Fragpunk review
Š Bad Guitar Studio
Š Bad Guitar Studio
Š Koei Tecmo
Š Valve
Š Deviantart user Deniszizen
Hulu has been around for a while and, for our money, it's one of the absolute best streaming services available. From great movies like Anatomy of a Fall and Prey to excellent television series like the Golden Globe-winning Shogun, Abbott Elementary, and The Bear there is always something awesome to watch. Oscar Best Picture winner Anora is also set to drop on the streaming service on March 17, so there's no better time than now to get set up with a plan.
Below, we've detailed all of the best Hulu deals and bundles so you can get started on your streaming adventures with its library right away. This includes the brand-new Hulu, Disney+, and Max streaming bundle, which starts at just $16.99/month and is currently the best value available for the streaming services following the Disney Plus and Hulu price hikes. To see even more streaming deals, make sure to check out our roundups of the best Disney Plus deals and the best Max deals.
For a limited time, until March 30, you can score the Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic plan (previously called the Duo Basic bundle, which offers both streaming services with ads) for just $2.99/month for your first four months. This saves you 85% per month on the bundle, which is a great little springtime deal to take advantage of. New and eligible returning customers can subscribe to the bundle deal as well.
The Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle can be purchased on any of the three streaming services and starts at $16.99/month for the ad-supported tier or $29.99/month for ad-free access across all three platforms. If you're looking to cut down on streaming costs and currently own all three of these, this is an excellent bundle to invest in. It'll save you quite a bit compared to what you'd pay for the three of them separately - 43% on the ad-supported plan and 42% on the ad-free plan.
If you're a student enrolled in a university (a US Title IV accredited college or university, per Hulu's website), you can sign up for Hulu (With Ads) for $1.99 a month. That's an excellent deal if you're a student, saving you $8 on the usual monthly price.
If you want a more affordable option when it comes to a Hulu subscription, you can't go wrong with a bundle, and Hulu has several to choose from:
There is a bonkers amount of shows and movies you can watch on Hulu. Let's start at the top and simply talk about the verticals on offer with the base subscription, because if we also talk about what is available via Disney+, ESPN+, or live TV, we'll be here forever. (You can also sync up Hulu with HBO to gain access to things like Succession and House of the Dragon.)
Here's what you get:
Hulu has some amazing shows, both those that are finished and many which are ongoing. For comedy, there are plenty of options to choose from, including New Girl, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, What We Do In The Shadows, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Broad City, Abbott Elementary, and so much more.
There are also some big Hulu originals to watch, including The Bear, The Old Man, The Handmaid's Tale, and Only Murders In The Building.
As far as animated fare, there are modern adult classics like Rick and Morty and Bob's Burgers, as well as Futurama, Family Guy, and King of the Hill. Anime staples like Cowboy Bebop are also available. And if you want to bring more youth-friendly fun, Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, Adventure Time, and Curious George are just a small sample of what Hulu has available.
Hulu isn't going anywhere. As a matter of fact, beyond it being awarded the best streaming service by us and receiving a 9/10 in our updated Hulu review, it was bought in full by Disney in November 2023 and the House of Mouse has created a one-app experience for those bundling Hulu and Disney+. With an FX partnership, Hulu is also home to those shows, including the latest drama miniseries, Shogun.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
Original story from Brian Barnett.
Easter eggs and secret messages are old hat for many ongoing games, and Helldivers 2 is no stranger to them either. So it's little surprise that amid an ongoing, calamitous conflict with the Illuminate, players are poring over the messages for hidden details.
If you're not caught up with the running narrative in Helldivers 2, here's a quick catch-up: developer Arrowhead has the Illuminate back and pushing the lines of galactic warfare as the latest threat to Super Earth. The eerie foe is using a massive black hole to slowly consume entire planets, pushing it to Angel's Venture and, now, Moradesh.
Ironically, the black hole was initially created on Meridian by Super Earth, in an effort to wipe out a Terminid Super Colony. Arrowhead's got a particular penchant for "yes, and"-ing the outcomes of the galactic campaigns. The slow build to right now, with the Illuminate pretty much pushing a black hole slowly towards Super Earth, is the latest in a long line of dominoes.
MORADESH EVACUATION WARNING
â HELLDIVERS⢠2 (@helldivers2) March 14, 2025
EVACUATE PLANET
MORADESH EVACUATION WARNING
MORADESH EVACUATION WARNING
EVACUATE PLANET
MORADESH EVACUATION WARNING
MORADESH EVACUATION WARNING
EVACUATE PLANET
MORADESH EVACUATION WARNING pic.twitter.com/G4vpaIgLpz
So, now we're here: Moradesh is evacuating, and Helldivers are anticipating the next step of this cataclysmic campaign. Yet some are digging into the evacuation orders, trying to suss out a hidden meaning from the messages Arrowhead is broadcasting.
Reddit user Pinglyadya shared an image of what looks like an egg, hidden in the Moradesh videos. In the comments, they go further, breaking down the potential morse code strings into dots and dashes, surmising that it all results in a few different codes: "045a5, 06efbc, e1b5f0 then 21232. We don't know what this is the code to but have fun."
The "06EFBC" code caught attention in another thread, as it could correspond with the hex code for a shade of teal called Last Straw. Sounds ominous! Nothing concrete has surfaced beyond that, but at least a few fans are convinced there's something hidden in these messages.
It wouldn't be the first time players have gone diving for secrets in Arrowhead's updates. With the Meridian Singularity slowly approaching Super Earth, though, I do wonder whether Helldivers have time to spare for this.
Arrowhead has, since the destruction of Moradesh, issued a new Major Order for players, tasking them with defending planets so Super Earth can construct a Penrose Energy Siphon and effect a "one-time reduction" in Dark Energy Accumulation.
MAJOR ORDER: Following days of diligent resource collection and repurposing of enemy combatants, the Helldivers have enabled the construction of a partial blockade of the Meridian Singularity. The blockade is porous, but still moderately effective, and has slightly reduced the⌠pic.twitter.com/ye33V6VKa6
â HELLDIVERS⢠2 (@helldivers2) March 14, 2025
Hopefully, this can put a stop to the giant tear in space that's slowly encroaching on everything the Helldivers hold dear. And, possibly, put a few more secret messages out into the ether.
This is all part of Helldivers 2's ongoing, community driven Galactic War, which has captured the attention of the game's community for over a year now. The Illuminate invaded in December with an initial alien force that added new enemies to fight against as well as brand new Super Earth colonies to fight on. These colonies introduced Helldivers 2âs first urban environments, with city streets packed with innocent civilians mind-controlled by the Illuminate. The Voteless, as theyâre called by Super Earth, are little more than zombies who want nothing more than to team players limb from limb.
Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.
Today in weird news, recent Oscars host Conan OâBrien revealed that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences refused to allow him and his team to clothe an Oscar statue or lay it horizontally for promotional ads they pitched for the ceremony. Uh, who knew the Academy was so stuffy?
Speaking on his Oscars head writer Mike Sweeneyâs podcast Conan Needs a Friend, OâBrien set the scene: he pitched a series of ads in which he and a 9-foot tall Oscar statue were in a domestic partnership, but the Academy wasnât exactly receptive to how he wanted to utilize the statue specifically.
âWeâre fighting about things couples fight about,â OâBrien explained of one of his ideas. âAt one point, I thought, wouldnât it be great if itâs just on the couch? Letâs lay it on a really big couch and Iâll be vacuuming and say, âCould you at least lift your feet? Or could you at least get up and help? Load the dishwasher?â We wanted to do it and they just said, âNo, no no, that canât happen.â â
For such a benign â and generally cute â idea, it doesnât make a ton of sense as to why the Academy was so emphatic about not doing it. But it turns out they have a few super weird rules for their statue iconography.
âOne of the people from the Academy came forward and said, âOscar can never be horizontal.â And that blew my mind,â OâBrien added. âLike, wow, this is like the thigh bone of St. Peter. This is a religious icon.â The comedian also noted on the podcast that the Academy reps also demanded that the statue is âalways naked,â so their idea to have the statue serving OâBrien leftovers as an apron-clad housewife was also a no-go for the organization.
Again, there isnât much sense in these decisions to the naked eye, but the Academy has a right to them all the same. Still, itâs a bummer we couldnât see the full breadth of OâBrienâs comedic chops in these promos. Hopefully, heâll come out of the gate with something equally as witty next year â and yes, weâre Team Conan Oscar Host 2026.
Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
Considering what it offers, Disney Plus is one of the best streaming services on the block. From classic Disney animated films to the latest Marvel shows and Star Wars movies, excellent kids' programming like Bluey, and so much more, Disney Plus puts an incredible range of high-quality viewing options at your fingertips. And with so much to check out, including Moana 2, you'll want to find a plan that best suits you. We're here to help.
If you want to go all-in, it's worth considering the Disney+, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle, which starts at just $16.99/month. This bundle is the best value available for the streaming service considering it's the only plan that wasn't hit by the recent Disney+ price hike. If you're looking for more streaming deals from other services, check out the best Hulu deals and bundles and the best Max deals.
For a limited time, until March 30, you can score the Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic plan (previously called the Duo Basic bundle, which offers both streaming services with ads) for just $2.99/month for your first four months. This saves you 72% per month on the bundle, which is a great little springtime deal to take advantage of. New and eligible returning customers can subscribe to the bundle deal as well.
The Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle can be purchased through any of the three streaming services and starts at $16.99/month for the ad-supported tier or $29.99/month for ad-free access across the three platforms.
If you currently own all three and want to cut down on costs, this is a great way to bundle them together and save big on what you'd pay for them separately â 43% on the ad-supported plan and 42% on the ad-free plan.
In an effort to crack down on password sharing, Disney has unveiled a paid sharing plan for individuals outside of your household. Basically, anyone using your account that's not within your household will have to be added as an "Extra Member" to your account. This costs an additional $6.99/month for the ad-supported Basic subscription and $9.99/month for the Premium ad-free plan, and only one Extra Member slot is available per account. You can learn more from Disney's paid sharing explainer here.
Disney+ is available in a couple of different tiers. You can get the least expensive option (called Disney+ Basic) for $9.99/month, which gives you access to everything except the ability to download select shows to watch on the go. This tier is ad supported. If you want to get rid of ads and be able to download certain shows, you can spring for the $15.99/month or $159.99/year Disney+ Premium package.
Want a way to save on your Disney+ membership? Bundles are a great, affordable way to go. As far as bundles go, there are two ad-supported bundles and two ad-free bundles. Here's the breakdown:
If you want to help someone out and give them a gift that will keep on giving, gifting a one-year Disney+ card is a great way to go. It provides all the great things Disney+ offers and it costs a fraction of what it would take to buy even a small sampling of those movies physically.
There is a bonkers array of shows and movies you can watch on Disney+. Let's start at the top and simply talk about the verticals on offer here with the base subscription.
Here's what you get:
On the Disney front, you have awesome classic movies like The Sword In The Stone, Robin Hood, 101 Dalmations, Hercules, and Sleeping Beauty, modern classics like The Princess & The Frog, Tangled, and Frozen, and a wide range of animated shows, including Phineas & Ferb.
You also gain access to a ton of vintage content like Escape to Witch Mountain, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Love Bug, and a whole lot more. The Disney Junior section is home to absolutely top tier animated shows like Bluey (which, for my money, is worth the price of admission on its own).
There's way more on offer, too, including a ton of Muppet movies, new live-action films and adaptions, nature programs, documentaries, Pirates of the Caribbean, and musical programs featuring Taylor Swift (like her wildly popular The Eras Tour), Elton John, Ed Sheeran, and more.
When it comes to computer generated films, Pixar stands alone. Kicking off the revolution with Toy Story, Pixar has consistently put out fantastic films, and they are all here. From the Toy Story series to Finding Nemo, Cars, and more recent hits like Inside Out 2, there is a ton to love.
Beyond even that, there are incredible shorts like Bao and Party Central, as well as a wide range of originals and series based on major films, such as Dory's Reef Cam, Forky Asks A Question, Cars On The Road, and more.
The MCU has become a true juggernaut, and there are many viewers who subscribe to Disney+ purely for access to nearly the entire MCU lineup of films and shows.
Whether you are a fan of the blockbuster action films, you are an appreciator of the classic 90s runs of "Saturday morning" cartoons like X-Men, or you are currently vibing to the funky theme of the 1981 Spider-Man series, there is a ton of Marvel to enjoy on Disney+. And with new movies and shows being added to the MCU all the time, including most recently Deadpool & Wolverine and Your Friendly Neigborhood Spider-Man, there is always more coming.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a film that changed everything. The original Star Wars is a seminal sci-fi fantasy work that inspired generations of creators, but there is still nothing quite like that far away galaxy. Disney+ grants access to all things Star Wars, including the remastered versions of the original trilogy (hopefully some day they'll add the theatrical cuts, too), as well as the prequels and sequels.
You can also stay up-to-date on all the latest shows, including The Mandalorian and the critically-lauded Andor, which some viewers say is "the best Star Wars has ever been." There are also fantastic short series like Star Wars Visions, and longer-form series like The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, Young Jedi Adventures, and a whole lot more.
Take a look at our list of Disney+ alernatives for additional streaming services. To play while you watch, see our roundup of the best LEGO Disney sets. For more deals, dive into our Daily Deals page.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
Original story from Brian Barnett.
This article contains spoilers for Severance Season 2âs penultimate episode. Yes, it is actually the penultimate episode this week, we triple checked.
Itâs always impressive when an episode tailor-made to make viewers ask âwhat comes nextâ has something in it, a singular moment that makes you stop and revel in a singular moment. Theorizing about Severance is, of course, half of the fun of the series, especially as the mystery gets deeper and richer with time. But, as we head into the Season 2 finale, Dylan G. managed to stop me in my tracks.
It was a hard episode for Dylan (Zach Cherry) both in Lumon and outside of it. His wife Gretchen (Merritt Wever) revealed to his outie that she kissed his innie, admitting that she saw the spark there that Dylan used to have when they were first married. Dylan takes this information poorly, noting that maybe heâll just quit, before storming out of the house. At first it seems like an innocuous threat from a man whoâs learned that heâs been cheated on â even if the logistics of the infidelity are a bit complicated â but it quickly becomes more after Gretchen ignores his wishes and goes to see his innie one last time.
During her visit, Gretchen tells Dylan G. that she canât see him anymore and that she needs to save their marriage. Little does she know that her husbandâs innie had been prepared to propose to her before he knew anything of what transpired outside of Lumon earlier that day. She declines his proposal and his handmade paper ring, apologizing as she runs out of the room and leaves her severed husband for good.
That âfor goodâ isnât because Gretchen is stalwart in her decision, though. Itâs much, much worse than that.
After a brief and slightly hostile conversation with Helly R. (Britt Lower) â who is, by the way, the only person staying on mission when it comes to sticking it to Lumon and finding Gemma despite losing more of her autonomy than anyone on the team after what happened between Helena and Mark (Adam Scott) in the forest â Dylan G. marches to Mr. Milchickâs (Tramell Tillman) office and quits on the spot.
Itâs such an innocuous thing to say, that Dylan G. quit. But for the purposes of the show and most certainly from Dylan Gâs perspective, he didnât just quit his job. He chose death by suicide, with the doors of the severed floor elevator closing decisively in Dylan G's final moment in the episode.
He watched his best friend be fired (murdered), and was, in his eyes, spurned by the woman he wanted to be his wife, but ultimately was his wife⌠but also really wasnât. He had the mystery Irving (John Turturro) left behind still waiting to be solved, but it wasnât enough to keep him going. Nor was Hellyâs friendship, as Dylan G. made it clear that he would never be able to trust that it wasnât Helena walking among them. It feels unlikely that Markâs presence (who is currently on a side quest) would have made much of a difference, either.
Dylan Gâs choice feels like a crescendo in Severanceâs song about autonomy. This season has approached the idea of multiple souls, expanded on Season 1âs question of consent between innies and outies and featured the deaths of multiple characters (Irving's innie this season and Burt's innie before him). The show is constantly forcing us to grapple with questions not just surrounding its central mystery, but of what autonomy really means if part of you doesnât have it at all. Itâs often compelling and sometimes, like this week, deeply sad. On his last day, Dylan G. simply decided that enough was enough. Work is nothing to live for, so he chose removing himself from existence instead.
Š Tempo Games
Š Future
Š Microsoft
Š GameSir, 8BitDo
Having fundamentally transformed the X-Men franchise and debuted a brand new incarnation of the Ultimate Universe, writer Jonathan Hickman is gearing up for his next great Marvel epic. Today Marvel Comics revealed new details about Imperial, a four-issue event series that promises to reshape the fabric of the wider Marvel Universe.
Similar to how 2023's Ultimate Invasion paved the way for the ongoing Ultimate Universe line, Imperial is designed to shake up the status quo for Marvel's cosmic characters and lay the foundation for a new line of comics. In this series, many of the traditional power players in the Marvel Universe will be destroyed or overthrown, leaving room for new empires to rise in their place. The series will specifically center around the Hulk family, Black Panther, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Nova Corps, and other cosmic kings and queens.
Imperial will be written by Hickman and drawn by Federico Vicentini (Miles Morales: Spider-Man) and Iban Coello (Venom). Hickman's Ultimate Spider-Man collaborator Marco Checchetto is drawing the covers for the series.
"I'm very excited about this project as Iâm obviously a huge fan of all things Marvel Cosmic," Hickman said in a statement. "The goal here is to kind of do what we did with the recent Ultimate line for all of our space titles, except having the setup book (Imperial) be more of an event than a world-building exercise (like Ultimate Invasion). The art team is killing it, and weâre all just very excited for whatâs happening in this special corner of the Marvel Universe."
Based on the cover and concept art revealed so far, we can infer certain things about the big changes coming in Imperial. It seems the Nova Corps will be decimated (again), while Star-Lord looks to play a central role in the conflict. It also appears that an entire family of Hulks will take control of the bloody world of Sakaar. And given Black Panther's presence in the story, it's a safe bet that the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda has a part to play in this conflict.
Imperial #1 will be released on June 4, 2025. Let us know your theories about the book in the comments below.
In other upcoming Marvel news, we're getting a new Thunderbolts team that includes Wolverine, Hulk, and Carnage, and we got an exclusive look at Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.
Š Texas Instruments
If you're on the hunt for some great PS5 deals, we're here to help. Here we've gathered up some of the best PlayStation deals available at the moment, including the fantastic new PlayStation 5 Slim Astro Bot bundle. With this you're getting Astro Bot for free alongside a new PS5 Slim console, what could be better than that? You can see that deal and so many more below. Here are IGN's top picks for the best PlayStation deals today.
