What’s next for Halo? It looks like fans will get a further tease this October at the Halo World Championship 2025.
In a blog post, Tahir “Tashi” Hasandjekic, Esports Lead for the Halo franchise, suggested fans attend the event October 24-26 in Seattle to find out what Halo Studios has been working on.
The announcements were unveiled in a seven-minute video shown ahead of the Halo World Championship's grand finals. This showcased the results of Project Foundry — an experimental project designed to show a Halo game built using the Unreal Engine — and offered a glimpse at a fresh beginning for Xbox's flagship franchise in the wake of 2021's Halo Infinite.
In the blog post, Tashi referenced last year’s announcements and teased more to come this October.
“Over the past few weeks, there’s been a fair amount of speculation about when and where more details might emerge about any of the multiple projects Halo Studios is actively working on,” Tashi said. “We don’t usually comment on such matters, but this time we want to enter the chat and share a little more perspective for Halo fans who might be on the fence about whether to attend this year’s event.
“Last year at HaloWC, we premiered ‘A New Dawn’ where we talked about the switch to Unreal Engine, gave you a behind the scenes look at Project Foundry, and debuted our evolution to Halo Studios as we enter a new chapter for Halo. For us, ‘A New Dawn’ was just the beginning — at this year’s HaloWC, we look forward to continuing the conversation.
“Speculation is always fun, but if you want the official scoop on what Halo Studios has been working on, you won’t want to miss this year’s Halo World Championship. We really hope you’ll join us in Seattle this October!”
So, what could Halo Studios have up its sleeve for the announcement? It seems unlikely we’ll get a full-blown gameplay reveal for the next big Halo title, but we may get a more detailed tech demo showing Halo running in Unreal Engine. Earlier this month, Microsoft was reported to be readying a Halo: Combat Evolved remaster for release in 2026. Perhaps we will get a look at that. The so-far unannounced remaster is apparently under consideration for release on rival platforms including PlayStation 5.
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.
Breakout hit Space Marine 2 has sold 7 million copies, so it’s no surprise to see Year 2 support confirmed by publisher Focus Entertainment and developer Saber Interactive. In a community update, the companies said Year 2 will bring new PvE missions, enemies, weapons, and more unannounced content.
Space Marine 2 came out in September 2024, and as part of its first anniversary, a “large-scale” update is planned to release in September. Patch 10.0 sounds like a big one for Space Marine 2, but it’s worth noting that Patch 9.0 is due out beforehand. 9.0 was meant to add a new PvP mode, but that’s now delayed to 10.0, which means 9.0 will add only balance changes.
We do know a little about this new PvP mode, however. The twist here is it’s Chaos vs Chaos set on a new map, and, most interesting of all, you’ll be able to take control of the Helbrute. The Helbrute, for the uninitiated, is a variant of the Chaos Dreadnought, an evil death-dealer piloted by a Chaos Space Marine trapped within its plated metal chest. You might remember the Helbrute from the Space Marine 2 campaign, where it came off worse in a scrap with the Ultramarines’ Brother Valtus. Alongside this new Chaos-themed PvP mode are new Chaos armours, which are much-requested by fans.
Meanwhile, 10.0 adds the new Power Axe melee weapon, which has its own moveset and execution animations. We have a first look below:
THIS is why I’m a fan of Warhammer 40k! Hats off to @PrimeVideo for producing Secret Level: And They Shall Know No Fear. Watch it here: https://t.co/Gf0i2d0Rus
I highly recommend giving the entire 19 min episode a watch. It’s immersive and awesome. It’s a happy grim dark ray of… pic.twitter.com/iuYxprAo2J
And finally — and perhaps most exciting of all — we now know the new class for use across PvE and PvP: the Techmarine. We don’t have a first look yet, but it’s advanced enough in development to be announced. Expect more on the Techmarine in the next community updates.
The Techmarine perhaps doesn’t come as a huge surprise given it was also strongly hinted at in datamines (the files mentioned a perk called ‘shoulder gun bolter,’ which is a clear indication that Techmarines are finally in play). For the uninitiated, a Techmarine is a Space Marine engineer-type class who's a big fan of the Cult Mechanicus as well as their Chapter. They’re big on technology and specialize in fixing and maintaining vehicles and other big stuff, such as Dreadnoughts.
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.
Remember G-Police? The classic 32-bit combat flight game set in a science fiction world inspired by the Blade Runner movie? Well, it appears that a small team is working on a modern take of it using Unreal Engine 5. This new game is called G-Rebels, and it should come out in 2025 for PC. It’s … Continue reading G-Rebels is a tribute to the classic G-Police in Unreal Engine 5→
Capcom has announced that it will release today a new hotfix for Monster Hunter Wilds. This hotfix will update your game version to 1.020.01.00, and it will address two specific issues. So, let’s take a closer look at it. The July 1st Hotfix will fix the unstable frame rate that PC gamers had when equipping … Continue reading Monster Hunter Wilds July 1st Hotfix Will Address the TU2 Stutters→
Build A Rocket Boy has just released the third update for its single-player action game, MindsEye. The update is out now on consoles and is about 4GB. However, the PC version of the update has been delayed because the team found a bug that hurt performance. The devs said that the performance problem only affects … Continue reading MindsEye Patch #3 Released on Consoles, but Delayed on PC→
If you're looking for the best TV series and movies to watch right here in Australia, we've got you covered. Because hey—why torment yourself by aimlessly hunting around the six odd streaming services? You could be wasting your precious free time watching a grade B piece of entertainment instead of something mind-blowing that's tucked away in some other library. Also, we can give you a heads-up on the hottest new things coming down the pipe, too. Don't ever be the person around the water cooler who hasn't seen the thing yet.
