Rumors and hopes regarding a Chrono Trigger remake have been raised again over the past week, driven by recent comments from Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii which do not deny nor confirm the existence of such a project.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Chrono Trigger. As a result, Square Enix has launched various projects to celebrate the classic RPG. This includes a brand new album featuring piano arrangements of character themes, a character popularity poll (Frog took the top spot, as reported by Famitsu), and orchestral concerts to be held in Japan next January.

However, this sudden celebration of Chrono Trigger after very little fanfare about the cult classic has prompted speculation that Square Enix is leading up to a bigger reveal of a Chrono Trigger remake.

Hopes were reignited again among Japanese-speaking fans on November 30, when Yuji Horii was directly asked in a discussion program on YouTube if all the recent Chrono Trigger 30th Anniversary projects and events are hinting that a remake is in the works. Horii did not outright deny it, responding with "I can't say," "You shouldn't ask that!" and "I'll get told off!"

This and publishing executive Kazuhiko Torishima's jokey follow-up cries of "There is! There is (a Chrono Trigger remake)!” have led to Japanese speaking fans hoping, once again, that a remake is in the works despite the fact Square Enix hasn't made any announcement. “I wonder if it will be announced next year?” users wondered on X.

Chrono Trigger was originally released for the Super Famicom/SNES in 1995. With the involvement of Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii, and Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, the RPG is beloved by fans and is considered by many to be one of the greatest games of all time. Although an upgraded version is currently available to play through Steam and on smartphones, fans have been calling for Chrono Trigger to get the remake treatment for years.

The recent Dragon Quest HD-2D remakes have also got Chrono Trigger fans hopeful about seeing the SNES game recreated in the same style. “I want to play Chrono Trigger with beautiful graphics like these!” said a user on X. “Please, Square Enix!” Official posts by Square Enix accounts about Chrono Trigger anniversary merch have also attracted similar enthusiastic comments like, “If there’s a remake I’ll definitely, definitely buy it!” In November, Japanese game news site Dengeki Online did a poll of games readers most wanted to see get the HD-2D treatment, and Chrono Trigger topped the list.

The situation is similar to that of Final Fantasy IX, with the game’s 25th anniversary celebrations this year also stoking fans’ hopes that Zidane and Garnet’s adventures are in line for the remake treatment, although in IX’s case the rumors were backed up by the infamous 2021 Nvidia leak, which showed that a FFIX remake was possibly on Square Enix’s to-do list at one point. However, it seems that for both games, the anniversary celebrations were simply a chance to revisit these classic games through events and new merch. Until an official announcement is made, all fans of both games can do is continue to express their enthusiasm for these classic RPGs to Square Enix.

Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond tries to be so many different things. There were moments where I thought it might be the strongest Prime since the very first, and others where it felt like the weakest. An outdated open-world hub connects breathtaking areas that brilliantly revisit the classic first-person exploration and lock-on shooting the series is known for. Talkative companions drop a few too many hints and one-liners, but they’re redeemed by some memorable story moments and mostly charming personalities that even a crotchety Metroid fan like me warmed up to in the end. And, thankfully, Retro Studios still mostly understands it’s important to give Samus her alone time, with a relieving amount of exploration in total isolation. While some of what it attempts just doesn’t work, far more of it does, resulting in an uneven but overall impressive revival that reaches incredible heights in its best moments.

The story begins with Samus mysteriously teleporting to the planet Viewros, where she works to find a way home while also uncovering the history of the ancient Lamorn race. The hook this time around is Samus’ new psychic abilities bestowed upon her by the Lamorn. These purple-hued powers allow you to telekinetically manipulate certain objects, while also adding a new wrinkle to Samus’ standard arsenal that includes her Charge Beam, Morph Ball, bombs, and more. They lead to all sorts of different challenges that involve shifting platforms around, directing charged shots to hit multiple targets, cool momentum-based Morph Ball platforming, or searching for enough psychic energy sources to power a nearby device.

The puzzles and suit upgrades are great overall, if a little familiar. I really enjoyed using the psychic abilities to find every last hidden item, even though they’re mostly slight remixes of returning powers rather than something truly original. I can only recall a few times where a solution felt particularly novel – but that does include one awesome cinematic moment that really stands out. And when we’re talking about the long-awaited continuation of one of the most acclaimed video game trilogies of all time, it’s not a major complaint to say it’s sticking relatively close to the script.