The PS5 Slim and Astro Bot bundle is one of the best PlayStation deals available at the moment. You can choose between the PS5 Slim Disc Edition console or the Digital Edition, which will set you back $449.99 and $399.99, respectively.
Astro Bot is a really enjoyable addition to a PlayStation library, too. IGN's Simon Cardy said in his review that it's, "A collection of endlessly inventive levels and fantastically fun abilities, it delivers joy in spades, never once becoming even remotely dull or repetitive."
Looking to invest in another controller for yourself or grab an extra for co-op? Lenovo's offering the Sterling Silver, Volcanic Red, and Cobalt Blue PS5 DualSense controllers for only $54 plus free shipping after you apply coupon code "PLAY5" in cart.
If you've been looking to pick up some new PS5 games, now's a great time to do it with some excellent discounts available. From Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to Sonic X Shadow Generations, there are plenty of great deals worth checking out at both Amazon and Woot. The latter's deals only last for a limited time, though. So if something catches your eye, act fast to pick it up at that price.
If you've been hoping to pick up a PlayStation Portal, you can get one in Used: Like New condition at Amazon via Amazon Resale (a rebranded Amazon Warehouse) right now for $161.37 shipped. That saves you almost 20% off its usual list price of $199. A Sony warranty may or may not be included, but Amazon Resale items benefit from the same 30-day return policy you get for buying a new item. We expect this item to sell out pretty quickly.
The PSVR2 Horizon: Call of the Mountain bundle has gotten a price drop down to $399.99, $200 off its original list price of $599.99. This package is a great value for everything you're getting (the PSVR2 headset and controllers alongside the Horizon Call of The Mountain game), and pushes the PSVR2 as a strong contender against budget-friendly VR options like the Meta Quest, delivering a premium virtual reality experience without the eye-watering cost.
Sony also recently gave the PSVR2 a new lease of life by adding PC VR support, allowing owners of the second-generation headset to play PC VR games like Half-Life: Alyx, provided they have the new Sony-made adapter.
PS5 games continue to grow in size, and with SSD prices climbing, finding the right storage at a great price is more important than ever. We've listed our favorite deals just here, but you should ensure you're checking back here for more updates as often as possible, as new SSD deals pop up all the time.
Keep in mind that not all SSDs are compatible with the PS5. To ensure optimal performance on the best PS5 SSD, you'll need a PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 drive with a minimum read speed of 5,500MB/s to match the console's internal storage.
Launched with widespread availability â unlike the infamous scarcity of the original PS5 launch â the PS5 Pro is currently still in stock across major retailers.
The PS5 Pro is designed for gamers who prioritize graphics and performance, especially those with high-end TVs that can take full advantage of its power. But it comes at a premium: At $700 plus tax (and minus a disc drive), itâs an investment that only makes sense if youâre looking to elevate your gaming experience.
Not everyone needs it, of course; if youâre satisfied with your current visuals or arenât particularly sensitive to frame rates, the PS5 Pro may be more of a luxury than a necessity.
The PlayStation Portal has come a long way since its launch. Initial skepticism surrounded the device, but over time, it has proven itself as a handy companion for PS5 owners.
Despite stock challenges and surges in demand, a new feature is making the Portal even more appealing to potential buyers. Sony recently rolled out an update for the PlayStation Portal, currently in opt-in beta, allowing PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers to stream games from the cloud.
This means you can now enjoy a library of games on the goâeven if you donât own a PS5. The update adds another compelling reason to consider the PlayStation Portal.
If you're looking to trade in your old PlayStation consoles, you can do so at select retailers in-store and online. Often, the most widely available retailers are GameStop and Best Buy. However, you can also trade your used devices online at retailers such as Amazon and Microsoft.
Some retailers will offer you cash for your used goods, while others may provide you with a gift card that can be used in-store and online. This is a great way to offload your old gaming gear and get some money that you can put towards a newer console and games.
While trading devices in at retailers will often net you the lowest amount for your used consoles, there are also online marketplaces such as eBay, Craigslist, and OfferUp that may fetch higher prices, but you'll often be responsible for packing and shipping costs, or be required to meet someone in person for the transaction. The latter of which poses its own risks.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis are back for more body-swapping antics in the first trailer for Freakier Friday ahead of its theatrical premiere later this summer.
The long-time-coming sequel to Disney's Freaky Friday original brings the supernatural comedy to the present day with, of course, a few twists that should keep it feeling fresh after the 22-year wait. As weâve known for quite some time, Curtis and Lohan are back, but todayâs trailer also teases that theyâll also be swapping bodies with at least two new other faces: Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons.
This solid look at how the mother-daughter duo of Anna and Tess will blossom begins when the two meet with a fortune teller who warns that a past lesson may soon become relevant once again. What follows is a montage of new hurdles to creatively leap over, and itâs all set to Chappell Roanâs HOT TO GO!. You can get a taste of some of the antics that will ensue with the first Freakier Friday trailer below.
âThe story picks up years after Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis,â an official plot synopsis says. âAnna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice.â
Freakier Friday comes to theaters August 8, 2025. For more on Disneyâs long-awaited sequel, you can see how Curtis and Lohan celebrated after the film secured You Me Her Director Nisha Ganatra.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
Š Future
Š Epic Games
So, you mightâve heard this little tidbit of news lately: Stranger Things star Sadie Sink is officially joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the next Spider-Man. But now comes the speculation: who, exactly, will she play in Spider-Man 4?
Youâve got theories, Iâve got theories, and weâre not alone â the whole internetâs got theories. Needless to say, fans' minds are racing. So what do they think? Well, letâs go over the most distinct possibilities (and, for that matter, impossibilities).
It seems as though most folks find the idea of Sink ending up being the, quote unquote, real Mary Jane Watson due to her red hair to be a bit silly. âMichelle Jones is the MCUâs real MJ,â one fan wrote on Reddit â and most fans in the thread agreed. Though another Redditor noted the studio might cast Sink in the role as a âbold attempt to win back those who prefer classic Spider-Man.â The obvious choice is not always the best one, folks.
Zendaya has played the MCUâs new MJ since 2017âs Spider-Man Homecoming, and despite not being the standard red-haired Mary Jane fans know from the comics and Sam Raimiâs previous trilogy, modern day Spidey lovers have generally accepted her as their MJ. So it seems as though theyâll keep her around, especially considering she is said to be, at minimum, coming back for a cameo for this yet untitled sequel to No Way Home.
Some fans think Sink may end up playing one of Peter Parkerâs other love interests, Gwen Stacey. After all, wigs do exist. âMuch to the surprise (and potentially dismay) of everyone,â one user said about Sink in the role previously played by Emma Stone in Marc Webbâs The Amazing Spider-Man duo. âI absolutely would not want to see [that] since weâve already gotten a Gwen Stacy/Peter Parker love story and I definitely have no interest in seeing Spider-Gwen right now,â another Redditor added.
Spider-Gwen is a distinct part of the animated Spider-Verse, where she is voiced by Hailee Steinfeld, so it seems like fans prefer to follow her story there for the time being. Considering how major the Peter and Gwen love story was in Webbâs Spider-Man films â it did give way to a lengthy real-life relationship between Stone and Andrew Garfield, who played Parker/Spider-Man â it makes sense that fans wouldnât really want to see that rehashed. Thereâs a ton of Spidey territory to cover between his many comic adventures and appearances, so giving Sink something different to do is most likely the key to making her inclusion a success.
Another theory folks have been throwing around is the idea that Sink might end up playing another famous MCU redhead: X-Menâs Jean Grey, also known as the Phoenix. She was played as an adult by Famke Janssen in five films in Foxâs X-Men franchise. Later, she was portrayed as a teenager by Sophie Turner in 2019âs Dark Phoenix.
One user on Reddit considered that idea âtoo obvious,â while another agreed and added: âWeird to intro [her] in SM4.â That said, a third fan noted that there could always be more castings in the future that could lead to more mutants joining the fold for Spider-Man 4. Others have doubts about a mutant showing up with true relevance in a Spider-Man focused film. âI just don't see one of the core X-Men getting introduced in a Spider-Man movie,â a fan wrote.
But it seems as though the most popular guess â and potentially the best guess as well â is a lesser known character called Firestar, a redhead mutant named Angelica Jones who is a mainstay in the X-Men, as well as the 1981 animated series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends where she debuted. She could definitely be that âsomething differentâ I was talking about â and lots of fans seem excited about the prospect of bringing her into the story as it stands within the MCU.
Indeed, fans seem particularly excited at the idea of bringing those Amazing Friends back together. âShe'll be a college student alongside Peter and their friend/partner Bobby Drake. They'll all live in the same apartment too,â one user commented. âThis will be the adaptation of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends we've all been waiting for, lol.â Another agreed, âI would love a Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends team-up!â while a third added: âIf they did the Amazing Friends lineup, people would lose their minds.â
Firestar started as a Spider-Man character, but eventually broke off and expanded into her own story that included alliances with the New Mutants, Hellions, and the Avengers themselves. So considering her origins, it might just be the perfect character to introduce. However, one fan did mention, âIf Firestar, why not Jean?â and to be fair, they have a point. But right now, itâs anyoneâs guess who Sink will end up making her MCU debut as. Only time will tell.