So, let’s get to maximising your hard-fought free time with the best award-winning films, social calendar-destroying TV series, and original content available. Below are the top picks from thousands of hours of content from Australia's six major streaming networks. Click your provider from the list, select some content, unplug the doorbell, and get some stream therapy for an hour. Or twelve.
TV litter pick:Nosferatu – 24 Jul : Robert Eggers' finest work, given how it both boldly stands on its own as a gothic vampire drama and astutely taps into the original texts — F.W. Murnau's silent classic and Bram Stoker's novel Dracula.
Movie litter pick:Arrested Development S1–5 – 29 Jul : Oldie but a goodie. This revolves around Michael Bluth, the "normal" one in a family of crazies, who get thrown together when their head of household gets sent to prison for shifty practices.
TV litter pick:The Sandman S2 – 3 Jul (S02) : After a fateful reunion with his family, Dream of the Endless must face one impossible decision after another as he attempts to save himself, his kingdom, and the waking world from the epic fallout of his past misdeeds.
Movie litter pick:Happy Gilmore 2 – 25 Jul : Adam Sandler returns to power-drive the everloving crap out of golf balls alongside original Happy Gilmore stars Julie Bowen, Ben Stiller, and Christopher McDonald, the latter of whom once again plays nemesis shooter McGavin.
What notable movies are coming to Netflix?
The Old Guard 2 – 2 Jul
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – 8 Jul
Brick – 10 Jul
Almost Cops – 11 Jul
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes – 12 Jul
TV litter pick:Ironheart – 2 Jul (3 eps incl. Finale) : Dominique Thorne stars as Riri Williams, a genius inventor who creates the most advanced suit of armour since Iron Man. It’s “science and magic collide in Chicago” stuff that’s good but not great.
Movie litter pick:Jaws @ 50: The Inside Story – 11 Jul : It’s a tribute to Jaws (1975), the movie that sparked a lasting fascination with the ocean's most misunderstood predator and featured one of the most spine-chilling monologues in movie history.
TV litter pick:Foundation S3 – 11 Jul : Based off an Isaac Asimov classic, Foundation chronicles a band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire.
TV litter pick:Ballard – 9 Jul : Detective Renée Ballard plunges into a web of murder and corruption as she hunts a ruthless serial killer and uncovers a sinister police conspiracy. Also, Bosch cameos!
Movie litter pick:Warfare – 1 Jul : The harrowing true story of a US Navy Seal platoon surveillance mission gone dangerously wrong. Warfare captures the intensity of combat like never before.
What notable movies are coming to Prime Video?
Warfare – 1 Jul
Heads of State – 2 Jul
Simple Plan: The Kids in the Crown – 8 Jul
One Night in Idaho: The College Murders – 11 Jul
Better Man – 26 Jul
What notable series are coming to Prime Video?
Ballard – 9 Jul
One Night in Idaho: The College Murders – 11 Jul
The Chosen: Last Supper Season 5 – 13 Jul
Romcon: Who the F**k is Jason Porter? – 13 Jul
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 – 16 Jul
Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War Season 2 – 23 Jul
TV litter pick:Twisted Metal S2 – 31 Jul (S02) : The mysterious Calypso invites all the killers, vigilantes, and joyriders of the Divided States of America to participate in a demolition derby tournament with the promise of making the winner’s greatest wish come true.
Movie litter pick:The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes – 12 Jul : A return to the YA dystopia in which kids are forced to hunt and kill each other for the entertainment of a privileged ruling class. Works well as a faithful adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ prequel novel.
What notable movies are coming to Stan?
Spider-Man: No Way Home – 1 Jul
Morbius – 1 Jul
Venom: Let There Be Carnage – 1 Jul
The Patriot (2000) – 4 Jul
Black Swan (2010) – 5 Jul
Uncharted – 9 Jul
Looper – 10 Jul
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes – 12 Jul
S.W.A.T. (2003) – 16 Jul
Ghostbusters: Afterlife – 17 Jul
The Last Showgirl – 20 Jul
American Sniper – 22 Jul
Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City – 27 Jul
The 355 – 31 Jul
What notable series are coming to Stan?
Kevin Costner's The West – 1 Jul (Finale)
The Carters: Hurts to Love You – 2 Jul (S01)
Such Brave Girls – 4 Jul (S02)
The Institute – 14 Jul (S01, E01 & E02)
Sin City Gigolo: A Murder in Las Vegas – 20 Jul (S01)
Time to warm up your wishlist, because this week’s gaming deals bring serious heat across every platform. Whether you're chasing cosy comfort, bold experimentation or big-ticket RPGs at slashed prices, there’s gold to be found here. From reimagined classics to cult favourites and bombastic new entries, it’s a great chance to fill those library gaps.
This Day in Gaming 🎂
In retro news, I'm celebrating the 38th birthday of a true great, Super Mario Bros., on the Nintendo Entertainment System. My first life-for-life playthrough at a friend's place blew me away. Every stage we conquered in the "back 4" worlds of this save-less odyssey felt like a murder gauntlet survived. Every secret pipe or warp room we found—unaided by the non-existent Internet—was a cave of wonders unearthed.
To this day, the infectious melodies and subtle physics of this 2D platformer still feel apex to me, and I can honestly say nearly four decades have done nothing to dilute my hatred of that spike-slinging Lakitu. Or, as my friend called him for some reason, Pompous Cloud.
This Day in Gaming
Aussie birthdays for notable games.
- Nintendo Entertainment System launch, 1987. eBay
Nintendo Switch gets nostalgic with Super Mario RPG, a lovingly crafted remake that lets you control Bowser as an ally. That twist originally shocked fans in 1996. Alongside it is Valkyria Chronicles 4, a tactical RPG praised for its permadeath mechanic and anime-infused drama. Fun fact: SEGA initially considered setting this entry during the Cold War before returning to alt-Europe.
