It's officially Star Wars Day, but it isn't just an empty celebration because there's actually a new animated Star Wars series to stream right now and we've reviewed it! Tales of the Underworld dives into the lives of assassin Asajj Ventress and the infamous bounty hunter Cad Bane as they navigate their way through the underworld of the Star Wars universe. This is the third entry in the "Tales of" anthology series following Tales of the Jedi and Tales of the Empire.

Both main characters were introduced by Dave Filoni in the Clone Wars series, and these episodes seek to develop those stories even further. If you're hoping to watch some brand new Star Wars content this weekend, we have all of the details below.

Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld - Where to Stream

Tales of the Underworld debuts on Disney+ in full with six episodes on May 4, 2025.

Theoretically, Lucasfilm Animation’s Tales anthology is an interesting method of expanding the stories of characters introduced in the Star Wars prequels, their animated spin-offs, and live-action Disney+ follow-ups – figures like Ahsoka Tano, Count Dooku, or Asajj Ventress, who’ve become as essential to this fictional universe as any Skywalker. In practice, though, Tales of the Jedi, Tales of the Empire, and now Tales of the Underworld have proven uneven and inconsistent. Tales of the Underworld exemplifies this more than either of its predecessors, with one storyline that mostly succeeds and one that mostly fails to bring new, meaningful dimensions to its protagonist.

This round of Tales once again focuses three of its bite-sized, approximately 15-minute-long episodes on one character, and three on another: First former Separatist assassin Asajj Ventress, then infamous bounty hunter Cad Bane. Both arcs offer bountiful treasures for your eyes and ears; Lucasfilm Animation is showing off at this point, having perfected their painterly art style. Tales of the Underworld looks even better than The Bad Batch and the other Tales series, with absolutely stunning textures, lighting, and water physics. The music also stands out: It’s not conventionally Star Wars, but it’s a welcome shift that makes Tales of the Underworld feel fresh and distinct.

It may also set a new standard for Tales voice acting, too. Corey Burton and Nika Futterman have two of the most iconic voices in the business, and they continue to make the most of their depictions of Bane and Ventress. (To the degree that it almost makes Bane’s storyline a bit confusing – more on that below.) As a fan of FX’s Reservation Dogs – and specifically Lane Factor’s performance in it – I was surprised and pleased to hear Factor making his voice-acting debut in Tales of the Underworld, bringing his endearing and honest energy to Ventress’ new friend Lyco.

Beyond its presentation, though, Tales of the Underworld under-delivers on the promise of its title. In the first three episodes centered around Ventress, we get none of that sense of seedy underbelly that’s been a quintessential component of Star Wars since Obi-Wan, Luke, C-3PO, and R2-D2 first took a walk on Mos Eisley’s wild side. Instead of plunging into the dark corners of the galaxy, Tales of the Underworld takes Ventress on a mostly lighthearted romp that teaches her an age-old lesson about the value of friendship. There is some good stuff: Inquisitorial action, a fun heist, and some heavy material involving veterans who are unable to let go of their wars. It’s not an unimportant story to tell, but it’s also one that’s already been told by The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Bad Batch. There’s little reason to bring Ventress back from the dead just to tell it again.

That’s the other disappointment with her story: It already ended once. A canon book called Dark Disciple sees Ventress and the Jedi Quinlan Vos on a path to revenge against Count Dooku. The story was conceived for The Clone Wars, but was turned into a book after the show’s first cancellation. At the end of Dark Disciple, Ventress dies, sacrificing herself to save Vos, whom she (spoiler alert for a 10-year-old book) falls in love with. Tales of the Underworld teases that story, giving us a glimpse of its ending – but it’s in a way that explains how Ventress was almost immediately resurrected, clearing the path for her appearances here and on The Bad Batch. Ultimately it just feels like an unnecessary epilogue in a journey that already felt complete, a long-winded way to keep her on the roster of active Star Wars players without adding all that much to the character.

Bane’s episodes definitely live up to the Underworld name, though, with the scum and villainy on full display. His story is a classic western in three acts set at three successive points in his life. It’s a story of diverging paths and what comes down to a friend breakup, and all the drama that entails. Its melodrama is reminiscent of a telenovela, and it’s honestly better for it. Bane has always been about the drama and theatrics, so it fits his character well.

It’s also a story of class and poverty and the impressions they can leave on a young mind. It’s relatively unexplored territory for Star Wars, and it’s interesting to see a story like that through the franchise’s lens. I bet George Lucas would love these episodes, given the way they rhyme with Anakin’s journey in the prequels. Anakin turned to the Dark Side, but Bane was born in it, and this compelling origin story shows us how he embraced it from the start.

But it too feels a bit underdeveloped. Tales of the Underworld simply doesn’t have the time to fully flesh out the story it’s trying to tell. Bane’s growth into the child-stealing bounty hunter we’ve come to know and love (well, maybe “love” isn’t the right word, but you get the point) is generally well paced, but some of the nuances and details have to be left out.

Maybe a little more breathing room in the running time would have better explained what’s going on with Bane’s accent and voice. He goes from sounding like a normal kid in his first episode to Corey Burton doing an aged-down Bane in the second. For all of Burton’s strengths as an actor, it’s still a jarring transition, especially when none of his peers or fellow Duros share Bane’s accent or way of speaking. It made me wonder why he speaks like that at all. There’s technically a good reason for altering his voice in the first episode, which I won’t go into here. I just don’t think it’s a good enough reason, nor does it explain his unique way of speaking.

While nothing has yet been pitched to Marvel, Ryan Reynolds is reportedly in the "early stages" of trying to bring a Deadpool and X-Men movie to life.

As reported by THR, Reynolds' idea for this ensemble film would feature Deadpool, but not as the main character. Instead, he would share the spotlight with three of four other X-Men characters. In fact, it is said Reynolds wants these other characters to take center stage so they can be "used in unexpected ways."

This film, which would be separate from the X-Men movie Hunger Games' writer Michael Lesslie is working on, is seemingly on a similar track as Deadpool & Wolverine. Reynolds is known for working on his ideas on his own for quite some time before pitching them to Marvel, and the early stages of what would become Deadpool & Wolverine saw the film as a low-budget road trip movie.

This also isn't the first time we've heard Ryan Reynolds is working on an "ensemble" movie for Deadpool, but this does give us a bit more context as to what type of adventures the Merc With a Mouth may go on.

As to which X-Men may be joining Deadpool, that is currently anyone's guess. However, Deadpool is no stranger to working alongside X-Men and has already had some members of the team and their enemies in his films, including Wolverine, Colossus, Sabertooth, Pyro, and even Channing Tatum's Gambit.

For more, check out why Reynolds thinks Deadpool shouldn't join the Avengers of X-Men, how Deadpool & Wolverine became the highest-grossing R-Rated film of all time on its way to earning $1.33 billion worldwide, and our explainer of the film's ending so you can see where he currently stands.

Oh, and you can see how the latest MCU film did in our eyes in our Thunderbolts* review.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

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

It seems like there’s no shortage of compelling content to stream in 4K these days, and on Max, you’re spoiled for choice. Timothée Chalamet-verse essentials like Wonka and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune duology sit side by side with acerbic dramedies like The Righteous Gemstones and The White Lotus. But if you’re new to the platform you may be wondering how you can upgrade the viewing experience and ensure you’re watching all of your most anticipated movies and TV shows in the highest fidelity possible. If that’s you, read on, as our guide will explain the ins and outs of how to stream Max movies and shows in 4K – if you aren’t doing so already.

How to Stream Max in 4K

When it comes to picking a subscription plan for Max, there are three options available: Basic with Ads, Standard, and Premium. As with most streaming platforms (like Netflix), the only plan that allows for 4K streaming is the most expensive Premium plan. It’s also worth noting that Max also offers a bundle that includes Max, Disney+ and Hulu at a discounted price. However, while there are two bundle options – With Ads and No Ads – neither plan includes the 4K Premium Plan features at this time. This means you won’t have access to 4K streaming if you end up going with the multi-platform bundle.

Here are the current Max U.S. plans and their prices:

• Basic with Ads - $9.99/month (No 4K)
• Standard - $16.99/month (No 4K)
• Premium - $20.99/month (Includes 4K)

Is your streaming set-up 4K compatible?

Once you’ve chosen your plan, you’ll need to verify that your setup can handle streaming Max’s 4K content. This means that your display, whether it be a monitor or a Smart TV, must support 4K resolution streaming. Furthermore, any external streaming devices like an Apple TV or Roku device must support 4K. Because you’re here on IGN, it’s worth pointing out that if you’re using a console like a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X to stream content, you already have an external device that supports streaming Max in 4K. Last but certainly not least, the cables and ports you’re using to link your TV and external device need to be high quality, or this could cause issues with 4K streaming. External devices will need to be plugged into a HDCP 2.2 HDMI port using a High-Speed 4K HDMI cable to make the most of 4K streaming on Max.

