coolest worldbuilding and satisfyingly perilous moral dilemmas I’ve seen in some time – but it takes its sweet time getting there, mostly focusing on this conflict in its second half. For the first half of the story, you’ll instead prioritize a humdrum revenge quest I cared about so little that I actually forgot it was even the first act’s main focus by the time I reached credits. In fairness, they do use this early time to introduce you to the principle movers and shakers in Arcadia while you seek vengeance, which sets it up for a much stronger second act, but for the first 20 or so hours felt like the main story was quite slow and unengaging. It does rally if you can hang in there for a bit, but I wish it was more consistent throughout.
One area that is much more consistent is the absolutely gripping RPG climb, which sunk its teeth into me from moment one with a near-constant stream of interesting decisions to make about who my character was and how in the heck he was going to be able to save the galaxy. With only two skill points earned per level to spend across 12 skills that make you good at everything from Leadership to Lockpicking, you’ve got some serious decisions to make about what you want to excel in. This becomes an even more stressful decision once you take a look at the enormous list of perks, which can only be unlocked if you’ve sufficiently bought into the relevant prerequisite skills. That includes things like the ability to pickpocket others, which only becomes available to those who have leveled up Sneak, or another perk that allows you to sell increasingly unbelievable lies as you improve your Speech skill. You’re only allowed to buy 15 of these bad boys before you hit the level cap of 30, so planning out your ideal spacefaring badass and making sure you’ve got the skills you need to get the job done becomes very compelling, and I found myself hungrily looking for enemies to kill and side quests to complete to feed my XP habit.
The absolutely gripping RPG climb sunk its teeth into me from moment one.
But the best part of this power climb is how it manifests in unexpected ways in the form of flaws. The Outer Worlds 2 tracks the things your character does in search of certain trends, then provides opportunities for you to lean into those quirks by offering benefits that come at a cost. For example, if you tend to steal a lot, you might be offered the Kleptomaniac flaw, which allows you to sell all your stolen goods for more money, but also makes your character steal things automatically from time-to-time, which can get you in quite a bit of trouble with the locals. Alternatively, if you skip through a lot of dialogue, you’ll be offered the Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome flaw, which gives you bonus XP but forces you to choose all your dialogue options under a very short time limit before choosing an option for you randomly. Each of these has pretty massive implications on how you play and are irreversible, which can lead to all sorts of hilarious mistakes.
Early on in my playthrough, I was tempted by a Jack of All Trades flaw offered to me, which gave me a whole extra skill point every time I leveled up, but came at the cost of never being able to raise a skill more than one point above my lowest rated skill. This seemed like a pretty fair trade at the time, but I quickly realized that my character was now just bad at pretty much everything and constantly ran into roadblocks in my journey that made me thoroughly regret my decision (although it actually made for a pretty great way to play for the purposes of this review, since I got a taste of being semi-good at every skill on the roster). Even when these choices went on to haunt me for the rest of my playthrough, I couldn’t help but love them, and if anything it made me excited for subsequent playthroughs where I could learn from the error of my ways and perhaps stumble across some new flaws to saddle myself with.
Like its predecessor, you spend most of your time exploring the wild frontiers of untamed planets while staring down the barrel of a rifle and/or stabbing jugulars, and this is an area of significant improvement since the last time we were let loose in this setting. While the first Outer Worlds was mostly passable when it came to combat, this sequel manages to level up to “generally enjoyable” with snappier gunplay, improved mobility that has you sliding and double jumping around, and, most importantly, an arsenal of weapons that feels much better suited for the gloriously goofy sci-fi setting. I found so many weird and unexpected weapons with unique effects, like a shotgun that fires shots completely silently and instantly melts its target so bodies can’t be found (especially useful when trying to go undetected), and another weapon that started out weak but leveled up as I scored kills until is was an absolute beast (and which made me want to rewatch Solo Leveling).
Not only that, but there are a ton of ways to customize your weapons and armor with loads of mods you can buy and craft. Those do things like reduce your damage output overall to gain explosive rounds or better protect yourself against a certain elemental effect – and this is without me going into some of the truly bonkers and unique options that I won’t spoil here! They really do a lot more to make your rewards for exploring and completing quests more interesting and befitting of the silly world around you, which makes all the difference in the world. As you might expect, combat still has its quirks, like how the reticle on weapons often feels a bit more slippery than I’d like and how enemies would sometimes manage to hit me in melee even though I’d double-jumped a meter over their head. If you’re (unrealistically) hoping this has caught up with the best practices of a proper FPS like Battlefield 6, then you’re likely going to be disappointed, but it’s still at least a huge step up compared to the average open-world RPG, and that’s something.
The biggest letdown with combat is definitely the enemy variety.
The biggest letdown with combat is definitely the enemy variety, which usually features two or three types of wild animal on each world that you see way too much of for several hours at a time, alongside your standard humanoid enemies and a few robotic foes here and there. You’ll encounter a whole helluva lot of Raptidon creatures from the original, for example, and I found myself extremely sick of seeing them before I’d even left the first planet, much less by the time I entered the final stretch and was still running into them. It’s pretty disappointing that in a galaxy filled with so much promise, there’s practically no surprises in terms of the adversaries you face after only a few hours.
Even worse, The Outer Worlds 2 does the same thing as Avowed where all the enemies you encounter are finite and placed in specific spots in the world, and once you kill them they’re gone for good. This means that eventually you’ll be running through large swathes of the map utterly devoid of life, which makes areas feel very empty and also removes any possibility for random and unexpected encounters to occur. I’m not entirely sure why Obsidian keeps taking this approach, as I thought it was a detriment in Avowed as well, but they’ve stuck with it here and I still don’t dig it. That said, there’s at least a pretty decent fast travel system that let me jump around to important areas rather than backtracking through completely dead space, which I feel like I did a fair amount in Avowed. So even though it was disappointing to see this approach return, I ran into the ramifications of it far less frequently.
Speaking of running around, The Outer Worlds 2 has four main destinations, each with their own particular vibe, usually dictated by whichever faction has controlling interest, from the monk-like temples hidden in the snow on Cloister to the busy backwaters in the jungles of Eden. Exploring each is a lot of fun as you kill stuff, learn about the world, recruit new members to your party, and feverishly check off every quest on the map. I felt like I was always finding someone interesting to talk to or some loot just out of reach for me to puzzle through. All of that usually made for a good time, apart from the previously mentioned enemy repetition and the empty map that results from killing them, which does make for a very feast and famine situation.
Just like real life, a story-focused RPG is only as good as the companions who follow you around, judging your every decision, and this is one area where The Outer Worlds 2 most improves upon its predecessor. The six mostly-memorable characters you befriend and travel alongside each stand as a representative of the respective organization from which they hail. For example, Tristan, a heavily-armored brute serves as the group’s cop, eager to carry out his authoritarian government’s twisted form of justice on pretty much everyone you meet, while Inez, an entrepreneurial combat medic, is constantly reminding you of the virtues of the so-called free market enterprises she grew up with.
Like Mass Effect and Fallout before it, this tactic of making your party members serve as mouthpieces for each of the world’s factions is incredibly effective. It both immediately makes each companion’s worldview crystal clear and also helps you understand the powers at play and the philosophical disagreements that become pretty important for you to know as you start making decisions that massively alter the balance of power. Even if you’re not reading every journal entry you stumble across or following every bit of dialogue, it’s almost impossible not to become intimately familiar with Arcadia’s most important players just by absorbing it from your comrades, which makes it much easier to care about the story and the ultimate fate of the galaxy.
