Ahead of San Diego Comic-Con, DC continues to reveal big plans for Fall 2025. Hot on the heels of the reveal of Absolute Evil, DC is shedding light on DC K.O., the publisher's next big crossover event.

Overseen by Absolute Batman writer Scott Snyder and Superman writer Joshua Williamson and building on the foundation of 2024's DC All In, DC K.O. explores what happens when the fate of the entire DC Universe hinges on a Mortal Kombat-style death tournament. 36 fighters will enter the tournament, with only one standing the chance of rising through the ranks and building up enough Omega Energy to challenge Darkseid himself.

“DC K.O. is a knock-down, drag-out fight between all your favorite DC Super Heroes in a cosmic tournament to save the universe from Darkseid,” said Snyder in DC's press release. “Darkseid has evolved into something bigger and stronger than ever.”

“He’s destroyed the future,” added Williamson. “There’s no future for the DC Universe because of what he’s done—the heroes’ only shot is to stop him in the present.”

DC is teasing that readers will be greatly surprised at which heroes enter the tournament and, especially, which ones make it through the early battles. However, the core of DC K.O. is built around Superman.

“Metal was a Batman story, Death Metal was a Wonder Woman story—and DC K.O. is a Superman story,” said Williamson.

“I wanted to tell a story about Superman looking into his own heart of darkness,” said Snyder. “It’s a very personal story wrapped in nine layers of candy exploding in your face.”

The core, five-issue DC K.O. miniseries will be written by Snyder and illustrated by Javi Fernández (Batman & Robin). Williamson, meanwhile, will write several tie-in books spinning out of the main series. Other ongoing DC books like Justice League Unlimited and Titans will also tie into DC K.O.

DC K.O. kicks off with the prologue issue Justice League: The Omega Act #1 on October 1, 2025, followed by DC K.O. #1 on October 8.

For more on Snyder's current DC work, find out what happens when Absolute Batman meets Absolute Joker.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

While nowhere near as popular as Mario games, Donkey Kong has continuously released some of the best 2D platformers in the entire market. The Donkey Kong Country series, which started on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, has released two remasters on Nintendo Switch specifically. One of these is Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, launched earlier this year for Nintendo Switch, and if you're a fan of 2D platformers, this is easily a must-own game. Then there's also Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which is on sale for the same price at Woot as well.

These deals are part of an ongoing video game sale at Woot, which lasts until August 1 and includes a ton of other Switch games.

Donkey Kong Switch Games Are on Sale at Woot

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD features over 80 levels across nine different worlds. This version of the game brings the new features found in the 3DS release, in addition to a new Modern Mode that increases the number of hearts per level. Some of the levels you'll come across will be incredibly challenging, but the platforming is very fair and exceptionally fun, whether playing alone or with a friend.

DKC Returns initially launched on the Wii in 2010, but even 15 years later, the game still holds up. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review, stating, "Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a passable remaster of an amazing platformer – more modern improvements and a larger graphical update would have been nice, but this is still one of the greatest 2D platformers Nintendo has released this century."

The other deal worth mentioning in this sale is Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, which was originally released for the Wii U. We gave that game a 9/10 in our review, stating, "Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is a fun and challenging platformer that isn’t afraid to make you work hard."

Now is the perfect time to jump into DK's previous adventures, as Donkey Kong Bananza (out tomorrow!) is set to feature numerous references to older games in the series. If you're excited for Donkey Kong's big debut on Nintendo Switch 2, be sure to check out our 10/10 review of the game.

The plot continues to thicken in the ongoing battle between the former leadership of Subnautica 2 studio Unknown Worlds, and parent company Krafton, now with the studio's founders alleging in a lawsuit that Krafton went out of its way to hinder Subnautica 2's development, delay the game, and ultimately fire them from the studio after it learned it may have to pay out a $250 million bonus to employees if the game were to be released on time.

In a newly-unsealed complaint reported by Bloomberg and shared by Aftermath, former Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill, and fellow co-founders Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire claim their relationship with Krafton, as well as the development of the game, was all going well up until early 2025, when the leaders presented Krafton with new revenue projections that suggested Subnautica 2 would do better than they initially anticipated. They also say they tried to negotiate for developers who had joined the team later and were not currently eligible for bonuses to receive them.

The former leaders claim that upon learning this, Krafton began to suggest the game be delayed, allegedly combing through contracts to determine if they had a legal standing to force a delay, despite the contract saying the decision lay with Unknown Worlds. They say that Krafton even went so far as to take action to make it difficult or impossible for it to release on time. Krafton began offering feedback that the game was not ready for its early access launch, pulled marketing materials, and refusing to follow through on certain pre-launch commitments. Ultimately, the founders say this culminated in Krafton letting the three of them go earlier this month and officially delaying Subnautica 2.