If you’d like to check whether your current equipment is up to the task, Max has a list of compatible devices on their website that you can refer to.

Is your internet connection strong enough?

Beyond devices and cables, your internet connection also needs to be strong enough to stream content in 4K. MAX suggests a minimum of 25Mbps, but recommends 50Mbps for the best results. It’s worth mentioning that there is no account setting to force Max to stream in 4K, and Max will just adjust its streaming quality in accordance with your ‘network bandwidth and connection speed.’ So if the requirements are met, applicable content on Max should automatically stream in 4K.

You can check whether the content you’re looking to watch is available in 4K, by selecting the film or tv show from the in-app menu and looking for the ‘4K’ or ‘4K UHD’ tag underneath the title.

Are There Other Ways to Watch HBO Movies and Shows in 4K?

HBO has a reputation for producing legendarily bingeable box sets like The Sopranos and Succession. Thanks to the popularity of said shows and their avid fan bases, many of these titles have been released physically as 4K Blu-ray box sets. George R. R. Martin acolytes can find the full Game of Thrones series in 4K, as well as the first two series of its drama-filled prequel House of the Dragon. Many of the movies available on MAX also have a physical Blu-Ray counterpart, such as 2024’s Twisters and 2021’s The Matrix Resurrections.

As we’re often reminded, we don’t actually own the digital content we pay for. This means that owning the physical versions of your favourite films or TV shows is the only way to ensure the content can be rewatched forever – regardless of a faulty internet connection or future licensing issues.

The weekend is officially here, and we've rounded up the best deals you can find! Discover the best deals for May 3 below:

Monster Hunter Wilds for $54.99

Brian K. Vaughan's and Fiona Staples' celebrated series may not quite be finished yet, with Vaughan stating he envisions the long-running Image-published comic to run for 108 issues. Currently at issue 72, now is the perfect time to jump into Saga, and what better way to start the series than digitally? You have a handful of options to get the incredible space fantasy story on your mobile device or reading tablet, and we've broken them down for you here.

Where to Read Saga Online

Read Issue #1 For Free on Image's Site

Battery life is a huge point of contention among smartwatch users right now, especially given that it’s such a hassle to have to constantly charge an ambient device that’s meant to track lifestyle patterns in the background and provide quick information cues while posing as a timepiece. After one full week of testing the OnePlus Watch 3 against my older-model Apple Watch Series 6, I've found the OnePlus Watch 3 to be a fashionable little Andoid device that excels in several big areas while stumbling in others. But even with a battery that seems to keep a charge for several days in Smart Mode, its moment-to-moment tracking capabilities didn't quite live up to the polish of its exterior… until I manually activated its workout mode, after which it held its own against the Series 6 when I tracked workout performance side-by-side.

OnePlus Watch 3 – Design and Features

The OnePlus Watch 3 makes a strong first impression with its big and bright 1.5-inch LTPO AMOLED display and stainless steel frame. The crown and touchscreen offer precise navigation through menus, while the dedicated workout button provides quick access to fitness functions – a thoughtful touch for active users who want to quickly jump into their routine, and it isn’t too different or unfamiliar for a longtime Apple Watch user to figure out intuitively. However, the included fluoro rubber wrist strap is a major disappointment that immediately gave me trouble upon first setup; it’s ugly and cheap-feeling, and the lugs detach too easily, making it difficult to wear securely without randomly snapping off. And that undermines the premium feel of the watch itself.

The 466 x 466-resolution AMOLED screen offers bright and crisp visuals with vibrant colors that pop even under direct sunlight, thanks to excellent contrast at 2,200 peak nits. Its bigger size and brighter screen make it easy to read notifications and workout metrics at a glance. Touch responsiveness is also snappy and precise, with smooth animations that make the interface feel fluid and slick. My Apple Watch Series 6 doesn’t have this same internal slickness anymore, and upon first setting up the Watch 3, I felt a little bit of new tech euphoria from how fast its Snapdragon W5 and BES2800 chips make it feel, even with Power Mode turned on. The haptic feedback deserves special mention: each vibration feels refined and intentional rather than buzzy or jarring.

The watch’s crown is shaped in a sharp-looking pyramid pattern designed for precise control. Once I put the watch on my wrist for the first time, it immediately felt way more sophisticated than what I’m used to, and I kept coming back to this distinction whenever I reached for words to explain why the OnePlus Watch 3 feels so premium. The pancake-shaped crown of the Series 6 is such a small detail (literally), and yet it makes the watch feel small by comparison. Like a toy rather than a timepiece. The only downside to the OnePlus Watch 3’s outward aesthetic design, aside from its wristband, is that it’s only available in Emerald Titanium and Obsidian Titanium colorways. Both of these are boring in comparison to its competitors – both the Google Pixel Watch 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 can be customized a bit, while the Apple Watch Series 10 has a much larger collection of aluminum and titanium colorways. Even the Series 6 had way more customizability in terms of size and color.

Water resistance is rated at 50 meters, which should theoretically make it shower and swim-friendly. However, I encountered issues with water on the screen triggering false inputs and causing erratic behavior, forcing me to remove it during showers – something I've never had to do with my Apple Watch. This raises questions about its practical water resistance in daily use. Of course, the Apple Watch isn’t perfect in such conditions either, but it usually stops being interactive (as in, none of my inputs or presses do anything) rather than invasive, as the OnePlus Watch 3’s touchscreen became when I tested it during a short ten-minute shower.

Battery life is where the OnePlus Watch 3 truly shines. After the average full day of use, including casually moving around my apartment and doing chores, receiving daily notifications, and tracking a light workout or two (typically walking for an hour or playing the VR fitness game Supernatural), the battery dropped by only around 15% on average. For the record, my Apple Watch was left at around 20% by the end of each day, without fail, no matter what I was doing. Given the age of my Apple Watch, its shorter battery life is somewhat expected due to predictable battery degradation over the years. Even so, the difference between what I was previously used to (only having to charge the Apple Watch every two or three days) is still remarkable when the OnePlus Watch 3 could easily last five days on a single charge. Smart Mode needs to be enabled to get the most out of this, but it’s simple to set up in the watch’s onboard interface.

The Watch 3 includes standard smartwatch sensors for heart rate, blood oxygen (SPO2), and movement tracking. It also features wrist temperature tracking, though this requires five days to establish a baseline before providing meaningful data. Wrist temperature may seem unconventional at first glance, but that data stream is incredibly useful for things like the Watch 3’s 60 Second Health Check-In feature, which gives an all-in-one contextual summary of my overall well-being. It’s a little frustrating that I need to get on the OHealth phone app to make that happen instead of doing it all on the watch – it’s decently easy to set up, but I don’t want to have to pull my phone out for something that feels like it should run easily on the watch alone. At least the results are comprehensive thanks to the Watch 3’s onboard PPG (photoplethysmography) sensor and ECG (electrocardiography) sensor working in tandem. Unlike the Apple Watch, it lacks AFib detection capabilities in the United States and Canada, which could be deal-breakers for users with specific health concerns.

For fitness enthusiasts, the OnePlus Watch 3 offers detailed workout tracking for various activities. During walks, it captures metrics like heart rate zones, pace, calorie burn, and distance traveled. Of course, not all walks count as outdoor activities – when your workouts take you outdoors, whether you’re walking or running, the Watch 3’s excellent GPS tracking creates route maps with elevation data. The GPS-routed maps look bright and detailed on the watch’s screen, and don’t seem to be reliant on proximity to the Android phone that the Watch 3 is paired to. In fact, Bluetooth connectivity between the Watch 3 and my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has been nothing short of excellent, seamlessly reconnecting whenever I returned home and the devices were together again.

OnePlus Watch 3 – Software

Setup is not particularly intuitive for someone coming from the Apple ecosystem. Getting in requires downloading the OHealth companion app, and its interface feels more complex and requires deeper familiarity with Google services and Android structure that I’m still getting the hang of. Mainly because I am not the primary user of the phone – and especially since an additional OnePlus account is required to even begin pairing the watch to the phone, it was difficult to get things aligned properly. It’s not a huge deal as I was able to sort everything out in less than 20 minutes, but YMMV.

For the record, I understand that the vast majority of people who will be interested in the OnePlus Watch 3 aren’t going to feel these concerns – they’re already Android-savvy, they already know what they’re doing, and (as I imagine what the pushback in the comments section will look like) they don’t want to hear some Apple fanatic complain about complicated interface structure. Totally fair! Still, the companion app layout is organized in ways that caused me some extra frustration and took time to learn, and that probably isn’t going to attract non-core users into Android’s ecosystem if they’re not already in the mix.

