Whether you’re looking to jazz up your home lighting with some spectacular smart light bulbs or want a new board game to try out at your next game night, there are plenty of deals worth checking out today. Maybe you need a new Xbox or PC controller? Well, Hyperkin’s The Competitor is now available at a new low price. Borderlands 4 Super Deluxe Edition for PS5 has also dropped to a new low. Plus, if you’re sick of recipes from this galaxy, make some from far, far away with a discounted Star Wars cookbook inspired by Galaxy's Edge from the Disney theme parks.
Hyperkin The Competitor Hits Lowest Price Ever
A great budget controller for Xbox Series X|S just got even cheaper. Hyperkin’s The Competitor is marked down to its lowest price ever on Amazon. You can save $9 on the controller that was only released in the fall of last year. This wired controller looks nearly identical to the PS5’s DualSense, bringing symmetrical sticks to Xbox and PC users who prefer that layout. We had the opportunity to conduct hands-on testing of the Hyperkin The Competitor, with the reviewer noting that the “Smooth Hall Effect sticks and triggers and great programmable back buttons complement the well-executed basics.”
Borderlands 4 Super Deluxe Edition Drops To New Low Price
If you’ve been waiting to buy the Super Deluxe Edition of Borderlands 4 for PS5, now’s the time to jump. It’s only $90 on Amazon, which is one of the lowest prices it’s ever gone, beating Black Friday savings.
With the Super Deluxe version, you’ll get the base Borderlands 4 game along with a boatload of extras, including Firehawk's Fury Weapons Skin, the Ornate Order Pack, the Bounty Pack Bundle, and the Vault Hunter Pack. The latter two packs bring more DLC content and playable characters, and it’s the main reason you’ll want the Super Deluxe edition. As for the game itself, in our review of Borderlands 4, Travis Northup had this to say about the game: “Borderlands 4 gives the series the massive kick in the pants it has needed, with a fantastic open world and greatly improved combat.”
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Cookbook Is 46% Off
Create a bit of that Disney magic at home with a cookbook inspired by the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land found at Disney World and Disneyland. From Spicy Mandalorian Stew and Braised Shaak Roast to Moogan Tea and Glo Blue Noodles, enjoy beloved Batuu snacks and beverages from the comfort of your home. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook is 46% off on Amazon, so you can get it for just $18.75. It makes a great gift for any Star Wars or Disney theme park fan, but you’ll probably just want to keep it for yourself.
Get Govee 1,200-Lumen RGBWW A19 Wi-Fi Smart LED Light Bulbs 4-Pack for $43
Add some color to your home lighting with Govee’s 1,200-Lumen RGBWW A19 Wi-Fi Smart LED Light Bulbs. This 4-pack of incredibly bright bulbs features RGBWW LEDs, which means in addition to offering stunning color changes, you also get warm white LEDs for a similar look to incandescent bulbs. Given these are smart lights, the Govee app makes for easy adjustments via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
TESSERACT Cooperative Strategy Board Game Hits Low Price
Switch up your usual game night rotation with a fun cooperative board game. TESSERACT by Smirk & Dagger is a bit more niche one-to-four-player dice-manipulation game that uses a 64-die cube. In it, you must work together (or solo) to fill a containment matrix without causing too many breaches or emptying the cube. With 4.9 stars on Amazon, those who’ve played seem to love it, and right now you can grab it for just $37.20. That’s 32% off the list price of this unique strategy puzzle game.
Save Over $1,240 on an Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 RTX 5090 Gaming Laptop
If you’re after a top-tier gaming laptop with serious capabilities, Best Buy has a killer deal on an open-box Asus ROG Strix Scar RTX 5090. It’s just 3,257.99 for an "excellent condition" unit. That’s more than $1,200 off the typical price. Inside this laptop is an incredibly powerful Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 mobile graphics card, paired with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor. 32GB of DDR5 RAM, 2TB of SSD storage, and a stunning 18" 2.5K 240Hz Nebula HDR (Mini-LED) display round out this beast of a machine.
The Blue Yeti USB Mic Is Only $83
Kick your streaming game up a level with a great streaming microphone. The Blue Yeti USB Microphone remains a solid choice, even if it still utilizes a slightly archaic microUSB for connectivity. In our review of the Blue Yeti, our reviewer found its sound quality and pick up to be top tier, and that’s coupled with “its solid build, ease of set-up, and versatility.” Currently, you can score this microphone for only $83 at Walmart, and shipping is included. That’s about $46 in savings.
Save 23% on Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Beginner Box
Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Beginner Box has dropped in price to just $26.99. That’s 23% savings. With this set, you’ll get two 20-card tutorial decks along with a step-by-step guide booklet, playboards, Spindown Life Counters, and five double-sided tokens. After you’ve mastered what you’re doing, you can combine any of the additional eight 20-card half-decks for some serious play.
Get a 100W GaN USB-C Charger for Only $15
With GaN power efficiency and 100W speedy charging, you can top up all the top handheld gaming PCs and laptops with this USB-C charger for only $15. It’s a sleek and simple option from Satechi, featuring a foldable prong for improved portability. Right now, the charger is available at a nice price cut on Woot, and Amazon Prime Members even get free shipping. The same charger is selling for over $22 on Amazon and even more from other retailers, so it’s a solid deal to grab while you still can.
Developer Embark Studios says Arc Raiders update 1.12.0 patched some infamous out-of-bounds exploits – but players say "rats" still live in the walls of Stella Montis.
Community lead Ossen took to the official website to publish full patch notes for the January 20 adjustments, revealing a smaller set of targeted fixes for the massively popular extraction shooter. Exploits are in the line of fire this time, with the update said to fix glitches related to item and ammo duplication, the ability to damage other players from behind certain geometry, and a bug that let players reach out-of-bounds locations – specifically on Stella Montis.