That said, there are still some companions who are a little less compelling, like Niles, an engineer who is mostly defined by a revenge quest that can resolve itself fairly early on in your journey, leaving little reason to bring him with you, and Valerie, a robot assistant who has some pretty amusing one-liners, but feels fairly disconnected from the story compared to the others. Unfortunately, these characters are the ones who appear earliest in the story, which makes a fairly bad first impression compared to how much better they eventually get. Although, now that I think about it… that is sorta a time-honored tradition in RPGs of this kind, isn’t it?
With Gen V Season 2 wrapped up, fans are wondering how the incredibly powerful Marie might fare in a showdown with The Boys supervillain Homelander. Well, according to showrunner Eric Kripke, fans shouldn’t expect Marie to appear in The Boys Season 5 as a Captain Marvel-style deus ex machina who kicks Homelander’s ass.
That’s because Marie still hasn’t mastered her powers, or as Kripke has put it in a number of Gen V Season 2 finale spoiler interviews, she’s not Net at the end of The Matrix.
Warning! Spoilers for The Boys and Gen V follow.
For a much deeper dive on all this, check out IGN’s Gen V Season 2 Ending Explained: How It Sets Up the Final Season of The Boys article, but to summarize, Marie can control blood, which potentially makes her more powerful even than Homelander. Homelander, for the uninitiated, is a sort of evil Superman, a character so overpowered that few rivals dare question his word. But Marie Moreau, played by Jaz Sinclair, has the potential to kill him due to her ability to command and weaponize blood.
But, it seems, Marie hasn’t realized her potential, and won’t have by the time The Boys Season 5 rolls around. Speaking to Variety, Kripke confirmed that The Boys Season 5 picks things up around half a year after the Gen V Season 2 finale, with Marie and co joining Annie/Starlight (Erin Moriarty) and A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) in the fight against Vought.
“She’s super powerful, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that she’s amazing at controlling it,” Kripke said. “She’s not Keanu at the end of The Matrix, because — based on the next couple Matrixes — it’s not great for drama. You want a character who’s really struggling and growing, especially a kid like Marie. So even though she has a lot of raw power, she has to learn how to control it.”
It was a similar thought in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, in which Kripke said: “... Marie’s still young, and just because she’s incredibly powerful doesn’t mean she has perfect control over it. There’s a journey. She’s not Neo at the end of The Matrix. Those become bummer, boring Messiah characters, and she’s not that. She’s still a person and has a hard time wrestling with the amount of power that she’s finding herself to have.”
And, following the same thread in an interview with ComicBook, Kripke added: “Obviously, what I would like to see is Homelander get his ass kicked. He deserves it. The truth is just because Marie is very powerful, it doesn’t mean she knows how to control it. She is still just a kid. She is not Neo at the end of The Matrix. Marie has a lot of growing to do, and a lot of setbacks and challenges. And she should. That’s what makes the character interesting… the struggle. With all that being said, I don’t know if a direct confrontation with Homelander would go so great. And, there are a lot of people in line and waiting to bitch slap Homelander.”
The big question, of course, is whether Homelander actually dies in The Boys Season 5. Kripke wouldn’t give that away, of course, but did tell THR that Billy Butcher is “front of that line.” But then there’s the likes of Stan Edgar, the aforementioned Marie, Annie, and Huey who would no doubt all like a piece.
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.
With Fallout Day upon us and rumors swirling around remakes, remasters, and even new games in the famous post-apocalyptic role-playing series, one Hollywood star has made his thoughts crystal clear.
That star is Danny Trejo, whose appearances in the likes of From Dusk till Dawn, Con Air, and Spy Kids made him a cult figure. But he’s intimately familiar with Fallout, too, having played Raul Alfonso Tejada, a Ghoul companion, in the much-loved Fallout: New Vegas.
So it stands to reason that Trejo would, like so many fans, love to see Fallout: New Vegas return in some fashion. Responding to Bethesda’s official Instagram post on what to expect from Fallout Day, Trejo said: “Remaster New Vegas boss!” alongside a fire emoji. Trejo has 3.1 million followers on Instagram, so his comment will be heard loud across the social network.
Alas, a Fallout: New Vegas remaster was not on Bethesda’s official list of games set to appear during its Fallout Day broadcast, which is set for 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm UK today, October 23. Specifically on Fallout 76, Bethesda will show more of the Burning Springs update. This big expansion, due out in December, sees Walton Goggins reprise his fan-favorite role as The Ghoul from the Fallout TV show.
Fallout Shelter is also mentioned, as is Fallout 4 and Creations, which suggests the decade old role-playing game will get some new content soon. Creations are community created mods released officially for Bethesda’s video games.
Elsewhere, there are new merch drops, community in-person events, and a post-show celebrating the community. There is no specific mention of the Fallout TV show, either. with Season 2 due out in December.
There are all sorts of rumors floating around about potential Fallout remakes now that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is out the door (Fallout 3 Remastered was leaked back in 2023, but those plans may have changed). And we know Bethesda plans to eventually get to Fallout 5, albeit after The Elder Scrolls 6.
"For other Fallout games in the future, you know, obviously I can’t talk about those right now, but I would say, sort of rushing through them, or we kind of need to get stuff out that is different than the work we’re doing in 76… we don’t feel like we need to rush any of that," he said. "The Fallout TV show fills a certain niche in terms of the franchise and storytelling."
The last mainline Fallout game was Fallout 4, which was released in 2015. DLC content for the entry was steadily released for PC and consoles over the next year, and in 2018, Bethesda launched its multiplayer-centered offshoot, Fallout 76. While fans slowly flocked to the West Virginia-set open-world RPG, it wasn’t until the premiere of Prime Video’s Fallout TV show that the Bethesda series leveled up in terms of attention.
Still, Howard wouldn't budge when it came to desires for a substantial video game release. For him, it comes down to wanting to treat Bethesda's franchises with care.
"Totally get the desire for a new kind of mainline single-player game," he said. "And look, those things take time. I don’t think it’s bad for people to miss things. We just want to get it right and make sure that everything we’re doing in a franchise, whether it’s Elder Scrolls, Fallout, or now Starfield, that those become meaningful moments for everybody who loved these franchises as much as we do."
Perhaps Danny Trejo should have a word?
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.
Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has released the Into the Unjust: 4.1.0 update, which it said is designed to make the game “feel better to play.”
This much anticipated update overhauls how Arrowhead approaches patching “to better target the pain points you’ve shared with us.” The studio said that means “more focus on stability, balance, and the issues that affect your experience the most.”
Over 200 bugs have been fixed, along with key balance updates and quality-of-life improvements. Arrowhead said that while new features are coming, this patch marks “a big step forward: both in the game itself and in how we work to improve it.” More refinements are already underway, the studio continued.
In terms of balance, the overall effectiveness of primary weapons, sidearms, throwables, and stratagems is increased. SMGs and pistols, for example, have been adjusted to emphasize their role as close-quarters weapons, with increased close-range damage and increased damage falloff.
It’s worth noting changes are made to enemies across the board. The Dragon Roach, for example, has seen its spawn rate decreased, and destruction of the wings now results in instant death. Each wing has a health pool, and the Dragon Roach should be more susceptible to explosions because even if you hit the body you now also hit the wings and do more damage. Overall, there should be fewer Dragon Roaches and they should be easier to take down.