Combat also feels exactly like you’d expect from a modern return to Metroid Prime. You lock onto enemies and fire shots or missiles while strafing around aggressive monsters and machines. It’s not just a straight retread though; Samus feels amazing to control, with a swift forward and backward dodge, improved maneuverability when popping out of the Morph Ball, and snappier access to your visor, which is more useful than ever thanks to its psychic properties. You’ll also gain flashy elemental beams that are helpful in both combat and exploration (and also change the look of Samus’ arm cannon when they’re equipped, which is a nice returning detail).

Choosing your weapon and fine-tuning your aim is still fun all these years later despite its relative simplicity. Prime’s combat has always fared best when sparse encounters are supplemental to exploration, which is the format Prime 4 follows most of the time. It introduces new foes that require different tools to beat, like a swarm of hovering robots protecting three weak spots you need to fire a slow-motion charged shot at to destroy. The combat’s low points are when it does its best impression of a mid-2000s corridor shooter, occasionally focusing a bit too much on repetitive waves of enemies. At least those sections always end with something exciting, as the great lineup of boss battles is a nice mix of towering monsters and one-on-one shootouts. An early highlight is a giant plant protected by petals that thrashes its vines at you.

I played almost entirely with dual-stick controls on the Switch 2 Pro Controller, which also has optional motion aiming for fine tuning when locked on to an enemy, like Splatoon. This is my favorite setup, but I dabbled with the Wii-inspired separated Joy-Con control scheme, which is also a totally viable option. The Switch 2-exclusive mouse controls are functional, and it’s neat that you can swap to them on the fly just by placing your controller on a flat surface. But I don’t see many people using them given how physically awkward the Joy-Con 2 is to use as a mouse for any extended period of time, especially when the more traditional control schemes already work so effortlessly well.

Samus’ new motorcycle also controls well, and the way it’s woven into the plot feels surprisingly natural, but what you’ll actually use it for is one of Prime 4’s biggest fumbles. You’ll mainly ride the bike in Sol Valley, a desert hub that serves as the middleground between each major location on its edges, sort of like what Hyrule Field was for Ocarina of Time. It’s mostly empty and devoid of many interesting activities, as the same few enemy types pop up when you’re riding and all you do is fire a basic projectile or charge into them to destroy them. The desert isn’t that big, so it at least doesn’t take too long to get from point A to point B. The problem is that it’s designed as if that N64 Hyrule Field saw the Great Plateau from Breath of the Wild and said, "I can do that, too!"

Almost like it’s trying to justify the motorbike’s inclusion, Prime 4 goes to great lengths to ensure you spend multiple hours riding across this drab desert just to reach the credits. It sprinkles an extremely small number of Breath of the Wild-like shrines on the map that house optional upgrades. The bite-sized puzzles inside those shrines are fine, but there’s absolutely no joy in discovering them when they’re just haphazardly strewn across the visually unimpressive sand, and it feels like a surface-level attempt to recapture Zelda’s open-world magic that doesn’t really work.

This wouldn’t be a huge deal, but Prime 4 ties a main objective to its repetitive desert. Samus has to collect enough green energy to preserve the history of the Lamorn civilization before it’s lost to time, which is a very cool setup. But in practice, all that entails is mindlessly driving around the desert and crashing into any green crystals you see. It’s the type of runtime-padding filler that had already outworn its welcome the last time a Metroid Prime game came out, and Prime 4 would be so much tighter without this quest, or even without its half-baked desert at all. It’s far from a dealbreaker since this mission is given to you very early on, meaning you can chip away at it while you’re riding to your next destination, but it’s certainly not fun regardless.

In Prime Form

The good news is that the places you’re riding toward are full of the strong Metroid Prime atmosphere and gameplay you came for. And Prime 4 is at its greatest when playing into the same strengths that have defined this subseries since the GameCube: lonely, haunting exploration through gorgeous, fully-realized areas that each have their own detailed backstory to uncover. Structurally, the individual maps take after Prime 2 and Prime 3’s more self-contained approach rather than Prime 1’s interconnected spiderweb that required revisiting areas several times over with multiple entrances and exits to each.

There is some backtracking involved, of course, but each region has just one entrance from the desert, and you’ll finish most of its main objectives on your first visit. I was delighted to find that this format fills the traditional 3D Zelda-shaped hole in my heart, as each zone essentially acts like a huge dungeon: explore, find a key upgrade, kill the boss with it, and leave. That’s not to say it doesn’t feel like Metroid – there are a few main quests and plenty of optional items I needed to come back for later. It’s just that these two series have always shared a lot of the same DNA, and Prime 4 lands closer to the Zelda style.