The cold, labyrinthian halls of Stella Montis have already garnered a reputation for being perhaps the most cutthroat topside area Arc Raiders has to offer, and its abundance of cheaters isn’t helping. Streamers and everyday Raiders alike have reported dying to cheaters on the high-difficulty map for some time, with the out-of-bounds exploit proving to be especially problematic for months. The clip (above) showcases how the glitch has been used to steal some of the best Arc Raiders loot from players who are looking to extract back to Speranza or even just play some music.
Finally, update 1.12.0 is here to take care of what is maybe Embark’s most infamous exploit, but it sounds like it’s more of a speed bump than a stop sign. Just as the patch made its way to players across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S, Discord users began to report they were still losing runs to Raiders behind walls in Stella Montis. The developer’s patch notes do say that “various” – and not necessarily all – out-of-bounds map locations had been addressed, but that isn’t stopping fans from expressing their disappointment.
“There is still a wall glitch in Stella (somewhere in the lobby area),” one Discord user said. “Embark is incapable of fixing their game.”
“So, I guess they didn’t fix wall glitches because I just got killed by 3 people inside the seed vault extract in Stella Montis,” another added.
“This patch notes seems like it only attracted rats into walls on Stella,” another player said.
Disattisfaction with the update seems to stem from a December 11 patch, which was said to have tackled an out-of-bounds glitch related to zipline use on Stella Montis, only for players to find themselves still dealing with cheaters weeks later. Players have also shared reports of wall exploits at Dam Battlegrounds and Spaceport, with an ongoing issue related to an unopenable door in Stella Montis adding to the pile of glitches riling up the community.
Embark shared earlier this month that out-of-bounds glitches had been added to a list of anti-cheat fixes it hoped to implement “over the next few weeks,” suggesting update 1.12.0 may be just one step in a larger plan. While players have waited weeks for exploit fixes, and Stella Montis may have a few holes to fill yet, some say they’re willing to give the studio more time to get Arc Raiders into shape.
“I don’t know much about game design, but I’m sure it takes a while to find and fix problems within coding,” one Reddit user argues. “So I think people should be happy that they’ve fixed the exploits that have been such a source of complaints for so long.”
Arc Raiders launched October 30, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X | S. Recent content updates include the introduction of Stella Montis November 13, as well as the limited-time Cold Snap event December 16. While streamers and PvP fans both battle cheaters on and off stream, two contentcreators have (temporarily) found themselves caught in the line of fire of Embark’s anti-cheat efforts. We'll have to wait and see just how long it takes for the studio to get wall exploits – and cheaters as a whole – under control.
Arc Raiders Update 1.12.0 Patch Notes
Hey, Raiders!
The store rotation is going live now and with it a few fixes:
Fixed an item duplication exploit.
Fixed an ammo duplication exploit.
Fixed some cases where players were able to damage others from behind geometry.
Fixed various out of bounds map locations on Stella Montis.
Restart your client to download.
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).
Don't miss out on this rare headset deal direct from Steelseries. For a limited time, you can pick up the popular Steelseries Arctis Nova 7X Destiny 2: The Final Shape Limited Edition wireless gaming headset for just $118.99 when you apply a 10% off coupon code "EXTRA10". The Nova 7 is still one of the best headsets you can get at this price.
Note that the Nova 7X is compatible with the Xbox, PS5, and PC platforms.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Gaming Headset Destiny Edition
The Nova 7 is Steelseries' best selling headset because it has great build quality and gaming features without the egregious price tag of the Arctis Pro or Elite. The Nova 7 features a comfortable suspension-style headband with a steel core for durability and breathable AirWeave earpad cushions which, in my opinion, are more comfortable than the Arctis Pro's faux leather. The Nova 7 produces great gamer-focused sound thanks to big 40mm drivers with support for 360-degree spatial audio. Other features include dual simultaneous wireless connectivity (2.4GHz WiFi and Bluetooth), 38 hour battery life with USB Type-C charging, and a retractable boom microphone.
PC gamers also have access to the SteelSeries GG app, which opens up a whole suite of customization for your audio. You can tailor your audio settings independently for each game or use presets that were configured by actual game developers. The Nova 7 is also compatible with the PS5's Tempest 3D Audio.
In his SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 review, Matthew Adler wrote that "SteelSeries continues to push the boundaries of what a headset is capable of. With the addition of simultaneous Bluetooth audio, you can enjoy music, podcasts, or just chat with your friends without losing your game audio – all with a single pair of headphones. The Arctis Nova 7’s new design is sleek, lightweight, and still remains one of the most comfortable headsets I’ve ever used."
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.
Newly-released sandbox adventure game Hytale originated as a Minecraft mod, Hypixel, only to eventually be spun off and transformed into the early access, standalone game we now know. But even so, I don't think anyone had "Minecraft x Hytale crossplay" on their Bingo card.
This wizardry comes from modder u/ssquadteam, also known as iamcxv7, a 15-year-old modder who has also managed to get things like Windows 95 running in Hytale and, separate from the guy who did it pre-launch, Doom. iamcxv7 has managed to figure out how to get Hytale and Minecraft to talk to one another so that players in one can play alongside players in the other, seeing one another's characters rendered in their own game's style, interact, build, chat, and even fight one another.
What. On. Earth. How? I'm not savvy enough to parse the technicalities behind this, but here's iamcxv7's explanation for it: "It's all just Packet Trickery. You could say I am running a Minecraft Server in the Hytale JVM which uses the Coordinate System of the Hytale World (As its the same) As well as takes a Snapshot of the Hytale World and reconstructs it and then send it to to the Client via Packets"
But a bit more simply, what's cool here is that Hytale and Minecraft are so similar in how their worlds are constructed and what kinds of things they invite players to do that gameplay in one can easily map to the other. There's still some work to do: the mod isn't public yet, as iamcxv7 says it's still "really unstable" and there are some features, such as world generation and how to render certain blocks that exist in Hytale but not Minecraft, still missing. Given that Hytale is only a week old, this feels extremely reasonable! The fact that this is going to be possible at all is brain-breaking enough.
Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin has reacted to the poop scene in HBO spinoff A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which has quickly become the main talking point following the release of Episode 1.
Warning! Spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1, Episode 1 follow:
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms adapts George R. R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novella trilogy, itself a prequel to Game of Thrones set 100 years before the events of the main books. Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell play Ser Duncan the Tall and Egg, respectively.
Season 1 (Season 2 is already confirmed) kicks off with wandering knight, Ser Duncan grieving the death of his lord, Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb). We hear the iconic Game of Thrones theme song before it is rudely interrupted by a shot of Duncan letting rip in a rather violent fashion, while clinging on to a tree for dear life.
It turns out that this shock poop scene came as something of a surprise to George R.R. Martin, who told The Hollywood Reporter: “Not to say that my characters don’t take shits, but I normally don’t write about them at any length. When I saw the rough cut, I wrote, ‘What is this? Where did this come from? I don’t know if we really need the shit.’ But [showrunner Ira Parker] liked it for whatever reason.”
So, what are those reasons? Parker told The Hollywood Reporter that the poop scene and the way it interrupts the Game of Thrones theme song isn’t meant to be disrespectful to the original show. Rather, it’s meant to highlight reality kicking in as Ser Duncan realizes just how scared he truly is at the prospect of becoming a hero, which “turns his guts to water.”
“Because he’s not a hero yet, you know?” Parker continued. “All we’re trying to say here is that Dunk is not a hero yet. He’s just a nervy kid with a nervous stomach — just like me. And as badly as you want to do something great, as soon as you actually have to go off and do it, it becomes trickier. And that’s what the whole season is for him.”
Despite not being sure about the poop scene, George R. R. Martin has expressed his enthusiasm about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in the past. Indeed, Martin teased last year that he couldn’t wait to see Dunk and Egg’s story come to TV screens.
“I’ve seen all six episodes now (the last two in rough cuts, admittedly), and I loved them," Martin said in a blog post in January. "Dunk and Egg have always been favorites of mine, and the actors we found to portray them are just incredible. The rest of the cast are terrific as well. Wait until you guys meet the Laughing Storm and Tanselle Too-Tall.”
Martin continued to celebrate A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, adding: “It’s as faithful an adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for (and you all know how incredibly reasonable I am on that particular subject).” Check out IGN’s review of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 for more.
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.
After a decade of storytelling, Square Enix has decided to wrap up the story of Max Caulfield and Chloe Price in the newly-revealed Life is Strange: Reunion, which is set for launch on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on March 26, 2026.
A direct sequel to 2024's Life is Strange: Double Exposure, featuring many of the same secondary characters, Reunion will also finally answer fan wishes by bringing back both beloved faces from the franchise's original 2015 game.
Max, who returned as the protagonist of Double Exposure, will reunite with her former lover/best friend Chloe for one final adventure — and for the first time in the same game, both characters will be playable.
Once again, there's a sci-fi mystery to solve and limited time to do so — this time, Max's Caledon University must be saved from a deadly fire — and once again, Max can rewind time to remake decisions, while Chloe can use her risk/reward "Backtalk" ability from 2017's Life is Strange: Before the Storm to provoke further responses from others.
How is Chloe back, if players previously saw her demise? The story here seems to be that Chloe is now alive regardless after Max merged a pair of disparate timelines in Double Exposure's finale. Returned to life with memories of a past she never lived, Chloe is prompted to seek out Max for answers.
"This game builds on all the character-led, grounded storytelling for which the Life is Strange series is known, with meaningful choices that affect the outcome of a dramatic and surprising narrative – all culminating in an epic climax that serves as a finale to the Max and Chloe saga," Square Enix wrote today.
Fans may be surprised to learn that Max and Chloe's stories will end here, but after a lengthy and often bumpy development road for the franchise, now perhaps feels a good point to ensure their tale gets a definitive ending, with both characters together one final time.
Remember that Don't Nod, the series' original developer, never planned for the characters' stories to continue beyond its initial hit game. Remember also that both Don't Nod and current maker Deck Nine have experienced mixed fortunes with the series since, with the original game's emotional climax still considered by many fans to be the franchise's high point. Finally, there are likely narrative advantages to letting players decide on a final outcome for the pair — something that doesn't need to be unpicked or worked around in any continuation.
Will Life is Strange continue without Max and Chloe? Square Enix doesn't go as far as stating that Reunion is the last Life is Strange game ever — though this feels an ending, for now.
"We couldn’t dismiss the tragedy at the heart of Max and Chloe," Life is Strange senior brand manager Andrew James said in an Xbox Wire blog post today. "Their reunion could be no quick fix.
"Max and Chloe’s relationship is at the core of the story," James continued, "a relationship that YOU will choose how to develop over the course of the game. Whether Chloe lived or died in Arcadia Bay, and whether she and Max were friends or lovers — these choices are key not just to the past you’ll confirm as you play, but to the future you’ll fight for the chance to build."
Upon launch, Life is Strange: Reunion will be available for $40. There's also a $50 Deluxe edition featuring a digital soundtrack, art book and comic, and access to a behind-the-scenes documentary with returning Max Caulfield actress Hannah Telle, and Rhianna DeVries, Deck Nine's actress for Chloe Price. (Yes, thankfully there's no cat content sold separately this time around.)