Check out the patch notes, courtesy of the Helldivers 2 Discord, below:
Helldivers 2 Into the Unjust: 4.1.0 patch notes:
Balancing
General changes
Primaries, Sidearms, Throwables, and Stratagems
Improvements have been made to increase the overall effectiveness of primary weapons, sidearms, throwables, and stratagems
Light vs. Medium Penetration Weapons
Light and medium penetration weapons now offer more distinct advantages.
Light penetration weapons generally deal a higher percentage of their total damage against durable enemies, differentiating them more clearly from medium penetration options
SMGs and Pistols
SMGs and pistols have been adjusted to emphasize their role as close-quarters weapons. Close-range damage has been increased, and damage falloff has been increased to reinforce their short-range combat identity
Melee Weapons and Throwables
Melee weapons and throwables have been improved to make each feel more impactful and unique in their function
Resupply Rack
The resupply rack is not climbable anymore
Primary weapons
SG-8P Punisher Plasma
Damage projectile decreased from 100 to 0
Damage explosion increased from 150 to 225
SG-8S Slugger
Damage increased from 280 to 330
Durable damage increased from 75 to 90
AR-23 Liberator
Damage increased from 80 to 90
Durable damage increased from 15 to 22
AR-23A Liberator Carbine
Damage increased from 80 to 90
Durable damage increased from 15 to 22
AR-23P Liberator Penetrator
Damage increased from 60 to 65
AR-23C Liberator Concussive
Damage increased from 65 to 75
Durable damage increased from 30 to 35
AR-61 Tenderizer
Durable damage increased from 22 to 30
AR-32 Pacifier
Damage increased from 50 to 55
Stun value per projectile increased from 1.5 to 2
SMG-37 Defender
Damage increased from 80 to 100
Durable damage increased from 8 to 18
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
MP-98 Knight
Damage increased from 70 to 90
Durable damage increased from 7 to 18
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
SMG-32 Reprimand
Damage increased from 125 to 135
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
SMG-72 Pummeler
Damage increased from 70 to 85
Durable damage increased from 7 to 18
Stun value per projectile increased from 1.5 to 2
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
LAS-16 Sickle
Damage increased from 55 to 60
Durable damage increased from 5 to 6
MA5C Assault Rifle
Damage increased from 80 to 90
M7S SMG
Damage increased from 70 to 80
Durable damage increased from 7 to 16
Drag increased from from 0.6 to 1.2
StA-11 SMG
Damage increased from 70 to 90
Durable damage increased from 7 to 18
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle
Extra spare magazines increased from 8 to 12
Ergonomics increased from 40 to 60
Sidearm weapons
CQC-2 Saber
Damage increased from 110 to 125
Durable damage increased from 55 to 65
CQC-5 Combat Hatchet
Damage increased from 110 to 160
Durable damage increased from 55 to 80
Attack speed has been slightly reduced
CQC-42 Machete
Damage increased from 170 to 200
Durable damage increased from 80 to 100
P-2 Peacemaker
Damage increased from 85 to 95
Durable damage increased from 25 to 30
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
P-19 Redeemer
Damage increased from 60 to 70
Durable damage increased from 5 to 12
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
P-113 Verdict
Damage increased from 125 to 135
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
M6C/SOCOM
Damage increased from 100 to 110
Drag increased from 0.6 to 1.2
P-92 Warrant
Drag decreased from 0.3 to 0
Gravity multiplier decreased from 1 to 0.3
Throwables
TED-63 Dynamite
Damage increased from 700 to 1000
Armor penetration increased from Medium to Heavy
Demolition strength increased from 30 to 40
Stagger increased from 30 to 40
Uses decreased from 4 to 3
G-7 Pineapple
Shrapnel from main explosion increased from 7 to 18
Demolition strength on the main explosion increased from 20 to 30
Inner radius on shrapnel explosion increased from 1 to 2.5m
Damage on shrapnel explosion increased from 70 to 100
Removed lifetime on the shrapnel
Shrapnel from the shrapnel explosion decreased from 6 to 0
G-50 Seeker
Higher priority for flying enemies
Highest target priority for marked target
Damage increased from 400 to 500
G-6 Frag
Uses increased from 5 to 6
G-3 Smoke
Uses increased from 4 to 5
Throwing knifes
Damage increased from 250 to 300
Durable damage increased from 100 to 150
PLAS-1 Scorcher
Plasma projectiles will now pass through foliage without losing velocity
Stratagems
PLAS-45 Epoch
Duration until explosion increased from 3 to 3.25 sec
Delayed muzzle charge VFX by 0.5 seconds so it now appears when the projectile is overcharged, improving visibility of the charge state
Damage on standard projectiles explosion increased from 400 to 500
Demolition strength on overcharged projectile increased from 10 to 30
M-105 Stalwart
Damage increased from 80 to 90
Durable damage increased from 15 to 22
FLAM-40 Flamethrower
Canister capacity increased from 130 to 150
Starting canisters increased from 2 to 3
Max spare canisters increased from 4 to 5
APW-1 Anti-Materiel Rifle
Durable damage increased from 180 to 225
Starting magazines increased from 4 to 5
Max spare magazines increased from 6 to 8
AC- 8 Autocannon
Damage increased from 260 to 325
GL-52 De-Escalator
Damage increased from 55 to 100
Durable damage increased from 55 to 70
MS-11 Solo Silo
Health increased from 800 to 1500
Enemies will not attack it
Increased demolition strength needed to destroy it
Orbital Railcannon Strike
Cooldown decreased from 210 to 180 sec
EXO-45 Patriot Exosuit
Missile Armor penetration in worse angles increased from 6-6-4-0 to 6-6-5-0
Rotary gun ammo capacity increased from 1000 to 1350
Enemies
The goal is to make light and medium armor-piercing weapons equally effective against certain common enemies by adjusting their durable damage and durable resistance values
Illuminates
Fleshmob
Targeting the faces deals extra damage to its main health, effectively creating weak spots
Main health decreased from 6000 to 5000
Most health zones are slightly more durable
Slightly less vulnerable to fire to balance health decrease
Elevated Overseer
Main health decreased from 600 to 450
Head health increased from 150 to 200
Head zone armor decreased from 3 to 2
Torso health decreased from 600 to 450
Arms health decreased from 300 to 250
Slight increase on how easy it is to set on fire
Leviathan
Now equipped with beam-based weaponry
Leviathans will not show up in missions outside of cities
Terminids
Rupture Strain enemies
Updated textures for all Rupture Strain enemies for better readability
Rupture Warrior
Movement speed when underground has been decreased
Needs to surface more often when moving underground
Its burrow attack is slightly slower and leaves more space to be dodged
Smaller damage boxes when attacking from below
Front legs armor decreased from 3 to 2
Will prefer to emerge before attacking turrets instead of destroying them from below ground
Rupture Spewer
Retuned the timing of how fast it starts to act from when it unburrows
Bile Spewer Variations
Increased size of its mouth weak spot
Brood Commanders
Slightly harder to set on fire
Warriors
Slightly harder to set on fire
Slight durable increase in head and body
Dragon roach
Spawn rate decreased
50% lower on difficulty 5,6
40% lower on difficulty 7,8,9
33% lower on difficulty 10
Destruction of the wings results in instant termination of the Dragon
Wings now have their own health pool of 4000
Increased how much damage wings take from explosion
Bile spewers
Slightly harder to set on fire
Larger body parts are slightly more durable
Hive Lord
Improved performance during Hive Lord encounters.