While Krafton has since extended the bonus period for the remaining employees to receive their earnout if targets are hit, notably Krafton has claimed that the former leadership was eligible for 90% of the bonuses, meaning Krafton would only have to pay a maximum of $25 million if targets are met, not $250 million.

The founders' lawsuit accuses Krafton of breach of contract and demands payout of the full bonus promised as well as damages and other costs.

The drama around Subnautica 2 kicked off earlier this month when Krafton announced suddenly that it was replacing the three founders with former Striking Distance CEO Steve Papoutsis effectively immediately, which Gill, Cleveland, and McGuire claimed was a "shock" to them. In the following weeks, reports have emerged regarding the $250 million bonus promised to staff, and Krafton has made statements accusing the former leaders of neglecting their duties and saying that Subnautica 2 was not in an acceptable state for launch. In particular, Krafton alleged that Cleveland was told to stop devoting time to a personal project and focus on his duties at the studio. The lawsuit, filed last week, counters that this personal project was a Subnautica film, and was worked on at the explicit request of Krafton.

The readiness of Subnautica 2 remains an open question. Leaked documents since verified by Krafton confirm that Unknown Worlds was receiving feedback from the publisher that the game was not ready for early access launch. However, a report from Bloomberg that sources developers on the project, as well as the lawsuit from the founders, suggest it was in good shape.

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.

Prime Day may be over, but there are still countless great deals on books at Amazon. The Legend of Zelda books are great deep-dives into the history and lore of Nintendo's legendary action-adventure games, and the Deluxe Edition of the official encyclopedia is at its lowest price we've seen all year. It's currently sitting at $44.66, which is a nice 50% off of its original list price, $89.99. At this price, I'm real close to picking one up for myself even though I don't have any more room on my shelf. This is a great gift for any Zelda fans out there.

The Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia Deluxe Edition Is at its Lowest Price in 2025

Leviathan is now streaming on Netflix.

With its exceptional storytelling, characters, worldbuilding, and animation, Netflix’s Leviathan has the trappings of a modern classic. In this clever alternate history of World War I – adapted by Studio Orange (Trigun Stampede, Beastars) from a trilogy of novels by Scott Westerfeld – alliances are determined by technology. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans are “Clankers,” relying on machines and other electrical phenomena. On the other side, the “Darwinist” Brits use genetically engineered animals as both weaponry and smaller-scale technology. There’s a genuine inventiveness to these concepts – and the coming of age saga that they surround – that gives all 12 episodes of Leviathan a refreshing air.

To wit: The morning after the Austrian archduke and his wife are assassinated in 1914, their son Aleksandar is whisked away to a safe house in the Swiss Alps. In a mech. Meanwhile, in the U.K., young Deryn Sharp dreams of becoming an aviator (despite it being a male-only profession). She cuts her hair, adopts the first name Dylan, enlists in the British Air Service, and then gets whisked away on a giant flying jellyfish. The Clankers’ steampunk mechs feel period-appropriate, but the Darwinists’ technology is far more enthralling, and Leviathan knows it – after all, it’s named for a whale that serves as an airship. There are smoke-screening birds, bats that drop missiles, and funny little lizards who can record short messages and play them back.

Leviathan’s preference for showing rather than telling is one of its greatest strengths – and one of the ways in which it authentically draws favorable comparisons to Studio Ghibli (and merits the participation of its go-to composer, Joe Hisaishi). Similar to a Ghibli film, some key turns are communicated through facial expressions and other visual cues. This leaves Leviathan open to interpretation, giving it a depth and richness that lingers long after the finale.

The art direction helps amplify this – and the Ghibli-ness, too. In the second episode, Aleksandar and his entourage go to a town that, from the color choices to camera and character blocking, feels right out of Porco Rosso or Kiki’s Delivery Service. It’s impressive that Studio Orange is able to evoke the atmosphere of these hand-drawn classics within a computer-animated series. Sometimes the “slowness” of the CG feels manufactured, or a character can’t quite reach the levels of expressiveness the animators are going for. But given the sheer number of incredibly complex machines in Leviathan, CG is the sensible choice. Every country represented onscreen has its own style of technology, and Studio Orange makes them all look pristine.

All this openness gives Leviathan a critical gray space to move around in, which allows its story and characters to flourish. When the Leviathan crashes in the Alps, Aleksandar – going by the comically weak pseudonym Alek – and crew are forced aboard on a globetrotting journey. “The development of a friendship from opposite sides of a war” and “teens travel the world” are both tried-and-true story structures that settle Leviathan into the cozy, classic feeling of the generations of YA stories that inspired it. Yet the well-formed characters play with those conventions, and give us plenty of reasons to care about them.