Onboard UI navigation is straightforward once you learn the basics – swipe down for quick settings, up for notifications, and use the crown to scroll through menus or apps. The user interface is responsive with minimal lag when moving between screens. Using apps like Spotify and Google Calendar is also seamless, sleek, and highly responsive.

The OnePlus Watch 3 runs on Wear OS, which is basically the same thing as Apple’s watchOS by any other name. Of course, instead of tying into the Apple ecosystem it instead grants direct access to Google's ecosystem of apps and services. For example, giving the user the option to store health data in Google Fit, pushing data via notifications from Gmail, and granting access to Google-specific applets (Google Play Store, Google Maps, etc) found directly in the watch’s central menu. This is no different from any other Android smartwatch in practice, but I’d like to imagine the Watch 3 simply does a better job of running its services than all the others, due in part to its powerful battery and advanced Snapdragon 5 chipset. Upon this foundation, OnePlus has added its own layer of customization with attractive-looking exclusive watch faces and health features – like its Vascular Health check-in feature that uses several sensors to determine how close the user is to being at risk of developing severe heart disease. Fortunately, I’m still over the green line of what is considered “Normal” vascular health for a 31 year old, but I wouldn’t have known this if I hadn’t reviewed the Watch 3. It could be a powerful warning tool that informs long-term health decisions, even without Afib detection.

Sleep tracking on the OnePlus Watch 3 provides detailed breakdowns of sleep stages, including deep sleep, light sleep, REM, and awake time. It also offers a sleep score and breathing quality assessment. While these metrics seem comprehensive, I'm still evaluating their accuracy compared to other dedicated sleep trackers. For the most part, the Watch 3 seems to track closely to my Apple Watch Series 6’s readouts. Additionally, the automatic sleep mode activation is a nice touch that dims the display and reduces notifications when it detects the user has fallen asleep.

The watch's fitness interface provides impressively detailed data visualizations. After workouts, it breaks down heart rate zones with time spent in each zone, shows pace variations throughout routes, and offers insights that Apple doesn't surface as clearly. The "Wellness Curve" is a proprietary metric that attempts to measure your overall physical state based on various health parameters, though I'm still learning how to interpret its fluctuations meaningfully as someone who is still only just breaking in the Watch 3.

Notification handling is pretty standard compared to my experiences. Text messages, emails, and app alerts appear promptly, and you can respond with quick replies or voice dictation. Additionally, the watch does offer Google Assistant integration, which performs well for basic tasks like setting timers or checking weather forecasts, but at this moment it’s not all that perceptibly different from Siri.

OnePlus Watch 3 – Performance

Fitness tracking is where the OnePlus Watch 3 shows its most significant weaknesses. Step counting consistently lagged behind the Apple Watch, sometimes by dramatic margins. During one VR fitness session, the Apple Watch recorded 5,255 steps while the OnePlus only registered 1,612 – a massive discrepancy that I’m still trying to wrap my head around, as this was a pretty consistent occurrence. On one hand, I use Supernatural for my primary VR workouts, which is attuned to my Series 6 and (from my understanding) feeds in extra contextual data to Apple Health. But on the other hand, this pattern continued throughout testing, with the OnePlus Watch typically recording about 25-30% fewer steps than the Apple Watch whether I was working out in Supernatural, doing a core workout, or playing some other high-intensity VR game like The Thrill of the Fight. When not in workout mode, the Watch 3 also seems to update step counts in bursts rather than in real-time, sometimes missing passive movement entirely.

At one point I saw the number of recorded steps suddenly drop from around 2,500 to 1,700, only for the step count to level out later in the day and become nearly equal to the Series 6’s step count after recording an outdoor walk. This is bizarre, considering that I wore both watches at the same time, at all times. It’s highly possible that the Watch 3’s fitness tracking mechanisms need time to calibrate to the user, but it seems like the only way to get the Watch 3 to accurately track daily steps is by taking it on long stretches of outdoor activity where it can deliberately track movement over a longer period of time.

In fact, workout tracking showed way more consistency with calories burned and heart rate measurements generally aligning with the Apple Watch's readings. During a brief core training session, both watches reported similar calorie burns (30 vs. 27 active calories) and average heart rates (120 vs. 115 BPM). The OnePlus Watch did provide more detailed heart rate zone analysis than I’m typically used to, breaking down time spent in warm-up, fat burning, and endurance zones.

GPS accuracy during outdoor activities was pretty good, with the OnePlus Watch recording slightly longer distances than the Apple Watch (4.04 vs. 3.94 miles on one walk). This could be due to different sampling rates or algorithms, but the difference wasn't significant enough to be concerning. What was impressive was the battery efficiency during GPS tracking, with minimal drain even after stacking a longer outdoor session together with a full VR workout routine on the same day, dealing with notifications, and so forth. All of that activity still rounded up to no more than 16% battery drain on that day, which is exceptional.

This article contains spoilers for Avengers: Age of Ultron.

As Marvel prepares to launch massive new Multiverse Saga films like The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday, and Secret Wars to try and recapture the franchise’s glory days, it’s sobering to remember that ten years ago the Marvel Cinematic Universe was only just getting to its first Avengers sequel. MCU mania was at an all-time high back in 2015; fresh off the critically acclaimed one-two punch of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel was on top of the mountain as they kept comic nerds and general audiences invested in the teases for Thanos and the ongoing Infinity Saga. But after Avengers: Age of Ultron, there was a bit of concern that the franchise was going through some growing pains.

Age of Ultron wasn’t hated, mind you. It received mostly positive reviews and was a big financial success. But as the franchise moved forward with more beloved films like Captain America: Civil War, Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, and the two-part finale of Infinity War and Endgame, Age of Ultron has been relegated to history as the “just okay” Avengers sequel. However, looking back ten years later, the film stands out from the MCU pack as one of the more dramatically ambitious Marvel films, and is perhaps the only one that makes the Avengers feel like a regular part of the universe instead of a team that only shows up for massive events. Let’s take a look at why the MCU should’ve taken a lot more from Age of Ultron.

The Weight of Your Failure

Before we begin, let’s get one thing straight: Age of Ultron is a mess. It has way too many moving pieces, there isn’t enough runtime for everything it tries to cram in, and it’s a startlingly inelegant feature, whipping from place to place and struggling to find a consistent tone. It’s a movie that is practically buckling at the seams between writer-director Joss Whedon’s narrative sensibilities and its larger franchise obligations. Yet despite these not-insignificant problems, Age of Ultron has always been better than the sum of its parts, and that largely comes down to how it’s one of the few big ticket MCU films that places the emphasis on the anxieties and relationships of its characters over feeling like an event designed to rock the cinematic universe.

Being the middle entry in the Avengers “trilogy” (if we’re semi-cheating and considering Infinity War and Endgame as two parts of one giant movie) was both a blessing and a curse for Age of Ultron. There needed to be a direct sequel to The Avengers, but the larger machinations that had been set in place in regards to Thanos and the Infinity Stones were instead being left for the big finale. When Thanos was first teased in the mid-credits scene of the first film, many fans assumed the Mad Titan would be the villain of Avengers 2. So when Age of Ultron’s title was announced the following year, there was a mix of excitement and confusion. Ultron is one of the Avengers’ most prominent antagonists, if not the archenemy of the team as a whole, but how much of an effect could he really have if we knew he was merely a lead-in to Thanos?

Age of Ultron wisely dismisses the idea that any of its principal characters are in mortal danger and instead focuses on digging deeper into what makes them tick. Tony Stark has become a frenzied neurotic terrified of the oncoming cosmic storm. Bruce Banner is desperate to reach out for a more intimate connection despite still not being convinced he’s not a threat to everyone he cares about. Hell, this is probably the only film in the franchise that makes an effort to give depth to Clint Barton, dramatizing him as a man among gods who nevertheless feels responsible for keeping this team of oversized personalities in one piece. Add in the entire dark side to redemption arcs for newcomers Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, and Age of Ultron has more dramatic meat for its characters than most of its MCU brethren.

But if we really want to dissect what makes the film work, we have to dig into one of its most controversial aspects: the big bad bot himself.

Everyone Creates the Thing They Dread

Despite being based on one of the Marvel universe’s most prominent villains in the comics, the MCU’s take on Ultron hasn’t penetrated the cultural consciousness in the same way Loki or Thanos have. Part of that is a lack of exposure; Tom Hiddleston’s Loki has made numerous appearances in MCU projects, and Thanos was the main villain of two massive films after several teases beforehand. But even taking that into account, MCU Ultron had a decidedly mixed reception from fans, even if James Spader’s slithery line delivery is second to none. However, part of that lukewarm welcome comes down to a misunderstanding of who Ultron actually is in the comics, and what type of character he’s supposed to be.