If you're yet to play Double Exposure, a double pack of both games will be available for $60. (It's a solid entry in the series that sets up a new cast of characters we'll see more of in Reunion — and one which Chloe fans may now enjoy more in retrospect.) Finally, a $100 Collector's Edition of Reunion will be available for die-hard fans, featuring a range of physical goods such as a 12" vinyl soundtrack.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
HP is offering one of the lowest prices I can find right now on a gaming laptop that can run games just as well as a desktop PC. The OMEN MAX 16 RTX 5070 Ti gaming laptop drops to just $1,449.99 when you add any HyperX accessory to the same order. You also get free shipping. The RTX 5070 Ti is a powerful mobile GPU that should easily handle the newest and most demanding games, even if you decide to upgrade to the higher resolution OLED display.
Final price should be $1,449.99 for the laptop plus the cost of the accessory
* Note that I'd recommend upgrading to the 2560x1600 OLED display for +$130.
You can add any HyperX accessory and get the $150 discount. It doesn't have to be the item I selected, which I only chose because it was the cheapest item I could find. There are dozens to choose from.
The OMEN MAX 16 is an upgrade to the OMEN both in terms of build quality and cooling potential. The OMEN MAX 16 is almost entirely constructed of aluminum, including both the top lid and chassis. The exception is the palm rest, which is still plastic so that it doesn't get too toasty for your hands. The OMEN MAX 16 also features a new Tempest Cooling Pro design that combines vapor chamber cooling, redesigned fan configuration, and an improved thermal interface material to maximize heat transfer. Not only does this keep the laptop cooler during gaming marathons, it also allows for the current-generation graphics cards to perform optimally without throttling.
The GeForce RTX 5070 Ti mobile GPU can handle the most demanding games
The RTX 5070 Ti mobile GPU is comparable in performance to the previous generation's RTX 4080 and pulls ahead of it in games that support DLSS 4. It should be able to handle even the newest and most demanding games like Ghost of Yotei, Battlefield 6, and Borderlands 4 on the native 1920x1200 resolution. It can also run the same games at 2560x1600 if you opt for the OLED upgrade, although you may have to minimally tweak some graphics settings to maintain 60fps.
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.
Conceptual designer and comic book creator Ricardo Delgado made his mark on Dracula with 2021's Dracula of Transylvania, a book that re-imagined Bram Stoker's iconic villain as "a complete horror." Now Delgado has a follow-up to that terrifying book, one that blends fact and fiction to create Vampyre: A Costa Rican Folktale.
Vampyre: A Costa Rican Folktale is a 200-page illustrated novel that features a mix of historical maps, Delgado's illustrations, and photos of real-world locations. The book is published in a mix of English and Spanish. The book tells a story set in the same world as Dracula of Transylvania, in this case in 1940s Costa Rica.
“Part folktale. Part autobiography. This gruesome novel is a captivating celebration of urban legends, horror stories and the power they hold over us,” said Clover Press Publisher Hank Kanalz in a statement. “Inspired by elements of the classic 1980's illustrated novella Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King and Berni Wrightson, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Costa Rican folklore, Delgado weaves his family history into an ambitious new multi-media mythology that must be seen and read to be believed.”
If 2025 felt busy, 2026 is already shaping up to be a big year for the Pokémon TCG with the expansions it’s got coming up.
The Pokémon Trading Card Game is charging into its 30th anniversary year with the rest of the Pocket Monsters franchise, with a renewed focus on Mega Evolution, anniversary celebrations, and tightly curated sets designed to keep both collectors and competitive players fully locked in.
While the full year’s roadmap hasn’t been revealed yet, three major products are already confirmed, and they give us a very clear idea of what kind of year we’re in for.
Here’s everything we know so far about the confirmed Pokémon TCG releases for 2026, including when they launch, what makes them special, and where you can actually buy them right now.
Mega Evolution: Ascended Heroes – Releasing Jan. 30, 2026
The 2026 TCG year officially kicks off with Ascended Heroes, the first English Mega Evolution expansion of the new era since the base set launched in September last year.
Ascended Heroes leans heavily into classic Mega Pokémon, new Tera cards, Team Rocket Pokémon, and even a Stadium card, with 290 cards coming to the set altogether.
Preorders have initially opened up, but availability has varied widely depending on the retailer — with Target already sold out and Best Buy’s range listed as “Coming Soon”, both listing products at MSRP. The only options currently available are those not sold out due to being listed at prices higher than market value.
Magic Madhouse has announced it will be stocking Ascended Heroes, but it looks like it won’t be available there until launch. The big ticket item of any Pokémon TCG expansion, Ascended Heroes’ standard ETB (with nine booster packs, a promo card, and much more) is currently available at TCGplayer and Walmart: with TCGplayer’s being the best option at $119, with Walmart’s being distant backup at $178.
The next-most desirable product of an expansion, the six-pack booster bundle for Ascended Heroes is still way above MSRP, but is currently most affordable at Walmart for around $79, followed by TCGplayer at just over $82.
Both the Charmander and Ghastly Tech Sticker Collections (three booster packs, promo card, and stickers) are currently listed for the best prices at Amazon at just under $50 each — with TCGlayer offering much larger price points for now.
Meanwhile, the Heroes Collections around Erika and Larry, each with boosters and promo cards can be found cheapest at Walmart, and $10 more expensive, if you want the Larry version as a guarantee.
Ascended Heroes will also have a variety of mini-tins featuring many key Pokémon — Clefairy & Chikorita, Zorua & Cramorant, Riolu & Darumaka, etc — but these can currently cost upwards of $190 at TCGplayer. If you don’t mind getting a random tin, though, these are thankfully available for $29.99 at Walmart.
Finally, each Premium Poster Collection (one for Mega Lucario and another for Mega Gardevoir) can currently be found best at TCGplayer for just over $85 each — with Walmart’s sitting at $120.
