Samsung's fastest PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD is on sale today. Right now you can pick up a Samsung 990 Pro 2TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe solid state drive (SSD) for just $149.99 on Amazon with free delivery. The Samsung 990 Pro is widely considered one of the best PCIe 4.0 SSDs on the market. It makes for an outstanding drop-in storage expansion for your PlayStation 5 console (although I recommend you add a heatsink) or as a boot drive for your gaming rig.

Samsung 990 Pro 2TB PS5 SSD for $149.99

One of the biggest problems in fighting games is preservation. It doesn’t matter how good the game is, or how influential it was, or whether it’s a beloved classic or a flash in the pan or anything in-between. It’s just hard to play old fighting games on modern hardware. If you want to play any Tekken earlier than 7, you’d better have an old console hooked up. SoulCalibur? I hope you have a Switch 2 and/or the delisted re-releases or physical discs. The best version of Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike? Still trapped on the Xbox 360 and PS3. And on and on and on it goes. Some have done better than others (Capcom, SNK, Arc System Works), but the reality is that a lot of the best, most important fighting games of yesteryear are lost to time or trapped on old hardware or saddled with bad ports that make them essentially unplayable at worst and deeply flawed at best. And that’s the best-case scenario. The ones that burned out or faded away? You probably can’t legally play them at all. Rest in peace, Masters of Teras Kasi fans.

That’s the situation Digital Eclipse is stepping into with Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection, a compilation of Mortal Kombat’s glory days from the early days. If Digital Eclipse seems like the right studio for this type of thing, it’s probably because they have a lot of history doing it, having made Tetris Forever, Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection, and, my personal favorite, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection, among many, many others. They know what they’re doing here; the only question will be execution.

The most important things, of course, are the games themselves. The classics are all here: Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II, Mortal Kombat 3, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Mortal Kombat 4. But it’s not just the arcade games. The console and handheld versions are here, too. If you prefer the sweaty SNES release of the original Mortal Kombat, it’s there for you. If you’re more into the gory Genesis game, that’s here, too. Me, I’m an arcade purist, but it’s nice that there are options here for people who aren’t, or who’d just like to see the different versions of each one.

But we’re not limited to the klassic (sorry) versions that everybody and their mama played. The weird stuff is here, too. That means the Game Boy Advance version of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance is included, plus things like the 32X version of Mortal Kombat II and the Game Boy and Game Gear versions of the original Mortal Kombat. I didn’t even know they made a Game Boy version of the original Mortal Kombat, but it’s here for you if you want it.

In addition, every game in the Legacy Kollection will support online multiplayer with rollback netcode powered by GGPO, one of the best rollback solutions in the business. This release will mark the first time most of the games in this collection have online play. That’s meant a lot of extra work for Digital Eclipse (adding online play to fighting games that don’t already have it is a notoriously difficult undertaking), but if they can get it right, it’ll be an enormous accomplishment.

Online play isn’t the only new deal in this package, though. Digital Eclipse is letting you unlock every secret with the touch of a button. That means characters, game settings, hidden developer menus, the whole enchilada. If you’d rather do things like unlock Reptile normally (seriously, go look up the process for that in the original MK just to remember how wild some of MK’s arcade secrets were), you can do that. But if you don’t want the hassle, every secret is at your fingertips.

What I’m most looking forward to, however, is Digital Eclipse’s propensity for archival work, which will appear in the Legacy Kollection. That means interviews with the likes of Ed Boon, John Tobias, Dan Forden, John Vogel, and many, many more – but also archival stuff, like footage of the actors that was scanned into the game and the Mortal Kombat prequel comic book, written and illustrated by Tobias himself, that you could send away for by mail and is, like all collectors items, now prohibitively expensive to acquire. Throw in a timeline of the series that traces each character’s history and the story of MK’s various realms, and it sounds like the Legacy Kollection will have everything an oldhead MK fan (and young guns looking to learn the series history) could want. And as someone who grew up in the arcade with those games, I’m glad that they’ll be available for everyone. I’ll see you online in UMK3.

When the Lenovo Legion Go S first launched earlier this year, the only version available was powered by an AMD Z2 Go chip, and ran Windows 11 – and it was not great. However, it came with a promise that a version natively running SteamOS was on the way, and now it’s finally here. And, well, it’s better in every way, proving once and for all that a great operating system can go a long way.

Lenovo sent us the Legion Go S with the Z1 Extreme this time around, the same chipset that powers the handheld gaming PC heavyweights like the Asus ROG Ally X and the original Legion Go. And while this version of the Legion Go S still has comparable performance to these devices, SteamOS elevates this handheld to another level entirely. What’s more, the Lenovo Legion Go S with SteamOS should light a fire under Microsoft to make sure the Xbox Ally X is a success – because I could totally see other manufacturers partnering with Valve in the future.

Design and Features

Just like the Windows-based Legion Go S I looked at back in February, this SteamOS-powered version is an all-in-one design, as opposed to the original Legion Go with its removable controllers. The only difference between this and the Windows version, at least before you turn it on, is the colorway – the SteamOS version has a nice ‘Nebula Nocturne’ purple color. It looks awesome.

You still get the same back paddles that are nice and clicky, if you’re into that kind of thing, along with the adjustable triggers that could do with an extra level of control. On the top of the device is the power button and two volume buttons. You’ll also find two USB-C ports right next to each other for charging the device or connecting accessories.

The face buttons are also largely the same as the original Legion Go S, but with one slight difference. The Legion button on the top left corner of the display is now a Steam Button, which will bring up the Steam Menu, just like it does on the Steam Deck. This automatically makes this button much more useful, as it gives you the immediate ability to close your game, or get to chat without having to jump through a bunch of hoops.

Also like the Steam Deck, the quick settings button – located above the start button next to the top-right corner of the display – brings up the same settings panel as on the Steam Deck. This will let you adjust things like brightness, power and notifications in an easy-to-parse display. Most Windows-based handhelds also offer a quick settings panel like this one, but they have a tendency to shove as many different options as possible into the panel, making it a little harder to navigate than the simple menus on the Legion Go S.

Beyond the chipset running the thing, though, the biggest difference between this and the Steam Deck is probably going to be the display. While Valve has released a version of the Steam Deck with a lovely OLED display, it’s still locked at a 1,280 x 800 resolution, compared to the 8-inch 1200p display on the Legion Go S. And while Lenovo’s option is just a lowly LCD panel, it’s still gorgeous, with excellent color accuracy. Plus, it’s fast at 120Hz with Freesync Premium support.

It can be argued that the 800p display on the Steam Deck is a better fit for these low-power mobile chips, but the extra resolution really does help make the larger Legion Go S display an absolute beauty. You just might want to turn down the resolution in some newer games, but more on that later.

With the Legion Go S’s larger screen, though, comes a larger chassis. While the two handhelds have a similar thickness, the Legion Go S is nearly half an inch taller than the Steam Deck and 0.2 lb heavier. Now, 0.2lbs doesn’t sound like a lot, but let me tell you, after holding both for long periods of time, it’s noticeable.

The comedically small touchpad also returns, and while it was a major bugbear with the Windows version of the Go S, I didn’t feel the need to use it once in the two weeks I’ve spent with this handheld. How much this impacts you will largely depend on how much you care about having a usable trackpad. I personally never really used the haptic trackpads in the Steam Deck for anything other than navigating menus and typing on the on-screen keyboard, so the tiny trackpad here doesn’t bother me much. But if you play a lot of games that need that extra level of control, it could definitely be a problem.

SteamOS Changes Everything

The Lenovo Legion Go S with SteamOS is the first handheld not made by Valve that natively runs SteamOS. And while you can install SteamOS on the ROG Ally X or the original Lenovo Legion Go, having something that comes with the operating system running out of the box is a huge deal for anyone that doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of re-imaging their handheld.

SteamOS was built from the ground up to be usable with a controller, and it really shows. Just as with the Steam Deck itself, it launches straight into a version of Steam Big Picture Mode. You log into your Steam account and you’re good to go. Compare that to the setup process on the Windows version of the Go S where, once you get the system up and running, it’ll open to the Legion Space app where you can choose to download Steam and any other game stores.

However, you’re going to have to go through touch screen hell to actually set up those stores, signing in and even navigating their UIs to install the games you want to play. Once you have games installed you can launch them from the Legion Space app, but you still have to deal with Windows in a huge way. That’s fine with me, to be sure, I’ve been reviewing gaming PCs and laptops for more than a decade, and I have more than enough experience dealing with Windows on a fiddly touch screen. For a lot of people, though, it was a huge turn-off.

The ease of use of SteamOS does have its downsides, though. While you can get some other launchers running on the Linux-based OS, it takes enough effort that a lot of people are going to feel confined to Steam’s library. That’s a huge library, to be fair, but you won’t be able to use things like PC Game Pass unless you’re willing to do some tweaking.

Luckily, you can either just install Windows 11 on this thing if you want to, or just buy the Windows version instead, which Lenovo is thankfully now selling with the same Z1 Extreme APU as the model I reviewed here.

Performance

There are two versions of the Lenovo Legion Go S, one powered by the Z2 Go and one by the Z1 Extreme. And despite what the numbers in those names may suggest, the Z1 Extreme is both more powerful and based on newer silicon. This chip has a CPU based on AMD Zen 4 and a GPU based on RDNA 3, compared to Zen 3 and RDNA 2 for the Z2 Go.

Lenovo sent me the Go S with the Z1 Extreme, which is significantly more powerful than the Steam Deck, despite running the same operating system. The Go S also has double the memory as the Steam Deck with 32GB of LPDDR5X clocked at 6,400MHz. By default, the Go S has 10GB of this system memory reserved for the GPU, compared to just 6GB for the Steam Deck. That makes more demanding games like Monster Hunter Wilds a no-go for the Deck, but much more feasible on the Legion Go S.

So, while Valve waits for hardware good enough to justify making a Steam Deck 2, this little handheld might as well be the Steam Deck 1.5, especially when you look at the performance numbers.

I started with 3DMark, even if it meant going through the slog of installing Windows 11 on the device. In Time Spy, the Lenovo Legion Go S was nearly twice as fast as the Steam Deck, with a score of 3,433, compared to 1,715 from Valve’s handheld. Then, in Fire Strike, the Go S gets another huge lead with 7,865 points to Valve’s 4,322.