Many fans lamented that Ultron was a sardonic trash-talker, just as quick with sarcastic remarks and random philosophical musings as he was with laser beams. Numerous social media comments have been written by comic fans claiming they wanted a more “accurate” Ultron who was a cold, calculating menace with no emotion whatsoever. But this isn’t really what Ultron is like in the books at all. Ultron has always stood out from other artificial intelligence villains in fiction by being a character who thinks he’s driven by logic, but is actually one of the most petulant and emotionally stunted villains in Marvel lore. This comes down to the fact that his brain waves are based on his creator: in the source material, that’s Henry Pym aka Ant-Man, but in the film, it’s Tony Stark.

In the comics, Ultron is an Oedipal nightmare who isn’t sure if he wants to kill his father or prove that he’s better than him. He wants to have sex with his “mother” Janet van Dyne (no, really), despises his “children” like the Vision and Jocasta for turning on him, and in the excellent 2015 graphic novel Rage of Ultron, admits that he’s a manifestation of Pym’s hatred of others for loving him. MCU Ultron isn’t a direct representation of those traits, but that’s because we’re dealing with Stark's son, not Pym’s. When seen as a dark reflection of Tony, Ultron’s severe superiority complex, mockingly cynical personality, and strange fixation on God and creation myths make a lot more sense. Ultron hates his creator, himself, and the world at large for his own imperfections, unable to process that wrestling with his darker impulses that derive from his ego is what makes Tony Stark a hero. Instead, Ultron doubles down on them, in the mistaken belief that his warped idea of “evolution” will save the world when it will only leave it in ruins.

Yet Age of Ultron’s most important quality is the way it treats the titular super team, a way that no Marvel film before or since has: as an everyday thing.

Peace in our Time

Age of Ultron is the only MCU movie starring the Avengers where the Avengers exist at both the beginning and end. Sure, they go through some trials and tribulations and shuffle the roster somewhat, but the Avengers, as an enterprise, exist in the present tense. They have a headquarters, go on missions together, and generally seem to like each other. Despite nearly every MCU film referencing the team or featuring at least one character who’s been a member of it, the Avengers rarely seem to actually “be around” in the MCU. They came together in the first film, were absent from each other’s Phase 2 sequels, had collapsed by Civil War, were still scattered for Infinity War, and were essentially over after Endgame. Even though the MCU is structured around the Avengers brand, the team’s place within the wider universe has rarely been all that coherent.

Yet in Age of Ultron, you can see a version of the MCU where that wasn’t the case. The party scene where the main cast and some of their supporting characters all hang out and interact like normal people is one of the best scenes in the franchise, and it’s because of how low stakes it is. Yes, we love the Avengers because they’re superheroes, but the reason they truly resonate with audiences is because they’re also interesting characters. But when going through their journey across the Infinity Saga, there were so few times where the movies slowed down to remind us of that basic humanity, that the Avengers had everyday lives beyond stopping bad guys and saving the world. Not allowing the audience to soak in the interpersonal dynamics of these larger than life heroes when they’re not being larger than life is what has kept many of the post-Endgame films from capturing the same emotional highs as the Infinity Saga.

For all of the perfectly fair criticisms that can be lobbied at Age of Ultron for being overstuffed, weirdly paced, or tonally inconsistent, it’s a movie that has an actual beating heart at the center of it. The conflict in philosophy between Steve and Tony at the farm is perhaps the most perfect illustration of their differences in the franchise. Ultron’s villain speech as he lifts Sokovia into the sky is practically Shakespearean. The final confrontation between Vision and the last Ultron bot is one of the MCU’s most beautifully profound scenes, a rare moment between two characters that’s still and patient enough to engender actual melancholy instead of manufactured catharsis. It will never be a perfect movie, but as time goes on, it has only become a more interesting one. That the MCU strived for the former instead of the latter is perhaps the franchise’s greatest mistake.

Carlos Morales writes novels, articles and Mass Effect essays. You can follow his fixations on Twitter.

The Star Wars universe continues to capture new audiences as it expands with new shows and movies under Disney’s ownership. For these fans, there are decades of older Star Wars movies to explore, while that same back catalog provides longtime fans a deep well of nostalgia and adventure to return to time and again.

Where to Watch Every Star Wars Movie Online

Take a deep breath and remember: Delays are good.

OK, that statement isn’t always true, but it usually is. Delayed projects sometimes result in bad games (looking at you, Duke Nukem 3D), but much more often taking more time produces good stuff. Spending meticulous weeks to get something just right matters in art, as does finding the bravery to throw out ideas that seemed wise in concept but never panned out. Think about how many half-finished games you’ve ever bought and played and then wished the publisher had just delayed until it was right and ready. Got that thought in your head? OK, hold onto it.

GTA 6 is delayed, and that’s good, because it will probably be better for the delay.

Rockstar has a long history of delaying games to make sure they’re ready for market, a strikingly consistent bit of discipline that places them alongside Nintendo in an elite fraternity of studios that wait until the casserole is fully cooked before serving. And boy, is it always delicious.

I’ve been playing GTA games as long as they’ve been around, starting with four-player PC GTA LAN parties. I’ve played the most obscure (London 1969), the best (GTA V), and the true best (Chinatown Wars for DS). I’ve ransacked and crashed and shot my way through these goofy, wonderful worlds for decades. And thankfully, these games are practically always late... and not coincidentally, always great. Here’s every delay in GTA history (and some Red Dead too).

Grand Theft Auto III

Rockstar’s New York offices were located only a few blocks from the World Trade Center, and Take Two didn’t waste any time briefly delaying GTA III following the September 11 attacks. . Marketing VP Terry Donovan announced the delay only days after the tragedy:

"Our decision is based on two factors, firstly it has been a little difficult to get work done in downtown Manhattan in the last week since basic communications infrastructure has been intermittent at best, and secondly we felt that a full content review of all our titles and the marketing materials we use to represent them was absolutely necessary for us in light of the horrifying event we all witnessed in the United States last week.”

He continued: "As for Grand Theft Auto, since the game is so huge the review is no short process. So far we have come across certain small contextual references that we were no longer comfortable with, as well as a couple of very rare gameplay instances that no longer felt appropriate to us. We apologize to you and all the people waiting for this game to ship for the delays that have now ensued, but I'm sure you can understand our reasoning. Rest assured the game will be phenomenal...and you can expect it to hit shelves in late October.”

Even with only minimal content changes, the delay was a wise decision for Rockstar and players alike. Blasting cops and ambulances in Liberty City so soon after the violent deaths of thousands wouldn’t have been appealing to anybody.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

The co-prize for shortest delay is shared between Vice City and San Andreas. Back in the olden days before downloadable game stores and day-one patches, manufacturers guessed ahead of time just how much of a physical product they’d need to produce for a given shelf date, and sometimes they guessed wrong. Rockstar delayed Vice City by seven days to give them time to manufacture more discs (and thus meet the tremendous day-one demand for a GTA III follow-up).

San Andreas for PS2 also hit streets a week later than planned, a strategic decision designed to give the dev team a few extra days to polish their two-year project.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Okay, so real talk: The GTA handheld games go hard... hard enough that it’s worth dusting off your ancient PlayStation Portable or DS to try them. GTA’s excellent forays onto portables usually arrive on time, but Vice City Stories for PSP was delayed for two weeks in North America, and longer in parts of Europe.

The best GTA of them all (fight me!) didn’t arrive precisely on time. The incredibly creative and intricate DS gamechit shelves two months later than expected. When it did finally arrive, it blew the socks off of critics, and it’s one of gaming’s great tragedies that nobody bought it... we might be playing Chinatown Wars 3 on our new Switch 2s right now if they had.

Grand Theft Auto IV

After GTA III changed the landscape of video games, anticipation for GTA IV was palpable. With clunky RenderWare left behind and a brand new console generation to work with, Rockstar Leeds was aiming for the stratosphere. Bringing their vision to reality ultimately demanded several months of delay.

As Rockstar’s Sam Hause explained, “The new consoles [PS3 and 360] are allowing us to create the Grand Theft Auto game we always dreamed about. Every aspect of the game and its design has been completely transformed. The game is huge and is pushing the hardware platforms to their absolute limits. The top engineers from Sony and Microsoft are working closely with the team in Edinburgh right now, helping us to fully leverage the power of both platforms. As always, our goal is to surpass even the wildest expectations of the game's fans, and to create the ultimate high definition video game experience."

Grand Theft Auto V

The biggest console game of all time was a long time coming. GTA V finally landed in September 2013, but was originally anticipated to arrive in the spring of that same year. But in late January 2013, Rockstar released the following message:

“We know this is about four months later than originally planned and we know that this short delay will come as a disappointment to many of you, but, trust us, it will be worth the extra time. GTAV is a massively ambitious and complex game and it simply needs a little more polish to be of the standard we and, more importantly, you require. ‘To all Grand Theft Auto fans, please accept our apologies for the delay, and our promise that the entire team here is working very hard to make the game all it can be. We are doing all we can to help ensure it will meet if not exceed your expectations come September – we thank you for your support and patience.’"