Automatons
Base Alarming
Automaton troopers in bases will require better visual confirmation before calling in reinforcements, instead of calling them in immediately
Devastators
Slightly harder to be put on fire
Large body parts are slightly more durable
Command Bunker Turret
Removed ragdolling from its projectiles explosion
Factory Strider
Slightly less vulnerable to fire
War Strider
Shoots 2 fewer grenades per salvo
Shoots grenades less often
Removed ragdolling from its projectiles explosions
Added weak spots aim for the eyes and the vents on the back
Scout Striders
Armored top shield is more durable
Fixes
Stratagems
Fixed an issue where Helldivers were unable to call down stratagems in the objective area of the "Nuke Nursery" cave mission
Fixed an issue with the B-100 Portable Hellbomb stratagem sometimes falling on Cave roofs in the "Destroy Spore Lung" mission
Fixed an issue with the drill objective stratagem sometimes landing in unintended places such as on top of caves, in Nuke Nursery Hive World missions
Players can now stay aiming down sights when activating the LIFT-860 Hover Pack
Crashes
Fixed a rare crash occurring when fighting Illuminates
Fixed a crash when hotjoining and readying up before other hotjoiners
Fixed a crash occurring when a player would re-join multiple times
Fixed a rare crash caused by Eagle-1
Fixed a rare bug where the Eagle-1 would never be removed from the game session and eventually cause crashes
Fixed rare crash bug that could happen when spawning in groups of enemies
Fixed crash affecting Helldivers trying to lean out from a vehicle
Fixed a crash that could happen when scrolling through the weapon customization menu
Fixed a crash that could happen during game shutdown
Weapons
Fixed armor penetration values in the Stats Menu for CQC-5 Combat Hatchet, CQC-30 Stun Baton,CQC-19 Stun Lance, CQC-2 Saber, CQC-1 One True Flag and the G-7 Pineapple grenade; the armor penetration value displayed as Medium instead of Light
Improved initial bullet alignment while strafing and riding in vehicles
Moved the first person camera further away from the MS-11 Solo Silo's Target Designator scope
Fixed the weapon reload animations desyncing when wielding armor passives that give increased reload speed
The FAF-14 Spear can now lock onto Automaton AA turrets
Fixed projectiles hitting direct center of sights when extremely close to objects
Haptics feedback is now present throughout the firing of the FLAM-40 Flamethrower stratagem
Miscellaneous
Fixed a bug where Hive Lord body parts would not spawn properly
Fixed an instance where the Helldiver couldn't re-join their previous host, if said host left a joined game in progress from the loadout
Fixed a bug where the LIFT-182 Warp Pack would sometimes get stuck suspended in the air or crash
Fixed disconnection issues when joining a solo player with 3 cross-platform players
Fixed mesh clipping for the arms on some animations
Reduced the chance of the Extraction Shuttle clipping through terrain
Fixed a flickering bug on the avatar when the Helldiver gets affected by mud or snow
Fixed a bug hole covered by terrain in one of the CR10 Mega Nests
Rupture Warriors can no longer destroy deployable turrets while still underground
Fixed an issue where the front door of the GATER could become inaccessible
Fixed a rare issue where the player could be disconnected when they are a part of a mixed platform, 3 person lobby that joins a solo player under poor network conditions
Fixed an issue with Illuminate dropships not taking correct damage during the “Repel Invasion Fleet” missions
The currency symbol for Saudi riyal is now displayed correctly in the in game shop
The Oil Rigs reverse audio will no longer continuously play if the player attempts to reverse during oil extraction
Fixed Helldivers going through the floor in the tutorial mission, when diving near the barbed wires
Fixed a rare soft-lock in tutorial
Helldiver is now killed when driving into drill holes during Nuke Nursery missions
Fixed an issue where Helldivers could enter a vehicle even though the seat got claimed by someone else first
Fixed controller vibrations behaving incorrectly when connecting or disconnecting controllers on PC
Fixed miscellaneous threading issues in the audio system
Fixed minor texture clipping issues on the floor between hellpod launchers on the ship
Fixed an issue where voice chat could sometimes change volume unexpectedly - particularly when entering caves
Optimizations
Optimized status effects
Optimized physics by only enabling powered ragdolls when needed
Optimized physics body handling for damage calculations
Optimized Automaton units and NPC eyes, by changing them from particle effects to shaders
Optimized AI behaviors by analyzing and stripping out redundant code
Reduced stuttering during drop-in sequence for missions on Hive Worlds
Improved audio IO performance
Snow distribution and overall look has been reworked
Improved performance by tweaking LOD settings for characters
Optimized asset distribution for several planets types
Optimized scattered assets such as grass on various planet types
Optimized asset distribution in Hiveworlds and Terminid caves
Optimized asset setup and geometry for assets used in Hiveworlds and Terminid caves
Optimized status effect physics and particle systems while maintaining visual feedback and fidelity
Optimized various Automaton explosion VFX
Optimized Acid Rain effects during Acid Storms
Optimized Dragonroach fire attack VFX
Made various optimizations to the fire system, including particle and light optimization.
Improved performance by optimizing the rendering of several shaders
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 trouble is, there’s always been a discrepancy in price, with the Final Fantasy 6 deck ‘Revival Trance’ going for much less, Final Fantasy 7’s ‘Limit Break’ going for much more, and the other two falling somewhere in between.
Best Buy’s answer? Discounting them all to the same price.
Best Buy Has Every Final Fantasy Magic Deck Under MSRP
On the positive side, this means you can get Limit Break, a deck that regularly sells for much more than its MSRP, for $48.99.
It’s a very fun deck that’s themed around equipment and dealing combat damage, and will no doubt be an easy pickup for anyone who waited for a discount.
On the downside, that means Revival Trance is also $48.99. It’s under MSRP, sure, but this deck’s messy game plan and lack of big reprints mean you can snap it up for around $35 elsewhere if you keep an eye out.
Rounding out the quartet, I’ve been having more fun with Scions and Spellcraft recently, the Final Fantasy 14 deck helmed by Y’Shtola. It’s all about pinging opponents around the table for damage, which isn’t something you often get in a blue/white/black deck. It’s $48.99 now.
Finally, arguably the best deck from the set, Counter Blitz is helmed by Final Fantasy X’s Tidus and Yuna, and lets you manipulate counters to deal big damage or keep Summons around longer. And, guess what? It’s $48.99 now, too.
Each deck also comes with a ‘Collector Booster Sample Pack’ which includes two cards in foil or borderless treatment, too.
Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay.
Microsoft has said the idea of a video game exclusive locked to a single storefront has become “antiquated for most people,” as the company soldiers on with its multiplatform push for Xbox games.
Xbox has left console exclusivity behind — in truth some years ago now — with most Xbox Game Studios published games releasing on platforms other than Xbox. Indeed, when Microsoft finally announced Playground’s Forza Horizon 6 and confirmed it would launch on PlayStation 5 after Xbox and PC, it came as a surprise. Nowadays, Xbox Game Studios is one of the most prolific and successful publishers on PlayStation.
Microsoft’s approach is in stark contrast to Nintendo and Sony’s. Nintendo has the most hardline policy on its games, releasing them on its consoles only. Sony has softened its approach in recent years, releasing the bulk of its games on PC after PlayStation (and in the case of Helldivers 2, eventually on Xbox). But Sony still refuses to launch its big single-player games on anything other than PlayStation day one (the latest example of this is Sucker Punch's Ghost of Yotei).