These performance leads carry over to actual games, too. For instance, in Cyberpunk 2077, the Legion Go S got 61 fps at 800p on the High Preset with FSR set to performance, compared to 28 fps from the Steam Deck with the same settings. That’s more than double the performance. The Steam Deck held up a little better in Monster Hunter Wilds, scoring 19 fps to 31 fps from the Legion Go S at the same resolution and settings. But that’s just average frame rate – the Steam Deck had moments where its performance dropped down to the single digits, especially when there were a lot of effects on the display.

At its full 1200p resolution, some cracks start to show, especially in Monster Hunter Wilds. While it’s still capable of delivering an average frame rate of 27 fps, the frame drops become extremely obvious, especially in complicated scenes. This is still a handheld after all, and 800p is going to be the resolution you want to stay at if you’re playing more demanding games. However, Hollow Knight gets 120 fps at 1200p, just saying.

None of this should be too surprising. After all, the Z1 Extreme is not only using newer silicon, but it has a much bigger GPU, with 12 graphics cores, compared to just 8 in the Steam Deck. Plus, the Steam Deck has a much more conservative 15W power budget, in the interest of maximising battery life, whereas the Lenovo Legion Go S will pump double that into its SoC. As with any gaming PC, more power means better performance, but it does come with a hit to battery life.

Battery Life

Even in handheld form, battery life for mobile PC gaming is always going to be a challenge. And while handhelds like the ROG Ally X are getting better, you’re still only going to get a couple hours of gaming out of a handheld when you’re really pushing the system.

The Legion Go S is no different. While it lasts 6 hours and 25 minutes in the PCMark10 battery test, it’s a different story when playing games. I booted up Baldur’s Gate 3 and set a timer with the chip going at full power, and the system died after about an hour and a half of playtime. Keep in mind, though, that this was at 1200p with the full 30W TDP. You can get much better battery life by lowering the resolution or limiting the power going to the Z1 Extreme.

The Steam Deck did last longer in PCMark, but that’s to be expected. After all, the ‘custom AMD processor’ is only using half the power, but that only got the Steam Deck an extra 2 hours of battery life.

It really is a game of setting your expectations, then. The lower-power chip in the Steam Deck will get you better battery life most of the time, but you’re getting way better performance from the Z1 Extreme.

Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra

A new PlayStation Portal has never been discounted, even during the PlayStation Days of Play Sale that recently happened, but at least you can save on a used one. Amazon Resale just dropped the price of the Used: Like New PS Portal to below $150. Right now you can pick one up for only $148.81 with free shipping. It retails for $200 new, so that's 26% in savings. A Sony warranty may or may not be included, but Amazon Resale items still get a 30-day return policy.

PlayStation Portal (Used: Like New) for $148.81

Make sure to select the "Save with Used - Like New" option

Note: You'll see the price of a new PS Portal on the product page ($199). Scroll down a bit to see the Like New price.

The PS Portal, Sony's handheld gaming accessory for the PS5 console, looks very much like an extended split-pad DualSense controller with an 8-inch 1080p LCD screen in the middle of it. It turns your PS5 into a gaming handheld by letting you stream games from your console at up to 60fps. The controller mirrors the same features found on the DualSense, including haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and a touchscreen interface that replaces the Dualsense's touchpad. The Portal can stream your games even when you're outside of your home, with the caveat that you have access to very stable, very fast internet connection. Keep in mind that the PS Portal is not a standalone device. This is strictly a remote player for the PlayStation 5, so you will need a PS5 to use it.

You no longer need a PS5 to play games on the PS Portal. Now, rather than being limited to simply streaming games from a $500 console to a $200 handheld, Sony has introduced a feature that lets owners stream games directly from its PlayStation Now cloud streaming service. No PS5 required. Portal owners can either connect the Portal to their PS5 or directly to Sony’s cloud servers (with some new quality of life beta updates that launched in April). Choose the latter and suddenly you have access to a library of more than 120 games, including Ghost of Tsushima, Resident Evil 3 Remake, The Last of Us Part 1 Remastered, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. It’s worth noting you must be a subscriber to the highest tier of PlayStation Plus, but $18 a month is much more attractive than paying for every new game.

It should be said that the PlayStation Portal isn’t the only way to stream your PS5 games over Wi-Fi within your home. You can mimic its functionality by downloading the PS Remote Play app on a mobile device, including other gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck. That said, it's more complicated to set up and you'll lose out on some of the Dualsense's features.

Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

OLED TVs are generally considered the best TVs money can buy, and fortunately prices are dropping precipitously for 2025. Case in point, Best Buy is currently offering a 65" LG B4 4K OLED TV for just $799.97 with free delivery. This is the lowest price I've seen this year for a 65" OLED TV. Besides boasting true OLED technology, the LG B4 also has a native 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 ports so it can play PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X games in 4K at up to 120fps.

65" LG B4 4K OLED Smart TV for $799.97

Walmart just brought back its best soundbar deal that I saw during last year's Black Fridy sale. The Bose Smart Soundbar 550, which normally retails for $500, is on sale right now for only $199 with free shipping. It's also sold and shipped by Walmart, not a marketplace vendor. This is easily one of the best soundbars you can get at this price, especially if you're looking for a compact, low-profile speaker with Dolby Atmos support.

Alternatively, you can get a certified refurbished model from Woot for an even lower price of $169.99. Amazon Prime members get free shipping, the rest of us pay $6 delivery. It includes the same 1 year Bose warranty as buying new. Woot is owned by Amazon and is an authorized Bose reseller.

Bose Smart Soundbar 550 for $199 (Normally $499)

Whatever your budget may be, there's an AirPods for you. Apple's newest AirPods are all on sale including our favorite earbuds for iPhone, the AirPods Pro. The second generation model with USB Type-C charging has dropped to $169 from $249 after a 33% off instant discount. The next step down, the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC (active noise cancelation) is down to $148 (normally $179). Finally, the value-packed AirPods 4 without ANC drops to $99.99 (normally $129).

Apple AirPods Pro for $169

If you've been keen on getting into VR games or upgrading your set-up, this new deal with up to £40 off the Meta Quest 3S at Amazon UK is the ideal time.

A new promotion that Meta seems to be running slashes £30 off the Quest 3S’ 128GB model and £40 off the 256GB, now only £259.99 and £339.99 respectively. These listings, including just the headset, also come bundled with three months of Meta Horizon+, Meta's catalogue of over 30 VR games to play.

Since Meta Quest games are digital-only, I’d recommend the 256GB version since that more-limited 128GB can fill up rather quickly, depending on how many games you're playing.

However, if you're only playing one VR game at a time, like the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Shadow, the 128GB should do you fine.

As well as other amazing VR games like Beat Saber and Among US 3D, you can also watch videos, films, and shows via streaming services like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.

If you fancied having a cinematic 1832x1920 resolution experience in your living room, this is it.

The Meta Quest 3S savings also extend to bundles including certain accessories like the carrying case bundle . These also include a 16ft Meta-official USB-C link cable, costing £349.98 for the 128GB version at £30 off, and £428.99 for the 256GB version at £40.99 off.

Amazon UK also has a selection of around-£20 third-party alternatives you can buy, instead of spending an extra £90 for the bundle, like those listed below, but it's still a good deal if you only bring armed with the official accessories.

Whichever way, you'll still be able to connect the Meta Quest 3S to your PC wirelessly using the Air Link feature. Connecting via the link cable provides slightly less latency, but you'll still be fine playing wirelessly, depending on your preferences.

While the listings on Amazon don't show an expiry deal on these lower prices, similar listings on the Meta website which are said to end on June 16 at 09:00 PT / 17:00 BST. There's no confirmation that Amazon UK’s offer will run out at the same time, but if your determined to grab a Meta Quest 3S, you better grab one now just in case.

Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.

In the last Crashers and Climbers, I was focused on Destined Rivals, thanks to it just launching. I was going to look into older sets this week, but the volatility of this set right now forced me to revisit some of the market values on this set.

It's also a good time to be savvy on the secondary card market right now and pay attention to pricing trends and market values across the whole of Pokémon TCG.

After prices plummeted as predicted following the launch weekend, most cards are once again trending up if they haven't already.

It doesn't help that there's a rise in sellers on TCGPlayer charging way above market value for their stock. It sticks out like a sore thumb and could be a collective push to artificially inflate market values.

Pokémon Card Crashers

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is now officially called Supergirl after DC Universe chief James Gunn confirmed the change.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Gunn explained the decision, which follows a similar move for this July’s Superman: Legacy to be renamed Superman. He revealed that the creative group behind his films do what’s called a “premorterm,” where they try to pre-empt issues that might cause a film to flop before it starts shooting. The name Superman: Legacy was mentioned at that point.

“I’m always cutting,” he said. “Legacy was really — we do something called a premortem. A premortem is you get together with your group that’s doing the project. It’s usually about a couple months before shooting, and you go, hypothetically, ‘If it’s an epic disaster, what are the things that we’re doing today that are going to cause it to be an epic disaster? Everyone here can speak freely.’ The things you find on other productions are the things that people are whispering. ‘Oh, God, I don’t know why they cast that actor — he doesn’t fit the role.’ Or, ‘The production designer’s never on time.’

“One of the things I brought up was, it was called Superman: Legacy. Even though I was the one that gave it that title, I just wasn’t sure. First of all, I’m sick of the superhero title, colon, other-name thing. And then also it seemed to be looking back when we’re looking forward, even though it does have to do with legacy in the movie itself. And everybody was like, ‘Oh, yeah, no, change it.’”

Supergirl, directed by Craig Gillesipe and written by Ana Nogueira, stars Milly Alcock in the title role. We know next to nothing about it (Alcock has remained quiet in recent interviews), but A Minecraft Movie star Jason Momoa has been loose-lipped, teasing his highly anticipated Lobo costume in the forthcoming film. Gunn subsequently had a laugh about the whole thing.

Supergirl — not Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow — is due out on June 26, 2026.

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.

Alongside exciting new details, Disney has announced that EPCOT's Test Track presented by General Motors at Walt Disney World Resort will reopen on July 22, 2025.

As detailed by Disney Parks Blog, this attraction update has added an all-new musical score and "new scenes that highlight technology making our cars smarter and our lives more fun."

One of the new scenes showcases "how vehicles can use advanced cameras and sensors to 'see' the world they drive through." It's a representation of how self-driving cars can navigate without a driver and how LiDAR technology is used to keep everyone safe.

Speaking of the real world, Disney also shared that, while past iterations of Test Track were set in a "conceptual world," this new take is "rooted in reality." To accomplish that, part of Test Track will feel as though guests are driving though the Pacific Northwest.

