If you're shopping for a large amount of inexpensive local storage, this is one of the best deals available right now. For a limited time, Amazon is offering the WD Elements 14TB USB 3.0 Desktop Hard Drive for $199.99 with free shipping. That averages out to just $14.29 per TB of storage. This hard drive is sold and shipped by Amazon, not a marketplace vendor.

WD Elements 14TB External Hard Drive From $199.99

It’s hard to know where to start with “The Reality War,” a finale so bloated and scatterbrained it feels like it’s held together with spit, tape, and a vague memory of decent television from 20 years ago. It lurches from one half-formed idea to the next, villains are discarded like empty props, the emotional payoffs land with all the weight of a soft breeze, and the story builds to a regeneration that feels less like a triumphant handover and more like a disconcerting shrug.

If there’s one real flicker of life buried beneath the chaos, it’s Jodie Whittaker. Her brief return as the 13th Doctor is effortlessly charming, a reminder of the presence and heart she brought to the role, even when the material didn’t rise to meet her. In just a few minutes, she brings more clarity and personality than much of the episode manages with its actual lead. That contrast stings. Ncuti Gatwa has the charisma and range to define a whole era of Doctor Who, but across the show’s latest short season, he’s been handed little more than fragments to work with, despite there still being plenty of bright sparks along the way. Here, he’s shuffled off with all the ceremony of an underwhelming CW character written out mid-season. For an actor as good as Gatwa, it’s hard not to see it as a total waste.

And yes, it all comes down to that regeneration. A clumsy, hand-waved transformation that sees a return of series star Billie Piper, awkwardly composited into frame wearing a remarkably bad wig and playing like a muddled teaser that wandered in from the early 2000s. While it seems unlikely that Piper really is the 16th Doctor – it feels like her cameo is a hastily thrown-together pause button while the future of Doctor Who gets quietly reshuffled – that doesn’t make it feel any less hollow. This isn’t the only big swing that lands like an afterthought in the finale, either. Omega finally turns up after being teased last week, only to look like a PS3 end boss and get obliterated before he can finish a few sentences. The Rani, whose return had heaps of potential, is even more squadered here than in “Wish World” and erased with the same casual indifference. Belinda, once one of this era’s more promising new additions, is shoved into a literal containment box and rewritten as a one-note protective mother, completely out of nowhere. It's not just lazy, it’s a borderline insulting mistreatment of the show’s characters… again! And it’s not because the ideas are inherently awful, but because they’re so painfully rushed, flattened, and treated with so little conviction.

And hiding behind all that noise is something worse: the creeping sense that Doctor Who doesn’t know what it wants to be anymore. The big blue laser climax, the over-designed CGI villains, the endless cameos and callbacks, they’re all straining to be something. Maybe it’s Marvel. Maybe it’s Star Wars. But it’s not Doctor Who. This was a show that once wore its wobbly sets and rubber masks like a badge of honour. It didn’t need scale to have soul. Now it’s all Avengers-level threats that are about as interesting as a puddle, and there’s a real sadness in that. Because buried beneath the fan-service fog and production panic is a brilliant actor (maybe two, if you count Whittaker) who deserved better.

Gatwa’s Doctor had flashes of brilliance: warmth, vulnerability, wit. All the makings of a defining era. But with short seasons, inconsistent writing, and an exit that feels hastily stapled together, it’s hard not to feel like he’s been short-changed. “The Reality War” should have been a coronation, or at least a proper goodbye. Instead, it’s a confused, crowded mess that treats its lead like a footnote and its own history like a toybox to be dumped out and sifted through.

After five years away from the role, Tom Cruise retuned as special agent Ethan Hunt for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. With The Final Reckoning now showing in theaters, it's the perfect time to watch or rewatch the spy movie saga so far.

Scroll down for our quick guide on how you can watch all of the previous Mission Impossible movies online right now in 2025.

Where to Stream the Mission Impossible Movies Online

The Pokémon card market is an ever-changing beast, and this week is no different. While last week saw some big changes to X and Y promos, alongside Prismatic Evolutions, the new Scarlet & Violet expansion Destined Rivals will be the focus for most trainers, at least for now.

That's reflected in some of the biggest crashers and climbers of the week for single cards in the new expansion, including some huge changes once again for hotly sought-after chase cards like Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex SIR or Ethan's Ho-Oh ex SIR.

Pokémon Card Crashers

The LEGO Botanicals collection features some incredible plant and floral sets, from smaller bouquets you can put in a vase to slightly bigger builds that can be set up on display around your home. The brand new Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree (see at LEGO Store) from the collection falls into the latter, boasting vibrant red and orange leaves in a little green pot that fits perfectly on a shelf or table. Coming in at 474 pieces, it's a fairly easy set to put together and looks lovely once it's all finished.

Alongside the pretty build itself, the instruction booklet provides some nice background information on the tree. It states that the Japanese red maple is native to Japan, China, and Korea, and while it's a tree that grows slowly, its colors really flourish in spring and autumn. It can even live for over a century, giving people plenty of time to take in its beautiful colors.

Whether you're buying for an experienced LEGO builder or someone who's brand new to the hobby, the LEGO Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree is a nice fit for all ability levels. It comes with six bags that make up the green plant pot, the trunk of the tree, and the colorful leaves.

Starting from the bottom of the display, the first bag is focused around building the Japanese red maple's plant pot. There's 36 steps in this process, which provide the pot with a sturdy build that has smooth, rounded edges for a clean look. I think the color of the pot is a great choice as well. The dark green is a nice contrast to the bright orange and red coloring of the leaves.

It's from here that you start to build upward. Bag two focuses on filling out the base of the plant pot, constructing the trunk of the tree, and adding a couple of branches with some of those colorful leaves. The base of the plant pot features a variety of LEGO pieces in different shades of green, adding a bit more shading and texture around where the tree's trunk will be. From here, the trunk is built separately and fitted into the middle.

With the trunk fitted in place, the next steps are to build out the branches. As seen in the photo above, the first big branch jutting from the main tree breaks off into separate sections: one twig points up, while the other splits into a Y shape, with each end featuring a ball joint. These will eventually hold two sets of leaves, allowing you to move them around to find a good position for them later on.

Speaking of leaves, these are next on the agenda, and they have a really nice layering to them. Starting with the lighter orange leaves at the bottom, they are built up to feature darker red leaves on top which makes for a great gradient across them. There are three different sets of leaves that are pieced together and placed on both the two grey ball joints of the Y-branch and the branch pointing upward.

Before filling out the rest of the branches, the third bag provides more pieces to afix to the base of the model. These mainly focus around the trunk of the tree and add some more roots at the base. This is a nice way to add a little extra texture around it. With that done, you'll then focus on building out more branches around the tree. Bags four, five, and six largely focus on the remaining branches and leaves, so you'll find a lot of familiar patterns as you piece the rest of it together.

Once you've fitted the last set of leaves to the very top of the tree, the final product will look like the photo below. Again, this is a really lovely display with some beautiful coloring on the leaves. I absolutely love the gradient effect as the leaves transition from the lighter orange color at the bottom into the darker red near the top. It may be summer right now, but this set has me itching for fall colors already.

Per LEGO's website, this set measures over 9.5 in. (24 cm) high, 8.5 in. (22 cm) wide and 10 in. (26 cm) deep once finished. It's a really great option to set up on a bookshelf, table, desk, or any other surface around your home or office that needs a little splash of color. This set only took a couple of hours to finish, too, so if you're looking for a simple and sweet build to add to your collection this year, I think the LEGO Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree is well worth picking up.