Speaking to Mashable, Xbox president Sarah Bond pointed to the likes of Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft as evidence that the majority of gamers had moved on from exclusives.
“We're really seeing people evolve way past that. The biggest games in the world are available everywhere,” she said. “You look at Call of Duty, you look at Minecraft, you look at Fortnite, you look at Roblox, that's actually what's really driving community in gaming. That's where people gather. They have experiences. And the idea of locking it to one store or one device is antiquated for most people. You want to be able to play with your friends anywhere regardless of what they're on.”
Microsoft’s stance on exclusives has become one of the biggest talking points in the Xbox community, and that conversation is ramping up again as the company begins to discuss in vague terms about its next-gen Xbox.
Xbox fans are now wincing at the thought of how expensive the next-gen console will be, particularly in the context of recent price rises to Xbox Game Pass and the Xbox Series X and S.
It now seems certain that it won’t come with any console exclusives.
“And we're really leaning into that with this [ROG Xbox Ally X handheld] experience because it just opens up another way for you to play,” Bond continued. “As does cloud, as does PC, as does the consoles that we all own and have in our living room.”
“It reduces your addressable market,” Layden told GamesBeat, before citing the success of Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2, which launched on PlayStation 5 and PC to explosive success. “Particularly when you’re in the world of live service gaming or free-to-play. Another platform is just another way of opening the funnel, getting more people in. In a free-to-play world, as we know, 95% of those people will never spend a nickel. The business is all about conversion. You have to improve your odds by cracking the funnel open. Helldivers 2 has shown that for PlayStation, coming out on PC at the same time. Again, you get that funnel wider. You get more people in.”
Layden said single-player games have a similar audience consideration as multiplayer games, though not exactly the same. “For single-player games it’s not the same exigency,” he said. “But if you’re spending $250 million, you want to be able to sell it to as many people as possible, even if it’s just 10% more.”
Layden’s comments echo those of former Xbox boss Peter Moore, who in a recent interview with IGN suggested Microsoft will be debating internally whether to release Xbox poster-child Halo on PlayStation.
“If Microsoft says, wait, we're doing $250 million on our own platforms, but if we then took Halo as, let's call it a third-party, we could do a billion… You got to think long and hard about that, right?” Moore said. “I mean, you just got to go, yeah, should it be kept? It's a piece of intellectual property. It's bigger than just a game. And how do you leverage that? Those are the conversations that always happen with, how do you leverage it in everything that we would do?”
The video game console business is currently under increased scrutiny following mass layoffs and studio closures. Xbox boss Phil Spencer has explained Microsoft’s recent, devastating layoffs in terms of the industry's failure to grow the gaming audience beyond the traditional console install base.
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.
An image from the trailer showcasing the Slipspace Engine, which is the foundation of the upcoming Halo Infinite. These images are believed to be early production shots of what the developers hope to obtain in the final Halo Infinite game.
The Secretlab Magnus Evo is a stylish, smartly-built gaming desk that sets itself apart with genuinely useful PC-focused features, good build quality, and an intuitive assembly process. The overall level of quality here is high, which is understandable given the $750 starting price and Secretlab's reputation of producing high-end gaming chairs and the two prior Magnus desks. The key this time is a streamlined design, bringing the motorized sit/stand functionality and integrated power from the Magnus Pro to a slightly lower price point – along with a simpler and more capacious cable tray and static magnetic zones along the rear edge and front corners of the desk.
Secretlab Magnus Evo – Design and Features
Like the Magnus Pro that precedes it, the Magnus Evo is made from a combination of MDF and steel, with a stable inverted-T base, thick legs with integrated electric motors, and a wide (59-inch or 70-inch) desktop that's 25 inches deep and 0.8 inches thick. Unlike the Magnus Pro, which featured a flip-up edge with an integrated cable gully, the rear edge of the desk is fixed and made from steel, allowing you to conveniently whack down magnetic accessories or securely install friction-fit mounts. The desk's height ranges from 28 to 46 inches, can handle a maximum weight of 265 pounds, and can raise or lower around six inches in five seconds. It's a similar spec sheet to the Ikea Idåsen, Herman Miller Nevi, Flexispot EQ4, and Corsair Platform:6 sit/stand desks I've tested for Eurogamer, and I'm willing to bet the Magnus Evo's core components will prove equally reliable given the mature state of electric motors in 2025.
However, the Evo's controls are a step ahead of anything else I've tested, as they look integrated into the desktop rather than being affixed to the underside. As with most other contemporary electric sit/stand desks, you get a height read-out (to the nearest tenth of a centimeter) and the ability to save and recall three preset heights (presumably one each for sitting, standing and cleaning). The touch controls are easy to accidentally brush with a finger, but thankfully there is a quick on/off switch here to disable them when not in use. Moving the desk up and down is smooth and relatively quiet, and the desk only starts to feel a touch unsteady when it's approaching its highest setting. The motors also automatically reverse course if they begin to meet resistance, so I didn't worry about the desk causing any damage to limbs, pets, or nearby objects.
Where the Magnus Evo differs more substantially with (most) of those aforementioned desks is the focus on gaming features. There's no RGB here, thankfully, with Secretlab instead opting for an integrated power plug and a capacious metal basket to keep all of your cables hidden. The whole power delivery system is smartly designed, with the desk's power coming from a cable integrated into the left or right foot, running up to the motors and also to a full-size outlet on the same side. (You can choose which side during assembly, with the default left-side installation giving you a plug on the rear of the desk, while the right-side installation has a plug on the front.) My UK unit came with a pleasantly hefty plug, normally only found with 1200W+ PC power supplies, and can handle 2500W at 12A - though the spec sheet reveals a more modest 1440W at 12A in the US and Japan, or 2000W at 10A in Australia and New Zealand. From here, the angled port has a straight shot to the cable tray, which is large to conceal a hefty 12-port UK power strip and can be pulled down to a 30-degree angle for setup, then pushed back up to its magnetic attachment point.
Aside from some minor gripes with its ancillary features, the Magnus Evo is an easy recommendation in the high-end desk space.
I found the cable tray much easier to use than that of the Corsair Platform:6, which tends to annoyingly grab cables due to its high back, though I think it might struggle to accommodate a full set of 12 power cables and whatever other peripheral or speaker cables that might one day live there. The Corsair Platform:6 also required the installation of a horizontal bar above the desk surface for its monitor mount, limiting compatibility with third-party mounts substantially, so I'm happy to see Secretlab embracing a more traditional mounting solution here.
As the surface of the Magnus Evo consists of three sections, the single box that arrived was significantly smaller than I expected for a 70-inch desk – though it was still heavy enough at 143 pounds that I opted to open it up downstairs, then carry each piece up individually. Each element thoughtfully carries an alphabetic identifier, which is easy to cross-reference with the list of materials and the assembly instructions. This extends down to the individual bolts and tools provided, so finding the next element to install was consistently straightforward.
The manuals provided with the desk and its accessories were easy to parse, with generously sized and detailed illustrations, clear language, and logically arranged steps. These manuals did contain a few minor errors (such as asking me to remove washers that didn't exist or remove a cardboard cover that was plastic), along with some grammatical oddities (like "sideway" and an incorrectly deployed "it's"), but the only true moment of confusion I had was when installing the monitor mount. This must predate the Magnus Evo, as it refers to opening the magnetic cover to install the base, which doesn't jibe with the static metal used here (but does make sense on the earlier Magnus Pro).