Both Alek and Sharp (as most everyone in Leviathan refers to the character) are immediately likable, due in large part to the spirited work of their voice actors, Ayumu Murase and Natsumi Fujiwara. Alek has all the trappings of a sheltered noble without ever seeming too pompous, stuffy, or flat. The growth he demonstrates as he’s thrown into the wider world for the first time is a robust, relatable depiction of a kid emerging from a sheltered upbringing. Sharp, on the other hand, has an infectious eagerness that never lets up.

Their relationship gets an added layer of intrigue because both teens keep their true identities a secret from each other. Leviathan has an opinion on whose secret is the most dangerous, but again, shows us rather than telling us: Whereas Alek risks endangering his life, Sharp risks endangering everything in his life. Leviathan makes us feel the brunt of not only the limitations aligned against women, but how merely identifying someone as “female” changes peoples’ perceptions of them. Leviathan even uses sympathetic characters like Alek to show how widespread these prejudices are. It’s tricky subject matter, but Leviathan handles it with remarkable deftness and care.

Another sign of that care is how Sharp is treated as far more than some archetypal cross-dressing woman. Once the truth is out, Leviathan doesn’t pigeonhole Sharp’s queerness and gender identity. Where Sharp lies on the artificial spectrum between “Deryn” and “Dylan” is not only left to interpretation, but beyond the point. The complexities of how Leviathan portrays this are vast, and more than a review can do justice to. But this much can be definitively said: It’s wonderful that Sharp is allowed to be Sharp.

Once more, Leviathan’s commitment to showing instead of telling pays off. When presented with the choice of three gowns to wear to a gala event in a later episode, a panicked Sharp runs from the room. Cut to: A hotel lobby, where a dashing Sharp makes a grand entrance in a suit and tie – a marvelous affirmation of Sharp’s character that cleverly reworks the type of traditional glamour shot another series might’ve gone with. Leviathan’s deeply refreshing stance is that it does not matter if Sharp – or any character – is male or female or somewhere in between. Any person can have any characteristic. A good character is a good character.

Providing some of the accompaniment to these dynamic characters bursting with feelings: Joe Hisaishi, a master of sentimental musical themes. Both of Hisaishi’s contributions to Leviathan are soaring, emotional, and beautiful. The main theme, “Paths Combine,” initially appears as a solo piano arrangement during the opening, but slowly seeps into the rest of the show. By the time you finally hear the lyrics, your heart’s ready to melt – another reward of Leviathan’s willingness to slowly, deliberately grow its characters. The full instrumental score, meanwhile, was composed by the Suzume duo of Nobuko Toda and Kazuma Jinnouchi, who more than live up to Hisaishi’s example.

All that globetrotting means that Leviathan’s story is briskly paced. As much as it allows for space, the series also crams three books into twelve episodes. You’d expect such breakneck speed to stunt the characters’ growth, but it doesn’t. Even though there are occasionally odd cuts or scenes I wish would stick around longer, the pacing somehow works. Each 25-ish-minute episode feels like it contains 40 minutes’ worth of story and passes by in the blink of an eye.

Finding ways to improve ergonomics when playing the Nintendo Switch 2 in handheld mode is tricky with so many options already available – Genki’s Attack Vector grip is one such Switch 2 accessory. Despite a few cool perks like a MagSafe point to conveniently hold portable chargers and swappable grip sizes, the Attack Vector comfort grip comes up short in a few key ways. Even though the grips themselves have a great texture for long sessions, the loose fit, frustrating application and swapping process, and general shape just weren’t quite right.

I’ve had a repetitive-use wrist condition for over three years, which has been spurred on by frequent, sustained writing and gaming sessions, and working as a cook. So, I’m always on the hunt for ergonomic solutions for everything from your garden variety kitchen knife to keyboards to grips for my Switch – and now my Switch 2. While I generally prefer to stick to docked mode and use Nintendo’s first-party Pro Controllers for this exact reason, sometimes I want to play in bed or on the couch without being tethered to a TV. That’s where Genki, alongside just about every other Switch 2 hardware manufacturer, comes in with their attempts at a comfort grip.

Clocking in at a retail price of $49.99, Genki’s Attack Vector runs a premium price. That price is somewhat justified by a convenient MagSafe-style magnetic ring, swappable grips of different shapes and sizes, and a slim wrap for the system itself (that's also dock compatible). But in my experience, that price hasn’t fully justified itself during my hours of hands-on time with its various configurations.

It all starts with applying the case itself: the part that covers the Switch itself featuring the magnetic ring snaps on like a charm, with rubber padding on the inside to prevent the case from slipping out of place. Unfortunately, the case partially obscures some important stuff, like the power and volume buttons. They’re significantly harder to press because the case has a decidedly higher profile, making you reach around for the power and volume buttons. I regularly found myself needing to turn the console over in my hands, having trouble fitting my finger into the divot, and unsatisfyingly just barely pressing the power button.