More LEGO Flower Sets We Recommend

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

For a limited time, Amazon has brought back one of its most popular power bank deals. The Anker Zolo 10,000mAh 30W USB Power Bank is back down to only $12.93 after a 50% off instant discount. This is a great price for an Anker-branded 10,000mAh power bank that can fast charge a Nintendo Switch console at its maximum rate. The Zolo is compact and boasts some uncommon but practical features, like a built-in USB Type-C cable and a digital display. You can also choose from four different colors to customize your look, including pastel blue and pink.

Anker Zolo 10,000mAh USB Power Bank for $12.93

King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation actor Jonathan Joss has died aged 59 after a shooting in Texas.

The San Antonio Police Department and eyewitnesses reported seeing Joss and his neighbor get into an argument yesterday, June 1, 2025. As shared by TMZ, the tense conversation is said to have escalated to the point the neighbor shot several bullets into the actor before leaving in his vehicle.

Paramedics arrived to aid Joss but were unable to save him. Police have since apprehended suspect Sigfredo Alvarez-Cega, who has been charged with murder, with bond set at $200,000. The topic of the argument remains unclear.

Jonathan Joss, known as the voice of King of the Hill's John Redcorn and recurring character Chief Ken Hotate on Parks and Recreation, has been fatally shot at 59. pic.twitter.com/Wf2xqkkuZj

— IGN (@IGN) June 2, 2025

Joss’ history in entertainment stems back to the ‘90s, where he appeared in episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger, The Wild Thornberrys, and more. He went on to lend his talents to live-action projects like True Grit and Ray Donovan but also provided voice work on video games such as Cyberpunk 2077, Wasteland 3, and Days Gone.

Joss may be best known for his work on Mike Judge and Greg Daniels’ classic animated comedy series, King of the Hill, where he played John Redcorn. One of the show’s many familiar faces, John Redcorn maintained a presence on King of the Hill from its early days up to its end with Season 13 in 2009 (though Joss only took over for the part starting in Season 2).

It’s a new month, which means a new batch of arrivals on all of your favorite streaming services. With a decent spread of Disney, Marvel, and National Geographic (sorry, no Star Wars this month), Disney+ is staying true to its word of having something for everyone. Let’s take a look at what’s coming to the Disney-owned service in June 2025.

New Series

Pupstruction Season 2 - June 4

As the hub of family-friendly entertainment, Disney+ is consistently streaming new children’s shows. The second season of Disney Junior’s puppy construction series arrives on June 4.

Phineas and Ferb Season 5 - June 6 (Premiere)

The big reboot, known simply as Phineas and Ferb Season 5. This was one of my favorite shows back in the day, and here’s to hoping the new season captures some of the heart (and music) that made the original so enjoyable. The first ten episodes will stream on June 6, a day after the series premieres on the Disney Channel.

Underdogs - June 16

A National Geographic series narrated by none other than Ryan Reynolds. According to ABC, Underdogs will get “up close and personal with the outcasts of the animal kingdom.” The five-episode series will air on Nat Geo and stream on Disney+ in batches.

Ironheart - June 24 (Premiere)

A new live-action MCU series inspired by the comics of the same name, Ironheart follows Riri Williams after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The first three episodes arrive on Disney+ on June 24, with subsequent episodes released weekly on Tuesdays.

New Films

Ocean with David Attenborough - June 8

The legend returns. I am personally one of those people that’s terrified of the ocean, but David Attenborough may be the one person who can soothe my fears and help me appreciate the beauty.

Sally - June 17

A celebration of the first American woman in space narrated by Sally Ride’s partner of 27 years, Tam O’Shaughnessy. The National Geographic documentary explores the astronaut's personal journeys and lands on Disney+ on June 17.

Frozen: The Hit Broadway Musical - June 20

Remember Frozen? Probably, I guess that was pretty recent. What started as a (massively successful) Disney movie quickly turned into a (also massively successful) franchising operation. The musical adaptation got its turn on Broadway from 2018 to 2020, and you can watch the full performance online starting on June 23. Perfect for the kiddos and Disney princess connoisseurs.

What’s Coming to Hulu, ESPN+, and HBO Max?

If you have one of the Disney+ streaming bundles, you’ll be seeing more than just the above popping up on your homepage. New additions to Hulu this month include all of the existing Alien movies (June 1), Predator: Killer of Killers (June 5), and a new season of The Bear (June 25). HBO Max will be getting all of The Hunger Games movies (June 1) and A Minecraft Movie (TBA). Meanwhile, ESPN will be streaming live sports events, including UFC 316 (June 7) and 317 (June 28).

IGN's Summer of Gaming is back for its sixth year and there is so much to look forward to, including the return of IGN Live, exciting gaming livestreams like the Xbox Games Showcase, Summer Game Fest, Day of the Devs, and so much more.

While the full scope of all the summer festivities has yet to be set in stone, we wanted to start gathering all the biggest gaming events in one place to ensure you don't miss a thing!

When Is Summer of Gaming 2025?

IGN's Summer of Gaming kicks off June 1 and runs through June 30, and features all the big showcases from across the games industry! There are still a lot of unknowns for the big gaming events this summer, but the picture gets clearer eac and every day, so be sure to check back often to stay up to date!

Is IGN Live Returning for 2025?

Yes! IGN Live is back in a big way from June 7 - 8 for a multi-day celebration of video games and entertainment, filled with playable demos, new announcements, panels, contests, stage shows, giveaways, meet-and-greets with IGN personalities, and so much more.

While there will be two days of livestreams for IGN Live, we'd also love you to join us in Downtown Los Angeles at the Magic Box @ The Reef for a ton of exciting opportunities like watching our show live, getting hands-on demos of games and possibly even the Switch 2, photo ops and exclusive merch, gaming stations and tournamnets, food trucks and lounges, and more.

For more info and the link to buy IGN Live tickets, click here!

Summer of Gaming 2025 Schedule and What to Expect

You can find the current schedule for IGN's Summer of Gaming below, but we do want to note this list will be updated regularly with new shows, details, dates, and so much more!

Tuesday, June 3

• The MIX Summer Game Showcase - 9am PT/12pm ET
  • The MIX Summer Game Showcase, which was formerly known as the Guerrilla Collective, will be highlighting some of the best indie games in the world, both online during its showcase and in-person for those able to get to the Grammy Museum Rooftop in Los Angeles.
• State of Unreal - 6:30am PT/9:30am ET
  • The State of Unreal 2025 is set to share what's next for Unreal Engine and the Epic ecosystem, and this will be the first year the show will take place at Epic's own Unreal Fest. Last year was a big year for State of Unreal, as that was where we got our first real look at Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra.

Thursday, June 5

• Green Games Showcase - 1pm PT/4pm ET
  • The Green Games Showcase has a very important mission - showcase how the "world's most exciting games are driving real-world change." Furthermore, it has a mission to raise $300,000 by June 30 to help with habitat restoration in Timor-Leste through its Gold Standard-certified partner, WithOneSeed, to help "protect endangered species and regenerate forests."

Friday, June 6

• Summer Game Fest - 2pm PT/5pm ET
  • Geoff Keighley and his Summer Game Fest are back again for 2025, and the show promises to unveil a glimpse of the exciting and bright future of the video game industry. While we don't know what secrets will be revealed, you can check out what games were featured in last year's show to get an idea of what to expect.
• Day of the Devs - 4pm PT/7pm ET
  • Another Day of the Devs is on its way this summer and will once again showcase some of the best games from indie developers around the world. Last year's show was highlighted by such games as UFO 50, Zoochosis, and Cozy Grove 2, and we have a feeling there will be even more homeruns this time around.