Every location stands on its own, which allows Retro to give each a unique tone: sometimes Samus is completely alone and it leans hard into the tense sci-fi horror isolation of Alien, and sometimes she’s accompanied by Galactic Federation companions through more scripted scenes that call upon the action tropes of its sequel, Aliens. This constant genre-shifting across levels keeps things fresh for most of its roughly 15-hour runtime, at least until it’s time to finish collecting all those green energy shards.

In these dedicated areas, Prime 4 makes a case for itself as the best-looking game Nintendo has ever published. Its fantastical art direction is jaw-droppingly gorgeous at times, with incredible lighting, beautiful backgrounds, ornate architecture, and nicely detailed environments. It sounds great, too, with dramatic choral melodies fused with electronic sounds that fit Prime’s atmosphere extremely well. Samus’ iconic visor effects return, like the way it fogs up in extreme temperatures, or how rain droplets patter against it in a storm. Its art direction goes hand-in-hand with its world design, as the way rooms are intentionally framed upon blasting open their doors is often spectacular. To be clear, Prime 4 doesn’t reach the visual heights of the best-looking games on PC or other consoles, but a game this stunning running at a flawless 4K 60 fps on Switch 2 – with a smooth 120 fps option that lowers the resolution – is a huge step forward for Nintendo.

Some locations stand alongside my favorites in the series, and when you’re methodically tiptoeing your way through each one, Prime 4 more than lives up to the trilogy’s legacy. Without giving too much away, an early highlight is Volt Forge, a gothic, futuristic factory set to a powerful rock soundtrack. It’s impressive how its rich history is intertwined with its level design: you can just work your way through each room and enjoy the intricate layouts at face value, or you can scan every machine and learn why they exist and what they were used for, which provides fascinating context that makes complete sense when you see it all in motion. These places feel big, important, and carefully plotted out. That worldbuilding remains an incredibly special piece of Metroid Prime.

Each region is fairly linear, with usually just one correct way to go, even if multiple choices are presented. When you stumble into a room with three doors, for example, it’s most likely that one is a save room, one is blocked until you get a new upgrade, and one is the way forward. I actually think this choice suits the Prime series very well, allowing it to focus more on mood, handcrafted tension, and distinct sequences, but it’s a very different flavor than the nonlinear design the Metroid series helped pioneer more than 30 years ago. I never felt truly lost, even when poking around its most freeform parts.

A positive outcome of this decision is that Prime 4 feels like the best entry point into this series for new folks, easing them in to better prepare them for something like Prime Remastered’s more complex labyrinth. It also smartly follows in Metroid Dread’s footsteps by letting you mark your map to remember which rooms have powerups you can’t get yet, streamlining the endgame collectible cleanup.

You’ve Got a Friend

Most regions contain one of several Galactic Federation companions who temporarily travel with Samus before heading back to base camp. Each has their own personality and light backstory, ranging from a nerdy engineer who can barely handle a gun, to a sniper with a broken leg who is questioning his decision to join the military. Thankfully, these characters are far less intrusive than I initially feared after a particularly obnoxious tutorial section I saw in my preview demo. Their limited presence means they don’t have amazing character arcs – a more than acceptable side effect – but they do have mostly likeable personalities and provide a few highlights that give Prime 4 its own identity. I have to admit I smiled when a Samus superfan geeked out after seeing her idol transform into the Morph Ball, and it helps that the great voice acting and facial animations are another step forward for Nintendo.

They could still use some work in the writing department, however, as they often fall back on well-worn clichés or commentary that feels out of place in Metroid, like, “There’s too many of ‘em!” during an action scene, or cracks like, “Piece of cake! Red velvet cake,” upon solving a puzzle. I’m grateful that they generally don’t outright spoil specific puzzle solutions, but they do chime in a little more often than I’d like about where to go or what to do next. Specialist Myles MacKenzie is never as overbearing as in his initial introduction, but he does frequently contact Samus on the radio to tell you the general area you need to search for your next upgrade. Prime 4 lets you toggle on-screen tips that nudge you in the right direction, so I really wish I could turn companion hints off, too. When you’re with someone on a mission – which is a major part of the campaign – certain aspects can feel outdated as well, like waiting for someone to help you open a door, hearing repetitive combat dialogue lines, or reviving them whenever they go down.