Secretlab promises a 15-minute build time for the Magnus Evo, but it took me closer to an hour to get everything ready, even with a second person on standby to help out when needed. Conceptually, it's straightforward at least:
Marry the desk surface with an extension on the left and right
Connect the legs with their integrated motors (with the power supply on the left or right as you prefer)
Add on the cable tray
Install the feet
Flip the desk upright
Plug it into a power source
Perform a quick sit/stand self-calibration
From here, you're free to install any further accessories, ranging in difficulty from easy (the headphone holder, which comes pre-assembled and magnetically attaches to the left or right front corners of the desk) to somewhat tricky (the PC case/tower mount, which requires unscrewing and rescrewing four bolts, then clipping in increasingly weighty metal arms and the PC itself). The latter is the only accessory I'm still not sure I'll keep using – while the PC I'm using is well under the maximum width and 55-pound weight limit, I'm not a huge fan of the way the PC wobbles slightly when poked and is only supported across perhaps 60 percent of its width.
The most successful accessory in my eyes is the monitor arm, which is available in a single or dual configuration. I opted for the double, which refreshingly is secured to the metal-topped surface from the top using a hand tool – so there's no need to crawl under the desk like every other monitor mount I've ever owned. From here, I dropped on the lower then upper arms, screwed a VESA plate to the back of the monitor (with stand-offs available, if needed), and then dropped the augmented monitor onto the arm. This worked well, at least until the extremely pointy monitor arms were pushed backwards into my wall with some force. Perhaps consider asking a second person for help to hold the end of the arm in place if you're working with a monitor that's heavy enough to need two hands to lift.
The only truly negative experience I had assembling the Magnus Evo was being left with a huge amount of nonrecyclable foam afterwards, which was enough to completely fill the black rubbish bin that's only collected every fortnight in my area. I'm sure that this foam is cost-effective for protecting the desk's components, but I'd love to see Secretlab follow the lead of other PC peripheral manufacturers like Razer and Logitech in using more easily recyclable materials like paper or cardboard wherever possible.
Secretlab Magnus Evo – Gaming
The Magnus Evo performed well in testing for both work and gaming, whether standing or sitting. In fact, it's quickly become my favourite desk to use out of the three in my office, thanks to its cleaner design, easier-to-access cable management tray, and convenient magnetic accessories. It feels stable enough at all heights, particularly when sitting down, and moves up and down with minimal fanfare.
The Evo XL model I'm using is comfortably large enough for a 32-inch main monitor, a 27-inch secondary monitor, a small form factor gaming PC, and a full-size gaming PC, plus all of the attendant cables and accessories this setup requires. The MDF surface is comfortable and easy to wipe clean, while the rear metal portion feels durable enough to handle an effectively unlimited number of mountable accessories – which is good, as I'll soon need to add lights, a camera, and a microphone for video production. The integrated power port makes the bottom of the desk look so much cleaner than its predecessors, and I feel a renewed vigor for trying to keep my cable management on point. Of course, there is an optional cable management accessory pack as well, with intensely strong magnets, so there's no excuse not to make things look clean.
The only minor worry I have with the whole setup is the stability of the PC case/tower mount. Having your PC move up and down with the desk looks great and makes it easy to run cables out-of-sight along the leg column, but I do worry when the PC wobbles a bit when I nudge it with my knee. Even while running 18 pounds below the maximum weight requirement, I think I'd feel more secure if my chosen case was a little narrower. I'd pop in the container PC instead, but this small form factor design is too short for the mount and therefore has to sit above.
Batman’s arrival in the rebooted DCU is perhaps the most anticipated superhero reveal in James Gunn’s fledgling new universe. But it is shrouded in mystery even now, years after it was announced. So, is it still happening, and, if it is, when will we hear more?
But could we be close to a reveal of some description? Speaking to Variety to promote the launch of HBO Max show It: Welcome to Derry, Barbara Muschietti confirmed that “the intention is yes,” to move forward with The Brave and the Bold, “but we can’t talk about it.”
Then, Andy Muschietti perhaps went further than he was allowed to when he added: “We have to wait a few, a couple of months to start talking about it.”
“I screwed it already.”
Variety framed this as Andy Muschietti realizing that saying he has to wait a couple months to talk about his Batman movie may itself have been letting slip too much information, which says a lot about the secrecy surrounding this movie. But if that’s true, then we may get our first proper insight into what Gunn and Muschietti have planned for the DCU’s Batman by the end of the year.
Considering that The Brave and the Bold, as it was originally announced, would pair Batman with his son Damian Wayne, who’s about 10 years old in the comics, does that mean the DCU’s Bruce Wayne (and hence the actor who will play him) will be in his mid-to-late 30s?
“No, I think you have to wait to see the movie,” Gunn replied. “Some things have changed. Plenty of things are in flux on what his situation is with his parentage and all that stuff, so I wouldn't take any of it — Yeah, I mean, the actor who wants to... Listen, first of all, I can't tell you the amount of big actors that have told me they want to be Batman.
“I think you'd have a harder time finding actors who don't want to be Batman. He's the one character everyone wants to play. That's the truth.”
Gunn has discussed in vague terms the kind of Batman he’s going for — or, perhaps it would be better to say the kind of Batman he's trying to avoid.
Speaking earlier this year, Gunn said: “Batman has to have a reason for existing, right? So Batman can’t just be ‘Oh, we’re making a Batman movie because Batman’s the biggest character in all of Warner Bros.,’ which he is. But because there’s a need for him in the DCU and a need that he’s not exactly the same as Matt’s Batman.
“But yet he’s not a campy Batman. I’m not interested in that. I’m not interested in a funny, campy Batman, really. So we’re dealing with that. I think I have a way in, by the way. I think I really know what it’s — I just am dealing with the writer to make sure that we can make it a reality.”
While fans wait for The Brave and the Bold to see Gunn's Batman, Episode 6 of DCU canon kickstarter Creature Commandos showed Batman standing on a rooftop looking down at crime boss Doctor Phosphorus. The image below revealed a mega-stacked Caped Crusader in his iconic costume, but there was little else that could be discerned about Gunn’s take on the superhero.
Based on comments Gunn issued to Rotten Tomatoes TV following the release of Episode 6, it’s easy to see why this brief look at Batman was so generic. Gunn said he asked for "more silhouette" after the original Batman on show was more detailed than he was ready to commit to at the time.
What this look at Batman did provide fans with, Gunn explained, was a clear indication that Batman not only already exists within the DCU during the events we’re seeing in Creature Commandos and the Superman movie, but that he is well-known within the universe, and that’s why there’s no need to tell his origin story.
Gunn then made an interesting comment that suggested the DCU Batman will team up with Superman at some point.
“This is the DCU Batman,” he said of the Creature Commandos cameo. “Listen I gotta tell you, I just love Batman. I love him. I've loved him since I was a little kid. He's one of my favorite characters. I've gone on the record in the past when I was at Marvel saying my favorite character is Batman. I love him and we're going to do great things with him. He's the most popular superhero in the world and I can't wait for people to see more of him, along with Superman, and together.”
It feels like it could be a while before we get our first look, with the likes of Supergirl, Clayface, and Man of Tomorrow due out in 2026 and 2027. Reeves’ The Batman 2, due out in 2027, and a potential The Batman 3 coming out after means Gunn faces the confusing situation of having two actors playing Batman in movies across two different DC universes.
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.