Saturday, June 7

• IGN Live - Day 1 Livestream - 12pm PT/3pm ET
  • Along with our in-person IGN Live event downtown LA, our big IGN Live livestream kicks off on June 7 and it will be a show you won't want to miss!
• Wholesome Games - 9am PT/12pm ET
  • Tune into the Wholesome Games show to see a "vibrant lineup of artistic, uplifting, and emotionaly resonant games from developers of all sizes from around the world!" For context, feel free to check out the 15 games from last year's show that we absolutely loved.
• Women-Led Games - 10am PT/1pm ET
  • Women-Led Games returns for its second show this year with 39 games from incredible women-led and majority women studios across the games industry.
• Southeast Asia Game Showcase - 12pm PT/3pm ET
  • Games developed in Southeast Asia take the spotlight in the aptly named Southeast Asia Game Showcase, which will feature exclusive reveals, new trailers, and updates from over 45 games developed in the region.

Sunday, June 8

• IGN Live - Day 2 Livestream - 12pm PT/3pm ET
  • The second day of our IGN Live livestream takes place on June 8 and we'll reveal more exciting details soon about what fans can expect both in-person and online.
• Xbox Games Showcase - 10am PT/1pm ET
  • Xbox's big games showcase takes place on June 7 and will be immediately followed by The Outer Worlds 2 Direct. As for the Xbox Games Showcase, it will include a loook at games from Xbox's first party studios and creative partners around the globe. Last year, the show has the gameplay reveal of Fable, a big look at Doom: The Dark Ages, State of Decay 3, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and much more.
• The PC Gaming Show - 12pm PT/3pm ET
  • Check out The PC Gaming Show for a preview of over 50 games playable on PC, Steam Deck, Linux, and MacOS alongside world premieres, exclusive announcements, in-depth developer interviews, and much more. Oh, and it was confirmed the first partners for the show are Ubisoft, Devolver Digital, Failbetter Games, and Astra Logical.

Monday, June 9

• Black Voices in Gaming - 9am PT/12pm ET
  • Black Voices in Gaming will be back with another show that celebrates Black game developers around the globe, and you can check out the stream from last year to see what you can expect.

Where to Watch Summer of Gaming Livestreams

Below, you can find all the places to watch the events, including IGN.com, YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Twitter, and more:

• IGN.com (homepage)
• IGN’s YouTube Channel
• IGN's YouTube - ASL version
• IGN's Twitch Channel
• IGN's Facebook Channel
• IGN’s Twitter
• The IGN Fan Fest 2025 Steam Page
• IGN's iOS App
• IGN's Android App
• IGN's PlayStation 4 App
• IGN App for Android TV
• IGN for Amazon Fire TV
• IGN 1 on Amazon Fire TV
• Pluto TV

Don't Miss Out On More Fun

Tune in to IGN’s Summer of Gaming as we discuss the new original series, FX’s Alien: Earth. From creator Noah Hawley and Executive Producer Ridley Scott, comes the first television series inspired by the legendary Alien Film franchise premiering August 12th on FX and Hulu.

Presented by Alien: Earth

See gamers “get good” — or at least get better at one oddly specific thing — with some training montages and by using the Lenovo Legion 7i gaming laptop. Its Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX™ 50 Series graphics, and PureSight OLED display will carry these gamers from mediocrity to borderline respectability (depending on who you ask).

Presented by Lenovo

IGN’s Daemon Hatfield, Brian Altano, Max Scoville, and Kim Horcher got to go hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2 and play some Mario Kart World. Stay tuned to Summer of Gaming to see it in action, get a look at some of the features of both the game and the Switch 2, and why all our hosts found it distractingly fun.

Presented by Nintendo

We've got you covered on all the biggest announcements and reveals during Summer of Gaming, presented By PlayStation Days of Play. This is also the time to take advantage of summer sales. With PlayStation's Days of Play, you can get the PlayStation 5 Digital console with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 bundle starting at $399.99. While supplies last.

Presented by PlayStation

How to Train Your Dragon is one of my favorite animated movies of all time. With the new live-action version of the movie hitting theaters later this month, I'm unsure how to feel about yet another animated movie from my youth getting the reboot treatment. That being said, I am very glad that the new movie is the cause of the very first LEGO How to Train Your Dragon set.

Toothless, the Night Fury himself, is about to be immortalized in LEGO bricks. The new How to Train Your Dragon set is set to release on July 1, 2025 and is meant for adult builders specifically. At 784 pieces, LEGO Toothless is a mid-range build with a mid-range price tag of $69.99. It's currently available to preorder at the LEGO store right now ahead of its release date.

Preorder LEGO Icons How to Train Your Dragon: Toothless

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, The Handmaid's Tale, and The Bear (which returns with season four on June 25), there is always something awesome to watch. We've also got the highly-anticipated Alien: Earth series on our radar this year, which premieres its first two episodes on August 12 on Hulu at 8pm ET, and on FX and Disney+ at 8pm PT / ET.

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 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.

How to Get The Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max Streaming Bundle

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 per month - 43% on the ad-supported plan and 42% on the ad-free plan.

Hulu deal for students — Get Hulu (With Ads) for just $1.99/month

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.

Hulu subscription tiers

Hulu: Bundle to Best

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:

• Hulu + Live TV (With Ads) — Hulu + Live TV (With Ads) is $82.99/month and includes Disney+ and ESPN+. It also gives you access to more than 75 channels with live TV and unlimited DVR functionality. The Hulu + Live TV plan also has a three-day free trial to test out the service.
• Hulu + Live TV (Ad-Free) — The ad-free version of Hulu+Live TV is $95.99/month and comes with ad-free versions of Hulu and Disney Plus, although ESPN still shows ads.
• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic — This is the most economic bundle. It will set you back $10.99/month and comes with subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu. It lets you stream on multiple devices at once and comes with ad-supported versions of both Disney+ and Hulu.
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic — This bundle adds ESPN+ into the mix alongside Disney+ and Hulu, bumping up the price to $16.99/month. You can also download and watch select content on ESPN+ at this level.
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium — This bundle is $26.99/month and comes with ESPN+ (with ads) and ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu. You can also download select content across all three streaming services.

What can you watch on Hulu?

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 Max to gain access to things like The Last of Us and House of the Dragon.)

Here's what you get:

• Network and Hulu Original television shows (AMC, Adult Swim, ABC, A&E, FX, etc.)
• Movies (HBO, Hulu Originals, anime films, etc.)
• Sports (NHL, Soccer, MLB, Auto Racing, NFL, College Football, PGA, Tennis, etc.)
• News (ABC News Live, Good Morning America, World News Tonight, 20/20, The View, etc.)

Hulu television

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. With an FX partnership, Hulu is also home to those shows, including the drama miniseries, Shogun, and the upcoming Alien: Earth series.

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.

The future of Hulu

Hulu isn't going anywhere. Beyond it being awarded the best streaming service by us, it also received a 9/10 in our updated Hulu review. Writer Rosie Knight said, "Hulu's ease of use, solid UI, and ever- expanding catalog has moved it ahead of top competitor Netflix to secure our highest score for a streaming service."

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.

Original story from Brian Barnett.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel’s annual World Championship is fast approaching, which means the Road to Worlds campaign is underway. There are free log-in rewards, and you can compete in qualifying events for the opportunity to represent your region at the World Championship in Paris.

If you don’t know about Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, we can give you a quick rundown. It’s a free-to-play digital version of the popular Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game, with more than 10,000 cards and including the evolutions the game has made over its more than 25 years of existence. It’s available across nearly all platforms — iOS, Android, PC, PS4/5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S — and has cross-platform play, letting you Duel players of varying skill levels from all over the world.

If that sounds intimidating, don’t worry. If you’re a new player or haven’t played in a while and need a refresher, there are in-game tutorials that teach you the basics of the game. Once you finish those tutorials, you get a base Deck to get started and can collect new cards as you progress through the game. The game also provides visual cues to let you know when you can execute combos and chain effects or respond to your opponent’s effects, helping make sure you don’t miss anything while you’re learning the game.