They weren't wrong. GTA V went on to become the most successful console game of all time, and alongside RDR2, it’s a true jewel in Rockstar’s crown.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Speaking of RDR2... it’s not a part of the GTA series, but it is Rockstar’s best game and I love talking about it. In keeping with the tradition of Rockstar quality-based delays, we’re adding a bit of an appendix by mentioning Red Dead Redemption 2, which was delayed twice, first in spring 2017 for quality assurance purposes. The second delay came in February 2018, pushing RDR2 to late October. The statement from Rockstar explained that, again, this was a quality issue.

"We are excited to announce that Red Dead Redemption 2 will be released on October 26th 2018. We apologize to everyone disappointed by this delay. While we had hoped to have the game out sooner, we require a little extra time for polish.

“We sincerely thank you for your patience and hope that when you get to play the game, you will agree the wait will have been worth it. In the meantime, please check out these screenshots from the game. We look forward to sharing a lot more information with you in the coming weeks."

That delay, like all the others here, worked out swimmingly, delivering a true work of art still unparalleled in adventure gaming.

So friends, don’t despair. GTA 6 will come, and when it comes, it will almost certainly be very, very good. See you in Vice City.

Jared Petty is a former IGN editor who likes writing about how wonderful and silly video games are. You can find him at Bluesky as pettycommajared.

Spoilers follow for Thunderbolts.

You wouldn’t expect a Marvel movie to be so focused on prime New York real estate. And yet, that’s exactly what happens in Thunderbolts, where a major portion of the action takes place in and around what was formerly known as Avengers Tower – now called The Watchtower, thanks to new owner Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). While this does tie up a plot point that’s been dangling since Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) moved the Avengers out of the HQ in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, it also raises a bunch of questions. Money questions. Specifically, how much did Valentina pay Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) for the tower? And what would be involved in renovating an entire high-rise, right in the center of New York City?

To give a little more background here, and you may be aware of this: Avengers Tower does not exist in real life. Despite being home to two major battles next to Manhattan’s Grand Central Station (those would be in the first Avengers movie and Thunderbolts), the MCU building has replaced another, real-life landmark: 200 Park Avenue South, also known as the MetLife Building. In the comics, the Tower is 93 stories tall, and as seen in the movies, it’s packed with bells and whistles like a helipad that allows both Iron Man and a Quinjet to take off. It also gets attacked. A lot. The MetLife building? No Iron Man take-off platform, and also far fewer supervillain attacks.

Michael T. Cohen, a Principal with Williams Equities, which owns and invests in several million square feet of NYC real estate, has over 40 years in the real estate business – and more importantly, has been a fan of Marvel Comics and movies for years. He compared Valentina’s purchase to the offering of 590 Madison Avenue, a high-rise office building 15 blocks uptown from “Avengers Tower” that recently had an asking price of $1.1 billion.

“The metric by which we would measure the value would be price per square foot,” Cohen explained. “So my guess is, there's nowhere where they safely tell you whether it's a million square feet, or a million and a half, or how large it really is… So we're kind of shooting in the dark here, without any of the underlying math, but I would say one could easily assume that the Avengers Tower would sell for a billion dollars or more based upon the look of it, the size, and the location.”

Other buildings in the area that have changed hands or are getting built up include a Hyatt that has been on hold for a while, though it looks to get started next year. The Chrysler Building has changed hands a number of times. And multiple buildings in the 50s and 60s (streets) – 10 to 20 blocks North of Grand Central – are getting converted into apartments, versus the towering office buildings that have dominated the area for decades.

There are a few more factors that Cohen added that would impact the asking price for Avengers Tower. The first? The rooftop helipad, which was banned in NYC in 1977. “How did the Avengers, and how did the buyer… How did these people arrange for the city to change the rules to permit a helipad back in the middle of the city again?” Cohen said. “Somebody would have had to pull some strings. There would have had to have been some interesting conversations around allowing that to happen, because right now it's not permitted.”

This review contains full spoilers for Doctor Who season 2, episode 4, "Lucky Day."

"Lucky Day" marks a notable shift in Season 2: It’sthe first episode without Russell T Davies credited as a writer. While his guiding hand is often a hallmark of this era, Peter Hoar’s script brings a refreshing change in tone. There’s a distinct, almost nostalgic charm to “Lucky Day,” one that subtly evokes the scrappy energy of the early revival years. Grounded in a recognisably mundane modern-day setting – a welcome sidestep from mystical contrivances – we’re instead thrown back in with season 1 companion Ruby Sunday, navigating life back on Earth.

The focus on Ruby marks “Lucky Day” as this year's Doctor-lite episode, but with some bookending appearances that lend the story a stronger sense of his presence than last season’s “73 Yards”. Millie Gibson gives another strong lead performance, leaning on familiar themes that highlight a companion's struggle to find their place in the world without the Doctor. While the episode flirts with the idea of being a story about life beyond the TARDIS, that’s not really where “Lucky Day” finds its footing.

What ultimately elevates the episode out of its Doctor-lite obscurity is its choice of villain: Ruby’s seemingly harmless boyfriend, Conrad. It’s smartly revealed halfway through the episode that he’s the ringleader behind the online anti-alien conspiracy group Think Tank. It’s an effective and darkly comic twist, emphasizing the all-too-common way online hate groups can spread, fester, and mobilize. It also provides all the more context to Conrad’s behaviour throughout the episode. His awkward attempts to impress Ruby, calling on the Doctor’s name, initially come off as a fairly generic way to provide some character motivation, but retroactively make a lot more sense. His naive vulnerability is exposed as manipulation, and Ruby’s fury at how he’s put others in harm's way feels both earned and real. Plus, in a universe crowded with cosmic gods and ancient evils, it’s rare and wonderfully intriguing to see humanity cast as the real threat, especially as neither the Doctor nor UNIT has a satisfying answer to it.

But, where “Lucky Day” stumbles is in how generic it can feel from moment to moment. There’s a case to be made that this ordinariness is intentional – a reflection of Ruby’s post-TARDIS disorientation and the numbing quiet of everyday life after cosmic adventure. But the episode doesn’t foreground that idea strongly enough for it to resonate. A few scattered lines gesture at Ruby’s struggle, and her emotional arc lands in theory, but it feels too loosely stitched together to give the episode real emotional weight. The result is an instalment that occasionally feels more like a spin-off – tangential, structurally sound, but spiritually removed, lacking a little bit of the soul that makes Doctor Who stories truly sing.

Despite this, it does seem like “Lucky Day” knows the tone and story it wants to hit, and often does so with style. But it also struggles to consistently align its characters with that tone and story, wavering as it tries to mush all its themes together. The Doctor’s climactic monologue about online radicalisation, for instance, is earnest and conceptually rich, but dramatically flat and plays more like a PSA that lacks the alien detachment or emotional texture that usually gives his speeches such meaning. Meanwhile, Kate Stewart’s morally murky decision to weaponise the captured Sheek alien against Conrad (who, comically, continues to insist it isn’t real) is a rare moment of genuine moral complexity, and a compelling step forward for UNIT’s evolving role in the new era. But in the same episode, that very organisation – one that has survived Zygons, Cybermen, and the rest – is nearly undone by a staff doxxing. It’s not about nitpicking plot logic, but the scales do feel off, and that dissonance dulls the episode’s sharper ideas. Ultimately, these contradictions don’t undo its successes, but they do hold it back from greatness, even as it proves there’s still space in Doctor Who for more politically charged, satirical stories rooted in our own messy reality.

IGN's Blue Prince map is here! Our interactive map tracks essential locations across Mount Holly, including Clues and Puzzles, so you always know where to go next.

Blue Prince Interactive Map

Warning: This article contains full spoilers for Thunderbolts!

All throughout the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, fans have been asking one question: who are the Avengers now? Only now, with the release of Thunderbolts* at the end of Phase 5, do we finally get an answer to that question. It turns out that the Thunderbolts themselves are now the Avengers. Or the New Avengers, to be precise. At least that pesky asterisk is finally making sense.

What does this mean for the MCU leading into The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Avengers: Doomsday? What does it mean to be a New Avenger, exactly, and how does this twist draw upon Marvel’s various New Avengers comics? Here’s what you need to know.

The MCU’s New Avengers Revealed

The Thunderbolts movie ends on a somewhat unexpected note. No sooner do Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova and her team regroup from their confrontation with Lewis Pullman’s Sentry and prepare to confront Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra De Fontaine than they realize they’ve walked right into a PR trap. Valentina stages a press conference where she introduces the befuddled Thunderbolts to the public as “The New Avengers.”