Photo by Arturo Holmes/WireImage.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
Spring is right around the corner, and with the changing of the seasons comes more sale events to check out. For PC gamers, this means some big discounts can be found across Steam, Fanatical, and Green Man Gaming in their respective Spring Sales. If you've been waiting for another sale event after the holidays to fill up your library with PC games, now is a great time to start stocking up. There are some excellent options on sale as well, including Silent Hill 2, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and much more.
Steam's Spring Sale is full of exciting discounts on numerous different games, including Balatro, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, God of War RagnarĂśk, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Baldur's Gate 3, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Some games have gotten some truly steep discounts, too, like Doom (2016) which is 90% off at the moment. This sale runs until March 20th, so take advantage of these deals while they're still live.
Fanatical is dropping some great deals in its Spring Sale as well. Have you been waiting for a good time to pick up Silent Hill 2? Grab it now for 48% off! Or do you want to play Death Stranding ahead of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach this June? You can grab the Death Stranding Director's Cut for 59% off. Some other great discounts can be found on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Dragon's Dogma 2, Marvelâs Spider-Man Remastered, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and Helldivers 2, to name a few. A lot of these deals will be expiring over the next week, though, so you'll want to act fast to get the ones that catch your eye.
Green Man Gaming's Spring Sale stretches a little longer than the other two, going until March 27, and offers just as many exciting deals. Some of our favorites include The Last of Us Part I, Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, God of War, Final Fantasy XVI, Marvel's Midnight Suns Legendary Edition, and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. The latter two are over 80% off as well, which are fantastic discounts to jump on.
These gaming deals just scratch the surface of what's out there right now, though. If you're hoping to see some gaming deals across consoles, check out our individual roundups of the best PlayStation deals, the best Xbox deals, and the best Nintendo Switch deals. There we've highlighted a variety of video game deals, discounts on hardware, and offers on accessories so you can save on items for your preferred platform.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
In case you missed the news, Bruce Wayne is getting a new look when DC Comics relaunches its flagship Batman series this September. Artist Jorge JimĂŠnez has designed a new Batsuit that brings the classic blue cape and cowl back into the spotlight. After almost 90 years on the stands, DC is still tweaking the Dark Knightâs iconic costume.
But how does the new Batsuit measure up to the classics? What are the greatest Batman costumes of all time? Weâve handpicked our 10 favorite Batsuits from the comics, ranging from the original Golden Age costume to more modern reinterpretations like Batman Incorporated and Batman Rebirth. Scroll down to see them all.
And if Batman movies are more your speed, make sure you check out our ranked list of all the movie Batsuits.
1989âs Batman movie introduced a radically different, all-black Batsuit that remains one of the Dark Knightâs most iconic suits in any medium. DC never fully committed to porting that costume over to the comics (outside of actual Burton-Verse tie-ins like Batman â89), but they did introduce a Batsuit inspired by the movies in the 1995 storyline âTroika.â
This new Batsuit adopted the all-black approach to Batmanâs body but retained a more traditional blue cape and cowl. It even added more extreme elements like spikes on Batmanâs boots, although those elements were toned down after the suitâs initial introduction. Regardless, the result was a more intimidating and stealthy Batsuit that became the default look for the Caped Crusader for the remainder of the â90s.
When Bruce Wayne returned following his apparent death in 2008âs Final Crisis, DC celebrated with the launch of a new series, Batman Incorporated, and a new costume designed by David Finch. That Batman Inc. suit is notable both for bringing back the classic yellow oval around the Bat emblem and for ditching the black trunks.
In many ways, the Batman Inc. suit feels like a more successful and visually cohesive version of what DC tried to accomplish with Batmanâs New 52 suit a couple of years later. It introduced a more functional quality to Batmanâs look, creating the impression that the Batsuit was less spandex than a true suit of armor, yet it avoided mucking up the design with too many stray lines. It also helped create some much-needed visual distinction between Bruce and Dick Grayson, who was also serving as Batman at the time.
The only element that slightly holds back the Batman Inc. look is the slightly goofy-looking armored codpiece. Weâre not sure what the thinking was there.
The most recent creation on this list, thereâs a reason the Absolute Batman Batsuit makes such a strong first impression. This is Batman at his most imposing.
Absolute Batman takes place in a rebooted DCU where Bruce Wayne lacks many of the advantages of his traditional counterpart, like a mansion and billions of dollars. Still, he manages to create quite an impressive crimefighting arsenal. Nearly every inch of this Batsuit is a weapon, from the razor-sharp ear daggers to the removable Bat emblem that doubles as a battle axe. Even the cape is completely redesigned, consisting of several flexible, arm-like tendrils.
Ultimately, though, itâs the sheer size of this Batman that makes the Absolute suit stand out. Writer Scott Snyder jokingly referred to Absolute Batman as âthe Batman who lifts,â and you can see why.
In the alternate timeline of Flashpoint, Joe Chill killed a young Bruce Wayne, leading to a grieving Thomas Wayne becoming Batman instead. This darker, very different Batman needs a darker, very different Batsuit, and he got one in the form of a costume that drops the traditional yellow elements in favor of bold red accents. The Bat emblem, utility belt, and leg holsters are all a deep crimson, creating a unique and cool look. Couple that with the dramatic shoulder spikes on the cape and the fact that this Batman is known to wield guns and a sword, and you have one of the most visually arresting takes on an alternate universe Batman.
Artist Lee Bermejo has drawn and painted Batman a lot over the years, from the Batman/Deathblow crossover to the Joker graphic novel to the infamous Batman: Damned. In that time, Bermejo has established a distinctive and very striking take on the iconic Batsuit, one unlike any other at DC Comics.
Bermejoâs Batsuit is about as far from the typical spandex look as you can get. This is armor, pure and simple,and the artistâs Batman is as much about function as he is form. But the goal isnât necessarily realism here. Bermejoâs Batman is also a haunting figure, one mired in dirt and grime and a certain Gothic quality. This Batsuit, as much as any other, inspired the look of Robert Pattinsonâs Dark Knight in 2022âs The Batman.
The DC multiverse is a vast place, and weâve seen countless variations of the Batsuit appear on numerous worlds. That being said, none can truly measure up to Gotham by Gaslightâs Batman. Itâs as if the character was made for this steampunk Victorian setting. The Batsuit perfectly translates into this bold revamp that trades skintight spandex for stitched leather and a billowing cloak.
Of course, it helps that the original Gotham by Gaslight series was illustrated by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola. Mignolaâs Batman is truly iconic, bathed in shadow and looking as if he were chiseled out of raw granite. And even though Mignolaâs DC days are long behind him, this incarnation of the character lives on through follow-up stories like Gotham by Gaslight: The Kryptonian Age.
It says a lot about the original Bob Kane/Bill Finger-designed Batsuit that the design has survived with only modest changes for the better part of 90 years. All the right ingredients for a truly iconic superhero look were there from the start.
But in addition to serving as the basis for every Batsuit since, the Golden Age design is also notable for boasting some interesting features you donât normally see elsewhere. The curved ears on Batmanâs cowl give him an even more menacing vibe, while the purple gloves add a welcome pop of color. Even the cape is different in a fun way, being more akin to actual bat wings than a traditional superhero cape. Itâs always exciting to see modern artists revisit this design.
For the majority of their hugely popular run on DCâs flagship Batman series, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo focused on the New 52 costume. As weâve already covered, that suit served as a notable attempt at updating the Caped Crusaderâs look with a more modern, tactical bent, but that approach has been done better elsewhere. Case in point, Capulloâs own redesign that debuted just in time for the DC Rebirth relaunch.
Batmanâs Rebirth costume is an upgrade on the New 52 suit in pretty much every way. It retains the tactical look while also downplaying some of the extraneous lines and details. It brings some much-needed color back into Batmanâs look both with the yellow outline around the Bat emblem and the distinctive purple inner lining of the cape (a throwback to Batmanâs Golden Age roots). Itâs a bit of a shame that DC phased out this Batsuit after only a couple of years. As far as modern redesigns go, this is the one to beat.
The late â60s and â70s were a very transformational time for DCâs Batman comics. The books veered away from the camp that defined Batmanâs Silver Age adventures and the live-action TV series toward more serious action/adventure and detective stories. Three artists really came to define Batmanâs look in this period - Neal Adams, Jim Aparo, and JosĂŠ Luis GarcĂa-LĂłpez.
Itâs not that these artists dramatically changed the makeup of Batmanâs costume. This is the same blue cape and cowl and Bat emblem with yellow oval that was popularized by the TV series. But what unites Adams, Aparo, and Garcia-LĂłpezâs work is the physicality they brought to the character. Gone was the burly brawler of the Silver Age, replaced by a leaner and more lithe Batman. Batman is basically a ninja superhero, so it makes sense that he be built more like a gymnast than a bodybuilder.
For many fans, this is still the standard by which all other Batman costumes are judged. Thatâs especially thanks to Garcia-LĂłpez, whose art has adorned bedsheets, lunchboxes, T-shirts, and countless other Batman merch over the years.
Jeph Loeb and Jim Leeâs Hush storyline is often regarded as the start of the modern era of Batman comics. Thatâs thanks to Leeâs instantly iconic redesign of the Batsuit as much as anything else.
With the Hush costume, Lee brought a new level of elegant simplicity to the Batsuit. Gone is the yellow oval that persisted for decades, to be replaced by a sleek, black emblem. Leeâs knack for rendering dynamic, detailed, and very powerful superhero physiques is on full display in his Batman. Readers needed to believe that this Dark Knight could face down a gauntlet of his greatest foes â and Superman for good measure, and they certainly did.