You can continue practicing and getting better through Solo Mode, where you play through storylines and learn more about the lore behind the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. As you probably already know, the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise extends across several pieces of media and is a big reason for the international popularity of the TCG. That combined with the competitive nature of the game has also made it popular with professional athletes, which you can see NBA player Grant Williams and professional football players Kris Jenkins and Ryan Hunter discuss in the videos below.

Once you’ve gotten more comfortable with the game, you can move on to face your fellow Duelists. And now’s the time to jump in, since there will be free log-in rewards during the Road to Worlds event that can help you build up your Deck before taking on the qualifying events

From now until July 3, you can get a series of daily rewards for a total of 1,000 gems, a profile icon, and a Red Supernova Dragon Card. You can get additional gems and rewards if you take part in the World Championship Qualifiers, which anyone can enter starting June 3.

The initial qualifying round will last until June 12, with Duelists beginning at a different level depending on what rank they reached in May’s Season 41. But don’t worry, even if you didn’t take part in Season 41, you can still compete in the qualifiers, you’ll just start from Duel Level 1. Winning Duels will see you rise through the ranks, to a max of Duel Level 20. Anyone who reaches Duel Level 20 will then move on to Regionals between June 12–15, where the goal is simply to get as many points as possible by defeating other qualifying Duelists.

The top performers in each region earn an invite to the World Championship in Paris, where they’ll compete for the grand prize. While the qualifying rounds and Championship are all single-player matches, the players who win and move on to Paris will also get the chance to team up with two other Duelists to take on the defending champions from the United States.

There will be hundreds of thousands of Duelists of all skill levels from around the world competing during the Road to Worlds events. With so many active players and easily attainable in-game rewards, there won’t be a better time to start your journey in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. The game is free-to-play and there’s no entrance fee for the qualifying events, so there’s nothing stopping you from building a Deck and giving it a shot.

For more information about Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, including several tutorial videos to help you understand card types and strategies, you can visit the official website. For more details about all the events leading up to the World Championship, you can check out the Road to Worlds page. To keep up with news and updates, you can follow Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel on Twitter and Instagram.

Nintendo has just released a short clip of footage from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet running on Nintendo Switch 2 at 60fps and... okay, sure, that does look a lot better.

The footage was released via the Nintendo Today! app. It's not much, just over 30 seconds of clips of the main character running through the world, but it does show off what seems to be a significant improvement over the Nintendo Switch 1 version of the game.

Official footage of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet running on Switch 2 at 60fps pic.twitter.com/HRVsardqUg

— Switch 2 Stock Alerts (fan account) (@Switch2Stock) June 2, 2025

At 60fps, many of the issues with characters popping in and out at a short distance seem to be alleviated, and more Pokémon are able to appear on screen, at further distances, at a time. In particular the main city, Mesagoza, looks a lot better in the brief glimpse we get, and being able to see more Pokémon from farther away helps the world look a touch less empty.

Of course, at just half a minute of official, curated footage, it's not really possible to say how this impacts the experience holistically. In our review of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet at launch, we noted that the fps was really just one issue of many. At the time, Scarlet and Violet were riddled with bugs ranging from harmless visual goofiness to game crashing, and features such as raid battles seemed to be broken by design. Multiple DLC releases didn't alleviate most of those issues, either.

It will be interesting to see how much of a difference a Nintendo Switch 2 makes to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet when the upgrade patch releases on June 5 alongside the console. Its improvements will likely be a harbinger of what's to come with the imminent release of Pokemon Legends Z-A this October, too.

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.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach includes an unconventional melee weapon, according to its ESRB rating.

Warning! Potential Death Stranding 2 spoilers follow:

The U.S. Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has once again dropped an unsolicited clue about an unreleased game, this time confirming in Death Stranding 2's rating summary that as well as the anticipated "open-world landscape to deliver various goods and packages" as a courier "attempting to reconnect society in a post-apocalyptic world," players will be able to bash stuff to death with a guitar.

This may not be the first time you've heard of this unique weapon — interestingly, Higgs literally shreds in the announcement trailer posted over a year ago now — but at the time, fans weren't sure if that was just something Higgs got to indulge in. Now it seems we'll either get to rock out as Sam with a guitar weapon of his own, or we'll get to play as Higgs and use his. It's not clear which. It could be both!

"This is an action game in which players assume the role of a courier (Sam Porter Bridges) attempting to reconnect society in a post-apocalyptic world," the ESRB summary reads.

"From a third-person perspective, players traverse an open-world landscape to deliver various goods and packages. Along the way, players can engage in combat against human soldiers, battle androids, and ghostly apparitions. Players use melee weapons (e.g., battle guitar) and firearms (e.g., machine guns, sniper rifles) to kill enemies."

Players can expect realistic gunfire, blood, and slow-motion effects, as well as stealthy takedowns "to incapacitate soldiers discreetly." There will also be further sequences with "additional acts of violence and/or gore," including some dude losing his hands and legs to a robot samurai, another who's cut in half by an unspecified giant machine, and a man set alight "in a fantastical manner."

Death Stranding 2 is, as you'd expected, rated Mature 17+.

Death Stranding 2 is out on June 26, 2025. Hideo Kojima is also working on a live-action Death Stranding film with A24, and we recently learned that a Death Stranding anime is also in the works. He's also working on a PlayStation exclusive action espionage project called Physint, and called the upcoming Xbox-published OD "a game I have always wanted to make."

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Downton Abbey is finally coming to a close with Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. The trailer for the upcoming film, which is set to put the story’s 15-year run to bed once and for all, was just released by Focus Features.

The Grand Finale marks the third film in the Downton Abbey franchise and the final conclusion to the story of the Grantham family, which originated with the 2010 ITV series. The final film will follow Michelle Dockery’s Lady Mary “as she navigates London high society, while Lord and Lady Grantham (Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern) oversee the Yorkshire County estate.”

The place we'll always remember. The family we'll never forget. Everything has led to this.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is only in theaters September 12. Watch the teaser trailer now. pic.twitter.com/FdlfDVPc1m

— Downton Abbey (@DowntonAbbey) June 2, 2025

The film concludes both the film trilogy and six seasons of the television series, and because it’s such a major event, The Grand Finale will bring back many famous faces who have appeared in the Downton Abbey-verse in the past. That includes Paul Giamatti, Dominic West, Penelope Wilton, Phyllis Logan, Joanne Froggatt, Brendan Coyle, and Jim Carter. The movie will also feature Arty Froushan, Simon Russell Beale, Alessandro Nivola, and Joely Richardson, who are all newcomers to the Downton Abbey world.

The first footage from the film debuted at CinemaCon this year back in April as part of Universal’s presentation of upcoming projects.

The first Downton Abbey film was released in 2019, with the second movie, Downton Abbey: A New Era, coming shortly after in 2022. Simon Curtis, who directed A New Era, returns to helm the third film from a script by series creator and main writer Julian Fellowes, who also wrote the previous two films.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is set to arrive in theaters on September 12, 2025.

Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.

A new, single-player Dungeons & Dragons action adventure is on the way from Stig Asmussen, the director behind Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and God of War 3.

The currently-untitled D&D project was announced today by Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, and is set to launch on PC and unannounced consoles "at a later date."

Asmussen's new studio Giant Skull is on development duties for the upcoming D&D project. Founded last year following Asmussen's departure from Respawn Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based Giant Skull was previously announced as making a new AAA single-player game built using Unreal Engine 5.

"Our talented and experienced team at Giant Skull is built on creativity and curiosity," Asmussen said in a statement today. "Our goal is to craft a rich new Dungeons & Dragons universe filled with immersive storytelling, heroic combat and exhilarating traversal that players will fully embrace."

The announcement of Giant Skull's project adds to a portfolio of games set to be published by Wizards of the Coast over the coming years, after the hugely-successful Baldur's Gate 3 from Larian, another D&D game, helped raised the profile of the franchise globally.