"In our reimagined Test Track, we're really celebrating the pleasure of driving and going on a scenic drive with your friends and family," Walt Disney Imagineering's Nathaniel Gearhart said. "It's about taking these trips that are memory makers."

To bring that to life, they narrowed in on four species of trees - Cedar, Spruce, Maple, and Oak - that would be included to represent that region and make it feel authentic, complete with a ton of overhead foliage to act as the canopy of these trees.

Test Track 1.0 officially opened in 1999, Test Track 2.0 opened in 2012, and Test Track 3.0 will finally make its debut in 2025 after closing for these upgrades on June 17, 2024.

This is just one of the many things guests have to look forward to at Walt Disney World this summer, and it's part of our 14 reasons this season is a great time to visit the Disney World thanks to Cool Kid Summer.

For more, check out the latest details on Magic Kingdom's Cars-themed Piston Peak National Park.

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

PC gaming mod hub Nexus Mods is under new ownership for the first time in 24 years as creator Robin “Dark0ne” Scott hands off the baton for the sake of his mental health.

The figurehead of one of the biggest gaming sites on the internet posted about its next chapter in a message published today. It comes with confirmation that Scott has already officially stepped away from Nexus Mods, “following months of meetings, face-to-face talks, and a whole lot of soul searching.”

The message keeps many of the behind-the-scenes details under wraps but says two new individuals — one named Victor (a.k.a. Foledinho) and another named Marinus (a.k.a. Rapsak) — have adopted the leadership role, with both of their profiles now bearing the “Site Owner” title. The leadership change signals the beginning of a new era for Nexus Mods, and for Scott, a much-needed break.

“The strain of being responsible for the behemoth I created has taken its toll,” Scott explained. “The stress of the job has been a regular source of anxiety and stress-related health issues. I realised that I have been burning out and this started to have an impact on my staff and Nexus Mods as a whole. So, I firmly believe that the best thing for the future of Nexus Mods is for me to step aside and bring in new leadership to steer the business forward with renewed energy to make Nexus Mods the modding community we all truly deserve.”

The small project born in Scott’s bedroom for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind eventually ballooned into a massive entity in the gaming space. The Nexus Mods About Us page notes that this beating heart of the PC gaming community is made up of 63.4 million users and 16.8 billion file downloads, positioning it as one of the most highly trafficked UK-based websites on the planet.

As Nexus Mods has grown, so too has its impact on Scott, who has spent “every single day” for more than 20 years “on call.” Losing his direct input in the day-to-day operations of Nexus Mods will surely result in some changes, but Scott assured modders and gamers alike that the shift should not be cause for concern.

“Behind the scenes, I’ve already been stepping back bit by bit,” Scott clarifies. “Over the past few years, the team has taken on more of the weight and the site’s been doing better than ever. What’s changing now is simply the formality of it, making sure the right people are in place to guide Nexus Mods into the next era.”

Scott says his stepping down from Nexus Mods, as well as a few small structural changes, are moves made to ensure “long-term stability” and won’t impact how the site has been operating recently. He goes as far as to say, “Nexus Mods is community-first and mod-author focused, that’s not up for negotiation.”

As Scott steps away from his direct leadership position, the modding creator says he’ll still engage with the Nexus Mods community on its Mod Author Discord, forums, and more. He’ll also help guide the site’s 40-person team as the page is turned, relieving his duties as its face and figurehead.

“So yes, the ownership of Nexus Mods has changed hands, but I want to be clear, this isn’t some corporate ‘exit’ or a backroom deal,” Scott adds. “This is me doing something I probably should’ve done years ago: taking care of myself. Reclaiming some headspace. And finally letting go of the idea that I have to do everything and be responsible for everything myself.”

Nexus Mods has housed thousands of fan-made creations for games like franchises like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Stardew Valley, Baldur’s Gate, Cyberpunk 2077, and many, many more for decades. In fact, just moments after The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion shadow-dropped earlier this year, dozens of minor mods had already been published on the site. It’s the go-to place for PC gamers to modify their games to their liking, and with its first change in leadership in 24 years comes a fair amount of uncertainty for its future.

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).

Borderlands 4 will be arriving in September 2025 and preorders have already started going live. After some initial controversy around the cost of the game, the price has officially been confirmed by 2K Games. At $70 for the standard edition, the newest Borderlands game in the series is going to be the most expensive so far.

Borderlands is set to release on September 12, but there is another related preorder that won't come out until later that same month. The Art of Borderlands 4 oversized coffee table book that features art and commentary from the game's development will be released on September 30. At $55, it is priced closer to what the previous standard edition video games were at launch.

Preorder The Art of Borderlands 4 Book

There’s a new Jurassic World Rebirth trailer out in the wild, and this one probably deserves a spoiler warning.

So that’s what I’m going to do. Here’s the spoiler warning!

Jurassic World Rebirth, starring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali, sees an extraction team race to the most dangerous place on Earth, an island research facility for the original Jurassic Park inhabited by the worst of the worst that were left behind. It’s directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) from a script by original Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp.

This latest trailer shows the new winged Mutadons, which Koepp has described as “a combination of a pterosaur and a Raptor.” The scene shown in the trailer gives us a good look at the horror elements in Jurassic World Rebirth, and rekindles memories of Jurassic Park’s iconic Raptor kitchen scene. There’s even a nod to that scene in this trailer, where we see the clawed Mutadon foot up close as a young girl cowers inside a freezer.

That clip veers on the edge of spoiler territory, but the trailer may end up crossing the line with its next section, which shows off a good chunk of a battle against swimming Spinosaurs, complete with webbed feet.

At one point, we see a man called Bobby look very much like he’s being killed by a Spinosaurus. The dino is dragging them off the boat Scarlett Johansson and co are on, and as Bobby clings on for dear life, there’s a look of resignation on their face. Let’s put it this way, if poor Bobby somehow walks away from this, I’ll be very shocked indeed.

Here’s the official blurb:

Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures across land, sea and air within that tropical biosphere hold, in their DNA, the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.Academy Award nominee Johansson plays skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett, contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure the genetic material. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized by marauding aquatic dinos, they all find themselves stranded on a forbidden island that had once housed an undisclosed research facility for Jurassic Park. There, in a terrain populated by dinosaurs of vastly different species, they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that has been hidden from the world for decades.

Jurassic World Rebirth hits theaters July 2. For more, check out everything we know about Jurassic World Rebirth, and our biggest burning questions.

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.

Pokémon's iconic anime theme tune talks about wanting to be the very best — but what if there was a premium in-game item that could, over time, give your Pokémon a helping hand?

Well, as in the main series of Pokémon games, hit smartphone spin-off Pokémon Go is set to offer Gold Bottle Caps — rare items that will let you boost a creature's stats until it becomes a perfect 100%, or in Pokémon fan language, a 'hundo.' But these items won't be cheap — and seemingly won't be available very often.

Pokémon Go has recently allowed users to engage with more of the game's activities remotely, and begun selling items that bestow the stat-boosting Lucky Friend status on players when trading creatures. Now, the introduction of Bottle Caps marks another new frontier for the game, as something that will inarguably offer a gameplay advantage — better, stronger stats for the Pokémon of your choice — in exchange for your money.

The first Gold Bottle Cap, singular, will be offered as part of a new $19.99 event pass, GO Pass Deluxe: Ancients Recovered, which is set to be made available from Monday, June 23 until Sunday, June 29. Previous passes have cost either $7.99 or $14.99, making this offering the most expensive pass yet. It will also be the first time players will have overlapping event passes, as the monthly June pass will still be ongoing.

While a free version of the Ancients Recovered pass will also be available, Pokémon Go's first Gold Bottle Cap will only be offered in the pass' Deluxe version, which is a paid upgrade. The free pass will include an encounter with a Legendary Pokémon (one of the Regi family), three Pikachu wearing "dapper" costumes, plus Stardust, XP and other items. The paid upgrade adds Zacian and Zamazenta masks for your in-game avatar, plus premium in-game items such as Incense, an Incubator and Lure Modules, as well as that Gold Bottle Cap.

If you buy the premium upgrade via your browser on the Pokémon Go Web Store — outside of the game, and therefore outside of Apple and Google's pesky platform fees — you will additionally receive 10 Max Revives, 10 Max Potions, five Premium Battle Passes, five Max Particle Packs, a Max Mushroom, and an Incubator. And then there's the even more premium GO Pass: Deluxe: Ancients Recovered + 10 Ranks bundle, which unlocks the first 10 event pass tiers immediately and comes with even more Incubators when acquired via a Web Store purchase.

More than six years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hit theaters, Marvel Comics has finally completed its adaptation of the final Skywalker Saga movie. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Adaptation may be late to the party (the series was originally solicited in 2020 and canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic), but it does seek to bring something new to the table. The series includes scenes and dialogue not included in the film itself, and that includes a key change fans have been begging for.

Read on to learn what key moment plays out differently in the final issue, and why this change raises a few awkward questions in its wake.

The Rise of Skywalker Adaptation's Biggest Change

Like The Rise of Skywalker novelization before it, Marvel's adaptation aims not just to rehash the plot of the film, but add new scenes and lines of dialogue that expand on the plot. Issue #5 alone features several key changes. We actually get to see the message Lando transmits to the galaxy as he rallies an armada to fight the Sith Eternal fleet. We also see Rey and Ben Solo psychically talk to each other through the Force as their Force dyad bond strengthens.

But the biggest change comes during the pivotal scene where a battered but defiant Rey confronts her rejuvenated grandfather Palpatine in his Sith temple on Exegol. In the movie, Rey is strengthened when she hears the voices of the many dead Jedi who came before her, from fellow Skywalkers Anakin and Luke to Clone Wars-era giants like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luminara Unduli, and Mace Windu to the likes of Ahsoka Tano and Kanan Jarrus.

While that scene proudly celebrates the enduring legacy of the Jedi, many fans have been critical of the fact that these cameos were merely voiceovers. We don't actually see these dead Jedi manifest, despite a shot of Rey that clearly has room for an army of Force Ghosts in the background. This is where the comic seeks to address that sense of disappointment. This time, Rey is physically joined by the Force Ghosts on Exegol:

If you're in the market for a new Switch (not Switch 2) console, here's a deal worth consideration. Woot!, which is owned by Amazon, is currently offering a Nintendo Switch OLED console for just $249.99. Amazon Prime members get free shipping, the rest of us pay $5.99 for delivery. It comes with a 90-day Woot warranty.