The Hush redesign immediately became the default look for Batman going forward. Lee created a clear model that subsequent artists like Andy Kubert and Tony Daniel followed closely. While individual artists varied in whether they chose the blue or black cape and cowl, the rest of the details remained consistent. Itâs telling that, after a period of focusing on more armored Batman costumes in the New 52 and DC Rebirth eras, DC eventually threw in the towel and went back to the Hush costume. It just plain works.
Artist Jorge JimĂŠnez is no stranger to Batman at this point, but heâll be debuting a new Batsuit when he and writer Matt Fraction kick off DCâs relaunched Batman series in September 2025.
The newest Batsuit isnât a massive deviation from the now-standard Hush costume, though it does have a few interesting embellishments all its own. Where most artists in recent years have gravitated toward the black cape and cowl, JimĂŠnez is bringing back the blue. Not only that, the cape is now heavily shaded, creating a stark contrast between the inner and older folds and bringing to mind Bruce Timmâs Batman: The Animated Series look. Even the Bat emblem is blue now, as well as sporting a bigger and more angular shape.
After all this time, itâs great to see Batman still trying out new looks. But will the latest redesign have the staying power of Batmanâs most iconic suits? Only time will tell.
For more Batman fun, check out IGN's top 27 Batman comics and graphic novels.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.
Reacher Season 3 is a massive hit for Amazon â itâs the most-watched returning season ever on Prime Video, and the most-watched season on Prime Video since Fallout across its first 19 days.
Reacher, played by Alan Ritchson, is about a former major in the U.S. Army's military police who roams the United States getting into all sorts of trouble through no fault of his own. Reacher spends a lot of time beating up bad guys and solving mysteries; heâs not only the most dangerous man around, but the smartest.
In Season 3, however, Reacher meets his match in the form of Dutch giant Olivier Richters, who towers over Alan Ritchson with an incredible height of 7 ft 2 in.
According to Variety, Reacher Season 3 saw a huge 54.6 million viewers globally in its first 19 days. Thatâs almost a big enough number to fit across Reacher actor Alan Ritchsonâs back.
Itâs also a 0.5% increase on Season 2âs figure across the same time period, which suggests Reacher, already a massive hit for Prime Video, is growing in popularity. And itâs not just big in the U.S., either. More than half of Reacherâs audience is international, with âoutsized performanceâ in the U.K., Germany and Brazil.
For context, Fallout brought in 65 million viewers over its first 16 days in April 2024. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 had 40 million viewers in 11 days after its August 2024 premiere.
IGNâs Reacher Season 3 review returned an 8/10. We said: âReacher season 3 diverges more from the book upon which itâs based than previous seasons, but Reacher himself is more ruthless than ever and it remains a righteous good time.â
As youâd expect, Reacher Season 4 is confirmed. It was greenlit before Season 3 even began.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
After a small delay from its original release date, The Day the Earth Blew Up is officially the first fully animated Looney Tunes movie to get a theatrical release. IGN had the chance to review this film and called it "one of the funniest movies of the year." It's a gag-filled animated feature that works as a perfect family movie for both kids and adults. If you grew up watching the Looney Tunes and are looking for a delightful hit of nostalgia, this is a must-see film.
To help you find when and where you can watch The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, we've gathered all of the information about showtimes below. If you're hoping to watch the film at home, we've also included streaming and digital release details.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is now available in theaters everywhere. You can find showtimes at your local theaters using the links below:
The Day the Earth Blew Up will most likely land on Max, where the rest of the Looney Tunes currently live. The movie does not yet have a streaming release date, but if we look at other movies released by Ketchup Entertainment, we can get a decent idea of when you can expect the film to come to a streaming service. While it depends on how well the movie is doing in theaters, you can likely expect it to be available to stream one or two months after its theatrical release.
We don't yet have a digital release for the new Looney Tunes movie, but we know that it will be sometime before it arrives on streaming. It's possible it could become available to rent or buy online as early as the end of March or early April. We'll update this page as soon as we have more details.
If you're hoping to watch older episodes of Looney Tunes, you can find the majority of them streaming on Max right now. You can also purchase individual episodes on Prime Video, but Max is your best bet if you're trying to binge your way through the classic adventures of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and more. You can get access to Max on its own or bundle it with Hulu and Disney if you're looking for the best overall streaming deal.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes movie is rated PG for cartoon violence and rude/suggestive humor. The movie runs for a total of 1 hour and 31 minutes including end credits.
Š Konami
After 26 years of adventuring in the PokĂŠmon anime, protagonist Ash Ketchum finally called it a day at the tender age of perpetually 10-years-old. But after adamantly refusing to age up its hero for most of the anime's run, The Pokemon Company appears to finally be doing the unthinkable in PokĂŠmon Horizons and letting its new protagonists, Liko and Roy, grow up a bit.
The news comes from the recent CoroCoro reveal of the next arc in Pokemon Horizons, Mega Voltage, which confirmed that this new arc include a "time skip" that will age up Liko and Roy by about three years. This includes new designs for the main cast that shows Liko, Roy, and Dot looking noticeably taller and more mature than before:
What's more, these kids exist in the same universe as Ash Ketchum, even if he's not in the anime at the moment. So this means that, off-screen somewhere, Ash has also aged three years with them, as have the rest of the gang of Misty, Brock, May, Dawn, Serena, and everyone else. Will we see the grown up Ash Ketchum in this arc, or ever? Who knows? But fans are already speculating that things may be headed in that direction either now or in a future season.
Mega Voltage will also feature the return of Mega Evolutions, likely to coincide with Mega Evolution returning as a mechanic in the game PokĂŠmon Legends: Z-A. We can also see that Liko's Floragato evolved at some point into Meowscarada, and Roy's got a shiny mega Lucario.
One notable absence in the reveal is Friede, captain of the Rising Volt Tacklers. His partner, Pikachu, is present and seems to have Friede's goggles, and fans seem to think they've spotted cracks running across the sides of the goggles, perhaps suggesting that something not-so-great has happened to Friede â uh oh.
The Mega Voltage arc will begin airing in Japan on April 11 of this year, though it won't show up in the United states for a bit, as the English dub is significantly behind. We've been a bit cool on the anime series since it aired, giving PokĂŠmon Horizons Season 2 a 5/10 for "refusing time and again to commit to its strengths." Here's hoping the time skip infuses some new energy into the Rising Volt Tacklers.
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.
Š Julius Makes
Š Blizzard
Saber Interactive has insisted all its previously announced games are still in development, despite the radio silence around high-profile titles such as the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake.
Hot on the heels of the announcement of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3, Saber Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits tweeted to reassure the studioâs fans that everything itâs announced is still in the works.
âSaber Interactive is one of the largest independent developers in the world,â Willits said. âWe are working on numerous games across many different genres. Everything that we have talked about is still in development. We will share information on upcoming games when we have something cool to share.â
The most obvious subject of Willitsâ statement is the KOTOR remake, which remains one of gamingâs most elusive projects. Announced in 2021, the long-awaited remake has changed hands multiple times, seemingly stopped development and restarted again, and after four years has failed to materialize.
In April 2024, Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch confirmed the company took KOTOR with it during its split from Embracer Group, and that the game was still in active development.
"It's clear and it's obvious that we're working on this," he said at the time. "It's been in the press numerous times. What I will say is that the game is alive and well, and we're dedicated to making sure we exceed consumer expectations."
Willitsâ statement, which comes nearly 12 months later, reaffirms Karchâs quote. But still, even now, we have seen nothing of the KOTOR remake beyond its initial announcement video.
Saber also has other games in the works, including a number due out this year. John Carpenter's Toxic Commando and Jurassic Park Survival are still down for 2025, but neither has a release date. Saber is also working on a brand new Turok game and an untitled Avatar: The Last Airbender title.
Now, you can add Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 to the list. Be sure to check out IGNâs article on which chapters and enemy factions Space Marine 3 could feature for more.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Š Intel
In the broadest strokes, it's pretty hilarious how much of Opus feels like a case of movie dĂŠjĂ vu. If you've been exposed to the kind of arty horror popularized by todayâs biggest independent movie studio and distributor, A24, you've seen this kind of movie many times over: An eccentric figure lures unsuspecting guests (like in Heretic or Ex Machina) to a remote location where things aren't as they seem (X, Men) revealing something about the shallow nature of those present (Bodies Bodies Bodies, Midsommar). It would be fair to dismiss it for that degree of recycling alone. More is not always better, and Opus doesnât offer enough variation on its A24 predecessors to make things feel fresh. What it does have is a unique perspective â a perspective that's fun to think about, but extremely narrow.
Opus pretends to be about pop stars and celebrity, setting up a story in which the extremely reclusive, wildly popular musician Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich) is about to release his first album in 30 years. To mark the occasion, he invites a select few to his private compound for a lavish weekend listening party. No one knows why junior reporter Ariel Ecton (Ayo Edebiri) is among them, and through her eyes the viewer gets to be an outsider among insiders as Opus goes about not just being a horror movie but a satirical look of people accustomed to VIP treatment.