Another D&D action adventure game is already in development at Invoke Studios, the team behind Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance. Wizards of the Coast is also set to publish Exodus, the promising-looking sci-fi RPG from Archetype Entertainment, a developer founded by a collection of former Mass Effect veterans.

As for the Baldur's Gate series, it's expected that another game will eventually materialise, though not from Baldur's Gate 3 studio Larian, which has now moved on to something new. Instead, Wizards of the Coast is expected to announce plans to continue the franchise with a different developer.

"We're kind of working out our plans for the future and what we're going to be doing with that," Hasbro gaming boss Dan Ayoub told IGN back in March this year. "And actually, in pretty short order, we're going to have some stuff to talk about around that."

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

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 Captain America: Brave New World - you'll want to find a plan that best suits you. We're here to help.

At the moment, one of the best Disney Plus bundle deals available is the massive Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle. This starts at $16.99/month to get you all three streaming services with ads. It's one of the best bundles available at the moment, but we've included more Disney Plus bundle deals worth exploring below. If you're looking for more streaming deals from other services, check out the best Hulu deals and bundles and the best Max deals.

How to Get the Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max Streaming Bundle

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 per month – 43% on the ad-supported plan and 42% on the ad-free plan.

What Is the Paid Sharing Plan on Disney Plus?

In an effort to crack down on password sharing, Disney has added 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.

What Are the Different Disney+ Subscription Tiers?

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.

What Are the Different Disney+ Bundles?

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:

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic is $10.99/month and comes with subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu. This plan lets you stream on multiple devices at once and comes with ad-supported versions of both services.
• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium is $19.99/month and comes with Hulu and Disney+ with no ads. It also includes Disney+ Premium features like the ability to download shows to watch on the go.
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic adds ESPN+ (With Ads) to the mix alongside Disney+ (With Ads) and Hulu (With Ads), bumping up the price to $16.99/month. You can also download and watch select content on ESPN+ at this level.
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium is $26.99/month and comes with ESPN+ (With Ads) and ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu. You can also download select content across all three streaming services.

Disney+ Gift Cards

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.

What Can You Watch on Disney+?

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:

• Disney
• Pixar
• Marvel
• Star Wars
• National Geographic

Disney on Disney+

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.

Pixar on Disney+

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.

Marvel on Disney+

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 Captain America: Brave New World, there is always more coming.

Star Wars on Disney+

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 just wrapped up its second and final season. 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.

Alienware is offering competitive prices on RTX 5080 equipped gaming PCs to kick off June. Right now you can pick up an Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 gaming PC from $2,349.99 shipped. This is a good price for a well-engineered gaming rig with powerful current generation components, 240mm AIO water cooling, and sensible airflow design that can handle 4K gaming at high frame rates. In the current market, buying a prebuilt gaming PC is the only way to score an RTX 5080 GPU without paying an exorbitant markup. If you were to try to find a 5080 GPU for your do-it-yourself PC build, you'll probably spend nearly as much for the GPU as you would for an entire system.

Alienware Aurora RTX 5080 Gaming PC From $2,350

The prices on the Alienware Aurora R16 model starts range from the bottom end of $2,349.99 to the top end of $3,149.99. Each tier up offers either a CPU upgrade or increased RAM and/or storage:

• $2,349.99 - Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD
• $2,699.99 - Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD
• $3,149.99 - Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, 64GB RAM, 4TB SSD

Alienware Area-51 RTX 5080 Gaming PC for $3,449.99

The thrilling second season of The Last of Us is officially getting a 4K steelbook. If you've been waiting for news of its physical release to drop, preorders are live now and it's officially set to release on September 23 this year (see here at Amazon). Head to the links below to secure your copy and scroll further down to learn more about the bonus features included with this steelbook.

Preorder The Last of Us: Season Two Season (Steelbook)

The Last of Us Season Two Steelbook Bonus Features

The Last of Us season two steelbook comes with a wide variety of bonus features to dig into. They are:

• Ellie's Ultimate Revenge
• Beneath the Surface: The Visual FX of The Last of Us
• Growing the World of The Last of Us
• Welcome to Jackson (Set Tour)
• Joel's Journey to Season 2
• Ellie's Journey to Season 2
• Pedro and Bella Q&A
• Battle of Jackson, Deconstructed
• Open Book: Isabela Merced & Young Mazino
• Mushroom Taste Test
• Character Featurette – Joel
• Character Featurette – Ellie
• Character Featurette – Abby
• Character Featurette – Dina
• Making of: The Last of Us Episode #1
• Making of: The Last of Us Episode #2
• Making of: The Last of Us Episode #3
• Making of: The Last of Us Episode #4
• Making of: The Last of Us Episode #5
• Making of: The Last of Us Episode #6
• Making of: The Last of Us Episode #7
• Optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles for each episode

For even more TV shows and films releasing in a physical format soon, have a look through our breakdown of upcoming 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases. Here, we've listed out a wide variety of shows and movies coming out soon over the next few months, so you can plan ahead to stock up.

More Upcoming Physical Releases

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.

Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks has unveiled its new-look website and confirmed its working on an "unannounced action game."

The site — which shows new branding and a careers page recruiting for new roles for an unannounced project — states Tango Gameworks' core mission is to "create new games and expand intellectual properties" as an "independent development studio based in Tokyo, Japan" under the Krafton umbrella.

In May 2024, Microsoft announced it had closed a number of Bethesda studios, including Tango Gameworks and Redfall's Arkane Austin. The news was met with shock and anger by developers and fans alike, especially after Microsoft executive Aaron Greenberg had previously said Hi-Fi Rush was a "breakout hit for [Xbox] and [its] players in all key measurements and expectations."

PUBG publisher Krafton then acquired Tango Gameworks and the Hi-Fi Rush IP from Microsoft back in August 2024, saving the studio from being shut down. Krafton shared the news in a press release alongside confirming that, "as part of this strategic agreement, Krafton intends to collaborate with Xbox and ZeniMax to ensure a smooth transition and maintain continuity at Tango Gameworks, allowing the talented team to continue developing the Hi-Fi Rush IP and explore future projects."

"Finally, after months of waiting, Tango Gameworks is back, and in a brand-new way," the studio's new website states. "We’ve opened our site to give our fans and future team members a look into our studio. Here you can learn about the studio philosophy, as well as see featurettes from members of the team.

"Since joining Krafton, Tango Gameworks embarks on a new chapter, developing titles that resonate with players around the world," the company added. "We remain dedicated to the creation and growth of distinctive and new IPs, taking on challenges to be a unique voice in the game industry."

Tango added that its vision is "centered on a studio that acts like a creative workshop, making games and experiences that emphasize that 'hand-made' feel we put into our work."

As for what that new game may be? That's difficult to call right now. A news post published earlier today says Tango "aren’t ready to reveal much yet," but "has a number of positions open for early work on an unannounced action game."

"The positions span almost every department, so if you are interested in working with the team behind such hit releases as Hi-Fi Rush, read up on our studio philosophy." According to a machine translation of the senior-level designer position, Tango is looking for someone with "experience developing 3D action games" in Unreal Engine 5. The cutscene manager job similarly calls for 3D action game experience, but doesn't give us any other clues for now. Could it be Hi-Fi Rush 2?

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Elden Ring Nightreign Patch 1.01.1 is live now, taking aim at the single-player experience to hopefully ease up the difficulty on those trying to clear the new FromSoftware game by themselves. One player, however, decided not to wait, and cleared every Nightlord solo before the patch made anything easier.