Pokémon TCG: Pokémon Day 2026 Collection – Releasing Jan. 30, 2026
Pokémon’s 30th anniversary is on February 27, but you’ll be able to celebrate early when the commemorative Pokémon Day 2026 Collection also drops on January 30 with Ascended Heroes.
Announced back in December 2025, this is a very small release with one confirmed card: a unique stamped foil promo card of Pikachu looking cute as standard, along with a logo’d metallic coin, and a trio of TCG booster packs from different sets. Available imagery seems to show the packs being a mixture of one Phantasmal Flames and two Mega Evolution, but we like to warn that the contents may always differ from unit to unit.
The Pokémon Day 2026 Collection is currently marked as “Coming Soon” at Best Buy, but it can be bought now at Amazon for $49.99, or from around $64 on TCGplayer if that sells out.
Mega Evolution: Perfect Order – Releasing March 2026
If Ascended Heroes is going to be setting the foundation of what the Mega Evolution set’s expansions are going to look like, Perfect Order’s going to kick things up a notch. Just announced this month and arriving in March, Perfect Order is going to be honing in on many of the Pokémon featured in the Legends: Z-A game.
Among the cards announced from the 120-card set so far, we know we’re going to be seeing many of the game’s starring Mega Pokémon; Mega Zygarde ex, Mega Starmie ex, and Mega Clefable ex; but also some surprising extra additions like Meowth ex.
At the time of writing, there are no pre-orders of Perfect Order products to buy, but we’ll be updating this article as soon as they are.
Pokémon TCG: 2025 Release Calendar – A Look Back
Despite the Pokemon TCG's ongoing supply issues driving prices up, 2025 was one of the most packed years for the trading card game, both in expansions releases and just how expensive some products and chase cards have been worth.
Still, even for casual collectors, the hundreds of new cards released have had plenty that are still worth grabbing in 2026, if you can find a price you're happy with. Most notably, 2025 included the launch of the new Mega Evolution series, with the aptly named Mega Evolution set, and the final release of the year, Phantasmal Flames.
Featuring six booster bundles, there's still every chance that you'll pull a Mega Charizard X ex double rare, alt rare, or even Secret Art Rare or Gold Rare. I've pulled three normal 'Zard ex's so far, so no need to worry about deck building with Phantasmal Flames.
They also had the Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box live, which is actually available for $74.99 right now, though it's been going in and out of stock as the months have gone by. With that, I'd suggest keeping an eye on that too.
What made this set even more exciting is its size, with about 90 cards before secret rares, which makes it the smallest English set in nearly a decade. For collectors like me, that usually means a much more manageable chase, while still packing in plenty of heavy hitters for players.
The product lineup altogether for Phantasmal Flames was pretty stacked, too. We got the usual booster packs and booster box (36 packs), a 9-pack Elite Trainer Box featuring a shiny new Charcadet promo, and an Ultra-Premium Collection built around Mega Charizard X ex.
On top of that, two theme decks for Mega Gengar ex and Mega Diancie ex arrived a few weeks early on October 24, which was a fun way to get a taste of the set before launch. If you’re like me and love cracking packs, the booster box was the way to go, but the UPC already looked like the big collector piece this time around.
What tied it all together was the Japanese set Inferno X, which hit shelves there in late September. That set had only 80 cards, and once you added in the Mega Gengar and Mega Diancie decks, you basically got the full Phantasmal Flames lineup.
We'd already seen some killer reveals, including the Mega Charizard X ex secret rare previewed at Worlds, so I fully expected that to be the chase card when this launches. Between the smaller set size, Charizard hype, and some solid gameplay cards, I'm not surprised this one flew off the shelves and I’m definitely glad I locked in my preorder.
Announced at Japan's Championship tournament, the two new sets featuring Mega Lucario ex and Mega Gardevoir ex marked the popular trading card game stepping away from its Scarlet and Violet era.
Finding sealed products like these at a fair price became a challenge very quickly. Some stores were holding MSRP, others were and still are inflating prices, and secondary marketplaces have had their own dynamics to keep in mind, too.
But the gist is: collectors who must have the ETB, Best Buy and Walmart were worth constant refreshing. If reliability matters more, TCGplayer has been the most straightforward (though slighty more costly) option.
While we can expect products from this set to be hopefully keep joining Pokémon TCG deals further down the line, huge initial demand will definitely see certain cards become price juggernauts among upcoming crashers and climbers.
2025 was shaped up to be a huge year at that point, sobut here’s everything else from the rest of the Pokémon TCG big releases last year. As always, IGN will keep tracking the buy links, both here and on socials at @IGNDeals.
Pokémon TCG 2025 Holiday Calendar - Released Aug. 22, 2025
The Pokémon Company started releasing annual holiday calendars back in 2022, inspired by the Pokémon Countdown Calendar from 2008.
These products are surprisingly good value in the current TCG market, as well as for casual fans of the series in other forms. You can see the listing here at Amazon or scroll on for more details.
The 2025 Pokémon Holiday Calendar released on August 22 and initially retailed for $49.99 at Target before quicklly selling out. It's now available at Walmart for a pricier $64.99 or at Amazon for $69.
Black Bolt and White Flare - Released Jul. 18, 2025
If you haven't secured any boosters for Black Bolt and White Flare sealed products, you can still try your luck at local brick and mortar or online, or even online retailers like Amazon right now.
Alternatively, TCGplayer pricing for sealed product has occassionally been crashing, so I reckon we've well been seeing the usual price crash post-launch — as it what happens with some expansions.
What do I think of the set? I think it's great and possibly the best opportunity to pull Illustration Rares in the Scarlet and Violet era, it's ending on a high note.
Personally I'm not a fan of stuffing the set with Pokéball and Masterball rares, but in terms of quality and presentation, they look cool. It would be grand to see Mega Evolution additionally double down on the dual format and loads of Illustration Rares going forward, but this is an encouraging sneek peek into what's next for Pokémon TCG.