Anker quietly released a new 25,000mAh power bank earlier this year that sits alongside their Anker 737 and Prime series of power banks. This particular model boasts a massive 25,000mAh battery capacity, 165W of total charging output, and two built-in USB Type-C cables in case you forget to bring your own. It normally retails for $135, but there's a deal today that drops the price to $91.99. This is a great complement to your power-hungry gaming handheld PC like the Steam Deck, Xbox Ally X, or Lenovo Legion Go. In fact, it can also charge non-gaming laptops including most new MacBooks.
Note that the 165W spec is a bit misleading. Although the Anker power bank can indeed deliver up to 165W of total power output, an individual USB Type-C charging port can actually only deliver up to 100W max.
New Release: Anker 25,000mAh 165W Power Bank
The new Anker power bank features a 25,000mAh battery capacity, which is the second largest capacity we've seen from Anker in a compact form factor. So how much juice will that offer to today's gaming handheld PCs? A 25,000mAh battery equates to a 95Whr capacity. An 80% power efficiency rating (which is standard for power banks) means you get about 76Whr of usable charge. That means this power bank will charge a Steam Deck or ROG Ally (40Whr) from empty to completely full 2 times, an Asus ROG Ally X (80Whr) 1 time, and a Nintendo Switch (16Whr) about 4.75 times.
The Anker power bank has one USB Type-C port and one USB Type-A port. In addition, there are two built-in USB Type-C cables. One is a retractable cable that can extend up to 2.3 feet. The other is a fixed 1-foot cable that doubles up as a lanyard when not in use. Each USB Type-C port is capable of up to 100W of Power Delivery with a total 165W maximum output. That enough to fast charge any gaming handheld PC at its fastest rate. It's also powerful enough to max out the charging speed on most non-gaming laptops, including the MacBook Air and the 14" MacBook Pro.
Another feature common to Anker's other premium power banks is the digital LCD readout. It displays a wealth of information like remaining battery capacity, current charging rate, input/output wattage, battery temperature, battery health, charge cycle count, and more.
TSA-Approved
TSA states that power banks must be under 100Whr in capacity for carry-on (check-in is not allowed under any circumstances). This Anker power bank is rated at 95Whr. You might get checked simply because this is a relatively hefty power bank, but you shouldn't have any problems getting it cleared.
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.
If you're seeking the absolute best of the best in PC gaming performance, look no further. Alienware has just dropped the price of its flagship Alienware Area-51 prebuilt gaming PC equipped with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card starting at $4,299.99 with free shipping. This is the lowest price I've seen for an Alienware 5090 gaming PC and is reasonably competitive compared to other boutique PC builders. The GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card is currently the most powerful GPU on the market, and by a wide margin.
Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 Gaming PC From $4,299.99
The least expensive Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 gaming PC configuration is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K processor with 240mm liquid cooling, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and 1TB SSD. For an extra $400, you can upgrade to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor, double the storage capacity, and a beefier 360mm all-in-one cooler. Both systems are powered by a 1,500W 80Plus Platinum power supply.
Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 Gaming PCs at Dell Outlet
Alternatively, Dell Outlet is now offering an assortment of Clearance, Like New (Refurbished) and Scratch & Dent Alienware Area-51 gaming PCs equipped with both RTX 5090 graphics cards. You'd be saving up to $1,000 less compared to buying an identical system brand new and includes the same warranty. Dell's certified refurbished systems are submitted to a rigorous refurbishing process. These previously owned products could have observable minor blemishes that do not affect performance, or could look as good as new.
The RTX 5090 Is the Most Powerful Graphics Card Ever
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 has emerged as the most powerful consumer GPU on the market. Although with this generation Nvidia has prioritized software updates, AI features, and DLSS 4 technology to improve gameplay performance, the 5090 still boasts an impressive 25%-30% uplift over the RTX 4090 in hardware-based raster performance. If you want the absolute best performance for your gaming PC, there is literally no other option from any other brand.
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.
It’s that time of year, when retailers start to announce their Black Friday sales. The latest announcement for the holiday shopping event comes from LEGO. The official LEGO Store Black Friday sale is scheduled to run November 28 - December 1, 2025. That’s right, it’s a four-day sale that starts promptly on Black Friday and runs through Cyber Monday.
While LEGO’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale is a multi-day event, it’s quite a bit shorter than some other retailers are planning for their sales. Best Buy’s Black Friday plans, for instance, span the entire month of November, and will likely include plenty of discounts on LEGO sets as well. You can expect similarly elongated sales (including LEGO deals) from other retailers, like Amazon, Target, and Walmart, as well.
What Kinds of LEGO Black Friday Deals to Expect
LEGO is pretty predictable when it comes to sales. General smaller sales throughout the year tend to get you about 20% off a variety of sets. For bigger sales, like Black Friday, you can expect a good number of sets to drop to 20%, 30%, or even 40% off, depending on various factors. Factors include how long ago they were released and whether they’re on the list of LEGO sets retiring soon.
In addition to discounts, LEGO always has GWPs (Gifts With Purchase) to give away when you buy certain sets. These are smaller sets you get for free, often for spending a certain amount on the LEGO Store. Last year, for instance, if you bought The Endurance set, you got three GWP sets for free. We’ll have to wait to learn what GWP sets will be available this Black Friday.
LEGO Insiders Weekend Date
You don’t have to wait for Black Friday to kick off the LEGO holiday shopping festivities. Each year, the company runs a LEGO Insiders Weekend sale the weekend before Black Friday (so, November 22 - 23 this year). This sale is only open to LEGO Insiders, but you can sign up here for free. You can check out the LEGO Insiders Weekend page on the LEGO Store here, but there aren’t any discounts and no real information at the time of this writing. All the company says to expect is a weekend “filled with surprises, gifts with purchases and much more.”
Pro-style controllers are a dime-a-dozen nowadays, but Scuf has pioneered the third-party gamepad that comes with extraneous features that are supposed to give a competitive edge. Things like programmable back buttons, swappable thumbsticks, hair trigger stops, and finely tuned analog control can genuinely make for a better gameplay experience, particularly for competitive scenarios where precision and split-second inputs matter. With so many options already available, where does that leave the new Scuf Valor Pro? It’s in the smaller details.
While there are a few new additions that aren’t necessarily game-changing, like onboard volume-chat wheels (and an upcoming 1000Hz polling rate for PC users), what matters is how it iterates on familiar features to make them feel better to use. The wired version comes in at $100 while the wireless model goes for $190, and it's a tough ask even for those looking for something geared towards competitive play, but aside from a few quirks, it’s one of the better controllers for PCand Xbox.
Editor's note (10/22/25): This review, originally published on February 24, 2025, has been updated to reflect my experience using the new wireless model of the Scuf Valor Pro. A new section has been added to highlight it specifically as well.
Scuf Valor Pro – Design and Features
With this primarily being for Xbox, it takes on the same layout and similar ergonomics as the stock Xbox controller. Nearly across the board, however, every button has a better and more responsive tactile feel. The face buttons have a nice bounciness that makes them easier to tap rapidly, and the eight-way directional pad still has a distinct clickiness but it doesn’t have that stale crunch of the normal Xbox controller.
What’s arguably the biggest upgrade with the Valor Pro is the switch to magnetic Hall Effect analog sticks (and TMR on the wireless model). As the concern over stick drift on traditional controllers leaves folks burned by defective parts and expensive options for replacements, Hall Effect and TMR sticks have been increasingly common in high-end third-party gamepads. They’re much more durable since the magnetic parts create less friction, and it also feels great from a performance standpoint here on the Valor Pro.