For those keeping score at home, the full New Avengers roster includes:

• Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh)
• Red Guardian (David Harbour)
• Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan)
• The Sentry (Lewis Pullman)
• Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen)
• U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell)

Basically, everyone who was a Thunderbolt (minus Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster, who is killed off early into the film) has now graduated to become a New Avenger. It’s not necessarily the Avengers lineup we would have predicted earlier in the Multiverse Saga, but given how they managed to beat overwhelming odds and save New York City, maybe they’re the team the MCU needs right now.

Of course, it’s already becoming clear that the New Avengers aren’t the only Avengers team on the block. Captain America: Brave New World ends with Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson deciding he’s finally ready to step up and spearhead his own team of Avengers. Whether Cap has actually gotten around to forming that team is unclear. But we do know from the post-credits scene in Thunderbolts that he’s none too thrilled at the prospect of another group co-opting the Avengers name.

That scene shows us that the New Avengers have now been active in the MCU for 14 months. They’re currently embroiled in a legal battle with Sam, who apparently owns the actual Avengers trademark. That seems to foreshadow major friction between the New Avengers and Sam’s Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday. But we’ll get to that in a bit. For now, what exactly is a New Avenger, anyway?

What Are the New Avengers?

The concept of the New Avengers was first introduced in Marvel’s 2004 New Avengers comic. That series debuted in the aftermath of a major tragedy in Marvel’s Avengers: Disassembled comic, where a mentally ill Scarlet Witch loses control of her powers and kills several members of her team. The Avengers disband, until one fateful day where they’re called back into action.

The reason Marvel branded this team “New Avengers” is that the roster was quite a bit different from any that had come before. While Captain America, Spider-Woman, and Iron Man represented the old guard, the bulk of the team was made up of characters who would normally never be associated with the Avengers franchise - Spider-Man, Wolverine, Luke Cage, Sentry, and the mysterious Ronin. Not unlike the MCU’s Thunderbolts, these heroes never expected to become Avengers, but they quickly rise to the challenge anyway.

At first, the “New Avengers” term was completely literal. Over time, however, it came to represent a more underground, unsanctioned alternative to the traditional Avengers. Following the events of 2006’s Civil War crossover, the Marvel Universe suddenly has two Avengers teams. Iron Man leads the Mighty Avengers, a S.H.I.E.L.D.-sanctioned team that operates in full support of the Superhuman Registration Act. Meanwhile, the heroes who refuse to support the SHRA, like Spidey, Wolverine, Luke Cage, and Bucky, form another incarnation of the New Avengers. Needless to say, the two teams don’t really get along.

That split only intensifies during Marvel’s 2009 Dark Reign storyline, as Norman Osborn usurps Tony Stark’s position and spearheads his own team of Dark Avengers. The Dark Avengers are notable for featuring many major villains masquerading as heroes. For example, Bullseye becomes Hawkeye, Venom becomes Spider-Man, Daken becomes Wolverine, and so on. The Sentry also sticks around, as he proves sadly all too susceptible to Osborn’s psychological manipulation.

In many ways, the MCU’s New Avengers seem as inspired by the Dark Avengers as they are the New Avengers of the comics. Like the Dark Avengers, Valentina’s New Avengers consists of several characters who are essentially borrowing the costumed identities of past Avengers. Yelena is Black Widow. John Walker is a failed Captain America. Even Red Guardian is essentially a Russian Captain America. Also like the Dark Avengers, Sentry is both a team member and a ticking time bomb looming over their heads. Valentina herself is basically the Norman Osborn figure, right down to the way she manipulates Bob.

To say Star Wars and action figures go hand-in-hand is an understatement. Ever since the original Kenner toyline jump-started the merchandising arm of the film industry in the late 1970s, toy collecting has been a huge, integral part of Star Wars fandom. These days, we get a fairly steady stream of new Star Wars media and merchandise, but nothing quite like the deluge of collectibles that coincided with the theatrical releases of the first six films.

Still, Star Wars action figures aren’t hard to find. Whether you’re after some cheap and durable toys for a younger fan to bash together, or a screen-accurate articulated replica of your favorite character, or some cool collectibles that are the best of both worlds, we’ve got you covered.

Toy Line: The Black Series

The best all-around Star Wars toy line on the market right now is probably The Black Series. Introduced in 2013, Hasbro’s line of 6-inch action figures has covered all manner of characters, from household-named heroes and villains to deep cut background characters, even bringing back some “legends” no longer considered part of the official canon. They’ve even given some iconic troopers, aliens and creatures holiday special repaints. If you’ve ever wanted a trick-or-treating Were-Wookiee or a festive two-pack of Jawa Claus and Salacious Grinch, you’re in luck.

Toy Line: The Vintage Collection

The Vintage Collection is effectively the smaller-scale equivalent of The Black Series. Collector-grade packaging, sculpts, paint and articulation, but roughly 2/3 the size and price. For anyone who’s got an existing collection of 4-inch figures from the ‘90s-’00s, these ones will display nicely alongside them.

Toy Line: Epic World of Action

Thankfully, they do still make Star Wars action figures that are just for kids, not just maladjusted adults obsessed with weird puppets and background characters from movies they watched growing up. Hasbro quietly launched the Epic World of Action line, a series of reasonably-priced 4-inch figures in colorful packaging with the odd spring-loaded project. The lower price point means limited articulation and minimal paint ops, but if anything, that just makes them better suited to get bashed around in the backyard.

• (Other notable picks are sadly sold out at Target: Star Wars Epic Hero Series Darth Vader Action Figure) and Star Wars Epic Hero Series The Mandalorian Action Figure)

Toy Line: The Retro Collection

In recent years, there’s been a rise in popularity of non-Star Wars figures made in the same style as Kenner’s original toy line, namely Super7’s ReAction figures. Appropriately, Hasbro followed suit with The Retro Collection, which reprinted those classic Kenner molds, and has since moved on to producing new toys of more recent Star Wars characters in that goofy but charming late-70s style.

Toy Line: Gentle Giant Jumbo Figures

In the early 2000s, Gentle Giant pioneered the “Real Scan” technology that allowed actors’ faces to be digitized and then faithfully reproduced in miniature. Hasbro used it for the first figures based on Attack of the Clones, and Gentle Giant cornered the market on high-end mini-busts.

Then, presumably, someone had the bright idea that if this technology could be used to scan real people’s likenesses and shrink them down as toys, it could also be used to scan toys, and blow them up to… much bigger toys. And that’s exactly what Gentle Giant’s Jumbo Figures are; Kenner’s classic Star Wars figures, recreated 400% larger, packaging and all.

Toy Line: Movie Masterpiece Series

Hot Toys are expensive, but it’s immediately apparent why. Absurdly realistic and immaculately detailed, these are, without question, the highest quality Star Wars figures ever made (as well as Marvel, DC, Aliens, Predator, and a pile of other licenses). The large scale means they’ll quickly fill up a shelf, but if you can afford Hot Toys in the first place, you can probably also afford another shelf, glass case, and maybe even a whole room to display them in.

Toy Line: S.H. Figuarts

My personal favorite toy line for quite some time, Bandai’s S.H. Figuarts series features an impressive amount of articulation, plus a ton of alternate faces and hands, giving them a ton of versatility for realistic poses. In my experience, the joints stay fairly tight after years of posing, which isn’t always the case.

Toy Line: MAFEX

Basically everything I said about S.H. Figuarts also applies to MAFEX. It’s the same type of action figure in the same scale at roughly the same price point, but from a different company. Generally, MAFEX figures are usually a little more expensive, but also frequently more detailed. However, in my experience, they feel a bit more delicate compared to Figuarts.

Toy Line: Meisho Movie Realization

Star Wars was heavily influenced by the samurai films of Akira Kurosawa, so what if they made a bunch of samurai armor inspired by Star Wars? Well, they did. Or at least they made action figures of people wearing it. The Meisho Movie Realization series is dedicated to feudal Japanese remixes of iconic Star Wars characters. The line mostly features masked, armored or otherwise hard-surfaced characters, which makes sense given the subject matter, but there’s an Obi-Wan and a Darth Maul, plus a couple of aliens in the works.

Whether you own a Nintendo Switch, a Switch Lite, or a Switch OLED, you know how versatile and fun this console can be. To make the most of your gaming experience, investing in a few accessories – some of which are Switch 2 compatible, including the Pro Controller as we've learned from the April Nintendo Direct – can take things to the next level.

From Switch controllers allowing better control (and less cramping) during intense gameplay, to screen protectors keeping your Switch safe from any scratches, the right accessories enhance performance and protection. We've logged countless hours on the Nintendo Switch using a variety of different accessories to help direct you to the most essential add-ons.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Nintendo Switch Accessories:

Although the standared Switch console comes with Joy-Con controllers and a charging dock, we still think there are a few extras worth adding to your purchase. Below we've gathered all of the Switch accessories we've tested and deemed worthy of any Switch user in 2025 and beyond.

1. Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

Best Switch Controller That Isn't Joy-Con

2. AmFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protector

Best Nintendo Switch Screen Protector

3. RDS Carry Case

Best Nintendo Switch Case

4. SanDisk 128GB Ultra

Best Nintendo Switch Memory Card

5. CRKD Nitro Deck

Best Switch Deck

6. Razer Barracuda X Wireless Headset

Best Nintendo Switch Headset

7. Satisfye ZenGrip Pro Gen 3

Best Nintendo Switch Grip

8. Hori Split Pad Pro

Better Joy-Con

9. GENKI Covert Dock Mini

Best Nintendo Switch Portable Dock

10. Nintendo Joy-Con Wheel

Best Nintendo Switch Steering Wheel

11. 8BitDo Arcade Stick

Best Nintendo Switch Fight Stick

12. HyperX ChargePlay Quad 2

Best Joy-Con Charger

13. Marseille mClassic

Best Nintendo Switch Upscaler

14. Emperor of Gadgets Portable Power Bank

Best Nintendo Switch Power Bank

How to Choose Switch Accessories

As accessories are add-ons for your Switch, you probably don't want to spend too much money on them. Luckily, the basics we'd recommend are normally under $50 for all three products: a case, a screen protector, and an SD card. These items immediately ensure protection and allow you to store more games, making it a great place to start.

3 must-haves:

1. Switch case
2. Screen protector
3. SD card

From there, you’ll want to focus on quality-of-life products based on your lifestyle and needs:

• For comfort: If the Joy-Con are uncomfortable for you, we'd recommend investing in another controller for a more ergonomic hold. Tip: Take it to the next level with a mount for your Switch OLED and a Pro controller so you can game on the go when you're not connected to your TV. The Fixture S2 monitor and Pro controller mount is a must-have for playing in handheld mode.
• For on-the-go charging: Get a power bank to extend playtime in general or while on the go.
• For more immersive gaming: Consider getting one of the best Nintendo Switch headsets we've researched and/or tested. When it comes to performance with the Switch, nothing beats the Razer Barracuda X right now.

As for other accessories like upscalers, docks, or printers, you can grab these down the road depending on your needs. No matter which accessories you decide to purchase, do the research to ensure the accessory is compatible for your Switch model.

Nintendo Switch Accessories FAQ

Will Nintendo Switch accessories be compatible with the Switch 2?

Now that we have more details about the Switch 2, we have better clarity over which current Switch accessories will play nice with the Switch, and it's a mixed bag. Because of the Switch 2's magnetic Joy-Con and bigger screen size, things like screen protectors, cases and other form-fitting attachments will not be compatible. Though the Switch's Joy-Con won't be able to snap into the Switch 2, they are compatible via Bluetooth; the Switch Pro Controller will also be compatible (but the Switch 2 Pro Controller is not compatible with the Switch). Your microSD card will also be incompatible; the Switch 2 will only work with a microSD Express card. However, hold onto any power banks and other accessories that use USB-C: The addition of an extra USB-C port on the Switch 2 means that you'll be able to use more accessories at once.

Which Nintendo Switch accessories should you buy first?

There are several Switch accessories you can buy, but if you've just purchased the console, there are a few things you should get first. The most essential accessories are a carrying case, a microSD card, and a screen protector. These items will allow you to protect your Switch and also download more games to the console. You may also want to look into getting a more comfortable Pro controller or a nicer set of Joy-Con since the base set is not ergonomic for long-term gameplay.

What accessories normally come with a Nintendo Switch?

The original 6.2-inch LCD touchscreen console comes with an AC adapter, a Nintendo Switch dock, and HDMI cable. Beyond that, there are left and right Joy-Con, along with straps for individual Joy-Con use and a Joy-Con grip for turning the two controllers into one for gaming on a TV.

With the 7-inch OLED model, you get all the same accessories as the original, but the Switch dock has a LAN port for a wired internet connection.

As for the Switch Lite, it’s also light on accessories. There’s no dock or HDMI, as you can’t connect it to your TV. The Joy-Con are also not detachable, so you’ll only find the console and USB-C charger in the box.

When do Nintendo Switch accessories go on sale?

Although the Switch itself doesn't go on sale very often, Nintendo Switch accessories will often see discounts throughout the year. The general rule of thumb is that the best times to buy a Nintendo Switch are also the best times to buy Switch accessories. Some of the more popular events where you're guaranteed to find discounts on gaming accessories are Amazon Prime Day in July and Black Friday in November.

Danielle Abraham is a tech freelance writer and unpaid music historian.

Georgie Peru is a freelance writer and also contributed to this article.

If you're a Nintendo Switch owner, you've probably noticed something pretty quickly – the internal storage fills up fast! The standard Switch only gives you 32GB, and even the upgraded Switch OLED bumps that up to just 64GB. Sounds decent until you realize that most of the best Switch games require at least 10GB of storage on average, if not more. Before you know it, you're out of space, especially if you're into downloading games from the eShop. That’s why having a Switch microSDXC card like the SanDisk 512GB Extreme is pretty much essential.

By popping an SD card into your Switch, you can load up on all the games you want without worrying about deleting old ones to make space. Depending on how much you want to store, there are SD cards that offer up to 1TB of storage. Just keep in mind that all your game save data will still live in the console's system memory by default. If you're moving onto the Switch 2, know that your old SD cards won't fly there; you'll need to move on to a MicroSD Express card to upgrade the Switch 2's storage.

TL;DR - These Are the Best SD Cards for Switch:

SD cards come in a bunch of different sizes, speeds, and prices. But if you're looking for the best experience, grab one with UHS-I compatibility and higher transfer speeds – that’ll help with smoother gameplay and faster loading times.

If you’re wondering which SD card is best for Nintendo Switch, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve handpicked some great SD cards that work seamlessly with your Switch, whether you want to install tons of games, save gameplay video clips, or need something to hand when you’re transferring data to other devices.

1. SanDisk 512GB Extreme microSDXC Card

Best SD Card for Nintendo Switch

2. Samsung EVO Select A2 512GB microSDXC Card

Best Budget SD Card for Nintendo Switch

3. SanDisk 1TB Ultra A1 microSDXC Card

Best High Capacity SD Card for Nintendo Switch

4. SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO microSDXC Card

Best High Speed SD Card for Nintendo Switch

5. SanDisk 1TB microSDXC Card - The Legend of Zelda

Best SD Card Design for Nintendo Switch

How to Choose an SD Card for Nintendo Switch

Investing in an SD card for your Nintendo Switch is a game-changer. But knowing what to look for is important too. You could just buy a cheap SD card that’s got a decent amount of storage space, but there are other factors to consider.

• Storage capacity: This should be your first consideration. Depending on the types of games you play, a 128GB SD card might suffice. But games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom that takes up 16GB might need a larger SD card. Not to mention your save files and any screenshots you take will add to the overall file size.
• Compatibility: If you’re looking for an SD card for Nintendo Switch, you’ll obviously need to make sure you find one that’s compatible with the console. The Switch supports microSD cards – this includes microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC. Be careful not to buy an SD or miniSD card as these will not work!
• Transfer speed: The higher the transfer speed, the better your gameplay experience will be. Speed classes are graded in 2, 4, 6, or 10, denoting the card’s minimum baseline speed. So a grade 2 equates to 2MB/s, 4 is 4MB/s, and so on. If you find a microSD card with a UHS (Ultra High Speed) class like UHS-1, you’re good to go.

Nintendo Switch SD Card FAQs

Do you need an SD card for the Switch?

For the Nintendo Switch, a microSD card is an essential Switch accessory. Without it, you'll only have enough space to install a few games on the system. An SD card will allow you to install dozens of titles on Switch without any worry of deleting games to free up storage.

Generally, Nintendo tends to keep its games on the smaller side, but there is a sizeable amount of third party titles available that are well over 32GB. This is the onboard storage for standard Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite models, so you won't even be able to install that game without an SD card.

How much storage do you actually need?

Most likely any SD card with 256GB of storage or higher will be more than enough for your Nintendo Switch. Some of the largest Nintendo titles, like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Xenoblade Chronicles 3, only weigh in at 16GB and 14GB, respectively. If you plan to primarily play Nintendo-developed titles, you should be more than fine with a 256GB SD card.

However, if you would like to play big third party releases on the platform, like Mortal Kombat 1, you should aim for an SD Card with over 512GB of storage. The latest NBA 2K game takes up over 60GB on Switch, which adds up quickly if you don't have a substantial SD card. Overall, the size of SD card best for you depends on the games you play, but it is essential for any Nintendo Switch owner to have one slotted into their system.

Will Switch SD cards be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2?