Black Bolt and White Flare focus on the 156 Pokémon originally discovered in the Unova region. Each Unova Pokémon appear as either an illustration rare or a special illustration rare card, with different versions available in Black Bolt and White Flare products.
July 18, 2025: Scarlet & Violet Black Bolt/White Flare ETBs (9 boosters, promo, accessories); Binder Collection (5 boosters, Zekrom/Reshiram album); Unova Poster Collection (6 boosters, Snivy/Tepig/Oshawott promos, poster); Unova Mini Tin (2 boosters, art/sticker card).
August 22, 2025: Booster Bundle (6 Black Bolt/White Flare boosters).
Destined Rivals - Released May. 30, 2025
Things really kicked off on May 30with Destined Rivals. This set brought back Trainer’s Pokémon, reintroduces Team Rocket for another round of villainous fun, and includes some of the best card art we’ve seen in ages.
Destined Rivals top chase card prices are also finally stabilizing, making it a great time to snap some up. Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SIR has been going for anything over $450 since release, but is starting to settle on a more respectable $310.
A while back, the Destined Rivals singles market was bouncing all over the place. Some cards were doubling in price overnight and it was tough to tell what was hype and what would hold. Now, prices feel a lot more stable by comparison.
Some have dipped. Some Destined Rivals bangers are just cruising right at market. It feels like we’re finally seeing what these cards are actually worth.
Above are the ten of the most expensive cards you can find in the set right now. A couple of them are legit strong in decks. A few are pure collector bait. Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex was the hottest card in the set for a while and it’s still holding close to market. The artwork is what does it for me, personally.
Mewtwo looks like it's about to explode, floating in this dim lab setting with everything glowing around it. The ability makes it tough to use unless you’re running a full Rocket build, but once it's active, Erasure Ball gives you some serious power. Definitely still a top-tier pull even with the market calming down.
Journey Together - Released Mar. 28 2025
It’s about time we got a set like this. Bringing back nostalgic Trainer’s Pokémon cards from the Gym Heroes era. N’s Zoroark ex and Lillie’s Clefairy ex end the chaos of endless secret arts for a more curated, collectible experience.
With just 16 Pokémon ex, 11 illustration rares, and three hyper rare gold cards, it’s been easier to track what’s worth pulling without feeling like you need a PhD in pack odds.
Fancy snagging the Enhanced Booster Display Box with its bonus N’s Reshiram illustration rare or pull Iono’s Bellibolt ex? This set screams nostalgia with a new coat of paint.
Rare Cards and Collector’s Highlights
If you’re into collecting, this set hits the sweet spot. It’s got 16 Pokémon ex, six unique illustrations rares, and just three hyper rare gold cards, which means you won’t have to mortgage your house chasing every rarity. As for the artwork. illustrating rares like N’s Zoroark ex will look incredible in your binder.
Pokémon Center’s Enhanced Booster Display Box is the one to grab for preorder exclusives. It comes with a bonus N’s Reshiram illustration rare card — a little extra flex for your collection.
Prismatic Evolutions - Released Jan. 17 2025
Prismatic Evolutions, kicked off 2025, and it’s all about Eevee and its many evolutions. This set is doing things differently, which is probably why stock sells out as soon as it comes in.
This is another 151 situation, but there were plenty of stock refeshes coming throughout 2025, with hopefully more coming eventually in 2026. You won’t find these cards in the usual booster packs.
Instead, they’ve be released in boxed sets throughout last year, each packed full of exclusive cards celebrating Eevee and friends. With over 175 cards, including unique designs and new game mechanics, Prismatic Evolutions is shaping to be a hit with collectors and competitive players alike.
Rare Cards and Collector’s Highlights
For collectors, Prismatic Evolutions isn’t short on treasures. Each Eevee evolution has its special illustration and hyper-rare gold Pokémon ex card, making them must-haves for anyone building a showcase-worthy collection.
The set includes 32 illustration rares featuring detailed artwork for Pokémon ex and Supporter cards, so plenty of eye candy is here. With so many unique finishes and designs, it’s bound to make a few waves among fans.
Between the fresh artwork, inventive mechanics, and the undeniable charm of Eevee and friends, Prismatic Evolutions is set to be one of 2025's standout sets. Collectors and players alike will still find something to love here, from stunning illustration rares to powerful new game cards that can make a real difference in play.
Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.
Hitman developer IO Interactive has announced that cross-platform progression is finally coming to World of Assassination, allowing you to pick up your stealthy murders wherever you last left off.
Released exactly five years ago today, Hitman 3 initially launched for PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. In the years since, IO's assassination masterpiece has since also launched for Switch 2, iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Next month, on February 3, a fresh update will unlock Hitman: World of Assassination cross-progression across mobile, consoles and PC — though the ability to carry over progress from Hitman 2 will cease as a result.
Cross-Progression will allow you to assign a specific platform as your Primary Account, with your progress there saved to IO Interactive's servers and accessed wherever you log in with your IOI Account. This progression includes:
It's worth noting, however, that Cross-Progression does not mean Cross-Purchase. So, just because you might own the game on PC, don't expect to suddenly be able to fire it on PlayStation. The same goes for its DLC packs, which similarly must be bought for any platform you wish to play their content on.
Older saves not tied to your Primary Account won't be deleted, though you will need to toggle off Cross-Progression to regain access to them. Doing so will let you pick up your older save specific to that platform.
One wrinkle to all this is the end of IO Interactive's ability to carry over progression from Hitman 2 to Hitman 3. The ability to do this will end on February 3, alongside the addition of Cross-Progression.
"This guarantees data integrity and prevents conflicts between legacy progression systems and the new unified WOA progression," IO Interactive wrote in a blog post on the changes. "Past February 3rd 9:00 UTC players won’t be able to proceed to the Hitman 2 to Hitman 3 carryover, giving you two weeks to proceed to the carryover if you are yet to do so."