This is a brand new, genuine Nintendo Switch console, but keep in mind that it is an "international version". That means it's an imported model and the manufacturer's warranty it comes with will most not likely be valid in the United States (however you do get the Woot warranty). The packaging and materials might also be written in another language. Functionally, however, every Switch console is region unlocked so you'll be able to play it in the US without any problems. You'll be able to select English as your default language just like any console you buy here.

Nintendo Switch OLED for $249.99

International model

In my opinion, the Amazon Kindle is one of the best electronic devices ever. Maybe the only piece of tech I use more than my Kindle is my phone, but even then, I have the Kindle app if I decide I just want to stick some knowledge into my craw. If you're on the hunt for a good deal on Kindle devices, there are a few discounted bundle deals available at the moment that are worth a look.

Our favorite deal right now is on the Kindle Essentials Bundle, which has dropped to $146.97 from its $161.97 list price and sets you up with a Kindle, fabric cover, and power adapter. With this deal, you're saving $15, which is worth taking advantage of while it's available. You can see that deal and a few more good ones below.

The Best Kindle Deals Right Now

Kindle is one of the devices you're most likely to find on sale during Amazon events like Amazon Prime Day (which is coming up soon in July) and Black Friday. The available Kindle lineup has expanded quite a lot over the years, too. Amazon will oftentimes sneak Kindle deals into its Deal of the Day or offer a bonus deal like free Kindle Unlimited or other Amazon services as well.

Kindle Unlimited

If you own a Kindle, it's absolutely worth investing in Kindle Unlimited. Right now, when you sign up, you can take advantage of a 30-day free trial before its $11.99/month price kicks in.

But you may be wondering: what is Kindle Unlimited, and is it really worth it? The answer is... absolutely, dear reader. With this, you'll get unlimited access to millions of digital titles, audiobooks, and magazine subscriptions. That way you can read all of the latest bestsellers, classics, biggest hits, and more in the realm of books and comics. What better way to get started on your Kindle adventure?

Current Kindle Bestsellers

Wondering where to start once you pick up your new Kindle? Have no fear, we're here to help with that, too. Below, we've listed out the current Kindle bestsellers so you can start up an exciting new book right away. Some of these titles can be read for free if you're a Prime member or as part of Kindle Unlimited, or they can be purchased if you'd like to own them.

• Death Row by Freida McFadden - $0.99 to purchase
• The Tenant by Freida McFadden - Free with Kindle Unlimited, $4.99 to purchase
• Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde - Free with Kindle Unlimited, $4.99 to purchase
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros - Free with Kindle Unlimited, $14.99 to purchase
• The Wedding People by Alison Espach - $2.99 to purchase
• Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn - Free with Kindle Unlimited, $5.99 to purchase
• Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry - Free with Kindle Unlimited, $14.99 to purchase
• Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros - Free with Kindle Unlimited, $14.99 to purchase
• The Housemaid by Freida McFadden - Free with Kindle Unlimited, $3.99 to purchase
• Abscond: A Short Story by Abraham Verghese - Preorder for $1.99

Best Kindle Book Deals

If you want to see the latest and greatest Kindle book deals available, there's an excellent variety to pick through. Whether you're looking for new comics to dig into or just want to sink into a thrilling novel, there's always great book deals available for Kindle users. We've listed just a few of our favorites below, but if you want to see the full list of available deals, head to Amazon's Kindle deals page here.

• All Systems Red: The Murderbot Diaries - $11.99 (usually $17.99)
• Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson - $2.99 (usually $11.99)
• Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin - $2.99 (usually $9.99)
• The Betrayal (Fear Street Saga Book 1) by R.L. Stine - $1.99 (usually $8.99)
• Iron Man Epic Collection: Doom (Iron Man (1968-1996)) - $6.99 (usually $44.99)

Why a Kindle Is Worth the Investment

I've been rocking the Kindle since the earliest model was available, and not only do I prefer it to any other method of reading, I've found myself reading more than I would have with traditional paper books. Not that there's anything wrong with reading from a traditional book, I just personally appreciate the ease of use and form factor afforded me by the Kindle.

Since the Kindles use e-ink instead of traditional screens like your phone or iPad, they can be read in just about any lighting. In fact, the pages look like actual paper pages, so any artificial light or even bright sunlight are no factor when using the Kindle. It only uses energy when you turn the page, use the backlight or leave Wi-Fi turned on, so if you go into Airplane mode you can go weeks, even months, between charging your Kindle. Generally I go long enough to completely forget where I put my charging cable.

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

With contributions from Seth Macy.

In Japan, Nintendo has been working with online marketplaces to restrict scalper-fueled resales of the in-demand Switch 2 console. However, the video game giant may have another ace up its sleeve when it comes to dissuading people from buying the Switch 2 second-hand.

Home electronics and appliances usually come with a physical warranty card. However, social media users in Japan have been noticing that the Switch 2 does not. Instead, owners of Nintendo’s latest console are required to have proof of purchase if they need to request repairs under warranty from Nintendo Japan’s official repair service. As a result, many Switch 2 resellers on online marketplaces in Japan have been including the receipt, with savvy would-be buyers asking for it in the comments. However, receipts have been added to the prohibited items list on Mercari Japan, one of the major online marketplaces where people have been buying and reselling the hot new console (in addition to making prank Switch 2 listings of cardboard light switches, but that’s another story...).

User TeamSubRockman drew attention to the matter among Japanese-speaking users of X, observing that Switch 2s are being listed with receipts included on Mercari but noted: “This clearly violates Mercari’s Terms of Service. It’s gone from a gray area to outright prohibited. Nintendo is setting so many traps, it’s impressive.”

The original Switch had the warranty card printed on the box in Japan. To request the repair of a Switch 1 console under warranty in Japan, you only need to send in the warranty card section (either the original, a photocopy, or a photo). However, this is not the case for the Switch 2. According to the information about warranties on Nintendo Japan’s website, people must include their original receipt along with the console when sending in their Switch 2 for repairs under warranty. This means that buyers of second-hand Switch 2s in Japan could find themselves locked out of free official repair services should something go wrong with their console.

Interestingly, it seems that not being the original purchaser voids your Switch 2 warranty outside Japan too. In the EU, the Switch 2 warranty covers the console for 24 months post-purchase, however “this warranty does not cover the Product if it has been resold, or used for rental or commercial purposes.” (Source: Nintendo Switch 2 Hardware Warranty).

In the Nintendo of America version of the warranty, “The original purchaser is entitled to this warranty only if the consumer can demonstrate, to Nintendo's satisfaction, that the product was purchased within the last 12 months.”

It seems that Switch 2 repairs outside Japan also require proof of purchase for them to be covered by the warranty. The Nintendo UK Terms of Service for repairs, for example, state that “if you are unable to provide proof of purchase with the Product you send to us, the Product will be considered to be outside of your Nintendo Warranty and a service fee will apply for any repair work undertaken.”

However, this requirement is hardly a unique move by Nintendo. Sony also requires valid proof of purchase for console repairs to be covered under warranty. Indeed, this has been true for every Sony console up to the PS5 and PS5 Pro.

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.

The BBC has broadcast an eyebrow-raising parody of its own recent Doctor Who series, which skewers the show as "lazily-written mawkishness" and mocks lead actor Ncuti Gatwa's recent regeneration into Billie Piper as having been planned to generate "clicks."

The skit, aired as part of BBC Radio 4 comedy series Dead Ringers (thanks, Screen Rant), critiques the broadcaster's flagship sci-fi show in a scene in which Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor defeats a CGI monster via the power of "unearned sentimentality."

Overall, it's a startling take on the recent episodes — despite their mixed reaction from fans — considering it comes from the BBC itself, and at a time when Doctor Who's own future feels far from certain.

"It's time for the last in the series of Doctor Who," the skit begins, as a continuity announcer introduces the next episode. "It's still going! Yes, I was suprised too." Ouch.

Currently, the BBC has not commented on when new episodes of Doctor Who will resume production, something which seemingly rests on whether Disney will continue its co-funding deal for the series. But as time passes since the most recent season finale, and a recent animated spin-off looks set to be made without Disney's involvement, fans suspect the Disney deal will not be renewed, leaving the BBC in need of a replacement.

As the skit continues, Ncuti Gatwa's incarnation of the Doctor, here portrayed by impressionist Jon Culshaw, describes himself as "woke, touchy-feely," and the show's current roster of diverse side-characters are also highlighted.

"Do you think lazily-written mawkishness is going to scare me?" says the villain, which is simply referred to as a CGI Monster. In response, the Doctor asks his companion to complement him, causing the enemy to die "of cringe."

"I can't take the Hallmark card triteness of your empty platitudes!" the monster says.

"It's working!" notes the Doctor's companion. "The power of unearned sentimentality in the script is poison to it!"

Finally, the parody's version of Ncuti Gatwa departs, in a line which ridicules the shock appearance of former Doctor Who star Billie Piper in a yet-to-be confirmed new role.

"Laters, I'm off to regenerate into Billie Piper for clicks," the parody Doctor says.

CRIKEY! Dead Ringers went after, REALLY went after, Doctor Who! "It worked! It died of cringe." 😬 #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/sr6DMXgydP

— Cameron Yarde Jnr (@CameronYardeJnr) June 14, 2025

Online response to the skit is mixed, with many calling it unfunny, and suggesting that criticism of the show's inclusivity is unecessary — though complaints around its writing were valid.

"A shame that this is not particularly funny but a pretty blatant breakdown of what has happened in at least the last two finales," wrote one fan.

"The bit that should give RTD nightmares is that about 40% was genuine dialogue," another fan wrote, referring to the skit's use of actual lines written by current Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies.

Many fans expressed surprise the BBC had broadcast a parody of its own show, and doubted whether highlighting the series' perceived flaws in this manner had been good idea.

"Might be the only time I've heard something satirical be unfunny because it's so accurate," one fan wrote. "There weren't any jokes, it was just describing what happened in Boomer language."

"This just seems lazy," said another. "Shame cause, even as a Doctor Who fan, I think the show kinda deserves to be laughed at atm."

"Piss poor comedy takedown of a now piss poor Doctor Who," another fan concluded. "At least the BBC are consistent."

Doctor Who's most recent season finale was reportedly affected by extensive reshoots, an actor's social media account has now confirmed, allegedly due to Ncuti Gatwa's decision to leave the series.

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

The Tomtoc FancyCase-G05 is a sturdy and protective case for the Nintendo Switch 2, and one of the top Switch 2 accessories we recommend during the console’s early days. Its relatively low profile and slim design make it great for long-distance traveling or tossing in your backpack when you're running out the door, and it’s not going to break the bank, either.