Single-player difficulty in Elden Ring Nightreign has been one of the new game's hot topics, post-launch. Players have expressed frustration over how difficult running the game solo compared to trios has felt. Here's a bit of what our Elden Ring Nightreign review here at IGN had to say about it:

"None of this is to say that solo play is outright impossible, and I have had a few successful runs on my own. Just that the balancing of solo play feels like a job half finished, and as a result, the frustration of playing alone wasn’t worth the triumph for me to have any desire to play more without a squad."

All of this built up to Bandai Namco and FromSoftware announcing a patch, arriving today, that took aim at easing the burden of solo players. For many, this might be a welcome relief.

Over on the r/Nightreign subreddit, though, user "Valseran" posted evidence of their solo clears of each Nightlord, from the game's starting expedition to its final boss. Their reasoning? "Wanted to rush them down before the nerf."

It's certainly an achievement. I'd heard tell of other players clearing big chunks of the game solo, and some, like YouTuber Ongbal, have been posting their solo victories against specific Nightreign bosses. Still, Valseran's effort to clear everything they could before the patch closed in is both impressive and fitting.

You can see the clear times on the right-hand side, showing them advancing steadily and clearing bosses in the days ahead of the update, like they're outrunning the impending storm of the patch. These bragging rights were earned largely by Ironeye wins it seems, with the Duchess and Executor characters making cameo appearances early on. Thankfully, we don't have to intuit too much from just one screenshot alone, as Valseran went into further detail about their victory within the comments.

"Don't worry too much about getting a good bow so much as stacking weapon passives in your other slots," said Valseran, when asked about tips for Ironeye. "Ranged dmg, dmg while Two-handing, and dmg while at full health can all stack and really cause your damage output to get absurd. Any purple quality bow will shine with some decent passives. Also his dash ability is great dmg output but i tend to save it as a dodge when i know an attack thats difficult to roll is on the way, I tend to use his Art for the same reason against bosses, more for the invulnerability than the damage."

While Valseran primarily ran Ironeye, the ranged archer among the Nightfarers, they did say they prefer melee on some bosses, and even ran melee weapons as Ironeye on a few. Some bosses, though, are "just a nightmare solo" without ranged attacks, according to the lone wolf archer. They also rank the final boss as the hardest, but say they died to the centaur boss (Fulghor, Champion of Nightglow) the most.

Extra lives also seem to be a big priority, which makes sense; without teammates to pick you up, you'd like to have a safety net or two. Valseran said they would prioritize acquiring the extra lives from merchants, and also some field bosses would also drop them depending on the expedition. "One of my boss fights i went in with 4 extra lives," said Valseran. "But at the very least, always get one early."

An extra life during boss fights is one of the ways FromSoftware is handing solo players a helping hand with Patch 1.01.1. The effect "Automatic Revival Upon Defeat," which allows revival during a night boss battle once per night, has been added to solo expeditions, effectively handing players a free second life. Valseran did say they think the extra life will be "kinda substantial" in solo play. Since stacking them is already ideal for single-player, having a free one is a nice bonus.

So while the single-player Nightfarers might have an easier time with clearing some of the more challenging fights in Elden Ring Nightreign, at least one player has earned some significant bragging rights. For everyone else, Elden Ring Nightreign is out now, with a slightly easier burden to bear for the lone wolves, and waiting for more Nightfarers to attempt to clear its challenges.

We’ve got plenty of Nightreign tips and tricks to help you take down all the eight Nightlord Bosses, and if you’re wondering how to unlock the two locked Nightfarer Classes, check out How to Unlock the Revenant and How to Unlock the Duchess, plus How to Change Characters.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Here we go again! The upcoming sequel to the Five Nights at Freddy’s film adaptation, simply titled Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, has officially released its poster — and needless to say, we’re pretty excited to head back to Freddy Fazbear’s for a slice (pun intended) once again.

The one-sheet features a children’s toy called the FazTalker, which feels reminiscent of a two-way radio and one of those kids boombox-microphone combos from Fisher Price back in the day. It features the pizza joint’s main mascot, Freddy Fazbear, and has speakers and/or a microphone in the ears and an open mouth. Instead of an actual bowtie, that space is outlined and a communication screen is in its place. In the poster, that screen reads: “You there?”

Clearly, someone is trying to communicate, potentially with Mike, the first film’s leading man who is going to be played once again by The Hunger Games alum Josh Hutcherson. Considering the movie’s final act, it isn’t far-fetched to think this poster image could somehow be related to William Afton, the owner of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza and chief antagonist played by Matthew Lillard.

The Witcher 4 developer CD Projekt Red has confirmed it will showcase more of its highly-anticipated upcoming RPG this week.

In a post on social media this afternoon, CD Projekt Red announced it would be bringing a look at "the innovative techonology and features that will power The Witcher 4, and beyond" to Epic Games' State of Unreal briefing tomorrow.

Epic's keynote will kick off at 9.30am Eastern time tomorrow, June 3, and will be streamed online.

Last year, Epic devoted a portion of its State of Unreal showcase to a peek at Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, the Captain America and Black Panther-starring game from Uncharted creative director Amy Hennig.

A similar focus on The Witcher 4 would provide our first look at in-game (or at least in-engine) visuals for the project, which has so far only been glimpsed via a lengthy CGI trailer. Could we even see proper gameplay? Time will tell.

We'll be coming together with @UnrealEngine to present during the State of Unreal.

We’re looking forward to showcasing some of the innovative technology & features that will power The Witcher 4, and beyond.

Join us at #UnrealFest — 9:30 AM ET | 3:30 PM CEST on June 3:… pic.twitter.com/IfrdVM539I

— The Witcher (@thewitcher) June 2, 2025

Another interesting point here is CD Projekt's mention of technology that powers not only The Witcher 4, but "beyond." Is this is a reference to future games in this new era of The Witcher, or could we get a glimpse at another UE5-powered CD Projekt game, such as Cyberpunk 2?

The Witcher 4 is set to continue CD Projekt's beloved RPG series as it enters a new era, with Geralt's adoptive daughter Ciri now set to star. Last month, the voice of Geralt, Doug Cockle, hit back at criticism of the game's new protagonist, and said so-called fans of the franchise should "read the damn books."

Stand by for all of the biggest news — and that first in-game look at The Witcher 4 — from State of Unreal 2025 here on IGN tomorrow.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Finally, more five years after its first announcement, we're about to get our first real look at IO Interactive's new James Bond game. Initially teased as Project 007, the official title is 007 First Light, and it's set for a reveal sometime this week.

In a post to Twitter/X today, developer IO Interactive showed a still image of presumably James Bond in silouette lit faintly by a single beam of light, with text reading "First Light 007" and "Game reveal this week." It included a hashtag "#EarnTheNumber", likely a reference to a fact that the project is an origin story centered around Bond "earning" his 007 number.

The post didn't include any further details, but it seems likely we'll see this game at one of the showcases planned for the coming week as a part of Summer Game Fest, Summer of Gaming, or one of the other gaming events typical for the first week of June.

007 First Light was first revealed back in 2020 as Project 007, and since then we've learned very, very little about it. We know it's a James Bond origin story and is a wholly original piece of work rather than retreading the events of any particular film. More recently, IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak said he hopes this will be the start of a new trilogy of games, though unfortunately the studio's beloved Hitman franchise is on hiatus while IOI works on this game. We also learned just this past April that in addition to PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, it's getting a Nintendo Switch 2 release.

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.

PlayStation's Days of Play is back, and with it some great PS5 deals. From games to accessories to consoles, this year's event features a wide variety of discounts for gamers to enjoy. Here we've gathered up some of the top deals available at the moment, including the new PS5 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 bundle that dropped as part of Days of Play. There are some great game deals to highlight as well, including offers on Astro Bot, Helldivers 2, and so many more.

There's so much to enjoy with this summertime sale event, so let's jump right in. Here are IGN's top picks for the best PlayStation deals today.