Oddly, this is really the only place where the Attack Vector’s profile is an issue, as it’s still fully dockable. It feels a little unnatural when you’re slotting the Switch 2 into the dock on your first go, but that’s only because of how smooth the naked Switch 2 is. This frees you from needing to rely on the awkward docking solutions you might find with other, undockable grips.

The grips themselves latch onto the shells you attach to each Joy-Con 2. Each shell has rails for the swappable comfort grips to slide in and out, and the three options can accommodate hand size, portability, and general ergonomic preference. The smallest of the three doesn’t register much in my larger hands, but it’s the only setup that doesn’t add any width to the already pretty big Switch 2, making it the most portable option. The second-biggest option feels comfortable in my hands, adding a nice rounded edge where my hands would normally hover awkwardly around the console. And the biggest adds proper ergonomic grips, adding a little extra anchor for the pinky and grooves that feel closer to an actual controller.

For my hand size, I definitely preferred the biggest one with the extra grip, though the mid-size and biggest options both have a critical issue: they don’t fit in most standard Switch 2 cases, including Genki’s Sleeper Case. Genki doesn’t offer a screen-covering solution to this issue, unlike other manufacturers, such as DBrand. It also doesn’t help that swapping in a new set of grips (like switching to the smallest option if you’re hoping to take your grip on the go) is kind of awkward, and more trouble than its worth since you have a wrestle with the grips a bit to remove them – so is removing the shells from your Joy-Con 2 altogether.

Looking for a Switch 2 case?

The list of retired LEGO sets grows each month, and while you may feel like you missed out on sets that have already retired or are retiring soon, retailers like Amazon have some of these still on sale. Of course, there are other ways to buy LEGO, but I've found Amazon to be the most reliable when it comes to hard to find or recently retired kits. For our July update, we've listed out some of these sets you can still buy (some with extremely low quantities available), and removed the ones that are gone completely.

Retired LEGO Sets Still Available at Amazon

Amazon still has dozens of retired LEGO sets for sale, although at limited available quantities depending on the set. The large-scale R2-D2 is one of the best ones you can still buy, and the 2,314-piece model is one of the most detailed recreations of our favorite astromech droid we've seen in LEGO form. The Technic Porsche 911 RSR is the perfect display set for both LEGO and car lovers. The Technic line has some of the most complex, accurate, and impressive scaled-down LEGO versions of their real-life counterparts. If I were more of a car guy, this is one I'd definitely add to my collection. And then there's the BrickHeadz, cute Chibi-like buildable statues featuring tons of characters from decades of iconic pop culture properties like Lord of the Rings, Disney, Star Wars, and Harry Potter.

For Marvel fans, there is currently only really one recently retired set still available, but it's a really cool one. The LEGO Art Amazing Spider-Man set was officially retired back in December 2024, but Amazon still has it available for its original MSRP. Prices on this set have continued to fluctuate over the last few months as stock is becoming more limited. Star Wars fans have quite a few more options available in July as the the N-1 Starfighter and Spider Tank from the Mandalorian are available again at normal prices.

Which LEGO Sets Are Retiring Soon?

LEGO's official site has a full breakdown on their "Retiring Soon" page. Notable updates this month include the Super Mario Goombas' Playground set, Disney Snow White's Jewelry Box, and the Marvel Rocket's Warbird vs. Ronan sets. For an even more extensive list, Brick Economy has a great breakdown of dates and statistics for retiring LEGO sets. Finally, there are plenty of third party brick and mortar brick shops around that may have backstock of retired sets you might have missed, so I'd definitely give those a browse if you're near one.

Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.

IGN has partnered with Warner Bros. and IMAX to launch the first trailer for Mortal Kombat II. Join us across our platforms – including IGN.com, YouTube, Twitch, and our socials – beginning July 17 at 8:05am PT and counting down to the Official Trailer debut at 9am PT.

You can also bookmark this page where you will be able to view the Mortal Kombat II Trailer Event Kountdown stream via the player above or the embed below.

During the Mortal Kombat II Trailer Event Kountdown, fans will be treated with surprise guests and get the chance to unlock exclusive content from the movie.

IGN will also have an exclusive cover story featuring Johnny Cage himself, actor Karl Urban, director Simon McQuoid, and producer Todd Garner going live with the trailer.

In our report, the star and filmmakers provide an in-depth behind-the-scenes account of the making of Mortal Kombat II and the casting of Urban as Johnny Cage.

In the meantime, get over here and check out the faux movie trailer for Johnny Cage’s Uncaged Fury.

Mortal Kombat II opens in theaters on October 24, 2025.

We’re a few weeks into the Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set, and things are starting to settle down as we head into (you guessed it) another set.