Because this is what Opus is actually about: Not celebrity, but the people who cover it. First time writer-director Mark Anthony Green comes from the magazine world, having worked at GQ for over a decade. (Full disclosure: I freelanced for GQ for several years, but never had any interaction with Green during that time or after.) He employs that experience to put the viewer in the mindset of a magazine writer, specifically, a marginalized one: Ariel has been on staff for three years but still gets overlooked, and her ideas often result in assignments for other writers. Her boss, Stan (Murray Bartlett), tells her to stick to taking notes while he accompanies her to Morettiâs compound, and shuts down any chance of her writing her own article.
There's a good amount to chew on here if you are someone predisposed to thinking about magazine journalism and the ways it interacts with celebrity. Early on, Ariel outlines a career plan that starts with interviewing interesting people so that others will find her interesting enough to interview, effectively giving away the game: A big part of doing Ariel's kind of magazine writing is keeping your ego in check enough to at least appear as if your goal is never to become a story yourself. Over the course of 104 minutes, she learns this lesson, which can make Opus feel more like shoptalk than a movie. I find what it has to say interesting because I'm a journalist whoâs written for magazines and thinks about them a lot. The job, particularly when it involves following celebrities around, can lead to blurry lines between observing and participating; as well as coming to grips with how elusive the truth can be when your subject is always performing, even when they are trying to convince you they're not. There's good drama in this, but it's also the kind of inside baseball that can be profoundly alienating to anyone who isn't already in this business or interested in it.
Unfortunately for those people, all Opus has on the horror side of the equation is a pile of clichĂŠ. It isn't necessarily a bad thing that it sticks to the kind of well-worn formula embraced by many of its labelmates, but it does mean that how it executes on that formula really matters. But instead of being spectacular, Opus is dutiful, dropping clues and bodies at a steady pace like the twisted Willy Wonka experience it is â just without much weird stuff to look at, because Moretti's compound is in the middle of the desert and mostly consists of tents and luxe bungalows. The kills, with one notable exception, are mundane or obscured. (Perhaps the most A24-style trick of all is a scene where a door shuts on a violent struggle, with only the sounds of the scuffle to clue us in on who gets the upper hand.) A bizarre puppet show in the final act hints at the kind of memorable weirdness that would've gone a long way if there were more of it in Opus.
For what it's worth, the movie's gestures toward a thriller built around the mania over a musical idol (think Smile 2 or Trap) are a ton of fun: John Malkovich is not the kind of person you'd expect to play a pop icon with a cult following, and his portrayal of Alfred Moretti (also not a very pop star name) is a great mix of goofy and sinister. His music, when weâre given a taste, is a strange mix of David Bowie-style anthems and dance-pop struts, and there are moments when it seems like Opus is designed to make the viewer feel alienated. Like you're not supposed to be into Moretti's music, and you're supposed to be a little uncomfortable that every character here is. Are they sucking up? Or does fame always eventually produce a cult?
The moments that bring up questions like this are Opus' strongest, but they are brief and few, and they don't contrast strongly enough with the easily parodied A24 brand of horror. In the end, Opus does do a little more than merely play the hits, but it's not quite daring enough to keep the record spinning.
We recently saw a good look at PokĂŠmon Legends: Z-A, the next entry in Game Freak's Legends series set to take place in X and Y's Lumiose City. It's also apparently garnered an E10+ rating from the ESRB, and fans are both curious and wildly, sometimes jokingly, speculating about what's going to happen in this new entry.
Attentive fans noticed that on the Nintendo Switch store page, PokĂŠmon Legends: Z-A has earned an E10+ age rating from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, listing 'Fantasy Violence.' While it might not normally draw feverish speculation for most other series, it's an oddity for PokĂŠmon, whose mainline games have consistently been 'E for Everyone.'
The rating has, of course, drawn wild speculation, some serious and some less-than-serious. It is genuinely entertaining to think about what strange choices Game Freak could possibly have made to bump up the rating, whether that be dialogue about PokĂŠmon killing people or trying to add a gunplay mechanic. As several Redditors (jokingly) suggest, maybe the hordes come back, but it involves a group of Scrafty jumping you in one of Lumiose's alleys.
"Ohhhh boy, Game Freak is taking off the little kiddie gloves," Reddit user RynnHamHam said. "This ainât your kindergartenerâs PokĂŠmon game."
Several gags have also been made about AZ, a character with quite a history set to appear in PokĂŠmon Legends: Z-A and who plays a central role in some of the darker elements of PokĂŠmon X and Y's story and the history of the Kalos region.
As for more plausible speculation, there are a few theories, including a few more "craps" than usual, or the appearance of a Game Center-style minigame. Even the darker elements of Lumiose could be more front-and-center.
My personal take is that this probably lies in the 'Fantasy Violence' the ESRB highlighted. While the rating is an oddity for your typical PokĂŠmon game, it does line up with the pocket monster fighting game PokkĂŠn Tournament DX, which also received an E10+ and noted 'Fantasy Violence.' The real-time elements showcased for PokĂŠmon Legends: Z-A could have elicited the slightly stronger rating, as the monsters more clearly make contact.
There's no listing, as of this writing, for PokĂŠmon Legends: Z-A on the ESRB site, so we can't learn much more at this time. Still, it's fun to speculate a bit, at least until we know more about Z-A's ultimate plans and how it will earn that bump-up in the E range.
PokĂŠmon Legends: Z-A is slated for a late 2025 launch on Nintendo Switch.
Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.
The developers of PokĂŠmon TCG Pocket have finally offered specific details on major improvements coming to the game's much-loathed trading function, which has been an absolute mess since launch. And the improvements sound genuinely great, but it's going to take forever for them to be implemented.
In a post to the PokĂŠmon community forums, the developers explained the upcoming changes. We're listing them here as written:
The biggest change here is that TCG Pocket will remove the currency that's currently being used for trading: Trade Tokens. Trade Tokens were added to the game specifically to be used with trading, and frankly, they suck. They're absolutely necessary in order to trade at all, but the only way to get them is by effectively vaporizing cards you already own.
We explained it in more detail here, but the tl;dr is that as things currently stand, if you want to trade one ex PokĂŠmon for a friend's ex PokĂŠmon, you need to throw five other ex cards in the bin first to get enough trade tokens to trade the one you want. And your friend has to do the same. While there have been a few other ways to get bonus trade tokens since then, the system overall has remained extremely discouraging for anyone who actually wants to use it.
The new system, on paper, is much better. Shinedust is a currency that already exists in game and is currently used to purchase "flairs" for cards â little animations to make them sparkle in specific ways when you use them in matches. You collect shinedust automatically whenever you get duplicates of cards you already have, and more shinedust is available from events and other methods. Unless you're big on flairs, you probably have a lot of it just sitting around already, and the TCG Pocket devs say they're looking into ways to give you even more to ensure trades can happen.
And for what it's worth, it is important for TCG Pocket to impose some cost to trading. Otherwise players could game the system by making tons of new accounts, opening the numerous packs handed out to players early in the game, and just trade all their new rares to their main accounts. Then rinse and repeat. Imposing a cost ensures that people are trading thoughtfully â the trade token system was just way, way too expensive for your average player to ever bother.
There's one more big change listed here that will make a massive difference: the feature that will allow players to share cards they're interested in trading. As things currently stand, you can put a card up for trade, but there's no way to tell anyone what cards you might want for it unless you call up your friends outside of the game and tell them. Everyone else just has to guess. As a result, most players aren't even bothering to try and trade with strangers. But if we can offer some clue as to what an acceptable trade would be, players can make reasonable offers and actually use the system.
All in all, the community seems pretty happy with these changes, and early responses are positive. There is one massive drawback, which is that players have already thrown away tons of rare cards just to collect the existing trading currency, and there's really no way to get that back. Even though existing trade tokens will be converting to shinedust, the cards are still gone.
And there's one other issue: we're going to have to wait months before any of this takes effect. The blog post suggests these changes won't be implemented until fall of this year. In the meantime, it's likely that trading will grind to a total halt, since the current system is terrible and no one is going to want to nuke their rare cards to do it if a better solution is on the way. We're likely to go through several more expansions before the "trading" in "PokĂŠmon Trading Card Game Pocket" really takes off.
Save that shinedust, I guess!
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.
The surprise announcement that Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 is officially in development, coming just six months after the record-breaking release of Space Marine 2, has certainly got fans excited. Now the dust has settled on the news, thoughts inevitably turn to where the heroic Demetrian Titus will head next on his third video game adventure.
Warning! Spoilers for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 follow.
Letâs briefly recap the events of Space Marine 2 before we go on to speculate about what Space Marine 3 might have in store.
Space Marine 2 sees Titus of the Ultramarines go up against the Tyranids and the Thousand Suns Traitor Legion in a campaign that ends up with a massive battle against a demon army and even a trip to the warp. With the aid of Ultramarines Chapter Master Marneus Calgar, Titus successfully fends off both enemy factions before heâs sent on a mysterious mission that teases the continuation of the story in a sequel.
Now on to the speculation. Space Marine 3 looks certain to feature the Necrons, Warhammer 40,000âs deathless skeletal robot xenos, in some capacity. One Space Marine 2 mission that takes Titus deep within the bowels of an alien planet shows ancient and mysterious wall markings that are a clear nod to the Necrons.
Thereâs even a dataslate (Space Marine 2's audio logs) that reveals Necron constructs have been killing Techpriests. You can see these constructs lying about the place.
Indeed, during the third act of the campaign, Titus heads to a Necron Tomb World packed with Necron buildings and technology. Some players thought the xenos would make a surprise appearance as a third enemy faction in the campaign, given the nature of the mission. Alas, they did not.