Best PS5 Video Game Deals

The Days of Play sale has seen quite a few discounts on some exciting games. Helldivers 2 has dropped to $29.83, The Last of Us Part II Remastered is down to $29.99, and beloved GOTY winner at The Game Awards, Astro Bot, is down to $49.94. Woot's Spring Sale is still going strong as well, with deals on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Silent Hill 2, and many more.

PS5 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Bundle

PS5 Pro Gets Its First Discount

PS5 DualSense Controllers Are $20 Off

• Amazon | Best Buy | PS Direct | Target | Walmart

If you've been waiting for a good time to pick up a new controller (or an extra for co-op), now's your chance. Thanks to Days of Play, several different colors of DualSense Controller are marked down at the moment. The DualSense Edge has also received a discount, which you can see below.

PS5 DualSense Edge Is Also on Sale

PSVR 2: Horizon Call of The Mountain Bundle Deal

PS5 Accessory Deals

Best PS5 SSD Deals

PlayStation Plus Deals

Where to Buy: PlayStation Portal

How to Trade in Your Old PlayStation Consoles

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.

Introducing Victory Banner, a new World War II-set real-time strategy and third-person shooter hybrid whose gameplay that lets you switch seamlessly between top-down tactics and boots-on-the-ground action. It's in development for PC.

In Victory Banner, you'll secure trenches, rescue wounded allies, set up comms, and more. You'll be able to play as sniper, medic, or tank operator – and every soldier has a name and a story, a la XCOM, in an effort to give extra gameplay meaning to each unit. You can command both entire squads and individual units.

This unique genre mashup is set in 1941 on Europe's Eastern Front. Two single-player modes are promised: the enemy-dominating Frontline as well as the name-tells-you-everything Stealth mode. Victory Mode is developer Peresvet's debut game, and you can wishlist it on Steam if you're interested.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

If you’re checking out the Nintendo Switch 2 preorders currently available at Amazon UK, or are checking the one you placed weeks ago, you may have noticed it’s scheduled to come after the console’s June 5th release date this week.

While this would normally be a cause for concern, we’ve determined this is not the case. While the current Nintendo Switch 2 product page at Amazon UK, for example, states a delivery date of June 7 with Prime delivery, this appears to be an error in Amazon’s stock and order management system.

Hard to believe it's already June. But a new month means a new batch of PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2(!), PC, and even VR games is heading our way. This month sees the release of the next iteration of Nintendo's incredibly popular hardware, plus a bunch of games (and ports) for launch. And if you're not into the new hybrid console, you can pick up Death Stranding 2: On the Beach for PS5, plus a bunch of other games. Read on to see release dates for all the biggest games and expansions coming out in May and beyond. Let's have a look.

If you're someone who likes to preorder your games, you can click the links on the platform of your choice to make sure it arrives on launch day.

June 2025 - Video Game Release Dates

The big release in June is obviously the Nintendo Switch 2, the Mario company's first new hardware in seven years. It's getting a new Mario Kart installment at launch, plus a ton of ports of big games like Cyberpunk, Hitman, Hogwarts, and more. Anyone not planning on spending $450+ on a new console this month can pick up a new Five Nights at Freddy's, a new Death Stranding, and more.

• Deltarune Ch 1-4 - June 4 - (PS5, Switch, PC) (Switch 2 on June 5)
• Nintendo Switch 2 (Hardware) - June 5 - Buy It
• Arcade Archives 2: Ridge Racer - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Fast Fusion - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Fortnite - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Hitman: World of Assassination Signature Edition - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Hogwarts Legacy - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Mario Kart World - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Sid Meier's Civilization VII - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Sonic x Shadow Generations - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Split Fiction - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Street Fighter 6: Years 1-2 Fighters Edition - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Survival Kids - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Yakuza 0 Director's Cut - June 5 - (Switch 2)
• Dune: Awakening - June 10 - (PS5, Xbox)
• MindsEye - June 10 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Stellar Blade - June 11 - (PC)
• The Alters - June 13 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic - June 13 - (PS5)
• Gex Trilogy - June 16 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)
• Soulstone Survivors - June 17 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)
• Tron: Catalyst - June 17 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)
• Battle Train - June 18 - (Switch, PC)
• Chronicles of the Wolf - June 19 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)
• Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army - June 19 - (PS5, Switch, Switch 2, Xbox, PC)
• Rematch - June 19 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Star Overdrive - June 19 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach - June 26 - (PS5)
• System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster - June 26 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)
• Tamagotchi Plaza - June 27 - (Switch, Switch 2)

July 2025 - Video Game Release Dates

• College Football 26 - July 7 - 10 (depending on edition) - (PS5, XSX)
• Patapon 1+2 Replay - July 11 - (PS5, Switch, PC)
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 - July 11 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)
• Donkey Kong Bonanza - July 17 - (Switch 2)
• Shadow Labyrinth - July 18 - (PS5, Switch, Switch 2, Xbox, PC)
• Killing Floor 3 - July 24 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Super Mario Party Jamboree Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV - July 24 - (Switch 2)
• No Sleep for Kaname Date - July 25 - (Switch, PC)
• Wild Heats S - July 25 - (Switch 2)
• Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game - July 29 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)

August 2025 - Video Game Release Dates

• Gradius Origins - August 7 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)
• Mafia: The Old Country - August 8 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Madden NFL 25 - August 11 or 14 (depending on edition) - (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2)
• Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar - August 27 - (Switch, Switch 2, PC)
• Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater - August 28 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Lost Soul Aside - August 29 - (PS5, PC)
• Shinobi: Art of Vengeance - August 29 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)

September 2025 - Video Game Release Dates

• Hell Is Us - September 4 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion - September 5 - (Switch 2)
• Terminator 2D: No Fate - September 5 - (PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC)
• Borderlands 4 - September 12 - (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, PC)
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter - September 19 - (PS5, Switch, PC)
• Marathon - September 23 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)

October 2025 - Video Game Release Dates

• Directive 8020: A Dark Pictures Game - October 2 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Ghost of Yotei - October 2 - (PS5)
• Pokemon Legends: Z-A - October 16 - (Switch, Switch 2)
• Double Dragon Revive - October 23 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)

May 2026 - Video Game Release Dates

• Grand Theft Auto 6 - May 26, 2026 - (PS5, Xbox)

Upcoming Video Games - Release Date TBA

• 33 Immortals - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)
• Anno 117: Pax Romana - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Arc Raiders - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• ArcheAge Chronicles - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Ark 2 - TBA - (PC)
• Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & the White Guardian - 2025 - (PS5, Switch, PC)
• Ballad of Antara - 2025 - (PS5)
• Blackfrost: The Long Dark II - TBA
• Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Clockwork Revolution - TBA - (Xbox, PC)
• Coffee Talk Tokyo - 2025 - (Switch)
• Contraband - TBA - (Xbox, PC)
• Crimson Desert - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Digimon Story: Time Stranger - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Directive 8020: A Dark Pictures Game - 2025 - (PS5)
• Drag & Drive - Summer 2025 - (Switch 2)
• Dreams of Another - 2025 - (PS5)
• The Duskbloods - 2026 - (Switch 2)

• Dying Light: The Beast - Summer 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition - 2025 - (Switch 2)
• The Eternal Life of Goldman - Holiday 2025 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)
• Everwild - TBA - (Xbox, PC)
• Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots - 2025 - (PS5, Switch, PC)
• Fable - 2026 - (Xbox, PC)
• Front Mission 3 Remake - TBA - (Switch)
• Frostpunk 1886 - 2027 - (PC)
• Gears of War: E-Day - TBA - (Xbox, PC)
• Hail Macbeth - Q1 2026 - (PC)
• Hello Kitty: Island Adventure - 2025 - (Switch)
• Hollow Knight: Silksong - 2025 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)
• Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment - Winter 2025-2026 - (Switch 2)
• Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet - TBA - (PS5)
• John Carpenter's Toxic Commando - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Judas - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Jurassic Park: Survival - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)