On Xbox Series X, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II builds on the no-magic realism of its predecessor. Historical consultant Jirí Rýdl helped lock down period-accurate swordplay and Czech geography. Also featured is Hot Wheels Unleashed, a title known for arcade chaos in miniature. At one point, a dev-made track was so convoluted it caused internal testing to fail.
PS5 gets wild with Dragon’s Dogma 2, where your AI companions, called Pawns, memorise dungeon layouts and monster weaknesses based on your playstyle. There's also Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, a technical showcase that proved the PS5’s SSD could load entire levels almost instantly. That breakthrough inspired internal benchmarks at other Sony studios.
Finally, on PC, Mass Effect Legendary Ed. drops to pocket change. BioWare even referenced community-made mods while rebuilding the trilogy. Elden Ring rounds it out, with creator Hidetaka Miyazaki revealing he wrote key lore sections while listening to Wagner. Naturally.
Alienware released a new flagship gaming laptop this year - the Area-51 - and it brings to the table a host of upgrades over the m-series laptops including a sleeker redesign, current generation components, and better cooling potential. As part of the Alienware Black Friday in July Sale that kicks off now, select Area-51 gaming laptops have dropped to the lowest prices I've seen this year. They're all equipped with the newest Intel Core Ultra 9 processors and Nvidia RTX 5000 series Blackwell graphics cards. Check out all of the deals below.
Alienware Area-51 Laptops on Sale for 4th of July
The Area-51: New Style, More Power, Better Cooling
New for 2025, the Alienware Area-51 gaming laptop features a magnesium alloy chassis with upgraded cooling to tackle the latest and greatest heat generating components. This includes more fans and bigger cutouts enabling greater airflow, more generous use of copper, and a new thermal interface material to better transfer heat away from the core components. Dell claims that the laptop can handle a higher power ceiling of up to 240W TDP without raising acoustics.
Design-wise, the Area 51 accentuates its smooth contours, with rounded edges and soft corners replacing the squared off design you'd see in most other laptops. The hinges are also mostly internally positioned so that they're near invisible. As befits an Alienware laptop, there are ample customization options for RGB LED lighting.
The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX is a top performing CPU
The Area-51 laptop is also equipped with a very powerful CPU as well. The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX boasts a max turbo frequency of 5.4GHz with a whopping 24 cores and 40MB total L2 cache. According to Passmark, this is the second most powerful Intel mobile CPU available right now and goes head to head with AMD's Ryzen 9 7945HX3D.
The RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 mobile offer the best performance for your dollar
As expensive as these laptops are, you don't want to spend even more on trivial upgrades. The RTX 5070 Ti mobile GPU boasts performance on par with the RTX 4080 but with the added benefit of faster GDDR7 RAM and DLSS 4.0. The RTX 5080 mobile GPU represents a healthy improvement over the RTX 5070 Ti for a nominal price bump; it's about 15%-20% more powerful than the RTX 5070 Ti and the RTX 4080 that it replaces. It also happens to be about 5% more powerful than the RTX 4090 and has the same amount of memory (16GB). Unfortunately, the RTX 5090 only appears to be just 5% more powerful than the RTX 5080, and its only real benefit is the 24GB of memory, which isn't that useful for gaming (but is an attraction option for professionals who work with AI applications).
Check Out More Alienware Black Friday in July Deals
Check out our Best Alienware Deals article with all of Dell's currently ongoing deals on gaming laptops and desktop PCs. Not everyone is the DIY type. If you're in the market for a prebuilt gaming PC, Dell is one of the best brands we'd recommend. Alienware desktops and laptops feature solid build quality, top-of-the-line gaming performance, excellent cooling (further improved on the newer models), aggressive styling, and pricing that is very competitive with other pre-built options. Best of all, there are plenty of sales that happen throughout the year, so it's not difficult to grab one of these computers at considerably less than their retail price.
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.
I’ve been keeping a close eye on the Pokémon TCG market this month, and we’re seeing two very different stories unfold. On one side, Surging Sparks cards are going through a steep correction.
On the other hand, Crown Zenith cards are showing early signs of what could be a long-term value surge. The bottom line? If you're a collector or investor, now is the time to buy into both.
I’m picking up what I can from both sets. The current dip in Sparks is a glimmer of hope for long-suffering 2024-2025 collectors. And Crown Zenith is a train I want to be on before it leaves the station. Let's go into more detail:
Pokémon Card Crashers
Let’s start with Surging Sparks. A handful of top cards have taken noticeable hits in the last few weeks. Pikachu ex - 247/191, for example, has dropped a whopping 51% since early April, falling from $113.38 to just $56. That’s a steep decline, no doubt, but it's important to put it in context.
We’re seeing more sealed product become available every week, and as supply rises, prices are naturally correcting. Hydreigon ex - 240/191has also taken a 34% hit, now sitting at $49.60, while Milotic ex - 237/191 is down 26% to $99. Even the alternate-art Pikachu ex - 238/191 is feeling the pressure, dropping 22% to $294.99, and Latias ex - 239/191 has slipped 23% to $193.99.
But this isn’t panic selling or lost interest in Surging Sparks, it’s the result of increased availability. Collectors and resellers aren’t willing to overpay for cards that are easier to find. If anything, that creates opportunity.
These aren’t bad cards; they’re just correcting from an inflated early market. For anyone who missed the initial wave or hesitated at launch prices, this correction is your window.
Pokémon Card Climbers
Crown Zenith is telling a very different story. Cards from this set, particularly the stunning Secret Rare VSTARs, are starting to heat up. Giratina VSTAR (Secret) GG69/GG70 has jumped 24% this month, climbing from $152.78 to $199.99.
We're at a pivotal moment in the Pokémon TCG timeline. The Scarlet and Violet era is drawing to a close, and with the Mega Evolution era moving in after Black Bolt and White Flare sets later this year, we’re about to enter the next generation.