Prime 4 keeps these portions in check by smartly knowing when to leave you alone entirely, with multiple lengthy segments where Samus loses radio signal and no one can bother her. You spend over half of the runtime on your own, so if you’re a longtime Metroid fan who craves ambience and isolation, there’s plenty of that here, too. Overall, the companions are tolerable: while there are still several moments that probably would’ve been more epic if Samus was alone, their inclusion does lead to some fun cinematic events that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

One character who I actually wish was included more is Sylux, Prime 4’s big bad that doesn’t play nearly as big a role in the story as I expected based on Nintendo’s marketing. It’s another underdeveloped part of Prime 4 – Sylux’s amiibo figure has more detail than his personality – and it feels like he’s only here out of reluctant obligation to Prime 3’s post-credits tease from 2007. Instead, this story focuses far more on Lamorn history, which is very fascinating on its own, but doesn’t entirely make up for the disappointing feeling that something’s missing.

A new trailer for Pokémon Legends: Z-A has revealed a surprise new Mega Evolution for the fan-favorite Lucario, and announced a new side mission that will unlock an encounter with Mewtwo.

Today's reveal of Mega Lucario Z is a first for Pokémon Legends: Z-A, in that it adds a new secondary Mega Evolution path to a species which already had one.

The move flings open the door to other creatures already capable of Mega Evolution also getting new alternate designs (something which previous datamines had suggested was indeed likely).

Maximum aura. 😤👊 The newly discovered Mega Lucario Z debuts in #PokemonLegendsZA – Mega Dimension! pic.twitter.com/Lzdhlz52eG

— Pokémon @ Lumiose City 🥐 (@Pokemon) December 2, 2025

Indeed, The Pokémon Company appears to be hinting at other, alternate "Z" Mega Evolutions coming in future, as it states that this new class of creatures is remarkable for needing less time to fire off moves, albeit with the trade-off of burning through Mega Power at a faster rate.

"A newly discovered form of Lucario, Mega Lucario Z was determined to be a Mega Evolution based on how its form changes through exposure to a Mega Stone and its increase in power far outshining that of an average Lucario," an official blurb for the new design reads.

"The long fur around Mega Lucario Z's head and waist, as well as its fan-shaped tail, make it difficult to get a full view of Mega Lucario Z's powerful movements. In close combat, this can work to visually disorient opponents. Areas of its body, such as the backs of its hands and its shins, have been hardened with steel energy – allowing it to deliver powerful blows by concentrating its strength precisely into these hardened parts."

Already, fans are speculating over which other existing Mega Pokémon might now get Z variants (and again, if you've seen the datamined speculation, you may have some ideas).

Mega Lucario Z joins a growing menagerie of Mega Evolutions coming as part of Mega Dimension, the upcoming paid DLC for Pokémon Legends: Z-A due for launch on December 10. The expansion is headlined by two new Mega Raichu designs, and also includes Mega Zeraora, though unlocking it will be a "little difficult", apparently.

Separate to that, all owners of the game can now access a fresh side mission which leads to an encounter with Mewtwo, and allows players to Mega Evolve it into the creature's existing Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y designs. Just turn on your game's Mystery Gift feature to begin the new mission.

IGN's Pokémon Legends: Z-A review returned an 8/10. We said: "Pokemon Legends: Z-A finally feels like Game Freak hitting its stride in Pokemon’s 3D era, with a fun setting to explore, a well-written story, and a total battle system overhaul that works surprisingly well."

Video game sales data firm Newzoo noted that Z-A "underperformed compared to Legends: Arceus," which may suggest some hesitance around its move to a real-time, action-based combat system, or perhaps caution after the state of Scarlet and Violet's launch. Nintendo's official sales figures show Pokémon Legends: Z-A sold almost 6 million copies in its opening week. Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which debuted on October 16, sold 5.8 million units worldwide, with around half of those bought for Switch 2. This means the first Pokémon game to feature real-time Pokémon battles is the fifth best-selling game of the franchise in terms of first week sales. By comparison, that's more than Pokémon X/Y and Let's Go Pikachu / Eevee managed in their first weeks, but not as much as Pokémon Scarlet / Violet, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and Pokémon Sword / Shield managed.

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

Microsoft has announced the Xbox Game Pass December 2025 lineup, which is headlined by NetherRealm’s gory fighting game Mortal Kombat 1.

Also coming to Game Pass in the coming weeks as day one launches are first-person sci-fi horror Routine and soulslike deck builder Death Howl.

Available today, December 2, is Lost Records: Bloom & Rage (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) across Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. Tomorrow, December 3, sees Monster Train 2 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) and Spray Paint Simulator (Cloud, Console, and PC) both hit Game Pass Premium.