• Kirby Air Riders - 2025 - (Switch 2)
• Lies of P: Overture (DLC) - Summer 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Little Devil Inside - TBA - (PS5, Switch, Xbox)
• Little Nightmares 3 - 2025 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)
• Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra - 2026
• Marvel Cosmic Invasion - 2025 - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)
• Marvel's Blade - TBA - (Xbox, PC)
• Mecha Break - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - 2025 - (Switch, Switch 2)
• Mio: Memories in Orbit - 2025 - (Switch)
• Mixtape - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Monument Valley 3 - Summer 2025 - (Switch)
• Moth Kubit - Spring 2025 - (Switch)
• Ninja Gaiden 4 - Fall 2025 - (Xbox, PC)
• OD - TBA - (Xbox)
• Okami 2 - TBA
• Onimusha: Way of the Sword - 2026 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• The Outer Worlds 2 - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)
• Perfect Dark - TBA - (Xbox, PC)
• Phantom Blade 0 - TBA - (PS5)
• Phantom Hellcat - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero - 2025 - (Switch)
• Pokemon Champions - TBA - (Switch, mobile)
• PowerWash Simulator 2 - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• The Precinct - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake - 2026 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Prison Architect 2 - TBA (Xbox, PC)
• Professor Layton and the New World of Steam - 2025 - (Switch, Switch 2)
• Replaced - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)
• Rhythm Heaven Groove - 2026 - (Switch)
• Rift of the Necrodancer - 2025 - (Switch)
• Saros - 2026 - (PS5)
• Screamer - 2026 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX - 2025 - (Switch)
• The Sinking City 2 - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)
• Slay the Spire 2 - early access in 2025 - (PC)
• Sleight of Hand - 2025 - (Xbox, PC)
• Sonic Racing CrossWorlds - TBA - (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC)

• Star Overdrive - 2025 - (Switch)
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake - TBA - (PS5)
• Star Wars Outlaws - 2025 - (Switch 2)
• State of Decay 3 - TBA (Xbox, PC)
• Styx: Blades of Greed - Fall 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Terminator: Survivors - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Tides of Annihilation - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream - 2026 - (Switch)
• Turok Origins - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 - H1 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Venus Vacation Prism - early 2025 - (PS5, PC)
• Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 - 2026 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy - TBA (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Definitive Edition - TBA - (PC)
• Winter Burrow - Early 2025 - (Xbox, PC)
• Witchbrook Winter - 2025 - (Switch, Xbox, PC)
• The Witcher 4 - TBA
• The Wolf Among Us 2 - TBA - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Wolverine - TBA - (PS5)
• Wuchang: Fallen Feathers - 2025 - (PS5, Xbox, PC)
• Yes, Your Grace: Snowfall - TBA - (Switch, Xbox, PC)

For more release date fun, check out our ongoing list of 4K UHD and Blu-ray release dates.

Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.

Ncuti Gatwa's decision to leave Doctor Who after only two seasons prompted extensive reshoots early this year, fans believe.

Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor was given his swansong in this weekend's Doctor Who season finale, in a shocking climax which saw The Doctor regenerate into a new incarnation played by Billie Piper.

But fans believe this ending was clearly not the series' original plan, and Gatwa's decision to leave after only 18 episodes prompted something of a rethink.

Let's travel back in time to this time last year, when Gatwa was still demonstrating enthusiasm for continuing on in the coveted role. At this point, filming for the recent season finale was being completed (fans tracking location shooting believe in May 2024), and the series had episodes in the can to last for another 12 months.

In April 2024, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gatwa said he would be "so angry if I never face a Dalek." (Only one other Doctor, Paul McGann's briefly-seen Eighth Doctor, has not.)

"By the time that I'm done with Doctor Who, I better have faced a Dalek," Gatwa continued. "What on earth would be the point of me being Doctor Who without facing a Dalek!"

But later last year, an appearance by Gatwa on the BBC's Graham Norton Show raised eyebrows when a comment about his still-to-be-confirmed third season was cut from transmission. The audience in the room reportedly heard Gatwa state that season three would film in 2025 — however this comment was trimmed from the version of the show ulimately broadcast.

The BBC's Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has maintained that the decision to make further episodes with co-production partner Disney was always set to be made now, following the conclusion of the second season airing. But this situation — even if resolved immediately — has left the show on a production hiatus, with no new episodes expected to be ready much before 2027.

Roll forward to February 2025, and fans who track Doctor Who location filming spotted that the show's production had resumed, although not on new episodes. Instead, additional location shooting for this season's finale took place for the scenes set in the house and garden of companion Belinda Chandra, in the ending viewers saw at the weekend where Gatwa's Doctor bids her farewell, before heading off in his TARDIS to regenerate.

Clearly, this block of shooting — nearly a year after the original production wrapped, and only three months before transmission — was not a minor venture. Behind the scenes footage aired during the finale's accompanying Doctor Who Unleashed documentary shows that Gatwa's final day of shooting was back on the UNIT set, with many returning cast members present. And, of course, Gatwa's regeneration sequence featured an appearance by former Doctor Jodie Whittaker — another apparently late addition.

Reports that modders unlocked a secret multiplayer mode in Stellar Blade aren't quite as they seem, claims the player who first posted a split-screen gameplay video that's going viral across social media.

While overnight reports popped up that Stellar Blade developer Shift Up had built a defunct multiplayer mode directly into the game, the modder who discovered it and shared a two-player gameplay clip of Stellar Blade in Discord has insisted this is not the case.

"I woke up to everyone posting clips that I shared in a Discord completely out of context, I avoided tweeting these for a reason," PhantomSomnus wrote on X/Twitter. PhantomSomnus then explained that "split-screen mode is built into Unreal Engine, [Stellar Blade developer] Shift Up did not create it."

That's how PhantomSomnus managed to load a second Eve into their game. The split-screen multiplayer in the video was not developed by Shift Up, it was made by PhantomSomnus using Unreal Engine's native local multiplayer support. "The reason why I set up split-screen was to see if I could get any of it to work, but as you can see I failed," PhantomSomnus explained in a post on Reddit.

O modder @phantomSomnus encontrou nos arquivos de Stellar Blade referências a multiplayer.
E neste vídeo, com uma 2ª Eve spawnada, a tela surpresamente se divide em duas, como se o jogo estivesse preparado para um modo co-op local (dois controles)#StellarBlade #StellarBladePC https://t.co/QIeiu5lKSI pic.twitter.com/rp7oudcnV2

— Stellar Blade Brasil (@StellarBladeBR) June 1, 2025

"There ARE signs of multiplayer in the game," PhantomSomnus said, "but they're online only." A previous post of theirs includes a screenshot depicting what they found when digging around the demo's backend. The "old scrapped/unused multiplayer PVP mode," as Somnus calls it, no longer works, but they did discover "some menus left over."

Does this mean be any kind of multiplayer update or mod in the future for Stellar Blade? "Very unlikely," PhantomSomnus said.

The PC version of Stellar Blade launches via Steam on June 11 along with a raft of PC-specific features, including AI upscaling via Nvidia DLSS 4 and AMD FSR 3, an unlocked framerate, Japanese and Chinese voiceover, ultrawide display support, higher resolution environment textures, and DualSense support for haptic feedback and trigger effects. It was originally region locked in 100+ countries, but is now available to pre-order on PC in "over 250 regions."

IGN's Stellar Blade review returned a 7/10. We said: "Stellar Blade is great in all of the most important ways for an action game, but dull characters, a lackluster story, and several frustrating elements of its RPG mechanics prevent it from soaring along with the best of the genre."

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.