That transition turns Sword and Shield-era sets like Crown Zenith into the odd category of not-so modern Pokémon cards. If historic price climbs tells us anything, cards become more valuable two generations out. We’ve seen this pattern with XY and early Sun & Moon sets, and I expect Sword and Shield to follow suit alongside old Mega Evolution Pokémon.
Sealed Product Price Comparison
Some of the pricing here by Amazon is insane, but there's some deals to be had when comparing these products to TCG Player. For example, Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection is a massive 56% below market value, so go with Amazon on that one.
On the other end of the scale, TCG Player has Cynthia’s Garchomp ex Premium Collection at a massive 48% below Amazon's current price, which is very close to MSRP. I've compared all the prices in the carousel above, but another pro tip is clicking through to eBay to see if there's any new bargains to be had.
Last Weeks Crashers and Climbers
As the Scarlet & Violet era winds down with the upcoming Black Bolt and White Flare sets, collectors are already looking backward in anticipation of what’s next—namely, the long-awaited return of Mega Evolutions. Following the reveal of Mega Symphonia and Mega Brave for Japan’s August launch, classic Mega cards are seeing renewed interest.
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.
A lot of people don't know what the deal is with Amazon's Prime Student membership. Does it offer everything regular Prime members get? Does it cost less? Is it only for college students? As it turns out, Prime Student is an almost absurdly good deal, even if you only use the free trial. To that end, let's dig in and answer all of your Prime Student questions.
How to Sign Up for an Amazon Prime Student Free Trial
First things first. New members can try out Prime Student for 6 months for free. That's way longer than most free trials, so there's really no reason not to do it. If you like it, keep it going after the trial ends. If not, cancel before your first paid month, and you won't owe anyone a dime.
Who Can Sign Up for Prime Student?
Prime Student is available for anyone attending a college or university.
What is Prime Student?
Prime Student is a discounted Amazon Prime membership that also gets you deals on a bunch of things students would be likely to enjoy.
The Prime membership portion of it includes all the same benefits of a regular Prime membership. That means you get free two-day shipping on millions of items, full access to Prime Video, Amazon Music Prime, Amazon Photos, and Prime Gaming.
What Extra Deals Come with Prime Student?
As for the extra deals on top of the standard Prime benefits, quite a few things are included. Here are some of them:
Grubhub - You get unlimited free food delivery through Grubhub (as long as the order is $12 or more)
Premium Channels - Get a year of premium channels like Showtime, Epix, and Shudder for $1 each per month
Calm - You can try the Calm app for free for three months, then get a big discount on a subscription
More - There are lots of other benefits, including access to special deals, early access to lightning deals, discounts on flights, hotels, and homework help. You can find full details here.
How Much Does Amazon Prime Student Cost?
After your free trial ends, the normal price of $7.49 per month kicks in. That's half the price of a regular Prime membership. And remember, Prime Student includes all the benefits of a Prime membership, plus a bunch more.
Do I Need a .edu Email Address?
Yes. While you can continue to use your standard email address for your Amazon account, Amazon does send a verification email to your .edu address.
What Happens to Your Prime Student Membership When You Graduate?
When your school days come to an end -- or four years after your Prime Student membership begins, whichever comes first -- your Prime Student membership turns into a regular Prime membership.
Is Amazon Prime Student Free?
New members can sign up for a 6-month free trial. After the free trial ends, the regular price is $6.49 per month, which is half the price of a normal Prime membership.
Is Amazon Prime Student Worth It?
This is subjective, of course, but I'd say Prime Student is absolutely worth it for anyone who orders items from Amazon or wants to watch Prime Video, or even orders food regularly from Grubhub. Even if you consider the standard price of $6.49 per month to be too much, there's no reason not to do the free 6-month trial.
Both PS5 and PC gamers looking to supplement their storage should check out this early Amazon Prime Day Deal. For a limited time, Amazon has dropped the price on the Crucial T500 2TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe solid state drive to just $124.99 with free shipping. The Crucial T500 is one of the top performing PCIe 4.0 SSDs on the market. Besides its high transfer speeds, this SSD has onboard DRAM (rare at this price point) and includes a pre-installed heatsink, making it an excellent drop-in ready solution for your PlayStation 5 console.
2TB Crucial T500 SSD (PS5 Compatible) for $124.99
The T500 is Crucial's premium PCIe 4.0 solid state drive and is equipped with a Phison E25 controller with 232-layer Micron TLC NAND flash memory. It has proven to be one of the fastest SSDs on the market with sequential speeds of 7,300/6,800MB/s and random speeds of 1.15M/1.44M IOPs. It's on par with other top-tier SSDs like the WD Black SN850X, the Samsung 990 Pro, and the SK Hynix P41 Platinum and it's currently the least expensive of the bunch. The Crucial T500 also has a dedicated LDDR4 DRAM cache. Pretty much every other SSD at this price point is DRAM-less and rely on HMB, or system memory, as a less expensive alternative. Crucial backs this SSD with a 5-year warranty.
The Crucial T500 makes for an excellent replacement SSD for your PlayStation 5 console. It fulfills all of Sony's requirements, like a minimum read speed of 5,500MB/s and a PCI-Express Gen4x4 interface. A robust aluminum heatsink is also already pre-installed, so you don't need to spend time and money installing one yourself.
The best PS5 SSDs you can buy in 2025
Over the past few console generations with built-in storage, gamers were typically stuck with however much storage that came with the console. With the PS5, Sony made a surprising move by including an internal M.2 PCIe slot to install an off-the-shelf SSD to supplement the internal storage. Given that this is the same company that paired the PS Vita and PSP with ludicrously expensive memory cards, this was a welcoming change of pace, especially given the paltry 825GB of storage you have to work with. Now, you can install high-end PC SSDs like the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX, our number one pick, to load even more games nearly as fast as the extra-special drive that's built into the console itself.