IO Interactive has three main productions right now: ongoing work on Hitman: World of Assassination, including work on a co-op mode, James Bond blockbuster 007 First Light, and a new fantasy IP appropriately codenamed Project Fantasy. Beyond all that, there are also plans to release Hitman 4 — eventually.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
The chief developer behind the saving of Hytale has celebrated the game’s early access launch, declaring: “I have no regrets.”
Hypixel Studios founder Simon Collins-Laflamme issued an update a week on from Hytale’s release on PC (check out IGN's Hytale early access review so far to see what we think). He said saving the game and releasing it had been “the most challenging but rewarding experience of my life.”
Hytale has endured a tumultuous development. It was announced in December 2018 with a trailer that so far has an incredible 62 million views on YouTube. The idea was to expand on the likes of Minecraft by combining the scope of a sandbox with the depth of a roleplaying game, all set in a procedurally generated world.
Excitement around Hytale was fueled by the experience of the developers themselves, who co-founded Hypixel, one of the most influential Minecraft servers in the world. League of Legends developer Riot Games invested in the project and, in 2020, bought the studio outright.
But in June last year development on Hytale stopped and Hypixel Studios began winding down operations. It was thought Hytale was canceled, destined never to release. But in November, Riot confirmed it had sold the rights to Hytale back to Collins-Laflamme as this "gives players the best chance to one day experience a revised version of the game they've been waiting for."
In a statement published at the end of 2025, Collins-Laflamme expressed his "anger" at what had happened to Hytale over the years.
"The game has insane potential, but four years of engineering went into rebuilding the engine rather than gameplay features," he said. "That leaves us with a four-year gap and a lot of catching up to do, and that rebuilt engine is never gonna be used.
"When you don’t invest in gameplay, you don’t just lose time. You lose momentum, iteration, and player feedback. Now the focus has to be on gameplay first and rebuilding trust by actually shipping things at a rapid pace.
"It’s a damn miracle we were able to salvage Hytale. It was barely playable. All basics were broken. Camera, movement, combat, crafting, building, gameloop, sounds, rendering. Everything, everything was wrong.
"It should have taken years to fix, but within weeks, we got the game into a playable, fun state. And now, instead of slowing down or celebrating a release, we have to keep pushing for years to make up for the time that was lost.
"So yes, I feel anger. And I’m turning that into focus and execution. I’m committing more money, more time, and personal sacrifice to deliver the game this vision deserves."
“It’s now been seven days since early access launch and I can confidently say that I have no regrets saving Hytale, it’s been the most challenging but rewarding experience of my life,” Collins-Laflamme said in a post on X / Twitter.
“Thank you everyone for the amazing support, and a big thank you for the rebuilt Hytale team for trusting me to get this to the finish line in just a few months. I haven’t been involved with Hytale development for many years and coming back was a big unknown and risk for me, and my family. I fully trusted the people and it just worked. Amazing team, every single one made a big difference.”
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.
Between the premise and the creative team involved, the new Top Shelf graphic novel Punk'n Heads is immediately on our radar as one of the first must-read graphic novels of 2026. This new book about punk rock and the pitfalls and joys of being young is the latest project from Mary Tyler MooreHawk's Dave Baker, again reuniting him with Forest Hills Bootleg Society and Everyone is Tulip collaborator Nicole Goux.
Check out the cover art to Punk'n Heads below:
Here's Top Shelf's official logline for Punk'n Heads:
In PUNK’N HEADS, Hannah Lipsky isn’t sure what’s happening. She dreamed of becoming a fine art painter, but after breaking up with her girlfriend, she’s suddenly dropped out of art school, moved into a flophouse, and gotten roped into singing in a campy horror-punk band. With costumes. To make things even more complicated, she might be hooking up with her housemate/bandmate/high school crush, Jerry. Whatever, I’m sure it’s fine… Now put on your punk’n mask and let’s rock!
"Punk'n Heads is a book for all the broken hearted losers out there,” said Baker in a statement. “The kids who wanted to accomplish great things and then ended up playing shitty back-room punk shows. If you've ever broken up with someone in the back of a van, right before six idiots in Doc Martens are about to pile in, this is the book for you."
"For anyone whose journey hasn't been a straight path, Punk'n Heads might just bring you a little solace,” said Goux. “Join Hannah, Jerry, Morgan, and Birdie in their quest to make something cool, make it big, or maybe just be a little less sad."
LEGO has had a very strong start to 2026 so far. January has already featured a variety of cool new sets, and the company is showing no signs of slowing down in February. Joining the lineup of new sets next month on February 1 is the ridiculously cute LEGO Golden Retriever Puppy, and if it immediately stole your heart when it was revealed, the good news is it's now available to preorder for $139.99.
Preorder LEGO Golden Retriever Puppy
If you're a dog lover, this looks like an absolutely delightful set to build. It's recommended for adult LEGO fans, ages 18 and up, and comes with 2,102 pieces to create the very good pup. Its head is posable alongside its ears, tail, and front paw, which can be lifted up to add a little bit of character to the display. Its mouth can even be opened up which shows off teeth and a little pink tongue can be added in as well. Just look at how cute it is.
Thankfully, February 1 isn't too far away, so if you're dying to get your hands on this set the wait isn't too long. It's not the only LEGO set dropping in February that's worth keeping an eye on, either. Next month also sees the arrival of the first Pokémon LEGO sets on February 27. If you're a fan, these certainly seem worth preordering right now.