No. Though more details on the Switch 2 confirm that most games will be backward compatible, SD cards for the standard Switch models will not work with the new Switch 2. You're going to need a MicroSD Express card if you want to expand the storage on the Switch 2. These cards are currently compatible with the standard Switch, but have generally been less accessible (and are more expensive) than standard SD cards.

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer for IGN, covering deals, shopping guides and more.

IGN's tech freelancer Danielle Abraham contributed to this buying guide.

Star Wars Day is May the fourth, which sounds enough like “May the Force be with you” that the internet turned it into a thing, and Disney was happy to play along. So each year, in the lead-up to May 4, all sorts of Star Wars gifts like games, movies, LEGO sets, accessories, and apparel go on sale. Below, we’ve gathered all the best deals on all things Star Wars into one place for your perusing convenience. So grab your lightsaber and let’s take a look at what’s on sale this year.

Star Wars Day Sales at Major Retailers

Star Wars Video Game Deals

New Star Wars LEGO Sets

LEGO already has a whole lot of Star Wars sets, but the brick-building company went all out this year by introducing no fewer than 10 new Star Wars LEGO sets. You can see them all here at the LEGO Store, but many are also available on Amazon if that’s your preferred retailer. They’re all very cool, especially the new Jango Fett starship, which is the latest in the 18+ line of Ultimate Collector Series sets.

Star Wars: Andor Season 1 on Sale

Star Wars Funko Pop Deals

Secret Lab Star Wars Gaming Chair Deals

Crunchyroll’s Anime Awards are a chance to celebrate your favorite shows, characters, and performances from the previous year. While a panel of judges may decide on the nominees themselves, the winners of each category are ultimately decided by fans. The anime streaming service officially announced the nominees for the 9th Anime Awards last month, and while the voting period is over, you still have time to catch up before the big event on May 25.

At the 2024 Anime Awards, the grand prize (and 10 other awards) went to Jujutsu Kaisen. In 2025, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End leads the charge with 25 nominations, though Dan Da Dan isn't far behind at 22. Here's how to watch this year's nominees for Anime of the Year.

Nominees for Anime of the Year

For this year's Anime Awards, Crunchyroll announced expanded eligibility requirements. Any series that aired between October 31, 2023 and December 31, 2024, which includes five anime 'seasons,' is eligible. With that in mind, here are the nominees for Anime of the Year:

Dan Da Dan

Dan Da Dan, produced by Science Saru, follows a pair of eccentric teenagers who discover that both aliens and demons are real. Season 2 of Dan Da Dan begins airing this summer, and one can hope they use an opening as catchy as the first season's.

Where to Stream: Crunchyroll, Netflix, or Hulu

Delicious in Dungeon

The only Netflix exclusive anime to make this list, the first season of Delicious in Dungeon ran for 24 episodes. Adapted from the manga by Ryoko Kui, the seinen anime follows a group of adventurers forced to find meal options in the depths of, well, a dungeon.

Where to Stream: Netflix

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

The Elven mage Frieren once travelled in a party that defeated the Demon King, but her long lifespan means she's outlived all of her friends. As she decides to take a young human mage under her wing, she considers how to find meaning in fleeting lifetimes. Frieren is, in my opinion, the nominee most likely to make you cry or have an existential crisis.

Where to Stream: Crunchyroll or Netflix

Kaiju No. 8

Kaiju No. 8 (occasionally referred to as Monster No. 8 in English) is a play on the "Man Becomes a Monster to Hunt Monsters" trope that's always been popular in anime. Kafka Hibino originally joins a task force to take revenge on the Kaiju who destroyed his town, but a parasite flying into his mouth makes his plan a little more complicated.

Where to Stream: Crunchyroll

Solo Leveling

While every other anime on this list started off as a serialized manga in Japan, Solo Leveling instead started as a Korean web comic on WebToon. A-1 Pictures produces the anime adaptation, which recently surpassed One Piece to become the most reviewed anime of all time on Crunchyroll.

Where to Stream: Crunchyroll

The Apothecary Diaries

The Apothecary Diaries has been adapted into plenty of mediums over the years, including a manga licensed by Square Enix, but the seinen story reached new levels of popularity with its anime adaptation. Set in an alternate version of the Tang Dynasty, The Apothecary Diaries has aired for two seasons so far.

Where to Stream: Crunchyroll, Netflix, or Hulu

Check Out the Rest of the Nominees

Anime of the Year may be the biggest award, but categories include every genre of anime (this year added “Best Isekai Anime” to the list), as well as awards for characters, dubbed voice performances, and even opening songs. You can check out the full list of categories and nominees here.

When Are the Anime Awards?

The 2025 Anime Awards will take place in Tokyo on May 25. The event will be livestreamed on Crunchyroll, with more details to come. In the meantime, Crunchyroll is also celebrating "Ani-May," making a selection of their library free to stream and partnering with stores across the globe for merch deals and in-person events.

Blythe (she/her) is an SEO Coordinator at IGN who spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is right around the corner, and if you’re planning on grabbing it, keep in mind that it only has 256GB of storage built-in. If you want to load up on games without having to deal with uninstalling and reinstalling over and over, you’re going to want to expand that storage. However, unlike the original Nintendo Switch, the new console now requires a MicroSD Express card – which are faster, but more expensive than other UHS-based SD cards.

MicroSD Express cards have theoretically been around for a while, but there are only a few of them on the market right now, as creative professionals haven’t really found much of a use for them. However, with the Switch 2 launching in the next month, there will likely be a deluge of Express cards to fill that gap.

Just remember that because the system isn’t out yet, I haven’t tested any of these Nintendo Switch 2 SD cards yet. However, most of them come from reputable manufacturers that have a track record of making excellent storage expansion cards.

Why MicroSD Express?

Unlike many devices, the Nintendo Switch 2 is mandating a MicroSD Express card for storage expansion. Nintendo hasn’t really explained its reasoning behind the decision, but it’s not hard to see why it might want to require faster storage.

For one, the flash storage built into the system is the same kind of UFS flash that powers most smartphones. This storage is much faster than the eMMC drive in the original Switch, and it’s likely Nintendo wanted its developers to be able to count on that kind of storage speed, no matter if the game is being stored internally or on an expansion card.

The only thing you can use a regular old MicroSD card for is loading screenshots and videos you took on your first-gen Switch. That means unlike something like the PS5, which allows you to store last-generation games on slower external drives, Nintendo isn’t allowing for any wiggle room here. If you want to expand the Nintendo Switch 2 storage, you’re going to need a MicroSD Express card.

1. Lexar Play Pro

The Best MicroSD Express Card

2. SanDisk MicroSD Express

The MicroSD Express Card You Can Actually Buy Right Now

3. Samsung MicroSD Express for Switch 2

The Official Option We Know Very Little About

LEGO has revealed eight new Harry Potter sets. Some of them are now up for preorder on Amazon, but all of them are set to arrive on June 1, 2025. We've gathered all of the preorder listings below so you can see them at a glance.

These new sets are just the latest in a long line of Harry Potter LEGO collaborations throughout the years. The most recent new set that we saw for the franchise was the Knight Bus Adventure back in March, so the sudden jump to eight new sets in June seems like a significant increase.

New LEGO Harry Potter Sets for June 2025

The prices on the new sets range from $23 to a whopping $260 and there's a little bit of something for every type of Harry Potter fan here. The most expensive new set is the main tower component of the Hogwarts Castle, which is actually just one part of a much larger Hogwarts Castle set that is still getting new releases. On the other end of the spectrum is the adorable little Fawkes set that comes with a sorting hat and the Sword of Gryffindor for just $23.

For those looking for cool sets in the middle price range, there's the Chomping Book of Monsters set you may recognize from The Prisoner of Azkaban. It actually has a built-in chomping feature that looks like it brings the whole thing to life. There's also the Thestrail Family set, which includes two poseable creatures you can only actually see once you've witnessed death (in the books and movies, that is).

Out of all of the new LEGO sets that were revealed, my overall favorite is the Book Nook: Hogwarts Express option. It is a beautiful depiction of the iconic train stationed at platform 9 and 3/4 and it also just so happens to be a pair of book ends. It's an awesome Harry Potter gift for any fan who wants a bonus display for their shelf.

Should you preorder at Amazon or LEGO direct?

Currently, the only Harry Potter sets that are available to preorder are through Amazon, but all of these options will eventually become available at LEGO direct as well. Both websites are good places to buy LEGO for different reasons, and this is especially true for preorders. Amazon offers a preorder price guarantee that ensures you get the absolute best price for that set if a discount arrives before the release date. Alternatively, the LEGO store will offer you a free gift with your purchase and LEGO points for Insiders.

New LEGO Sets Available Now

If you're looking for all of the LEGO sets releasing this month rather than in June, we've got you covered. The most prominent new additions to this month are all of the new Star Wars LEGO sets, but you can also check out the full list of new options to see everything.