I'm not one for flashy cases or overly-designed products, and despite the name “FancyCase,” this is anything but that. It's compact and almost the same dimensions as the Nintendo Switch 2, leaving little room for anything besides the compartment that holds 12 Switch cartridges. Despite not loving my previous case, which was the bulky and ugly case that came in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild Collector's Edition, I stuck with it throughout the console's life cycle because frankly, I'm a bit cheap, and if something works well enough I tend to stick with it.

Going into the Nintendo Switch 2, I was more determined to find a better solution to my carrying case needs and after talking to some friends, I decided to go with the Tomtoc FancyCase-G05 that I have here since it looked simple and was affordable. After using it for a bit, and even traveling through the airport with it, I can confidently say that this case is going to stick with me for the long haul.

Its slightly hard outer shell provides enough protection for the console and I never felt worried about taking it out of my bag in a rush, or what would happen if I accidentally dropped it. The zipper works smoothly and doesn't get caught or stuck on the inside layer, making it a breeze to get the console in and out of the case. The inside layer is smooth and soft to prevent screen scratches, and It does exactly what a good case should do – which is it lets you forget it exists. I never found myself thinking "I hope my Switch is ok in that case," and I never found myself even thinking about it. I knew everything was protected, and that's the best you can ask for.

I even did the unthinkable for you, the reader. I dropped my Switch 2 while it was inside the case to test how it would absorb the shock. After unzipping it and removing my Nintendo Switch 2 from inside, there wasn't a single mark on it. The console booted up fine, and no damage was done to it. Don't let its unassuming slim profile fool you, the Tomtoc FancyCase-G05 can take a hit. The notches built into the case mold around the joysticks and d-pads to give them a little extra room so they aren't smashed up against a flat surface when inside the case. This gives them ample room without too much headspace to jostle around. A small shock-absorbing cushion rests on the top edge of the console when inside the case, which guards the L and R buttons, and ensures the console isn't wiggling around in the small bit of extra space inside.

I was a bit worried about taking it through the airport for the first time on my way home from Summer Game Fest though – my first big trip with the Switch 2 and this carrying case could be a make or break moment. Would the zipper get stuck and make me look like a fool to the people sitting next to me? Would it get banged up going through TSA? Luckily, all of these concerns were quelled almost immediately as everyone of my made up scenarios never happened. The zipper works, the case is built tough, and my Switch 2 was protected.

Looking for a portable charger for your Switch 2?

Check out our roundup of the best Switch 2 accessories.

The Tomtoc comes in several different colorways for whatever vibe you’re feeling. If you're looking for something unassuming, the black with the colorful logo goes with just about everything. I got the all white case and my biggest problem is that after only a week, it's already starting to get dirty. From just rumbling around my backpack, the outer edges and joystick notches are starting to get dirt around them. I'm worried that after even more time the dirt will continue to accumulate, making the case look more worn than it actually is. The soft outside of the case can be cleaned with a wet paper towel as the case itself is water-resistant. Still, having to clean your case every week is a bit more maintenance than the other color options available, so take that into consideration when making your purchase.

Jesse Vitelli is a freelancer and contributor for IGN who usually takes on guides and features, making a big splash with his Monster Hunter Wilds coverage.

There’s only so much you can do to improve on a tried-and-true design of a controller, and making changes for the sake of it might just open it up to new flaws along the way. Such is the case with the new Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, which sticks to what works and doesn’t veer far off the beaten path. That begs the question: why not just keep using the original Pro Controller if you have one? Well, you can, and you wouldn’t miss out on too much, if you’re not swayed by some of the Switch 2’s new features. I still have my gripes with Nintendo’s official gamepad, including the jump in price, but the Switch 2 Pro Controller remains a well-built gamepad that does some things better than most. And for those who play docked, it’s an essential Switch 2 accessory as it’s miles ahead of even the new Switch 2 Joy-Con in terms of performance and comfort.

Switch 2 Pro Controller – Fundamentals

There isn’t much to the package; you get the controller and a five-foot USB-A to USB-C cable. I do wish it came with a longer cable to make it easier to both charge and use the controller at the same time in home theater setups, and so I’ve relied on a cheap 10-foot USB cable for my own setup. The Switch 2 Pro Controller pairs like any other – you just go to the “Pair New Controller” option in the Home menu, hold the pairing button on top of the gamepad, wait for the LED to start blinking, and hit the bumpers when prompted. Or just plug it into the Switch 2 with the USB cable.

Looking at the controller itself, you’ll notice some physical changes from the previous Pro Controller, like the light gray accents of the analog stick mounds and the topside parts where the USB-C port, pairing button, triggers, and bumpers are located. The body of the controller is made with a grippy matte black texture that feels good in the hands, avoiding the cheap plastic feel of some less expensive controllers that might creak or get slimy from usage. I do miss the rubberized material on the old one, but this isn’t a bad alternative at all. It’s a dense and durable controller that makes for a premium feel.

One thing I’m not a fan of, as was the case with the original Switch Pro Controller, is that the actual handles you grip to hold the controller are still quite small. Compared to the DualSense, Xbox controller, or most full-sized third-party options, the Switch 2 Pro Controller doesn’t fill the palm of my hands. These thinner handles help the controller keep a slimmer profile, but it’s at the expense of proper ergonomics and long-term comfort, especially for those with bigger hands.

All the other fundamentals of the Switch 2 Pro Controller are fantastic. The B, A, Y, and X face buttons are large and balanced, feeling soft to the touch and responsive enough for rapid inputs. Perhaps my favorite aspect is the smooth analog sticks that have a consistent resistance along their full range of motion that I’d begrudgingly describe as “creamy” (Though my one gripe is the RS and LS stick-click inputs are a tad too stiff, taking a bit too much effort to press downward). I found the directional pad to be a slight improvement – although it feels very similar to its predecessor, I’ve anecdotally experienced fewer errant inputs since it’s better at distinguishing the directions I was pressing, which is important for many of the 2D action-platformers that thrive on Switch.

The bumpers and triggers are light to the touch with easy-going tactile feedback, as you would expect from the Pro Controller. However, it’s disappointing that Nintendo still hasn’t adopted analog triggers, which limits its versatility (especially if you want to use this as a PC controller, too). Granted, the hair-trigger feeling of ZL and ZR is super responsive and works really well for most games that frequently rely on them, but anything that has some kind of acceleration or pressure-based input mechanic is going to need some sort of game-side workaround.

Switch 2 Pro Controller – New Features

The Switch 2 Pro Controller brings programmable back buttons – a hallmark of many high-end gamepads – to a first-party Nintendo controller for the first time. Marked as GL and GR, these back buttons allow you to mirror the input of any other button, giving you the ability to use face button actions, for example, without having to take your thumb off the right thumbstick. Although you can't map them through the controller itself, you can do so swiftly through the Switch 2 system menus. You simply hold the Home button and change the button assignments there by pressing GL or GR, then the button you want assigned. These assignments are also recorded on a per game basis for added convenience. Many third-party Switch gamepads have some form of back button inputs, but it’s nice to see Nintendo seamlessly incorporate them into its own controller this time.

Something as basic as a 3.5mm audio jack built into the controller seems like common sense, but only now do we have a Switch Pro Controller with one. I’m not here to praise Nintendo finally catching up to the crowd, but it does make using wired earbuds or headphones so much easier than having to use something with a cable long enough to reach your Switch when playing docked.

There’s one more new button on this updated Pro Controller: the C button on the bottom center accesses an exclusive Switch 2 function: Nintendo’s new GameChat. This button jumps you straight into the system's GameChat app, giving you quick access to setup a chat room or configure its options. Those who plan to be more social in multiplayer settings with their Switch 2 will find this button much more convenient than flipping through menus to set up or fiddle with GameChat, which you’d have to do if you’re using a previous-generation controller.

Another reason to upgrade – and I am going to give Nintendo grief for this – is that you can’t wake up your Switch 2 with the previous-gen controllers. It’s a minor inconvenience, but just annoying enough to ever so slightly push us to buy the new controller.

Switch 2 Pro Controller – Performance

The Switch 2 Pro Controller does some things exceptionally well and somewhat misses the mark in other respects, but when it comes to the actual gameplay experience, it’s as great as you’d expect from a flagship first-party gamepad. More importantly, it’s a massive improvement over using the tiny and unergonomic Joy-Con 2 with their packaged grip attachment.

The GL and GR back buttons come in clutch in several games with complex control schemes, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Setting sprint to GR and weapon select to GL helps keep my thumbs on the sticks at all times, and in intense combat scenarios, the controls felt a lot less clunky. The same principle applies to any game with important actions set to the face buttons that also require right-stick camera controls, and once you get used to relying on back paddles in this way, it’s hard to go back. As someone who has reviewed plenty of aftermarket controllers in the past, I’ve found that manufacturers often struggle to get the actuation right. That’s not the case here – Nintendo nailed the feel. They’re easy enough to hit in the heat of the moment and I didn’t hit them by accident at any point, either; they sit flush with the controller’s handles so they don’t protrude or get in the way of a natural grip. I just press my middle finger inward slightly and get a nice tactile response.

I can’t stress enough how buttery-smooth the motion of the analog sticks feels whether I’m whipping my kart around corners when drifting in Mario Kart World or taking aim with a bow in Tears of the Kingdom before relying on gyroscope motion controls to fine-tune my shot. I’d go as far to say that I prefer Nintendo’s design of the analog sticks over the Xbox controller and DualSense. And comparing the Joy-Con to the Pro Controller is night and day when it comes to shooters, going from nearly unplayable to almost ideal as far as gamepads go – so if you’re playing Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2, for example, the new Pro Controller will serve you well.

The big question that won’t be answered by a week’s worth of usage is how well (or if at all) Nintendo has addressed the threat of stick drift. Given that this new Pro Controller uses the same mechanisms as the previous one and hasn’t adopted the increasingly common Hall Effect magnetic design (which has shown to be less faulty), it may be susceptible to the same type of wear and malfunctions over time. Out of the box, though, these are some of the best sticks I’ve used on a controller, Nintendo or otherwise.

Still looking for a Switch 2 case?

Hasbro may currently have the market cornered on movie-based Ghostbusters figures, but for collectors with a special soft spot for the classic The Real Ghostbusters animated series, Mondo has become the place to turn. IGN can exclusively reveal the latest additions to Mondo's Real Ghostbusters line - Winston Zeddemore and Sandman.