That’s right, Edge of Eternities is right around the corner, but before the space-themed set arrives, there have been yet more price fluctuations in the world of Magic: The Gathering.

Crashers: Vivi Drops Again

Vivi Ornitier was around $70 a week or two ago, but is now at around $45. He’s still incredibly popular, but he is dropping off.

Vivi’s synergies are also dropping. Harmonic Prodigy reached $13 but has started to roll downward, closing in on the $10 mark.

Perch Protection from Bloomburrow is also down, now as low as $8 for all you Chocobo lovers. It’s still up, but it’s lower than it has been.

Remember when Tifa, Martial Artist was absolutely flying at around the $50 mark? She’s seen a steep drop, likely because she’s included in the FF7 Commander precon.

She’s down to under $4 now, when just a few weeks ago she’d have set you back $50 (although she’s great fun to use in a game).

Climbers: Cloud Nine

For the first few weeks of the Final Fantasy set, a big focus was on counters thanks to Tidus’ Final Fantasy X deck, but now Cloud is our spiky-haired boy of the week.

His focus on Equipment cards is seeing a series of synergies bounce into the limelight, notably Sigarda’s Aid, Sword of the Animist, and Panharmonicon.

The former lets you cast equipment as if it had Flash (and is up to over $20 from $3 in the last 3 months), while Sword of the Animist is up to $14 and lets you rack up land like there’s no tomorrow.

Finally, Panharmonicon gives you extra triggers, meaning you could build an absolutely savage board state very quickly indeed. Interestingly, Pnaharmonicon is sitting at around $5 still. I might have to invest.

Sticking with Cloud, the Kaldheim set’s Halvar, God of Battle is up to around $30 It gives equipped (and enchanted) creatures Double Strike, lets you mix and match equipment, and turns into the Sword of the Realms which can power up a card and protect it from death by sending it back to your hand. Not bad, Halvar.

Finally, another clash of Universes sees the RMS Titanic from the Doctor Who set rising in prominence. Why? Because the now $5 card is likely to be a big winner for the new rules in Edge of Eternities, which will see vehicles become more important since they can be used as Commanders.

MTG Sealed Sets

Everything else Final Fantasy is pretty hot right now, so if you manage to find anything in stock, it might be worth picking up ASAP to avoid disapointment.

Looking for more TCG discussion and market watch? Check out the full MTG release schedule for 2025, last week's MTG price movers and shakers, or, on the Pokemon side of things, our latest crashers and climbers for Pokemon TCG and the most expensive 151 cards going right now for Pokemon trainers

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay.

If you're thinking of jumping on the AMD bandwagon for your next upgrade, now is certainly the right time to do so. Right now, AMD's most popular Zen 5 "X3D" processors - the AMD Ryzen 9 9800X3D and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D - are available and shipping from Amazon. They're also on sale by about $25-$30 off, which is better than what we saw during Prime Day. These are collectively the best gaming CPUs from AMD; from a performance to cost standpoint, the 9800X3D is the CPU of choice for pure gaming builds, but the 9950X3D pulls ahead when it comes to creator workloads.

The Gamer's Choice: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU

As far as game pitches go, an endless Persona 5 spin-off sounds like a pretty solid idea. What’s not to love about turn-based RPG battles, complex villains, and a plethora of sumptuous social links? Enter Atlus’s latest genre-flipping addition to the series, Persona5: The Phantom X, a gacha-fied adventure that boasts all the hallmarks of its iconic source material, from beautifully animated cutscenes to goosebump-inducing needle drops. What’s the catch? Oh, just a boatload of confusing currencies to juggle and a grind-heavy gameplay loop once you escape its inviting early game. It’s a shame, because if you look past the persistently lurking gacha baggage, The Phantom X is a peachy pastiche. But after 35 hours, its charms have more than worn thin as a result of this framework, leaving behind a flattering but deeply compromised imitation of Persona 5.

The Phantom X might be a Persona 5 spin-off, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be playing as Joker and the crew. Instead, you embody a Nagisa Kamisiro (though you can still pick your own name) in an alternate timeline version of Persona 5’s story. A seemingly average student, Kamasiro’s life changes when an adorable owl called Lufel calls on them to fight back against the misery and hopelessness enveloping the world, and to turn the tables against the great despair that clouds the hearts of the public. Unable to refuse, Kamasiro learns to wield their inner Persona and travels to the shadow world to help clear out the collective unconscious, one monster at a time. As with Kamisiro, there are more Tokyoites to meet and awaken as you progress, with each new character’s arc nestled nicely into the overarching story. If you’ve played Persona 5, you’ll quickly notice that The Phantom X is following its formula to a tee.