December 4 is a decent day for Game Pass, with 33 Immortals (Game Preview) (Cloud, Console, and PC) and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) both arrive on Game Pass Premium. The aforementioned Routine (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) launches day one on Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass.

Moving on to December 9, A Game About Digging A Hole (Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) arrives on Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass, as does Dome Keeper (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC). Death Howl (Handheld & PC) is a day one Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass release, also on December 9.

Here’s a big one: Mortal Kombat 1 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) arrives on Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass on December 10. A day later, on December 11, something that couldn’t be more different hits Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass: Bratz: Rhythm & Style (Cloud, Console, and PC).

December already got off to a big start on Game Pass with yesterday’s launch of retro beat 'em up Marvel Cosmic Invasion as a day one release. Meanwhile, on December 3, three more games hit Game Pass Essential: Stellaris; World War Z: Aftermath; and Medieval Dynasty.

Xbox Game Pass December 2025 lineup:

• Monster Train 2 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – December 3, Now with Game Pass Premium
• Spray Paint Simulator (Cloud, Console, and PC) – December 3, Now with Game Pass Premium
• 33 Immortals (Game Preview) (Cloud, Console, and PC) – December 4, Now with Game Pass Premium
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – December 4, Now with Game Pass Premium
• Routine (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) – December 4, Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• A Game About Digging A Hole (Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – December 9, Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Death Howl (Handheld & PC) – December 9, Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Dome Keeper (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) – December 9, Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Mortal Kombat 1 (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – December 10, Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Bratz: Rhythm & Style (Cloud, Console, and PC) – December 11, Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Microsoft’s post on Xbox Wire suggests this is the entire lineup for December 2025, but it only takes us to December 11. “We hope you have a chill rest of your December,” Microsoft said. “May your batteries be always charged, your sessions always end in GG’s, and you always have the perfect game queued up next. We’ll be back to talk about what’s coming soon in early 2026! Cheers!”

However, this leaves the door open to potential Game Pass shadowdrops, should next week’s The Game Awards have something up its sleeve.

As always a number of games leave Game Pass this month. You can save up to 20% off your purchase to keep them in your library.

Leaving Xbox Game Pass in December 2025:

December 15

• Mortal Kombat 11 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Still Wakes the Deep (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Wildfrost (Cloud, Console, and PC)

December 31

• Carrion (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Hell Let Loose (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Retro video game fans are having fun pointing out a Nintendo-related blunder in Stranger Things Season 5.

Warning! Spoilers for Stranger Things Season 5 follow:

If you’ve watched Stranger Things Season 5 Vol. 1, you might have noticed Lovable Bully Derek Turnbow, portrayed by Jake Connelly, playing Ghosts 'n Goblins on the NES. This makes sense given Stranger Things is set in the ‘80s, and Season 5 itself kicks off in the fall of 1987. The NES version of Ghosts 'n Goblins was released in North America in November 1986, so everything fits together nicely so far.

If you're looking for DTI codes, IGN's got you covered! In this article, you'll find a list of all the active and working Dress to Impress codes in December 2025 that you can redeem for free rewards and bonuses in DTI, including outfits and accessories like hats, bags, and jewelry.

If you're looking for Where Winds Meet codes, IGN's got you covered! In this article, you'll find a list of all the active and working Where Winds Meet codes in December 2025 that you can redeem for free rewards and bonuses in WWM, including Echo Jade.

Active Where Winds Meet Codes (December 2025)

Here are all the active and working Where Winds Meet codes in December 2025 and the free rewards you get for redeeming them:

• WWM251115: 10x Echo Jade, 5,000 Coins, 2x Inner Way Note Chest
• WWMGLyoutube: 20x Echo Jade, 5,000 Coins, 2x Inner Way Note Chest
• WWMGLtiktok: 10x Echo Jade, 10,000 Coins

How to Redeem Where Winds Meet Codes

To redeem codes in Where Winds Meet, follow the steps below:

1. Launch Where Winds Meet and load into the game.
2. Open the main menu and select the gear button to open the Settings menu.
3. Select the "Other" tab.
4. Click on "Exchange Code" under Account Info.
5. A text box will appear. Input your code here.
6. If successful, your free rewards will be available in your in-game mailbox.

Why Isn't My Where Winds Meet Code Working?

If the Where Winds Meet code you're trying to redeem isn't working, it's likely because of one of two reasons:

• The Where Winds Meet code is expired
• There's a typo in the code

When inputting a Where Winds Meet code, make sure it's spelled correctly (for example, a capital O isn't a zero, capital I and not a lowercase L, etc.) and that there are no spaces before or after the code. We'd recommend copying and pasting codes straight from this article to ensure they're correct.