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.
Back in July 2024, we informed you about a multiplayer mod for Cyberpunk 2077. After that, there were no updates for a while, and many people thought the mod was cancelled. But here’s some good news – the mod is still alive. And now, there’s a brand-new gameplay video you can watch. CyberMP is a … Continue reading The Cyberpunk 2077 Multiplayer Mod Is Still Alive→
We just found a great early Amazon Prime Day deal for anyone looking for an inexpensive pair of earbuds that is a perfect fit (pun intended) for sports, exercise, or fitness activities. Right now Amazon is offering the Baseus Bowie MC1 Pro Open Ear Clip-On Earbuds for just $53.79 with free shipping after you clip a $20 off coupon on the product page and apply a $16.20 off coupon code "T6A3PAYT" during checkout. All three color options are on sale. The on-ear design is the best option if you need to be aware of your surroundings while listening to your music.
Baseus Bowie MC1 Pro Open Ear Sports Earbuds for $53.79
The Bowie MC1 Pro employs a unique U-shaped design that clips your earbuds securely in place even when you're moving around. It sits right above instead of inside your ear canal. This open-ear design allows you to hear your immediate surroundings, which is ideal if you're running or biking on streets, listening to an instructor, or carrying a conversation while working out. The earbuds are IP67 rated for water and dust protection and there are on-button controls, although you can also use the mobile app if you don't want to fiddle around with the buds once they're on your ear.
My favorite sport earbuds are the Shokz OpenRuns, but they are currently selling for $130, or more than double the price of the Bowie MC1 Pros. Another popular "budget" earbuds are the AirPods 4. However, they're not specifically designed to be used during active workouts, they're only ideal for iPhone users, and they're still a lot more expensive than the Bowies. At its current price point, it's hard to find anything that can compete. You can check out our 2025 picks for the best running headphones and earbuds but be forewarned that they are all also much pricier than the Bowies.
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.
Although Amazon has become the biggest online retailer for just about everything, it has consistently been one of the best places to buy new books. In addition to some of the lowest prices on hardcovers and paperbacks, the Amazon-owned services are also some of the best ways to read (or listen) to books in 2025. I myself have had a Kindle Unlimited subscription for over a year now and don't really see how I could go back to reading any other way.
With the official Prime Day deals coming next week, Amazon has already started dropping its best deals of the year on select books and services. Right now is a great time to try Audible or Kindle Unlimited for free, but you can also find deals on various physical books and box sets for popular series. I've gathered some of the best early Prime Day deals I've found on such things below.
The Best Early Prime Day Book Deals
Overall, Amazon has a ton of early book deals to choose from. If you're specifically looking for the biggest savings possible, I've gathered up my top picks that are definitely worth buying right now at these prices. Most of these deals, similar to Prime Day as a whole, are only available for those with an Amazon Prime membership.
My first go-to recommendations here are the Lord of the Rings books. The Silmarillion Collector's Edition has dropped to its lowest price ever and is absolutely worth buying if you're a fan of Tolkien's work. It may not be the easiest thing to just sit down and actually read, but it's a great gift for Lord of the Rings fans who want a nice copy of the book to put on their shelf. Along those same lines, the deluxe illustrated edition of The Hobbit has officially dropped to its lowest-ever price as well. This special edition features drawings from Tolkien himself.
Other notable book deals in this sale are on popular fiction box sets. The Inheritance Cycle, which you may know as the Eragon series, has dropped to a new low price for 2025. This is one of my overall favorite fantasy series and I'd recommend it for any young adult readers who just can't get enough dragons. There's also a pretty nice discount on the latest Hunger Games book bundle, which includes the newest title Sunrise on the Reaping. If you don't already have all of those books, it's a great time to pick up the full box set before the movie comes out in 2026.
Last but not least, some of the best early Prime Day deals are on Amazon's own services. The Audible promotion running right now offers three full months of the audiobook service for free if you're a Prime member. This will also include one credit per month to purchase an audibook free of charge. So you essentially get three free audibooks and the service for free for months before having to pay anything. The same goes for Kindle Unlimited, which will give you access to a ton of digital Kindle books for free for three months as long as you're a new subscriber. I highly recommend trying this service if you are into LitRPG books at all as this is what I primarily use it for.
Should you wait to buy books until Prime Day starts?
One of the main questions that arise while browsing early Prime Day deals is whether or not you should actually buy now or wait until the sale officially kicks off. While it is true that some early price cuts aren't as good as Prime Day discounts during the peak sale days, that generally isn't the case. If Amazon is advertising something as "Prime Deal" that basically means that it is a Prime Day deal and will be at that same price when the full sale kicks off. So basically, all of the books we've featured above are most likely at the lowest prices they'll be right now.
That being said, it is possible that Amazon could offer a special promotion on books and that some of these items could be included in that. Last year the retailer had a buy two, get one free sale that was incredibly popular. Amazon has had a few of these promotions throughout 2025 so far, but we haven't seen any sign of this same sale for Prime Day this year just yet.
PUBG: Blindspot is a cheeky little PUBG: Battlegrounds spin off that's currently in development, and was playable on the show floor at IGN Live. It's a 5v5 top-down tactical shooter that has a classic team deathmatch mode - one we got hooked on even in the chaos of the gaming show floor - and a Demolition mode, that will see teams using traps and obstacles to outwit the enemy. It's been compared to a top-down Rainbow Six Siege and with good reason: to rack up the kills you're going to need to use your brain as well as your trigger finger.