Check out the slideshow gallery below for a closer look at these awesome, nostalgia-laden figures:

This is the third batch of figures released in The Real Ghostbusters line, following the Egon Spengler and Boogieman set and the Peter Venkman and Samhain set. Like with those previous releases, these are 1:12 scale figures rather than Mondo's usual 1:6 scale. Both figures include a wealth of accessories (proton pack, ghost trap, alternate heads and hands, etc.). Winston even comes included with a small ghost companion - Hearse and his beloved sled Rosebud.

These figures were developed by Alex Brewer (Concept Design & Sculpt) and Mark Bristow (Paint), with additional busting by Jordan Christianson (Packaging Art & Design) and photography by LordBobasaurus.

Also like with those earlier releases, collectors have two purchasing options. Winston will be available as a standalone, non-limited release for $101. Or fans can purchase both figures as a set for $202 (Sandman won't be available separately). The set is a timed exclusive, with preorders only open for one month.

Both the single figure and set will go up for preorder on Tuesday, June 17 at 10am PT. You can order them at the official Mondo store.

In other action figure news, Hasbro revealed its latest SDCC-exclusive, a Marvel Legends Savage Land 3-pack, along with teasing a new line of figures inspired by the Marvel vs. Capcom games.

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

As players dive deeper into Elden Ring Nightreign's endgame, they've been unlocking numerous skins FromSoftware has laid out as alternate options and rewards. It's not too surprising how many of them are references to previous Souls games, but some of the deeper cuts are certainly interesting.

Souls YouTuber BonfireVN put together a side-by-side comparison of Elden Ring Nightreign's Dark Souls skins with their origins in their respective Souls games. These skins unlock once you've cleared the final boss of Elden Ring Nightreign, and offer some big visual shake-ups for the various Nightfarers of the realm.

These "throwback" skins are callbacks to various pieces of Dark Souls history, mostly through NPCs and armor sets seen throughout the games. It's a nice bit of nostalgia, and also a way to commemorate how Elden Ring carries the Souls torch forward. Some of the choices and details are fairly interesting to dig into, though, as BonfireVN shows.

The Guardian's Solaire outfit, dubbed the Sunlight Knight Outfit, is a fairly obvious reference to everyone's favorite Dark Souls 1 NPC. The Catarina Outfit for the Raider is a similarly clear reference, to Siegmeyer of Catarina.

But in sets like the Duchess' Wraith Outfit, you can see the evolution of the Darkwraith design over the course of Souls, and how the set evolved from its first appearance to Nightreign.

Others, like the Ironeyes' Sellsword duds, are surprising references to characters like Chancellor Wellager in Dark Souls 2. While it's not surprising to see firekeeper outfits, or characters like Solaire or Artorias, it's nice to see some deeper cuts. The Recluse's Heretic Sorcerer Outfit calling back to Dark Witch Karla may not even be obvious at first glance, but it's fun to see.

Plus, the detail FromSoftware has put on these armor sets is impressive, especially side-by-side with previous Souls games. A long string of games led FromSoftware from its early days to Elden Ring, and these Nightreign outfits are a solid commemoration.

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.

Image credit: Souls YouTuber BonfireVN.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

He’s certainly a man! Fans have finally gotten the first glimpse of Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man in the upcoming Masters of the Universe film, which has just wrapped filming.

The film’s official social media accounts shared an image of Galitzine portraying the character in full costume on June 15, but with his back to the camera and lit in shadow, you know, to keep the mystique alive. The caption on the post included intel directly from production that Galitzine had officially wrapped filming on the project, as well as a statement from the actor.

“Well, that’s a wrap on Masters of the Universe. It has been an honour shouldering the responsibility of playing Adam and He-Man,” he gushed in the announcement. “It’s been the role of a lifetime and I put everything into it. There’s not much I can show you, but l am so proud of the movie we’ve made. Thanks to our amazing cast and crew for all your hard work.”

It’s clear Galitzine put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into this opportunity. Back in January, the actor opened up about his physical preparations for the demanding role. "I'm eating about 4,000 calories a day, but the amount of physical work I'm doing,” he explained to W magazine. “You end up hungry at the end of the day, which is quite surprising.”

Galitzine stars as Prince Adam of Eternia, as well as his alter ego He-Man. The cast alongside him is composed of Camila Mendes, Allison Brie, Jared Leto, and Idris Elba. The film is directed by Bumblebee director Travis Knight from a script by ParaNorman writer Chris Butler and is set to be released next summer.

Image credit: Nicholas Galitzine/Instagram.

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

Max (soon to be HBO Max again sometime this summer) is home to some incredibly high-quality films and shows, including House of the Dragon, Succession, The Penguin, The White Lotus, and The Last of Us, which just wrapped up season 2. You can read our spoiler-free The Last of Us season 2 review to see our thoughts.

If you've been hoping to start up an account to dig into that library, we're here to help. We're keeping track of the best price right now for Max subscriptions, along with any deals as they appear. This includes bundle deals like the Max, Hulu, and Disney+ bundle, which is one you absolutely don't want to miss out on. This mega bundle starts at just $16.99/month, which is an astonishing price to have three very popular streaming services right in the palm of your hand. You can learn more about that bundle deal and Max's subscription plans below.

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.

To learn more about how to get started with this bundle as a new or existing subscriber, head to our guide on how to get (or switch over to) the Disney+/Hulu/Max streaming bundle.

Students Get 50% off Max Basic With Ads

Nintendo Switch 2 owners who say they've lost Pokémon save files are strongly recommending other fans make use of the franchise's Pokémon Home storage app, before booting up their new consoles and initiating a system transfer.

One report on reddit details a fan's experience transferring their original Switch's data to their new Switch 2, only to find their Pokémon Scarlet save file had been lost in the process. Other fans responding to the post have reported similar issues, and an IGN staff member has had the same experience happen to them.

The reddit post, by user ThatOtaku26, claims their save file had more than 1,000 hours of gameplay and over two decades of beloved Pokémon, brought over from generations of previous Pokémon titles stretching back to Pokémon Leaf Green and Pokémon Diamond, on the Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance.

For Pokémon fans, this is why their save files are so precious — as some players bring over creatures they have already been playing with in multiple previous games, some released years ago. At the same time, Pokémon games on Nintendo Switch are some of just a handful of titles not compatible with the console's in-built cloud save functionality (available if you subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online). Indeed, Switch games Pokémon: Let's Go Eevee and Pikachu, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Sword and Shield, plus Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are all unsupported.

Of course, the Pokémon franchise does have its own cloud save offering, the Pokémon Home app, which comes with its own subscription plan that kicks in if you want to store more than 30 creatures. And it's this app that fans are now recommending to anyone wanting to continue their Pokémon save files on Switch 2, just to make sure their virtual creatures survive the move to Nintendo's new console.

"I just got a switch 2, did the startup and initial data transfer with no issues," ThatOtaku26 wrote. "My Scarlet save file is gone. It loads straight into the language selection and create a character screens. No data on my OLED. Just all gone.

"THERE WAS NO ERROR IN DATA TRANSFER AT ALL," they continued. "IT WENT FINE. ALL MY OTHER POKEMON DATA IS STILL THERE, BUT NOT SCARLET. I had mons from my original GBA up to current on there. Literally 20 years worth of data. There's nothing I can do. I don't even know if i wanna play anymore."

Some fans comiserated with the player, and said they had experienced similar issues.

"This same exact thing happened to me when I was transferring from my original Switch to the OLED," wrote Grouchy-Cress-215. "Tears were shed."

"The same thing happed to me but literally all my saved data isn't there anymore like BOTW, TOTK, MK8, Pokémon Sword and Shield, Scarlet and Violet, and so on," added Existing-Possible550. "I literally have to play everything from the start."

Many fans said the situation, however rare, meant that backing up beloved creatures to Pokémon Home was a necessity, just to be on the safe side.

"I'm afraid of this happening to me so everything I have is going in Home before I do the switch," wrote Mexican_Chef4307.

"If I get Switch 2 in the future, I will first transfer all my Pokémon to Home before data transferring," added TheJannikku. "I can't imagine how I would if that happened to me."

Not all fans were as compassionate, however.

"Ngl the fact that you didn't transfer all of your important Pokémon to Home first is on you," wrote IAmTheWire. "We've known that this is the only way to preserve your Pokémon for sure in this kind of circumstance or if your old Switch broke, otherwise they’d be gone forever. I'd have done it just to be safe if nothing else since it's so obvious and easy to transfer them back if something was to go wrong."

Nintendo Switch 2 released earlier this month and shifted 3.5 million consoles over its first four days on sale. Switch 2's launch sales have outsold the launch of the original Switch by two to one — though Nintendo's previous console suffered at launch from hardware shortages.

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

Among the many, many ranges of LEGO sets out there, Harry Potter’s have some of the biggest must-buys for fans of the Wizarding World, and you can buy the Knight Bus Adventure set at Amazon UK for only £33.99, its lowest price ever, as part of a limited-time deal.

Only released this year, this 499-piece set has had £11 knocked off its original £44.99 price tag. With it, you’ll have everything you need to recreate the Knight Bus and its scenes as they appear in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Borderlands 4 will cost $70, publisher 2K Games has confirmed as preorders go live.

The cost of Gearbox’s next game was thrust into the headlines after development chief Randy Pitchford had sparked a backlash with a series of controversial tweets.

Pitchford had responded to a fan who had expressed concern about the prospect of paying $80 for Borderlands 4, saying: “if you’re a real fan, you’ll find a way to make it happen.”

Pitchford addressed the negativity surrounding his comments in a series of follow-up tweets, but now we have confirmation that the Borderlands 4 standard edition is $69.99 after all.

Borderlands 4 offers three editions of the game: Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition, and Super Deluxe Edition, detailed below:

All editions are available for preorder today and will release worldwide on September 12, 2025. Players who preorder one of these editions will receive the Gilded Glory Pack, which includes one Vault Hunter Skin, one Weapon Skin, and an ECHO-4 Drone Skin.

• The Standard Edition includes the base game and will be available for £59.99 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store.
• The Deluxe Edition will feature a variety of bonus items and will be available for £89.99 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store.
  • This edition includes the Bounty Pack Bundle, featuring four separate post-launch DLC packs, each with distinct areas, new missions, and unique bosses; four Vault Cards with unique challenges and rewards; new gear and weapons; four new vehicles, and Vault Hunter cosmetics; and the Firehawk's Fury Weapon Skin.
• The Super Deluxe Edition will include all bonus digital content from the Deluxe Edition and will be available for £119.99 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store.
  • This edition also includes the Vault Hunter Pack, featuring two new Story Packs, each featuring a new Vault Hunter, story, and side missions; two new map regions; new gear and weapons; more Vault Hunter cosmetics; and new ECHO-4 cosmetics.
  • Additionally, it offers the Ornate Order Pack with four Vault Hunter Skins, four Vault Hunter Heads and four Vault Hunter Bodies.