If your Where Winds Meet code still isn't working, it's more than likely expired and can no longer be redeemed.

All Expired Where Winds Meet Codes

The following Where Winds Meet codes are expired and no longer can be redeemed:

• WWMGO1115: 40x Echo Jade
• WWMGO1114: 100x Echo Jade, 1x Resonating Melody

Don't miss this Things to Do First in Where Winds Meet guide for more helpful tips!

Meg Koepp is a Guides Editor on the IGN Guides team, with a focus on trends. When she's not working, you can find her playing an RPG, getting Victory Royales in Fortnite, or cuddling her corgi.

Marvel got as far as giving Mia Goth a wig to wear for its 1920s Blade movie idea, before the setting was scrapped and the project was placed on hiatus.

It's not the first time we've heard just how close Marvel's big Blade reboot, set to star Mahershala Ali in the title role, got to being made several years ago, but it is yet another suggestion that whatever happened to cancel the 1920s-set attempt happened very late in the process.

"The furthest that it got with me was... I flew to Atlanta and did a chemistry test with Mahershala," Goth said, speaking on the Josh Horowitz podcast. "I did a costume fitting and a wig fitting. I was very excited in the direction it was going and Mahershala had such an interesting take on it, he was great. And it just unravelled from there, unfortunately."

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are finally both over for this year, which is good news for anyone who already secured a certified bargain, but bad news for anyone who missed out on the best deals.

Thankfully, there are a few top offers that are still holding out as we enter the final month of the year. And, honestly, these are pretty fantastic themselves, especially the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle deal for just $449 at Walmart ($50 off the MSRP, and $80 savings in total).

But, it's not just the immensely popular Switch 2 offer that we have to discuss, as there's plenty more for PlayStation and Xbox fans to get their hands on while the rest of these days remain available.

At least for now! Trust me when I say that these will likely expire very soon, so you'd better get a shift on to ensure you don't miss out (again!).

Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World for $449

GameStop has highlighted its recent payout of more than $30,000 for a rare Pokémon card as evidence that the chain's trade-in program offers fair value — while simultaneously admitting the card had actually been worth at least $3,000 more.

In its latest publicity stunt aimed at getting gamers' attention, GameStop issued a typically jocular statement on social media declaring its record $30,494.70 payout for a PSA 10 Holo Gengar was a "historic" moment for the company.

"Any trolls who publicly claim that GameStop trade-in values are bad are hereby factually and demonstrably incorrect," the chain wrote. "Any prior and ongoing objections to our trade values are now deemed without merit and factually invalid," it continued, while admitting the card had actually been worth $33,883 — several thousand dollars more.

A Statement from GameStop pic.twitter.com/Qho0M7xzko

— GameStop (@gamestop) December 1, 2025

To be fair to GameStop, the chain does not hide the fact it paid $3,388.30 less than what it describes as the "fair-market valuation" for the card. Indeed, the company simply states it handed over its payout "upon completion of all required inspection, verification, and compliance procedures" — processes, the statement appears to suggest, which come at some cost.

But many responses to GameStop's social media post have pointed to the chain still having "shorted" the card's owner, and suggesting the card would have reached a higher value at auction. Others have noted GameStop's own trade-in FAQ page states that the chain has a $1,500 upper limit for trade-in value, something that suggests this particular sale is something of an anomaly. IGN has contacted GameStop for more.

In its post, GameStop states its payout was executed "in accordance with the established terms and conditions governing the Power Packs Buyback Program," an offer that some customers have criticized for allowing the retailer to repeatedly make money from the same high-value cards.

An example of this would be a customer buying a $100 Power Pack (a blind box with a rough value of a $100) from GameStop and finding a card that is indeed worth $100 inside. If it's a card they don't want, GameStop offers an Instant Buyback offer that's worth 90% of the card's value minus an additional 6% commission fee. Here, the card seller gets $84.60 back, while GameStop retains a $100 card, which they can sell again for $100 — and continue to repeat the process.

"They're not speculating on card value," one fan wrote in a reddit thread on GameStop's scheme posted a few months ago. "They control the supply, the pricing tier, and the resale loop. It's vertical integration disguised as a loot box.

"PowerPacks aren't just about cards. The real edge is the buyback loop. On average, GameStop pays less than market for returned cards, then sells them again at full price. Every cycle is a profit opportunity. It's repeatable. Scalable. Efficient. And it doesn't rely on retail footfall or console cycles. PowerPacks might end up being GameStop's most profitable product yet."