1. Think 'Peekaboo with bullets'
Forget all your FPS muscle memory, this is a top-down strategic PvP game where your cunning is as important as your reaction times. You're dropped into a map full of corners, windows, doorways - basically anything you can think of to make line of sight a key part of gameplay - and you have to hunt down your opponents before they pop one in your back. You can see the whole map, but you'll only see enemies if they're in your cone of vision or your teammates, which sounds simple until someone snipes you through a window while you're focused on the doorway at the end of a corridor.
2. Demolition Mode is on the way
While we didn't get to play the Demolition Mode, it sounds like a step up in complexity from the 5v5 deathmatch, adding a greater need for planning and teamwork. Production Director Seungmyeong Yang explained more about it at IGN Live. "Demolition Mode can commonly be found in other games such as Counter Strike or Valorant," he said. "In this Demolition Mode there is an attacking team and a defending team, and the defense team basically tries to block the attacking team from coming in and the attacking team tries to breach the building. It was really fun to see how the gamers react, they seem to really enjoy the game!" Demolition Mode is the inspiration for those Rainbow Six Siege comparisons, albeit it from a whole new top-down perspective.
3. Start your WASD warmups
The keyboard and mouse controls are more like a twin-stick shooter set up, and it's going to take your brain a second to catch up to how they work. You control movement with WASD and your cone of vision with the mouse, while to aim and fire weapons you hold down the right mouse button. That will slow your movement, though, so it's always a balance between moving quickly to avoid enemy detection and choosing when to take your shots. Once you've mastered that you can focus on being more accurate, using the mouse wheel and keyboard to go for head shots, body shots, or aiming specifically at any crouched enemies.
4. Character choice is key
Like any team game, who you have in your five-person kill crew is going to matter. The build I played had 10 characters to choose from, each with pleasingly distinct looks and loadouts to keep things interesting. I'm not exactly a subtle operative, so I gravitated towards those with weapons that could cause carnage up close and personal, like bearded cowboy Collision, who packs a Winchester 1300 shotgun and booby traps; or Kayak, who has a semi-automatic O12 combat shotgun and a remote sticky bomb. Support players can go for Fanatic with her P90 and First Aid Kid, or sniper Buddy with her scanning drones. Some you might want to play just because of their character designs - I'm not usually one for Toxic Gas Grenades, but Dropdown has a sort of Dystopian Harley Quinn vibe that's hard to resist.
5. You can play it in August
There's no official release date for the full game, but there is a PC beta planned for August. Keep an eye on the game's official Steam page for updates.
Rachel Weber is the Senior Editorial Director of Games at IGN and an elder millennial. She's been a professional nerd since 2006 when she got her start on Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK, and has since worked for GamesIndustry.Biz, Rolling Stone and GamesRadar. She loves horror, horror movies, horror games, and French Bulldogs. Those extra wrinkles on her face are thanks to going time blind and staying up too late finishing every sidequest in RPGs like Fallout and Witcher 3.
As part of its 4th of July Sale, HP is offering its newest and most powerful gaming laptop at a pretty hefty discount. The Omen Max 16 RTX 5090 Gaming Laptop drops to just $2,319.99 with free shipping when you apply 20% off coupon code "LEVELUP20". That is easily best price for an RTX 5090 gaming laptop anywhere by well over $1,000. In fact, I would place this deal squarely in the too good to be true territory and I'd be surprised if your order even gets shipped out. That said, fortune favors the bold, and worst case scenario your order will just be cancelled. The RTX 5090 is currently the most powerful mobile GPU available with tons of VRAM and DLSS 4 support.
HP Omen Max 16" RTX 5090 Gaming Laptop for $2,319.99
This HP Omen Max 16 laptop is configured with a 16" 1920x1200 display, Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, GeForce RTX 5090 graphics, 21GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. I would strongly recommend upgrading to the 16" 2560x1600 OLED display for an additional $190 (minus 20% off with code). The GPU can easily handle the increased resolution and the OLED panel makes for a much better looking display that complements the other premium hardware.
The Core Ultra 9 275HX boasts a max turbo frequency of 5.4GHz with 24 cores and 40MB total L2 cache. According to Passmark, this is one of the fastest laptop processor on the market, going toe to toe with the AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is likewise the most powerful mobile graphics card on the market. In terms of raw performance, it's actually only about a 10% improvement over the RTX 5080. However, it does have considerably more VRAM (24GB vs 16GB), which is useful for creative professionals and anyone who uses generative AI.
The Omen Max is new for 2025
The Omen Max is essentially a "premium" Omen 16 with better materials - like an aluminum-magnesium alloy chassis and lid - and a beefier cooling system to accommodate current generation hardware.
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.
Some Nintendo Switch 2 owners are reporting that their Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Cons are disconnecting over and over again. However, they've also found an easy fix: just use the Nintendo Switch 2 official HDMI cable.
This comes from a number of Reddit posts, where users are reporting Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Cons disconnecting randomly, sometimes every few minutes. Our own tech editor, Bo Moore, has also suffered from this issue beginning immediately after unboxing and hooking up his brand new Nintendo Switch 2, saying his console would lose connection with the Joy-Cons every few seconds.
But it turns out, the solution was a simple one: just use the HDMI cable that comes with the Nintendo Switch 2, rather than whatever other HDMI cable you happen to have lying around.
For some this might be obvious, but it sounds like a number of users have been unhooking their old Nintendo Switch 1's from their TVs, but not swapping out the cables under the assumption that the old ones would work. Plugging in the Nintendo Switch 2 to the old Nintendo Switch 1 cables seems like it should be fine, but it turns out that it's not. This is because the Nintendo Switch 1 HDMI is not an "ultra high speed" HDMI cable, while the Nintendo Switch 2 cable is. So if for some reason you don't want to use the cable that came with your Switch 2, any other ultra high speed HDMI should work instead.
Our tech editor confirmed that using the new Nintendo Switch 2 HDMI cable solved the problem for him, as it seems to have solved it for several other users online.