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.

Rematch developer Sloclap has confirmed its game will not have crossplay at launch.

Rematch is a 5v5 online multiplayer arcade soccer game played from a third-person perspective. Its recent beta was hugely popular, with 1.9 million taking part across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. The beta hit a concurrent player peak of 175,000 across platforms, staying in the top five most-played Steam games every day it was available.

In a tweet, Sloclap said crossplay between Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox won’t be available for Rematch at launch. The game is available to play now, three days early, for those who pay more for the Elite or Pro Edition, but the official release date is this Thursday, 19 June.

However, crossplay is “one of our top priorities for upcoming updates,” Sloclap insisted. “We'll share an ETA as soon as possible, stay tuned!”

The lack of crossplay at launch for a competitive multiplayer game released in 2025 has come as a surprise to fans, some of whom have expressed their disappointment.

“Well that's a shame,” said redditor MajesticZed, “was hoping to play with friends on a different platform. Guess I'll just wait to buy it until they implement it then.”

Some who were planning to play via PC Game Pass were particularly disappointed by the news, given it means they cannot play with Steam players because of the lack of crossplay. “What a joke,” said redditor schumacher01. “Ah man, this is a bummer,” added Natemcb. “Ruins the plans of me and my group playing until they add it.”

Damn rip to the homies pic.twitter.com/60cJmytC4D

— Covent (@ChrisCovent) June 16, 2025

Some are now saying they’ve refunded their preorders. “Okay that’s very disappointing, I'm refunding the game,” Peatrex said. “The whole point was to play with friends.”

Given Rematch is an online multiplayer game, you can see why some who were looking forward to its release would be disappointed by the lack of crossplay. But Sloclap has said crossplay is a priority, so hopefully it’s added to the game sooner rather than later.

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.

Don't let Elden Ring Nightreign's status as a spin-off fool you. It has plenty of stuff to pick apart for lore fiends. Much like the towering Erdtree, Nightreign is just one branch, one alternate timeline, with roots in the world of Elden Ring. Nightreign brings its own unique ideas and new characters to Elden Ring, even if the events of the game don’t tie directly to the original. You’ll know what we mean when we start exploring the ending of Nightreign below.

This article contains spoilers for the ending of Elden Ring Nightreign.

Is Nightreign Canon?

Nightreign bends the history of The Lands Between in a different direction, forking off from a pivotal moment in the lore to give us a peek at what might've happened if things had gone much, much worse. It’s better to think of the events of Nightreign as an alternate timeline rather than a canon storyline. You don't need to know everything about Elden Ring to enjoy it, but you do need to spend quite a bit of time running expeditions and fighting Nightlords to get the full picture. Once you do, you'll start to grasp how Nightreign fits (and doesn't fit) into the story of the Lands Between.

Elden Ring Nightreign Ending Explained

As the intro cutscene explains: Nightreign takes place in a world where the Tarnished never show up. The war between the gods—known as The Shattering—breaks out after Marika stirs chaos in The Lands Between by smashing the Elden Ring. Thousands of years pass and nobody takes the throne, eventually luring "an abomination" known as the Nightlord to the land. This unnamed being is basically a walking natural disaster. Wherever he goes, the Night follows, and an endless torrent of rain slowly dissolves the world into nothing.

Leave it to FromSoftware to come up with an even bleaker version of the timeline than what we have in the original game. Here, the Elden Throne is just an empty chair sitting in the ruins of a world fading out of existence. There's nothing to rule or to conquer. And yet a peculiar group of people have been chosen by some unknown master to try and defeat the Nightlord anyway and end the Night.

That's where we come in. The Nightfarers team up to hunt down lesser Nightlords on their way to the source of the catastrophe. This involves dropping down onto what's left of Limgrave and battling familiar monsters and bosses from not only Elden Ring, but the Dark Souls series as well. While the game doesn't explicitly state why the worlds have converged, I like to think of it as the result of ruptures in reality as the universe collapses in on itself.

Once you bring enough of the Nightlords down, the true culprit is revealed to be the husk of a man named Heolstor. He carries what looks like the Moonlight Greatsword from Dark Souls in one of his three arms, and is one of the most spectacular boss fights FromSoftware has ever created. Defeating him rewards you with the Primordial Nightlord's Rune, which resembles the Great Runes you find in Elden Ring, only with an inky hue.

Usually you return to see your allies hanging out in the Roundtable Hold after defeating a Nightlord, but killing Heolstor leaves you standing in front of a Roundtable Hold that has been long abandoned. A petrified corpse sits inside and when you place the rune before it, it causes your Nightfarer to dissipate into streaks of light that fly into the sky.

A post-credits scene shows the Lands Between as we know it from Elden Ring—Erdtree and all—with golden leaves wafting in the air. One of those leaves lands on a tree branch atop a giant that looks a lot like Heolstor if he were made out of wood. It rises out of the sea, pausing a moment to face the Erdtree, and then steps away.

It's heavily implied that by defeating Heolstor we've retroactively stopped the Night from ever happening in the first place. In other words: We've chopped off Nightreign's branch of the story for good, leaving the events of Elden Ring to play out as we know them from the original game.

Who is Heolstor and what happens in the alternate endings?

We don't know a lot about Heolstor outside of the relic you get from defeating him. It tells a brief story of a knight who was slain by a hero before mysteriously waking up to curse the world. It's vague enough to fit into several different interpretations, but the most plausible one seems to be that he is intentionally a nobody, a cosmic inevitability as natural as the sun setting in the evening.

This lines up thematically with the alternate ending the Wylder can get if you finish his remembrance quests. Instead of erasing the timeline, the Wylder takes up the mantle of Nightlord by using a Larval Tear, an item from Elden Ring that is associated with rebirth. You learn earlier in his quest that the Roundtable Hold only exists because the Nightlord exists, and his sister, the Duchess, is locked to the same fate. He sacrifices himself to the Night to keep her alive.

In the Ironeye's unique ending, he cuts the throat of the petrified corpse in the empty Roundtable Hold and prolongs the Night. His goal is to protect his clan of undying warriors who you might remember from Elden Ring as Those Who Live in Death. In Elden Ring's timeline, Those Who Live in Death are hunted by the followers of the Erdtree. The Ironeye's decision saves them from this outcome, but dooms the world as a result.

The Recluse's ending is the second most hopeful one you can get. Her remembrance reveals that she once had a child who she abandoned, leaving it to succumb to an endless hunger and start to devour everything in sight, including her own sister. After defeating Heolstor, the Recluse can find the Night-touched baby in the Roundtable Hold and embrace it. Her love calms the infant and seemingly prevents a new Nightlord from forming.

The remaining Nightfarers don't have special endings associated with them. Their stories follow the events of the default ending and they likely disappear along with everything else when it's erased. But Nightreign's story isn't completely over: FromSoftware will eventually release new Nightfarers as DLC and they could provide even more insight into the nature of this sad world— possibly through their own alternate endings.

We have a new The Naked Gun trailer, this time showing off Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson in full on spoof comedy mode.

The Naked Gun is a revival of the beloved comedy franchise starring Leslie Nielsen as the bumbling yet endearing Detective Frank Drebin. This time around, Taken star Liam Neeson plays Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. with a cast that includes Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, Kevin Durand, Cody Rhodes, Liza Koshy, Eddie Yu, and Danny Huston.

The trailer gives us a good idea of the brand of humor and edgy satire we can expect from The Naked Gun, which looks like it pulls no punches as it sends up its celebrities. And yes, we see the same O. J. Simpson joke revealed in the debut teaser.

At one point Neeson, desperate to relieve himself, shoots up a restaurant to jump the line for the bathroom. Anderson wants Neeson to investigate her brother’s murder before literally taking a chair. Apparently Police Squad is under threat of closure if the case isn’t closed. Pamela Anderson, clearly up for a challenge, is spotted cleaning out Liam Neeson’s oven. We see Neeson’s ‘I’m a little schoolgirl’ trick from the teaser again. And finally, he accidentally causes a jailbreak — and Drebin is none the wiser.

Here’s the official blurb:

Only one man has the particular set of skills... to lead Police Squad and save the world! Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) follows in his father's footsteps in The Naked Gun, directed by Akiva Schaffer (Saturday Night Live, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping) and from producer Seth MacFarlane (Ted, Family Guy).

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.

Another Monday and another fresh start for daily deals, and it's starting off with a bang. Big box online retailers have Pokémon TCG product in stock that's near or under market value, while Prismatic Evolutions and Journey Together single card values cool off (Finally). The same can't be said for the wave that is Destined Rivals however, with single-card prices bobbing up and down the secondary market seas.

TL;DR: Deals For Today

Outside of the worlds biggest Franchise ever, Magic: The Gathering - Aetherdrift sealed product has been discounted on Amazon, so there's never been a better time to rip open the expansion. Whilst MTG: Final Fantasy has finally dropped, there's still plenty of buying options for sealed product from big box retailers and TCG Player. I've also found some cracking bargains on SSDs, portable storage, DDR5 RAM, games and more. Let's get into it:

Pokémon Restock Updates

Checking these prices against TCG Player secondary market values, a lot of these products aren't far off the mark. Make no mistake, they're still way off MSRP, but finding Pokémon products on shelves that haven't been marked up past the point of anyone caring is a positive. Still refusing to pay over MSRP for new sets? Well played, I'm proud of you. Here's some single card highlights for you to shuffle through instead. Spoiler, there's plenty of deals to be had.

Destined Rivals Singles Are On The Rise (Again)

It's hard to stick a pin on Destined Rivals single card values right now, and the dips in value seem to match the little bits of stock distributors release to stores. Looking at the tracking charts for each of these cards, we can see mostly plummets from day one, then either upticks or cards for sale that exceed the original value at launch. It's crazy, but we now know how low these cards can go. Sure there's always attempts at market manipulation, but I wouldn't buy any cards on the rise right now.

Journey Together Singles Are Settling In Value

Having keeping an eye on the market since launch, Journey Together singles are now more affordable than ever. Many of these cards have stabilized, with the main chase card - Lillie's Clefairy ex SIR, settling at around $150. If you were planning on getting into Journey Together at some point to collect the illustration rares and SIRs, now is a great time to jump in.