Earlier this year, GameStop attempted to turn its high-profile Switch 2 stapler snafu into a social media opportunity by auctioning off the now-infamous piece of stationary that one employee used to puncture dozens of Switch 2 screens on the console's launch night.

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

Arrowhead has released Helldivers 2 update 5.0.0, which makes big balance changes that actually raise weapon damage — but there’s also an incoming message from High Command that has the community worried.

Update 5.5.0 arrives alongside the jungle-themed Python Commandos Warbond, which adds a number of fan-requested weapons including a minigun.

But it’s the incoming message from High Command — an in-universe tease from Arrowhead to the Helldivers 2 community on what’s in store — that has raised eyebrows.

“Super Earth has detected strange signals from previously unmonitored worlds on the Galactic map,” the message reads. “The Ministry of Intelligence is investigating the source of the signals. Helldivers, be vigilant and hold the high ground.”

What does this mean? Players aren’t sure, although speculation is pointing to something Illuminate related, given the mention of “unmonitored worlds.”

As for the patch, it makes a number of fixes, including for audio issues, XP modifiers, and several crashes, as well as more optimizations and improvements. The balancing changes raise weapon damage, and there are much-needed fixes to weapon FOV. The patch notes, courtesy of Steam, are below.

In other Helldivers news, we finally have confirmation that Justin Lin is set to direct the upcoming Helldivers 2 movie. Lin is best known for his work on a number of Fast & Furious movies, and was the director of the series from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift in 2006 until Fast & Furious 6 in 2013.

Helldivers 2 Update 5.5.0 patch notes:

Balancing

General changes

Decreased ergonomics penalty on magnifying scopes weapon attachments

• The intent is to make magnifying scopes more a matter of preference by decreasing the penalty they impose on a weapon's ergonomics (low ergonomics makes the weapons muzzle follow the crosshair slower).

Some of the Pistol ammo balance update

• The intent with this change is to make some of the pistol rounds weapons more effective after the last pistol ammo re-balance that did make them more of a close range weapon.
• The pistol rounds re-balance general intent is to make them more effective at close range while not more effective at long range then for example assault or marksman rifles

2x Tube Red Dot

• Decreased ergonomic modifier from (-3) to (-1)

4x Combat Scope

• Decreased ergonomic modifier from (-6) to (-2)

10x Sniper Scope

• Decreased ergonomic modifier from (-9) to (-4)
• APW-1 Anti-Materiel Rifle is also effected by this change so it will get an increased ergonomics from 26 to 31

Primary weapons

SMG-37 Defender

• Increased damage from 100 to 110
• Increased durable damage from 20 to 22

SMG-32 Reprimand

• Increased damage from 135 to 140

M7S SMG

• Increased damage from 80 to 90
• Increased durable damage from 16 to 18

VG-70 Variable

• Increased durable damage 20 to 23

M90A Shotgun

• Increased durable damage 15 to 20

Sidearms weapons

P-2 Peacemaker

• Increased damage from 95 to 100
• Increased durable damage 30 to 32

P-113 Verdict

• Increased damage from 135 to 140

M6C/SOCOM Pistol

• Increased damage from 110 to 125
• Increased durable damage from 25 to 28

Enemies

War strider

• Decreased force strength on grenade explosion from 50 to 30

Bile Spewer

• Decreased force strength on artillery explosion from 50 to 30
• Decreased force impulse on artillery explosion from 60 to 40

Stalker

• Decreased force strength from 40 to 35 when a tongue attack hits the player

(Force strength is the value that decides if a player or enemy should stagger or ragdoll.)

Gameplay

Keybind options for quick weapon function:

• New, unbound keybind options have been added for quickly swapping weapon functions (like changing fire modes or ammo).
• The intent is to give players better ease of use, especially for weapons with multiple ammo types like the Halt, Autocannon, and the new "One Two" AR.

Updated First Person View (FPV)

• We updated how First Person View (FPV) works with the intention of improving the aiming experience across different FOV settings (Field of view).
• The intent is that the size and distance of the scope will be more consistent with different FOV settings.
• We also updated how ergonomics works in FPV with the intent to make it more responsive.
• Fixed instances of flickering textures in various city locations

Fixes

Crash Fixes & Softlocks

• Fixed a rare crash that would occur when combat music would start
• Fixed a rare crash that could occur during 'Nuke Nursery' mission
• Fixed crash after hotjoining a game that just started where the existing players are using certain stratagems
• Fixed a rare crash when enemies would fall through the ground
• Fix rare crash on mission load