To fight off the aforementioned evil, you’ll bounce between a handful of beautifully recreated Tokyo neighborhoods and the monster-filled Metaverse – though what you do in either place is now limited by various time- or money-gated resources rather than a rigid calendar marching ever forward. As The Phantom Thieves, you’ll eek out misbehaving fiends and infiltrate their minds while learning to master the series’ trademark turn-based combat that centres around elemental weaknesses. And because Kamisiro is a teen, you’ll also have to balance studying, part-time work, and a social life, too. With all of its obvious derivations, The Phantom X struggles to conjure fresh ideas or immediate excitement in the shadow of a nearly decade-old masterpiece, but it at least manages to clone the Persona formula fairly well, and that will be enough for some.

No matter how familiar the core gameplay mechanics feel, a diverse cast of supporting characters provides much-needed levity and heart to the world. I’ve fallen in love with Anderson, a gym rat with a heart of gold, Yaoling Li, an energetic foreign exchange student struggling with her studies, a cautious nurse-to-be named Minami Mitashita, and plenty more. With energetic voice acting to back up their emotive and often humorous dialogue, it’s clear there’s been an effort to give the NPCs a sense of self, and, similar to Persona 5, the more time you invest in them, the more you can unravel their heartfelt stories.

Helping out the locals doesn’t just reward you with some juicy plotlines to pull at, it can lead to benefits in combat and day-to-day tasks, too. For example, if you choose to keep helping Yaoling Li acclimate to her new life in Japan, you’ll learn key recipes that you can cook to buff your stats in battle. Alternatively, completing small side missions for characters like Minami will reward you with upgrade currencies and special items for your home. These social interactions also expand the variety of Kamisiro’s day-to-day tasks and provide bespoke options like working out at the gym alongside the carousel of regular activities, such as studying for school in local cafes, working at the Konbini for cash, or buying seeds that you can plant in your garden at home. How you spend your time will also feed into your Social Stats (Guts, Knowledge, Proficiency, Kindness, and Charm), which can impact how friendly you can get with certain NPCs, as well as what items are available to buy at the local stores. The healthy combination of social endeavours and solo tasks feed into each other nicely and creates an approachable system that enriches Kamasiro’s initially quiet life (while buffing their skills in the process).

Unlike Persona 5, how you choose to spend your time in The Phantom X is governed by recoupable Action Points instead of a limited daily schedule. This means you don’t really have to fret over spending time with one NPC or another because you can just wait for those points to add back up naturally and not miss out on either. I can appreciate that this system is much more forgiving than the rigid structure the Persona series is known for. However, without that all-important time pressure, The Phantom X fails to hit on how profound these decisions could and should feel. It makes sense in the context of the Gacha setting, but this free-for-all approach makes it a little too easy to flit between NPCs without fully investing in their well-written backstory and considering how they might help you if you choose them instead of some other character.

It’s not all errands and acquaintances, though, and when you’re finished playing above ground, you’ll eventually move on to combat expeditions, which you can launch any time from the Metaverse app located on Kamisiro’s phone. Similar to the system used to govern social activities, your time in combat is partially ruled by an auto-refreshing currency, this time called Stamina. And as you battle, you’ll need to spend it to reap the rewards. The Phantom X bases its combat system on Persona 5, meaning it's turn-based with engaging reactive elements like chaining together One Mores to be as efficient as possible. When you roll up on a baddie, you’ll cycle through your party one member at a time, choosing between melee attacks, ranged attacks, and special Persona abilities. Similar to Pokémon, the enemies you’ll face and the Personas you deploy, all have elemental strengths and weaknesses (like fire or ice) that can be exploited for extra damage.

It’s a tried-and-tested system with enough diversity in its moveset to keep battles fresh, and even if you are starting to tire of it, the imagination-stoking enemy designs pull a good amount of weight throughout. What makes Persona combat truly unique, though, is the series’ bold interface design and legendary battle themes, which have been lovingly recreated here. I promise, no matter how many times you’ve already heard Persona 5’s Last Surprise, it just doesn’t get old.

Sadly, no amount of vocal flair from singer Lyn Inaizumi or introspective dialogue makes up for the sizable array of gacha systems and currencies you need to balance in The Phantom X. Within the first 20 hours or so, there aren’t many barriers in the way of progression, letting you clear out baddies and jump between main and side stories with relative ease. Inevitably, though, as you get deeper in, level barriers paint a clearer picture of what progression actually feels like long term. Once you run out of side quests and main story content to fuel your climb (which can happen fairly quickly), the next best way to earn the XP needed to unlock more is doing random fights in the Metaverse… but in order to do that, you need to spend Stamina. If you’re out of Stamina, you have two choices: purchase boosting supplements with real cash or wait a painstaking amount of time for it to reload on its own. I’m not opposed to grinding out materials, especially when The Phantom X’s combat is so moreish and the stories attached are compelling. It’s rather that this credit card-shaped conclusion was a totally expected but utterly disappointing roadblock to smash into. It was particularly painful to be reminded that I could simply pay via the in-game shop pop-ups every few minutes, too.