Could other enemy factions also turn up in Space Marine 3? Space Marine 2 does not reveal the nature of Titusâ secret new mission (the Warhammer 40,000 animation in Amazonâs Secret Level anthology, which acts as a Space Marine 2 sequel of sorts, doesnât reveal much of anything), but with the eternally suspicious Chaplain Leandros keeping a close eye on proceedings just in case thereâs a whiff of corruption, weâre sure Titus will be kept on the straight and narrow.
At this point itâs worth referring back to an IGN exclusive interview with Saber Interactive Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits, conducted soon after Space Marine 2 came out. At the time, Willits said there was the possibility of story DLC, and revealed that ideas were already floating around for Space Marine 3.
In the interview, Willits teased Space Marine 3 may introduce new chapters as well as new enemy factions. âThere's so many different factionsâŚâ he teased, âthere are other chapters, too, that are interesting...â
Other chapters, eh? Could Titus leave the Ultramarines behind to join up with a different chapter for his Space Marine 3 adventure? If so, itâs almost impossible to say at this point which chapters might make the cut. Blood Angels, Dark Angels, and Salamanders are among the most popular Space Marine chapters outside poster boys the Ultramarines, but in truth there is a long list to draw upon. Perhaps weâll get to join forces with a towering Adeptus Custodes at some point?
And what about an enemy Chaos faction to fight against? It would be a shame to return to fighting the Thousand Suns having done so in Space Marine 2. How about this time we battle Abaddon the Despoilerâs Black Legion? Or the Death Guard? Or maybe the Emperor's Children? They're a noisy bunch and would be sure to keep the party going.
Meanwhile, what type of gameplay might we get from Space Marine 3? Games Workshop, publisher Focus Entertainment, and developer Saber Interactive arenât saying much at this point, but there is talk about âintroducing large-scale battles that are even more spectacular."
To me, that means vehicle gameplay, something some had hoped to see from Space Marine 2. Could we get to pilot a Dreadnought? A Rhino? A Land Speeder? A Land Raider? An Assault Bike? Upping the scale, a set piece in which you pilot a Thunderhawk during a ground assault would be epic indeed.
As for characters, Space Marine 2 features the aforementioned Ultramarines Chapter Master Marneus Calgar. Could Space Marine 3 go one better and include Ultramarines Primarch Robute Guilliman himself? In the current setting, Dark Angles Primarch Lion El'Jonson is also knocking about the galaxy. Perhaps weâll run into him.
On the flip side, there are a number of high-profile traitor Primarchs who are currently terrorizing the Imperium in demon form. Maybe one of those will make a cameo (fingers crossed for Mortarion!).
Whatever Games Workshop and Saber Interactive has up its sleeve, it seems we wonât find out for quite a while. Games Workshop has said Space Marine 3 "is likely years away from release."
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
PokĂŠmon TCG: Scarlet & Violet â Journey Together drops on March 28, 2025, bringing back a mechanic we havenât seen since 2004. Trainerâs PokĂŠmon are making a comeback, just like the classics from EX Team Magma vs. Team Aqua, and I couldnât be more excited to preview this set.
This set focuses on four iconic Trainers: N, Iono, Lillie, and Hop, each getting PokĂŠmon ex that showcase the strong bonds they share with their teams. If youâve ever wanted a deck where Nâs Zoroark ex, Lillieâs Clefairy ex, or Ionoâs Bellibolt ex take center stage, nowâs your chance.
With over 180 cards, thereâs plenty to chase. The set includes 40+ Trainerâs PokĂŠmon, 16 PokĂŠmon ex, 11 Illustration Rares, six Special Illustration Rares, and three Hyper Rare gold cards. Box Toppers are also making a return, with Enhanced Booster Display Boxes featuring a stamped Nâs Reshiram Illustration Rare.
Opening a Booster Box is pure chaos in the best way. With 36 packs, the sheer volume makes every pull really exciting. My highlights include Nâs Reshiram Illustration Rare, Ionoâs Bellibolt ex Secret Rare, and a Hyper Rare Spiky Energy. Those were some seriously exciting moments, but even outside of the big hits, I pulled tons of solid ex cards that are going straight into my decks.
The one card I wanted most, Hopâs Zacian ex, didnât show up. Lillieâs Clefairy ex Special Art Rare? Also missing, but thatâs just how Booster Boxes go. You get a ton of chances, but nothing is guaranteed. That said, this was still the best way to experience the set. If you love opening packs or just want a massive injection of cards into your collection, a Booster Box is always a good time. Check out all the rare pulls further down. This box was absolutely worth it for me.
Elite Trainer Boxes always feel more premium than just grabbing loose packs. Right away, the Nâs Zorua promo caught my eye, and the box itself is perfect for storing cards. The sleeves, dice, and condition markers are great for anyone who plays the game, and with nine booster packs, thereâs still plenty of room for some good pulls.
I wasnât expecting anything too crazy with only nine packs, but I still walked away with Ionoâs Kilowattrel Illustration Rare, Articuno Illustration Rare, and a Veluza ex. Some really fun cards that made the opening feel totally worth it. ETBs donât have the sheer number of hits that a Booster Box does, but thereâs something nice about having a structured, all-in-one product like this. If you want a mix of pack-opening fun and collectible extras, this is a great way to experience Journey Together. Check out the full list of rare cards from our preview further down. We ended up with some serious gems.
Build & Battle Boxes are a totally different experience compared to a Booster Box or Elite Trainer Box, but they have their own kind of excitement. The big draw here is the prebuilt 40-card deck, which lets you jump straight into a game without spending time sorting through stacks of cards. I pulled Hopâs Snorlax as my promo, which is actually a pretty great card. Its ability gives all of Hopâs PokĂŠmon a 30-damage boost, making it almost essential to any deck running his lineup.
Those four packs didnât disappoint. I pulled Mamoswine ex and Swinub Illustration Rare, which couldnât have fit my deckâs theme better. The limited number of packs means you wonât get as many rare pulls as a Booster Box (unsurprisingly), but if youâre looking for a fast way to start playing with the new set, this is easily the best option. With four different promo cards available, I already want to pick up another box to see which one I get next. Check out my Journey Together preview pulls below to see some of the best cards we got from across all our openings.
I cracked open 49 booster packs across all our products and ended up with 18 rare cards. Some were exactly what I was hoping for, and others were total surprises. One thing is for sure, trainers will be pulling a lot more rare cards than Prismatic Evolutions. Hereâs what I pulled:
A bulky Basic PokĂŠmon with 150 HP that boosts all of Hopâs PokĂŠmon attacks by 30 extra damage. This is a great card for any Trainer-themed deck, and while Dynamic Press hits hard, that 80 recoil damage stings. Still, the ability alone makes it a worthwhile addition to any Hop-based strategy.
A cute but unremarkable card that exists to evolve into something better. 70 HP and 20 damage from Scratch wonât turn any heads, but if Zoroark ex is strong in this set, Zorua will have its moment.
An instant staple in my decks. It deals 20 damage every time the PokĂŠmon itâs attached to gets hit, making it both offensive and defensive at the same time. Oh, and it provides Colorless Energy too. Absolute win.
A 280 HP Lightning-type beast with Energy acceleration for days. Its Electric Streamer ability lets you attach unlimited Lightning Energy to Ionoâs PokĂŠmon, making it an instant engine for Lightning decks. Thunderous Boltâs 230 damage is great, even if it does mean skipping a turn. This oneâs going to see play.
A risk-reward draw Supporter that lets you discard one card and draw until you have six. This is a great way to refresh your hand, especially in decks that benefit from discarding Energy or PokĂŠmon. Itâs a full art, too, which makes it even sweeter.
A Lightning-type support PokĂŠmon that lets you refill your hand with its Flashing Draw ability. The catch? You have to discard a Lightning Energy first. Mach Boltâs 70 damage is average, but this bird is more about hand advantage than brute force.
A 130 HP Dragon-type that becomes more dangerous the more damage it takes. Powerful Rage can rack up serious numbers, while Virtuous Flameâs 170 damage is solid but a little Energy-intensive. If you like high-risk, high-reward plays, this oneâs for you.
A Water-type setup PokĂŠmon that can accelerate two Basic Water Energy onto itself with Frigid Fluttering. Thatâs useful for getting it battle-ready fast, and Ice Blastâs 110 damage is respectable. This is a great starting piece for any Water deck.
This adorable little guy is actually really useful early-game. Call for Family lets you search your deck for two Basic PokĂŠmon, which is huge for setup. Lunge Outâs 10 damage is laughable, but letâs be real, Swinub isnât here to attack.
This 320 HP Dragon-type monster does two things really well â spread damage and hit like a truck. Wide Blast deals 50 damage to every Benched PokĂŠmon, and Dragon Impact slams for 300 damage, but you have to discard two Energy. Absolute beast.
A Steel-type legendary with a brutal 240-damage attack. The downside? Brave Slash canât be used twice in a row, which means you need a switching strategy. Insta-Strike does a little spread damage, but Zacian is here to knock things out in one hit.
A support-heavy Psychic PokĂŠmon that heals 30 damage every turn thanks to its Confectionary Gift ability. Whipped Shotâs 160 damage is solid, but this card is best used as a sustain option in control decks.