Confirm that you're using an "Ultra High Speed" HDMI cable to connect the dock to the TV. If it's not Ultra High Speed, your console won't perform as expected when docked.
If you're using a different cable than the one that came with the console, it should have printed on the cable that it's "Ultra High Speed."
The HDMI cable that came with the Nintendo Switch is not "Ultra High Speed" and should not be used with the Nintendo Switch 2 dock.
Generally it's a pretty good idea to use the included cables and accessories with any piece of technology, but it's a good reminder too that if for some reason you need to replace the Nintendo Switch 2 HDMI cable, you'll need a special one if you want to play with functioning Joy-Con controllers.
For all the accessories not included in the box with the Nintendo Switch 2, check out our guide to the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories available now, or take a look at our in-depth guides to the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers and headsets.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Dinosaurs captivate all ages. The creatures that dominated Earth ages ago, populating our world for 165 million years, will always be fascinating. And, on screen, as part of movie history, dinosaurs have always been a go-to genre for incredible spectacle and chilling thrills - whether you're into t-rexes, pterodactyls, raptors, or gentle giant brontosauruses.
Dinosaur movies transport us back in time to the era of these wondrous reptiles, while other instances show dinosaurs living among us, either on a secluded island lost to history or as cloned beings brought back by science for our amusement (and dismemberment).
The Jurassic Park/World franchise has raked in over $6 billion in box office bucks over the past 30 years, proving that these glorious beasts can bring home the bacon. But which dinosaur films are the best?
Here are our picks of the 10 best dinosaur movies, from trampled theme parks to warring prehistoric titans.
Um, duh. Yup, not only is Spielberg's Jurassic Park one of the best "dinosaur movies ever," it easily doubles as one of the "best movies ever." Adapted from Michael Crichton's novel (and second story about a futuristic amusement park gone lethally haywire), Jurassic Park is endlessly entertaining and infinitely quotable, providing equal parts laughter and horror. Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum star in this tyrannosaurus-sized tale about scientists evaluating a - er - unique family attraction before it opens to the public. Hold onto your butts, because this appraisal winds up with a body count.
More than 20 years after the original Jurassic Park (which wound up becoming a trilogy), Jurassic World kicked off a new segment of the franchise, with greedy corporations and opportunistic scientists learning nothing from previous tragedies and opening "Jurassic World" to patrons everywhere. Naturally, things go horribly awry and carnage ensues and Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard anchor a budding dino-apocalypse. The films would eventually bring back the original three stars but the first World installment stands tall as a formulaic but fun feast for the senses.
The Land Before Time (1988)
From George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, this Don Bluth animated classic blossomed into a decades-spanning franchise featuring 13 sequels, several video games, and a TV series. The story of a young orphaned dinosaur named Littlefoot, who embarks on a great journey to find a paradise called the Great Valley, The Land Before Time is a beautifully animated '80s staple. The saga teaches kids about the importance of friendship, the dangers of prejudice, and the power of hope.
Dinosaur (2000)
Disney's Dinosaur, the company's 39th animated feature, finds a lot in common with The Land Before Time as it also follows a young orphaned dino, this time on a trek to discover to the idyllic Nesting Grounds after a meteor shower devastates their island. A mix of live-action, many of the backgrounds were filmed on location while the dinos themselves were computer-generated, making it the most expensive computer-animated film at the time. Voiced by D.B. Sweeney, Julianna Margulies, Alfre Woodard, Ossie Davis, Joan Plowright, and Hayden Panettiere.
The Good Dinosaur (2015)
Though it's technically the first Pixar film to not quite meet profitable expectations, The Good Dinosaur is wacky, charming family entertainment, supplemented by the voices of Sam Elliott, Anna Paquin, Jeffrey Wright, and three-time Oscar-winner Frances McDormand. Like most animated dino films, the story involves a thrilling, meaningful journey, though this time it's within an alternate history where reptilian dinosaurs never went extinct. In The Good Dinosaur, a shy Apatosaurus, Arlo, meets an unlikely human friend while traveling through a dangerous and mysterious landscape in order to return home.
King Kong (1933)
Most King Kong films are good for a ravenous dino or two, so why not revisit the 1933 original and watch humans discover Skull Island, home of not only Kong but prehistoric life of all kinds: including the Tyrannosaurus-rex, the Stegosaurus, the Pteranodon, and more. King Kong is a classic, famous for being a true spectacle at the time with game-changing special effects, from stop-motion pioneer Willis O'Brien. Kong is still thriving today, as part of Legendary's MonsterVerse, with the latest entry, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, worth checking out too.
Kong: Skull Island (2017)
King Kong's MonsterVerse reboot began with Kong: Skull Island, a rollicking Vietnam War-era adventure starring Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, and John Goodman as a part of a mix of scientists, soldiers, and scholars trapped on Kong's dreaded isle of terrifying creatures. In a twist though, the island's usual dinosaurs have been beaten and eaten by new giant monsters, unique to the film and the MonsterVerse itself. And it totally works. Separating itself from the Jurassic Park/World franchise, Kong: Skull Island gave viewers a fresh batch of nightmare fuel to fawn over.
One Million Years BC (1966)
This '60s British fantasy-adventure, from Hammer Films, starred Raquel Welch as a cavewoman struggling to survive in a fictional past where humans and dinosaurs coexisted. A remake of a film from 1940, One Million Years BC is a largely enjoyable, kitschy featuring dinosaurs (and giant sea-turtles) roaming a scortched Earth, brought to life by stop-motion genius, and Willis H. O'Brien apprentice, Ray Harryhausen (Jason and the Argonauts, Clash of the Titans).