Weapons & Stratagem Fixes

• Fixed an issue with the BR-14 Adjudicator, when aiming with the 10x scope on 200 m setting which would cause the model to disappear
• Fixed a visual issue on VG-70 Variable during the reload animation when aiming down sights
• Fixed a torso clipping issue with the CE-07 Demolition Specialist armor
• Fixed pump-shotguns sometimes not showing a new shell being inserted on reload
• PLAS-45 Epoch now correctly zooms in ADS mode, just like any other support weapon
• Fixed display related to no ammo being shown for Infinite Ammo weapons
• Fixed the VO (Voice Over) line for “no ammo” being played after pressing reload whilst using Infinite Ammo weapons
• Fixed a small bug where supply packs were giving ammo without consuming a charge when dropped
• Fixed a bug that locks stratagems after drowning while holding that stratagem ball
• Fixed the red glow that would happen if the player would empty one or two magazines with MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun, M-105 Stalwart or MG-43 Machine Gun

Enemies

• Factory Striders will no longer be launched to sky erratically when dying
• Hellpods that hit Factory Striders will no longer remain in the air after the enemy dies
• War Striders now detonate mines
• Enemy presence around Cognitive Disruptor Towers is now cleared from the mini-map when the objective is completed
• Chargers no longer speed up when exiting charge
• Fixed Rupture Warriors getting stuck below Sentries
• Added a medium-armored weak spot to the vents on the backside of the Bunker, AA, and Mortar emplacements. This was done so these structures behave similarly to other comparable defenses..

Miscellaneous Fixes

• Fixed the terrain not being affected by explosions and the Entrenchment Tool (PS5 only)
• Fixed a bug where the lights were missing/flickering on the Orbital Gatling
• Fixed a thumbnail glitch in the Acquisition Center menu
• Cryo-pods no longer clip into the Engineering Bay when playing the ship arrival cutscene
• Fixed an armor gap affecting CE-27 Ground Beaker and CW-9 White Wolf whilst using the 'Draw!' emote
• The UI will no longer show inaccurate objective info on the Mission Summary screen if the host has left the game
• Fixed a bug whilst joining a non-host in a cross-play lobby.
• Fixed the NPC technician’s neck sticking through their shirt
• Mini-map fog of war effect while exploring caves no longer persists between missions
• Soon-to-be Helldivers will no longer be stopped from progressing the tutorial if they die in the flag room
• Fixed issue where the automaton grinder sludge would be affected by weathering even though it's sealed behind glass
• Fixed an issue where a missile inside the Destroyer’s hangar was misaligned. This dangerous act of asymmetry has been corrected. The undemocratic ship operator responsible for this disgraceful display of inefficiency has been promptly re-educated in a high-orbit correctional facility. Glory to the Office of Corrective Deployment!
• Helldivers will no longer be locked out of the GATER when trying to get into the driver's seat simultaneously
• Fixed a bug with missing haptics when a controller disconnects or reconnects
• Fixed an issue on a command bunker where there was a lack of collision

Optimizations

• Optimized lights on Automaton VFX
• Optimized physics of rock assets throughout the game to improve performance
• Improved the way environmental effects such as sandstorms, blizzards, and acid storms apply their status effects for reduced impact on performance
• Improved ADS weapon placement and behavior
• Reduced the amount of camera clipping on weapons
• Fixed texture details used for weapons while aiming down sights
• Improved depth of field when ADS and whilst scopes are zoomed in
• Fix for textures sometimes appearing low resolution even when memory is available (PC only)

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Death Stranding and Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima is well-known for his love of cameos — his games are full of them — but the developer is now making a cameo of his own in a very unexpected place: an animated Disney movie.

According to Mantaweb via Automaton, Kojima will appear in Zootopia 2 as a mole at the Zootopia Police Department. Officer Paul Moledebrandt — to use his full name — will be the director's first animated cameo and appears by way of a direct invitation from movie director and CCO at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Jared Bush.

"I've had many cameo appearances in live-action films and games, but this is my first experience dubbing for an animated theatrical film," Kojima said. "And it’s from Disney, of all places! What’s more, it’s the sequel to my favorite film, Zootopia! On top of that, I received an offer directly from director Jared Bush, so I was extremely honored and accepted without hesitation.

"I only took part in a small scene, but even at the time of recording, the production was incredibly well-crafted. Thanks to the illustrations, the recording went smoothly. I'm usually on the directing side, so I learned a lot from actually experiencing acting. I was reminded of how much attention the voice actors pay to basic things like turning pages in the script and noise."