Looking ahead to March, LEGO has also revealed a new Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time set that's now available to preorder as well. If you're interested in any of these new releases, it seems like a great time to start clearing out some space on your shelves for putting everything up.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
You don't see many 20,000mAh power banks priced under $20, but there is one deal available that just popped up today. Amazon has dropped the price of the CUKTECH 20,000mAh 45W Power Bank for $16.31 after you apply a 20% off coupon code "CUKTECH20". Better yet, you don't need to be an Amazon Prime member to get in on this deal.
The 45W power output makes it an ideal power bank for your Apple iPhone 17, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, or Steam Deck handheld gaming PC, and the bigger 20,000mAh capacity is perfect for longer airplane flights or when you're away from an outlet for an extended period of time.
CUKTECH 20,000mAh 45W Power Bank for $16.31
The CUKTECH power bank boasts a generous 20,000mAh, or 74Whr battery capacity. If you factor in 80% power efficiency, here are the approximate number of times you can fully recharge each gaming handheld:
Nintendo Switch (16Whr) about 3.7 times
Steam Deck (40Whr) about 1.9 times
Apple iPhone 16 (14Whr) about 4.2 times
Apple iPhone 16 Plus (18Whr) about 3.3 times
The power bank has three total ports: one integrated 45W USB-C cable, one 45W USB-C port, and one 18W USB-A port. If you use two or three ports simultaneously, the power outputer throttles down to 15W per port. The 45W of Power Delivery is enough to charge the Nintendo Switch 2 (20W) and Steam Deck (35W) even while you're playing games at the same time. It will also fast charge the Apple iPhone 17 (30W). 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.
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.
BrandsMart via eBay has dropped the price of the 2025 65" LG Evo C5 4K OLED TV to just $1,117.59 when you apply a 20% off coupon code "FAVEFINDS20". This deal is actually better than the ones from Amazon, Best Buy, or Amazon that I saw during Black Friday. LG is the best selling OLED TV brand globally and the C-series is the most popular model. BrandsMart USA has over 30,000 99.2% feedback. and is an authorized LG reseller so you're getting the full 1 year LG warranty.
The C5 is LG's most popular OLED TV, sitting right in between the super pricey Gallery Series (G5) and the budget B5. The C5 boasts the near-infinite black levels, near-infinite contrast ratio, and near-instantaneous response times you'd expect from any OLED TV. It's also equipped with LG's proprietary Evo panel, which is significantly brighter and offers a wider color gamut than traditional W-OLED TVs.This is the best TV for streaming 4K HDR content in its intended glory.
LG's OLED TVs have also been our favorite TVs for console gaming for three years running thanks to their outstanding image quality, low input lag, and high refresh rate. The C5 is equipped with modern gaming features, including a native 120Hz panel that can be pushed to as high as 144Hz, HDMI 2.1 inputs for running PS5 games in 4K at up to 120fps, variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM).
If you order the TV early enough, you'll probably get it in time to watch Super Bowl LX on February 8.
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.
Switch 2 owners, if there's one upgrade you'll absolutely need, it's additional storage. The Switch 2 only has 256GB of onboard storage, and chances are you'll run out of space down the road. Fortunately, Amazon just lowered the price of the 512GB Samsung P9 MicroSD Express card, which will triple your available storage, to just $79.99. This is currently the least expensive 512GB MicroSD Express card we can find right now. We reviewed this model and highly recommend it.
As you should already know, the Switch 2 console will only accept MicroSD Express cards. If you have a standard MicroSD card from your previous Switch, you sadly won't be able to use it to store games in the Switch 2. Although the two might look similar, MicroSD Express cards are much, much faster than their precedessors, with speeds of up to 800MB/s. MicroSD cards, on the other hand, cap out at well under 200MB/s.
This Samsung P9 Express is guaranteed to be compatible with your Switch 2 console. In fact, Samsung is the company that manufactures Nintendo's official Switch 2 memory card. It's very likely these two cards are identical.
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 ripple effects from the RAM shortage have already been resonating throughout the PC industry. Nvidia wants to scale back on its lower priced video cards that are equipped with a large amount of VRAM (specifically, the RTX 5070 Ti 16GB and RTX 5060 Ti 16GB) and already prices of standalone graphics cards are on the rise. Fortunately there's still time to find a reasonable price on a prebuilt gaming PC equipped with one of these GPUs.
For this week, Best Buy is offering the Acer Nitro 60 gaming PC, which comes equipped with a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU, for $1,799.99 with free delivery after a $500 instant discount. This is currently the best price I've seen for an RTX 5070 Ti prebuilt that also includes a capable CPU and a generous amount of DDR5 RAM and SSD storage.
Acer Nitro 60 GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Gaming PC for $1,800
The complete specs include an Intel Core i7-14700F processor, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti graphics card, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSD. The Intel Core i7-14700F is a 20-core processor with a max turbo frequency of 5.4GHz. Despite being a generation old, this CPU is still a great option for a gaming rig and upgrading to an Intel Core i9 processor will not give you any noticeable gains. It's cooled by a 120mm tower heatsink fan combo plus four additional 120mm chassis fans providing a ton of airflow to keep your components cool.
The RTX 5070 Ti GPU Is Our Best Reviewed Nvidia Blackwell GPU
It excels at 4K gaming performance at a reasonable price point
Of all the Blackwell cards released thus far, the RTX 5070 Ti offers the best value for high-fps 4K gaming. It performs neck-and-neck with the RTX 4080 Super but with the added bonus of newer GDDR7 VRAM and DLSS 4 with multi-frame generation. If you plan on using this card for AI, the RTX 5070 Ti is a better value than the RTX 5080 since both have same amount of RAM (16GB). Compared to AMD, the RTX 5070 Ti is roughly comparable in raw performance to the AMD RX 9070 XT, but the 5070 Ti has considerably better upscaling technology and ray tracing performance. Check out our Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti GPU review by Jacqueline Thomas for our hands-on impressions.
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.
Connexion