The Valley Of Gwangi (1969)
Another Harryhausen home run was cult dino-Western, The Valley Of Gwangi, as the stop-motion pro took over the project from mentor Willis O'Brien after O'Brien passed away before production. The story itself was conceived by O'Brien and combined cowboys and dinosaurs as a rodeo horse is revealed to be a fifty million-year-old, prompting members of a Wild West show to venture into Mexico's Forbidden Valley in search of fame and untold wealth. There, however, they confront prehistoric monsters, including "Gwangi," a giant dinosaur that decimates their ranks.
Land of the Lost (2009)
Will Ferrell and Danny McBride turn a 1970s Sid and Marty Krofft TV series (which itself got a short-lived '90s revival) into a comedic romp in Land of the Lost, where a mysterious vortex sucks a disgraced scientist (Ferrell), his assistant (Anna Friel), and a survivalist Will (McBride) into a world populated by marauding dinosaurs and fantastically bizarre creatures.
And that's it for our pick of the best dinosaur movies of all time. Did you favorite make the cut? Let us know in the comments.
Upcoming Dinosaur Movies
Two new dinosaur movies are in the works and are worth keeping an eye on. The first is the next installment in the Jurassic World series, Jurassic World Rebirth, due to release July 2, 2025. The second is a bit more of a mystery. It Follows director David Robert Mitchell is working on a dinosaur movie, set to release in 2026, which will feature Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor. According to rumors, the film has been titled Flowervale Street and is rumored to be about dinosaurs and set in the 80s.
We have our first look at Project Hail Mary, the upcoming sci-fi movie starring Ryan Gosling and directed by The Lego Movie’s Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and already one of our biggest burning questions has been answered: when are we going to get our first look at Rocky?
With the release of the movie’s first trailer we now know: right now.
Based on the 2021 novel by The Martian’s Andy Weir, Project Hail Mary follows the story of Ryland Grace, a reluctant astronaut tasked with traveling to a distant star in the hopes of saving humanity from a dying sun. Grace wakes up alone and panicked, with no idea where he is or how to complete his mission.
Enter Rocky, a five-legged space spider who Grace eventually befriends and works alongside in an effort to save both of their home planets from a near-certain apocalypse. He’s equal parts Chewbacca (a loveable alien who helps the roguish hero navigate the treacheries of outer space) and Mr. Spock (a scientific genius whose knowledge is essential to the hero’s survival).
The New Project Hail Mary Trailer Gives Us a Look a Rocky, a Fan-Favorite Character from The Book
Rocky shows up a ways into Weir’s novel and his appearance (and subsequent friendship with Grace) comes as a bit of a surprise. What seemed to be another Martian-esque solo quest for a human protagonist quickly pivots into a high-stakes buddy adventure comedy.
And that’s what makes the glimpses we see of Rocky in the movie version’s trailer a shocker. While we don’t get a full view of Rocky, we do see multiple shots of his arms and hands (feet?) along with indications that Rocky is a friendly extraterrestrial. And that’s probably for the best.
Not only are fans of Rocky (yes - there are many, if the cottage industry of fan-made Rocky t-shirts, art, and merch is any indication) given a first look at the one of the book’s central characters, but general audiences who don’t know the book get a reason to believe Project Hail Mary is more than just The Martian reloaded.
Project Hail Mary does share a lot of similarities with The Martian, Weir’s prior bestseller (and subsequent blockbuster starring Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain): solitary protagonists who undertake life-or-death missions far from Earth, complex (and entertaining!) scientific concepts, and lots and lots of space drama.
But Rocky is the main differentiator here. While The Martian’s Mark Watney is left solo (that’s kind of the point of the story) to, in his words, “science the shit” out of his desperate situation, the bond formed by Rocky and Grace in Project Hail Mary gives the story an added layer of poignancy, comedy, and drama.
As the story unfolds, the two characters use their complementary knowledge and skills as they face seemingly insurmountable odds - all leading to a conclusion that is at once shocking and completely appropriate. And while the trailer leaves just enough of Rocky hidden to allow for a little bit of surprise and wonder for when the movie releases, it reveals the perfect amount to get newcomers and diehard fans excited for next year.
As part of its 4th of July Sale, Best Buy has discounted both Lenovo Legion Go S SteamOS gaming PC handheld models for the first time ever. The more powerful Lenovo Legion Go S AMD Z1 Extreme SteamOS model is down to $779.99 (normally $830) and the Legion Go S AMD Ryzen Z2 Go SteamOS model is down to $549.99 (normally $600). I strongly recommend you opt for the Z1 Extreme edition; it's hands down the best gaming handheld PC so far in 2025. The new Lenovo Legion Go S was released in February of 2025, but only the Windows edition; the Steam OS edition was released later in May. This is the first SteamOS gaming handheld that isn't made by Valve.
Lenovo Legion Go S Steam OS Gaming Handheld PC
If you can afford the $230 price premium, I would strongly recommend going with the $780 model. The AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme is a significantly more powerful processor than the Ryzen Z2 Go (which we didn't like very much at all) and also includes double the RAM and double the storage. The Ryzen Z1 Extreme model is also more powerful than the Steam Deck. Since it runs on the same SteamOS client it outperforms the Steam Deck in most games. Games look better with more fluid movement as well, thanks to a bigger 8" screen with a higher 120Hz refresh rate. Battery life remains roughly equivalent, however the Legion Go S has the benefit of a much faster maximum charging rate.
The SteamOS model is better than the Windows model
There's a third Legion Go S model on sale. This model has the same specs as the more powerful SteamOS variant, but it runs off Windows 11. The optimized SteamOS client is more user intuitive and better performing than Windows, which is a general purpose operating system that wasn't inherently built to focus on controller-based gaming by default.
If you end up getting this deal, we'd recommend picking up a portable power bank for extended travels and a Micro SD card. We've compared the Steam Deck to the ROG Ally and although the Legion Go S isn't mentioned, the article gives you a good idea of the major differences between a Steam-based and Windows-based gaming handheld.
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.
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