Thankfully, not all the Gacha systems in The Phantom X are so frustrating. While there are characters and Personas you can unlock through the story, the quickest way to bolster your team is to engage in the lucky dip Contracts menu. In line with most other Gacha games on the market, you can earn the currencies you need to pull by grinding, or cut to the chase and pay to get an instant boost. Thankfully, it didn’t take me too long to invest my hard-earned Gacha currency and unlock my beloved Persona 5 fave Ann Takamaki without having to reach for my wallet. A ton of new characters are introduced via this system, and Shigenori Soejima’s striking character designs just don’t quit, which sweetens the pot somewhat. While I love all my Gacha children equally, I was particularly enamoured with the icy-haired Kotone Montagne, whose visual style landed somewhere between Joan of Arc and Swan Lake.

Outside of the inclusion of the premium currencies, perhaps my biggest gripe with The Phantom X so far is that it feels more like an uncanny reflection of Persona 5, rather than a unique take on its established lore. Other spin-offs like Persona 5 Tactica or Persona 5 Strikers feel like strong additions to the series that come at or expand upon it from a different angle, whereas The Phantom X is more of a well-executed imitation. It’s not that I’m bored, as I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both its combat and getting to know the wide array of quirky characters I’ve met. Plus, the 35 hours of missions I’ve played so far are well-written, appropriately shocking, and do well to frame the villains as complex, fractured souls. But The Phantom X’s “do-over” take on the story of The Phantom Thieves, isn’t a new enough experience to warrant the amount of time (or possibly money) I’ll need to invest if I want to see it through to its lengthy end (the specific details of which are yet to even be revealed) – especially when Persona 5 and its predecessors are readily available and feel far more curated and engaging.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will finally introduce a handful of big names to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but director Matt Shakman says John Malkovich’s Red Ghost won’t be one of them.

Details regarding Malkovich’s removal from the final cut of the new Fantastic Four movie come from an interview Variety conducted with Shakman ahead of the Marvel film’s premiere later this month. He says moments centered on Malkovich’s villain character were some of the many scenes that “ultimately ended up hitting the cutting room floor.”

“When we were building a ’60s retro-future world, introducing all of these villains, introducing these four main characters as a group, as well as individually, introducing the idea of a child — there was a lot of stuff to balance in this movie and some things had to go ultimately in terms of shaping the film for its final version,” Shakman said.

Malkovich’s presence as Red Ghost has remained shrouded in mystery for months, but the role wasn’t exactly kept a secret. While fans weren’t quite sure how much screen time the Burn After Reading actor would get in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, he at least appeared sporting long, white hair and a scraggly beard in its first teaser trailer in February. He’s been absent from most promotional material since, though, leading to rumors that Marvel may have moved to cut Malkovich and Red Ghost from the film entirely. Now, we know that this is indeed the case.

“It was heartbreaking not to include him in the final version of the movie because he’s one of my very favorite humans and one of my biggest inspirations,” Shakman added. “As a person who walks the line between theater and film and television, there’s no one who is more inspiring than the founder of Steppenwolf Theater Company. What he’s done on stage as an actor and what he’s done as a director in theater as well as in film, and as just a film actor of incredible ability — I was honored he came to play.”

Shakman says fans would have been able to catch Malkovich in The Fantastic Four: First Steps during a sequence detailing the early days for Marvel’s First Family. Specifically, the moment involved a battle between the superpowered group as they fought against Red Ghost and his Super-Apes. It’s unclear if we’ll ever get to see how Malkovich almost fit into the MCU, but for now, Shakman at least says that he “was brilliant in it, and gave it his all.”

The Fantastic Four: First Steps has a July 25, 2025, release date and features Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. Other names set to appear in the film include Julia Garner, Ralph Ineson, Sarah Niles, Natasha Lyonne, and Paul Walter Hauser.

For more, you can read up on why Tom Holland Spider-Man director Jon Watts ultimately decided to leave the project early on. You can also check out everything we know about Sam Raimi's canceled Spider-Man 4 movie, which also would have featured Malkovich as an iconic Marvel villain.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

October 2025 marks the one-year anniversary of DC's hugely successful Absolute Universe line. To celebrate the occasion, DC is giving readers the first proper Absolute Universe crossover in the form of Absolute Evil #1. This universe may not have a Justice League, but it looks to be gaining its own version of the Legion of Doom.

Each of DC's Absolute titles in October will be extremely important to the future of this shared universe, with key developments like Superman's showdown with Ra's al Ghul and the debut of Absolute Catwoman. Read on to see all of the Absolute books releasing in October 2025 and why they're so important.