A tricky PokĂŠmon that loves spreading damage. Mischievous Hands puts three damage counters on two of your opponentâs PokĂŠmon, setting up knockouts later. Ghostly Trip deals 120 damage and Confuses the Active PokĂŠmon, which is a great way to disrupt their plays.
A Water-type glass cannon that can hit for 240 damage â if youâre willing to discard your whole hand. Purging Strike is high-risk, high-reward, and Razor Finâs 30 damage is barely worth mentioning. This card is all-in or nothing.
A Psychic-type that punishes Dragon decks with its Fairy Zone ability, which makes all Dragon PokĂŠmon weak to Psychic. Full Moon Rondo scales its damage based on both playersâ Bench size, making it a potential late-game sweeper.
A Fire-type bruiser that burns the opponentâs Active PokĂŠmon just by being in play, thanks to its Scalding Steam ability.Scorching Cycloneâs 160 damage is great, and moving an Energy to a Benched PokĂŠmon makes it even better.
An absolute tank at 340 HP that can search your deck for any PokĂŠmon once per turn with Mammoth Hauler. Rumbling March starts at 180 damage but scales up if you have more Stage 2 PokĂŠmon on your Bench, which makes it terrifying in evolution-heavy decks.
This is the second Salamence ex I pulled, and Iâm not complaining. Same brutal power as the other one with Wide Blast for spreading damage and Dragon Impact for a massive 300 damage hit. If you like big, hard-hitting PokĂŠmon, this is the one.
Journey Together is shaping up to be one of the most exciting PokĂŠmon TCG expansions in years. The return of Trainerâs PokĂŠmon, a nostalgic feature that hasnât been seen in years, adds an extra layer of personality to battles. If you're collecting cards for their stunning artwork, competitive value, or just sheer nostalgia, this set has something for everyone.
With its March 28 release date just around the corner, nowâs the time to start planning which cards you want to chase. Whether itâs Nâs Reshiram, Ionoâs Bellibolt ex, or the elusive Hyper Rare Spiky Energy, thereâs no shortage of incredible pulls waiting to be found.
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.
Update 3/14/25 12:02 p.m. ET: Like most limited-edition PS5 hardware releases, the stock situation for this controller appears to be severely, uh, limited. It's currently (possibly!) available at PS Direct. Stock is also holding steady at GameStop, but you can only preorder it if you have a Pro membership (you can sign up here for $25/year).
It's currently sold out at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart, though it's possible any of them could get more stock at some point. I'll keep updating this article as things change.
Hereâs one for the post-apocalyptic crowd: Sony is releasing a new limited-edition The Last of Us-themed DualSense controller. The PS5 controller features an eye-catching black and white design, with trophy icons from The Last of Us Part I and Part II etched into it. It comes out April 10 with an MSRP of $84.99. Preorders are live now at various retailers (see it on PS Direct). Read on for the details.
The controller was made âin close collaborationâ with the Naughty Dog creative team. It features white-on-black icons of the Firefliesâ logo on the touchpad, with the moth and wolf on either side of the grips. A number of other icons also appear in glossy black on matte black. The bottom side of the controller has a The Last of Us logo in white on black. It looks very nice and classy overall, Iâd say.
On the PlayStation Blog, Naughty Dog Head of Studio and Head of Creative Neil Druckmann and Graphic Designer Megan Mehran said:
âWe were excited by the chance to memorialize The Last of Us franchise in a controller that fans and our own team would love. We wanted to ensure that both installments of The Last of Us are represented, via trophy icons printed in black gloss across the controller body. Among the trophies, three particular images will immediately stand out for TLOU fans: The firefly, moth, and wolf. Players will recognize the Firefliesâ iconic spray-painted logo that originated in Part I, while the moth and wolf represent the intertwining lives and duality between Ellie and Abby in Part II.â
This isnât the first PS5 game-themed limited-edition controller to hit the market. Others based on games like Astro Bot, Helldivers 2, Spider-Man 2, and Fortnite have come out, among others, some of which are still available. And those are in addition to all the other PS5 controllers in various colors that are available.
This The Last of Us controller comes out right around a couple of related releases. The Last of Us Part II is coming to PC on April 3, while the second season of the HBO show premieres on April 13.
Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.
Ted Lasso Season 4 is officially in the works, star and producer Jason Sudeikis has announced.
The Saturday Night Live alum revealed that the beloved Apple TV+ series will get at least one more season during a conversation with Jason and Travis Kelce on their New Heights sports podcast. A snippet from the showâs latest episode highlights a moment that saw the two NFL brothers pressing Sudeikis for an update on Ted Lasso Season 4 following the conclusion of Season 3 in summer 2023.
âThatâs what weâre writing. Weâre writing Season 4 now,â Sudeikis teased. âThatâs the official word, yeah. Tedâs coaching a womenâs team.â
Ted Lasso is BACK for Season 4 ⌠and heâs got a new team
â New Heights (@newheightshow) March 14, 2025
New episode with Jason Sudeikis!!
Video drops 9:30amET on YouTube
Listen early NOW on Wondery+ pic.twitter.com/XxeZ4YomBw
Itâs the first concrete update on a continuation for the project in nearly two years and should offer relief for those who have hoped to see the feel-good soccer series push on. Thereâs no word on whether Ted Lasso Season 4 is its last or where in the world it might take place. Even Travis Kelce wasnât able to get an answer out of Sudeikis when asking if the former football coach is coming back to the U.S.
âYeah, thatâs too many questions, and thatâs only because I donât know,â Sudeikis said with a laugh.
Meanwhile, Deadline reports that Keeley actress Juno Temple is in negotiations to return for more Ted Lasso, with Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, and Jeremy Swift all already set to return as Rebecca, Roy, and Leslie, respectively. Its sources say that Episode 1 of the fourth season will likely be filmed in Kansas City before Ted returns to the UK, adding that the aim is to begin production in July.
Apple TV+ is already on the move when it comes to reestablishing Ted Lasso in the public consciousness. Although no release date or plot details have been spilled quite yet, the showâs official X/Twitter account has reemerged with a tongue-in-cheek post poking fun at its unexpected hiatus.
Finally found the dang password to this thing.
â Ted Lasso (@TedLasso) March 14, 2025
Sorry yâall. Whatâd I miss?
Our last update on Ted Lasso story came in summer 2024 when a Deadline report signaled that Season 4 was preparing for greenlight status. For more on Sudeikisâ critical hit soccer show, you can read up on why mid-2023 was a particularly painful time for TV fans. You can also see our review for the Ted Lasso Season 3 premiere here.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
Rockstar has given the go-ahead for an official conversion tool to help modders update their mods to work with the all-new Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced.
As custom assets used on FiveM and GTAV Legacy are not natively compatible with the recently released enhanced PC game, Cfx.re â the team behind the biggest Rockstar roleplay and creator communities FiveM and RedM and hired by Rockstar back in 2023 â announced it is working on a new tool to "assist the modding community in making their assets compatible with the new upgrade."
Rockstar rarely officially supports the modding communities behind its games, so the news is being welcomed by GTA 5 modders who are hoping it's a signal of better things to come for Grand Theft Auto 6.
Roxwood with ray tracing, here we go đ
â The Ambitioneers (@TAmbitioneers) March 12, 2025
The conversion tool will support the following formats:
As yet, there's no concrete date on when the tool will be available, but the team stressed it is "currently focused on completing the final few tasks required to release the tool," so players should expect a "full announcement and comprehensive documentation" the day it releases.
GTA 5 Enhanced is a free upgrade for GTA 5 on PC that includes all the latest vehicles and performance upgrades available at Haoâs Special Works, animal encounters, access to purchase a GTA+ Membership, as well as improved graphics options and faster loading times. Before the Enhanced edition released, only players on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S versions of GTA Online could access these new features.
However, Rockstarâs new and improved version of Grand Theft Auto 5 isnât going down well on Steam following its launch on March 4. It currently boasts a âmixedâ user review rating on Steam, with 55% of the 21,956 user reviews flagged as positive. The original version of GTA 5 has been unlisted from Steam per Rockstar's instruction, but by comparison, that has a âvery positiveâ user review rating on Valve's platform.
As for GTA 6? That's still expected to launch in fall 2025, although currently, it's only slated to release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. The most recent news to come out of Rockstar, however, wasn't about the game but was instead about the film Marching Powder and its star, Danny Dyer. Could it be a sign that Kent Paul will return for GTA 6? Well, anything's possible.
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
The total sales across the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series have topped 5 million copies worldwide, Square Enix has announced.
Taking to X/Twitter, Square Enix said Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster's success had pushed sales for the entire Final Fantasy series â that's all Final Fantasy games, not just the pixellated ones â up to a staggering 200 million copies.
Given Square Enix revealed Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster had reached three million copies sold in September 2023, that means the bundle has sold another two million copies in around 18 months.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster bundles together the first six Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster games as well as a 20-track soundtrack and 14 wallpapers. The bundle boasts universally updated 2D pixel graphics, a rearranged soundtrack, modernized UI, and all-new features, including a beastiary, illustration gallery, and music player. You can also switch between the original and rearranged soundtrack on the fly as you play.
The sales milestone comes six months after Square Enix made its dissatisfaction with Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthâs commercial performance known, admitting neither game met profit expectations. Final Fantasy 16 sold 3 million at launch, but Square Enix has yet to provide an updated figure. The company failed to announce a sales figure for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's launch, but Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's subsequent PC launch has done so well it may have changed the feeling internally on the game's overall performance.
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.