The Valor Pro stacks up against some of my favorite third-party controllers in recent memory.
Another noteworthy addition is the unique onboard volume and chat balance control. On the bottom next to the 3.5mm audio jack are two scroll wheels – the left one handles in-game volume and the right one controls chat volume. Many wireless gaming headsets have a volume-chat mix dial of their own, so the one on the Valor Pro is strictly for devices plugged into the audio jack. This limits its use-case somewhat, but can make things convenient for those who go with a wired analog headset.
As for the more minute details, the left and right bumpers have a great mouse-like click to them, making them much easier to press with a light touch while providing good tactility. The triggers are smooth and consistent all the way through so it’s easier to apply a specific amount of pressure. On the inner side of RT and LT are trigger stops to put the hair trigger mechanism in place – it creates a much shorter throw distance so you can theoretically actuate and reset trigger inputs faster.
Back paddles are key to any good pro-style controller and the four programmable buttons are decent, but not exactly my favorite of the many controllers I’ved used in the past. The two main buttons, labeled P1 and P2, sit along the inner side of the controller’s grips where your middle fingers would typically rest. While their positioning and tactility are great, they’re a tad too stiff for my liking – at least I never accidentally pressed them even with a tight handle on the controller.
The back buttons labeled P3 and P4 are interesting in that they’re more like hunches that sit closer to the center of the controller’s rear. You can either flick them with the backside of your middle finger or press down on them directly, which makes them easier to use than P1 and P2 thanks to their soft, mouse-click feel. If you only need two back buttons and/or find the inner P3 and P4 buttons to get in the way, you can easily remove them by plucking them out from the notch on the inner side.
The rubberized texture that lines the handles creates a firm and comfortable grip – with all these extra features and pieces built for performance, having a solid grip on a controller that has a decent weight brings it all together.
Scuf Valor Pro – Customization and Software
With Scuf being under the Corsair umbrella, it's a bit surprising that the Valor Pro doesn't use the iCue software suite on PC for manual configuration. It’s one of my least favorite software suites among the major peripheral manufacturers, so it's actually fine. Not having a customization app isn’t the end of the world since there just isn’t much to fiddle with on the Valor Pro. Mapping the back buttons is done easily on the controller itself – just hold down the profile button the back, press the back button and normal button you want to map together, and that’s it. You can even map d-pad directions and stick clicks in rare cases that would help more. The profile button swaps between three different settings (indicated by the LED color on the top right) so you don’t need to keep remapping things if you need specific setups for different games.
A post-launch update brought 1000Hz polling rate to PC users – polling rate refers to the frequency at which the controller sends registered inputs to the device it’s plugged into. High polling rates are increasingly common in gaming mice and keyboards, and there’s a theoretical advantage to that, and while I find polling rates over 1000Hz to bring a minimal to negligible benefit, bringing a controller to the 1000Hz standard helps it keep up with the input fidelity offered by higher refresh rate displays (if you use them).
Like other Scuf controllers, you can lift the Valor Pro’s faceplate off since it’s held in place magnetically. Customizing a faceplate is cool and all, but this is how you swap out the thumbsticks by just pulling them out. The normal concave-style sticks are on by default, but I quite like the convex-style sticks, especially since there’s a taller one I can use as the right analog stick to create more room for precise motions (which helps aiming in a shooter).
Now, for the fun part – I played a good amount of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 multiplayer, Avowed, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, and Forza Motorsport to get a full picture of how it performs in various scenarios. And from hours of playing these games, the Valor Pro stacks up against some of my favorite third-party controllers in recent memory.
The first thing I did before jumping into Black Ops 6 was map the face buttons to the back buttons to make sure my right thumb never had to leave the stick. As I mentioned above, the P1 and P2 buttons are quite stiff, but that wasn’t too much of a problem when having jump and crouch set to them – being able to initiate a slide while constantly aiming felt great and the P2 button worked well for that. Reload and switching weapons often need to be done in heated moments so setting them to P3 and P4, and giving them a light flick, did the trick in intense firefights.
Call of Duty is the type of game that would benefit from hair triggers, and it’s the one area the Valor Pro falls short. I tend to avoid using hair triggers on account of the fact that I just don’t like how it feels, despite the potential benefit. But even more so with the Valor Pro, I was even less inclined to use them since they make the triggers stiff as a board. It takes far too much pressure to initiate the trigger, which defeats the purpose of a hair-trigger that’s supposed to be light and fast on the draw. And if anything, it hindered my ability to get the jump on my enemies. If this is a feature you rely on with high-end controllers, it’ll be a dealbreaker.
A wired controller for $100 (and the wireless version for $190) is a somewhat tall ask, but you’ll be getting one of the better options available for PC and Xbox.
I quite enjoyed my time with Avowed using this controller simply because I can map jump to a back button (there’s surprisingly a lot of parkour in the game). The overall build and feel shined throughout a long session, which is something I can also say from playing through more of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. It being an action game that requires lots of rapid pressing of the face buttons, the bounciness of A, B, X, and Y made the experience a bit more enjoyable and took some pressure off my right thumb. Ninja Gaiden also has a few button combos for special attacks, so using the back buttons to more easily press A + B or B + Y turned out to be a nice convenience.
Forza Motorsport proved the finesse of the triggers. The smooth and consistent throw of RT and LT let me feather the gas and brake with precision, more so than the stock Xbox controller. The triggers find a good balance between being firm and light, and manage to have no friction, stickiness, or unwanted resistance along the travel distance. So, while the hair triggers leave a lot to be desired, its normally set triggers have the edge over some of the best controllers on the market.
Razer's Pokemon themed gaming Kraken Kitty V2 headset sold out immediately when it was first launched stateside back in early August. The only way to get your hands on one was on eBay for a marked up price. Fortunately, Pokemon fans can rejoice because supply has finally caught up with demand. Target currently has the Razer Pokemon Kraken Kity V2 Gengar Edition headset in stock at its intended retail price of $139.99 with free and immediate delivery. If you're a Target Circle cardmember, then you can even get an additional 5% off your purchase.
Razer's Pokemon Gengar Edition Gaming Headset in Stock
The Kraken V2 headset is a wired headset featuring Razer's Triforce 40mm drivers with 7.1ch surround sound, a hypercardoid boom microphone, and reactive RGB lighting effects. The Kraken Kitty collection is a spinoff of this headset featuring a cute cat-ear aesthetic. This particular model resembles the ghost-type Gengar Pokemon, decked out in a two-tone purple color scheme and adorned with Gengar's iconic head spikes and pointy ears.
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.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, this revelation comes from a U.K. tax filing made by EON Productions, the former 007 franchise production company run by Barbara Broccoli and her stepbrother, Michael G. Wilson.
“On 20 February 2025, the company entered into an agreement for the sale of its interest in the Bond franchise, all associated assets as well as its subsidiary companies, B24 Limited and B25 Limited. The total consideration for the sale amounted to $20 million (USD),” according to EON’s filing.
But, as THR notes, it’s likely Broccoli and Wilson will ultimately make far more than a mere $20 million off the franchise that their family had run since the 1960s.
According to the trade, “the Broccoli family will continue to have economic exposure to the Bond franchise through the joint venture structure of the deal. It is also possible that there are other elements like earnouts or stock options that could impact the value of the final sale price. Sources said at the time that the total value could be closer to $1 billion.”