Absolute Evil #1

Creative Team: Al Ewing, Giuseppe Camuncoli, & Stefano Nesi

Release Date: October 1

In Absolute Evil, Ra’s al Ghul, Veronica Cale, Hector Hammond, Elenore Thawne, and the mysterious Joker are no longer working at cross-purposes. Together, they’re aligned, united, and dangerous. But an insidious betrayal from within threatens to unravel everything they’ve built.

This one-shot special issue features the introduction of not one but two major Absolute characters who will change the course of the Absolute Universe in its second year, and is unmissable for all fans of this red-hot publishing line!

Absolute Batman #13

Creative Team: Scott Snyder & Nick Dragotta

Release Date: October 8

Batman’s final confrontation with Bane threatens to trap him in Ark-M forever. In the aftermath, a new figure steps onto Gotham’s stage. Oh...and Absolute Catwoman debuts in this pivotal issue!

Absolute Batman Annual #1

Creative Team: Daniel Warren Johnson, James Harren, & Meredith McClaren

Release Date: October 29

How did Bruce acquire his Batmobile? What happened when Black Mask’s crew tangled with the Bat in those first few days? DC’s Absolute Batman 2025 Annual delivers insight into the raw, formative chaos from Absolute Batman’s earliest days.

Absolute Wonder Woman #13

Creative Team: Kelly Thompson & Matías Bergara

Release Date: October 22

In Gateway City, Diana uncovers lost history as Barbara reveals fragments of the myth of the Amazons. But as supernatural attacks erupt across the globe, Diana and Etta race to find a pattern—only to discover that the answer strikes closer than imagined.

Absolute Superman #12

Creative Team: Jason Aaron & Rafa Sandoval

Release Date: October 1

Superman must choose: bend to Ra’s al Ghul’s will and accept his place as the Son of the Demon—or see Smallville suffer. As the Lazarus Corp descends, the invasion of Kansas begins.

Absolute Flash #8

Creative Team: Jeff Lemire & Travis Moore

Release Date: October 15

The origins of Fort Fox and Barry Allen’s experimental tech finally surface, but what they reveal will challenge everything Barry knows about speed, consequence, and the foundation of the Absolute Universe itself.

Absolute Green Lantern #7

Creative Team: Al Ewing & Jahnoy Lindsay

Release Date: October 1

The Blackstars are coming—and Earth is in their path. Only Tomar Re stands between their cosmic ambition and the final unraveling of what remains of Absolute Oa.

Additionally, DC has revealed that Absolute Martian Manhunter will end its current hiatus and return with issue #7 in December 2025.

For more on the Absolute Universe, find out why it's the most exciting DC launch in years and get the full scoop from the Absolute Batman creative team.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Although the official trailer for Mortal Kombat II won't drop until Thursday, July 17, Warner Bros. has released a fake movie-within a-movie trailer for Uncaged Fury, a faux 1990s action movie starring Johnny Cage (played in that film by Karl Urban).

You can watch that trailer via the player above or the embed below.

The trailer is in the style of the kind of cheesy ‘90s action movies that might have starred the likes of Steven Seagal, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Gary Daniels, Jeff Speakman or Michael Dudikoff.

The overly serious voiceover tells viewers “They pissed him off … They fucked with his shades … They should have brought more guys.”

We see logos for Johnny Cage’s other ‘90s films: Cool Hand Cage, Hard to Cage, and Rebel Without a Cage.

And in a nice touch, those three fake movies and Uncaged Fury were all made by New Line Cinema, the real-life studio behind the Mortal Kombat movies of the ‘90s (and the 21st century reboot and its upcoming sequel).

The trailer depicts a martial arts melee inside a warehouse between Cage and some goons (who are dressed in true ‘90s fashion). There are flips and kicks and Johnny Cage utters “showtime!” right before he fights.

After Johnny takes care of the guys, a lady in a red dress shows up with a rocket launcher and fires at him. Johnny does an absurdly high leap, with the missile soaring just under his crotch and then, defying physics based on the angle it was fired, curling upwards and taking out a helicopter.

The only real hint at Mortal Kombat itself is the franchise logo that quickly flickers in and out over the closing title for Uncaged Fury.

Mortal Kombat II opens in theaters on October 24, 2025.

A new report into Superman has allegedly revealed the salaries of its top stars as well as writer and director James Gunn, and offered a hint at where DC Studios is headed next.

Variety said Gunn earned 20 times more than David Corenswet, the relative newcomer who played Superman / Clark Kent, and Rachel Brosnahan, who played Lois Lane. Corenswet and Brosnahan each earned $750,000, with Gunn taking home $15 million. This is reportedly in addition to Gunn’s seven-figure salary as co-CEO of DC Studios. The more established Nicholas Hoult, however, earned $2 million from playing Lex Luthor.