Epic Primastic Evolutions Cards That Aren't Umbreon

There's so many great cards in this set that aren't Umbreon ex SIR, all of which are a damn sight more affordable right now. Because I hate anything popular (Yes, I know I'm a massive fan of the most popular IP on earth), my two favorite cards are Dragapult ex SIR and Roaring Moon ex SIR. The former is now down to a respectable $125, with the latter holding it's value well since launch, floating towards the $200 mark. These prices and below are great deals for these cards, so don't miss out.

Discounted MTG: Aetherdrift Boxes

Magic: The Gathering discounts at a big box store like Amazon? Surely not! Aetherdrift turned the MTG meta on its head introducing vehicles and other unique mechanics. This is a great time to jump into it and rip open some packs, it's deffinately one of the most "out there" twists on the ever popular trading card game.

Where To Buy MTG: Final Fantasy

It's finally here, Magic the Gathering: Final Fantasy is out in the wild. If you got a preorder for MSRP, well played, but many TCG and Final Fantasy fans missed out. Fear not, there's still some options on sealed products available right now, including options from the secondary market with TCG Player which is around the same or lower than the pricing of big box retailers right now.

Big Discounts On Crucial DDR5 and Storage

Crucial are one of the most dependable brands when it comes to M.2 and portable drives, and is a great option for those wanting the benefits of DDR5 RAM without flashy RGB and it's price tag. Here's some of the best deals in the Crucial price slashing marathon on Amazon right now. I currently use the X10 Pro 4TB for backing up files and folders on my PC and for watching videos on my projector, just a solid piece of kit.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (PS5)

DOOM The Dark Ages Art Print

Power Up Pride Bundle

Nintendo has announced a Direct showcase focused on upcoming Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza. It’s set for this Wednesday, June 18, at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm UK time.

The announcement was made first in the Nintendo Today! app, where it was revealed the Direct will last 15 minutes.

Now the launch of the Switch 2 itself is out the door, Nintendo can turn its attention to its upcoming exclusives, and next on the list is Donkey Kong Bananza, which comes out July 17. Based on Nintendo's announcement, this Direct focuses entirely on the 3D platforming adventure, which means we won't see any other upcoming Switch 2 games — announced or otherwise —during the livestream.

Donkey Kong himself has a fresh new look for Bananza following his redesign in the blockbuster The Super Mario Bros. Movie. In a recent interview with IGN, Nintendo developer legend Shigeru Miyamoto explained why the great ape got a makeover in the first place.

"So when it comes to character creation and working with characters, I still take an active role in that," he replied. "And looking back to the first generation Donkey Kong Country, we worked with Rare to create Donkey Kong Country.

"When we were talking about trying to create new versions, evolving Donkey Kong, we created the game called Jungle Beat. We worked together with the team that made 3D Mario. With the technology that was available at the time, we were able to make Donkey Kong more expressive. And going back to the design that Rare came up with, we reevaluated; what can we do with the design to make it more expressive? And then when it comes to the movie, we decided to move forward with this new generation Donkey Kong design."

Check out IGN's Donkey Kong Bananza hands-on preview for more.

Bananza's release will help flesh out the Switch 2's relatively light exclusive games list, which includes launch titles Mario Kart World and Welcome Tour. Other Switch 2 exclusives include Survival Kids, the upcoming Kirby Air Riders, and the recently announced Splatoon Raiders.

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.

Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario for almost 30 years, has clarified how he will perform in-character when meeting fans — and the reason why — after confusion sparked on social media following a recent convention appearance.

Now recognised by Nintendo as an official Mario Ambassador, Martinet is beloved for enthusiastically performing his Mario voices when greeting fans in-person. But a recent social media post by YouTuber Ricky Berwick prompted concern that Martinet had been restricted by Nintendo in what he could perform — until Martinet himself spoke up to offer clarification.

Following an appearance by Martinet earlier this month at the Phoenix Fan Fusion 2025 convention, held in Phoenix, Arizona, a social media post by Berwick — who has 6.25 million subscribers on YouTube and 14.1m subscribers on TikTok — claimed the voice acting legend "wasn't even allowed to do the voice of Mario or any of his iconic character's voices" while at the meetup. "It's a f**king shame," Berwick added.

The post caught the internet's attention, as it came just hours after it was revealed that Martinet's former Mushroom Kingdom colleague Samantha Kelly had been replaced as the voice of Princess Peach and Toad, with the actress told of the change by Nintendo on the day Nintendo Switch 2 launch title Mario Kart World launched without her in it.

Nintendo officially retired Martinet back in 2022, though provided the actor with a notable send-off in the form of a farewell video featuring Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto and the promise that Martinet would continue to work with Nintendo as Mario Ambassador going forward. Martinet himself later stated he wasn't really sure what that title bestowed, but has maintained a busy schedule of convention appearances in the years since.

CD Projekt has explained why it has taken a “console-first” development approach for the hotly anticipated The Witcher 4, having gone with a PC-first approach for its previous games.

Earlier this month, CD Projekt revealed a stunning The Witcher 4 tech demo, built using Unreal Engine 5, that gave fans a clear sense of what to expect from the game.

The tech demo, captured on a PlayStation 5 and running at 60 frames per second, follows Ciri as she explores the never-before-seen region of Kovir in the midst of a monster contract.

There is an incredible amount of detail in the tech demo, with fluid animations on a level we have yet to see on the current generation of consoles. Ciri and her horse Kelpie have particularly impressive movement and interactions with each other, NPCs, and the game world as they make their way through the mountains of Kovir to the bustling port town of Valdrest. At one point in the demo, CD Projekt upped the NPC count in the market scene to 300 individually animated characters. The showcase ended with a first look at Lan Exeter, the winter capital and a major port city in Kovir.

Speaking to the tech experts at Digital Foundry following the demo reveal, CDPR’s VP of technology, Charles Tremblay, explained why the studio showed off The Witcher 4 tech demo running on PS5 first and before PC, saying it’s going for a “console-first” development approach for the game.

“We always do PC and we push and then we try to scale down,” he said. “But then we had so many problems in the past that we tried to say, this time around we really want to be more console-first development.”

That mention of having problems in the past is a nod to the disastrous launch of 2020’s Cyberpunk 2077, which ran so poorly on consoles on release that Sony ended up pulling it from the PlayStation Store and offered refunds. Amid the furore, CD Projekt apologized to customers for not showing the game on base last-gen consoles ahead of launch, admitting “we should have paid more attention to making it play better on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.”

CD Projekt spent years recovering from the game’s technical issues, but has done so successfully, to the point now where Cyberpunk 2077 is a massive hit and was even successfully released on the Nintendo Switch 2 as a launch title.

Now, with The Witcher 4 in development but not due out until 2027 at the earliest, CD Projekt is clearly keen to avoid making the same mistake. Later in the same interview, Jakub Knapik, VP, Global Art Director, CDPR, talked in vague terms about the benefits of going with console first then “scaling up” to platforms such as PC.

“We wanted to solve certain foundations,” he said. “It’s pretty logical when you think about it, because it’s easier to scale up than down.

“We knew that once we set up certain foundations both visually and technically, there’s room to scale up. Now what that means is another question. We’re CDPR, we always like to push PCs to the limit. It’s just a creative process how to really use it.”

Tremblay then stepped in to insist PC gamers will get their money’s worth from The Witcher 4 when it eventually comes out, despite the “console-first” approach.

“In the past, something that’s super important for the group is that if people pay good money for their hardware, then we want them to have what the game can provide for that, not like a simplified experience,” he said.

“So this is something we will definitely explore. The company started as a PC company, and we’ll definitely want to have the best experience for the PC gamer for sure. But it’s too early to say what this will mean for The Witcher 4.”

It’s worth remembering that by releasing The Witcher 4 on Xbox Series X, it must also release it on the less powerful Xbox Series S. All the talk so far has been about how CD Projekt has committed to 60 frames per second for The Witcher 4 across console, but in the DF interview Tremblay admitted that scaling down to Series S while maintaining 60fps will be "extremely challenging.”

“I wish we did a lot of work already on that but we did not,” he said. “So this is something that is next on our radar for sure. I will say that 60fps will definitely be extremely challenging on the Xbox Series S. Let’s just say this is something we need to figure out.”

There is still a long way to go for The Witcher 4, and as IGN has reported, the tech demo is not representative of The Witcher 4 gameplay. But it does show CD Projekt’s “ambition” for the title.

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.

Family game fixtures have become more and more popular over recent years, in part as a way to reclaim some fun time with family members away from the tyranny of screens. And it’s a great option: everyone has to get involved, it’s a workout for your brain, and often a tense thrill-ride to the finish if you pick the right titles. But in the ever-expanding board game scene, that can be a problem, as not all games are as fun for your pre-teen kids as they are for their grandparents as well as the generation in between.

If you want the best board games for adults, or the best board games for kids, we’ve got you covered with separate lists. Our picks here are sure to please whatever the age and skill level of the participants, as they offer a mix of strategy and luck that keeps everyone on their toes and in with a chance.

TL;DR: Best Family Board Games

• Survive the Island
• Castle Combo
• Bomb Busters
• Fellowship of the Ring
• Planet Unknown
• Harmonies
• Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West
• My City
• Scout
• Heat: Pedal to the Metal
• Cascadia
• King of Tokyo
• Tiny Towns
• Azul
• The Isle of Cats
• The Quacks of Quedlinburg

Survive the Island

Castle Combo

Bomb Busters

The Fellowship of The Ring: Trick-Taking Game

Planet Unknown

Harmonies

Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of The West

After more than a year of near-total absence, aside from a rogue Echoes of Wisdom listing, Amazon has finally resumed direct sales of Nintendo-published Switch games in the US.

The move breaks a long-running freeze-out that saw Amazon skip all “sold and shipped by Amazon” listings for Switch 2 titles, ignore preorders entirely, and leave everything to third-party sellers.

Even after the Switch 2 was officially announced earlier in 2025, Amazon stayed silent, while Walmart and Best Buy eventually rolled out their preorder pages following Nintendo’s Switch 2-focused Direct, despite some delays.

Until now, only third-party Switch 2 titles like Sonic x Shadow: Generations were available to order directly from Amazon. First-party launch games such as Mario Kart World and the Switch 2 Editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom were noticeably missing. That’s now changed.

While all of these are currently listed as “Temporarily Out of Stock,” Amazon is now accepting orders, suggesting serious availability updates are on the way imminently.

Preorders for the Switch 2 exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza are also now available at the online retailer, but Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends Z-A are still absent, at least for now.

So what about the console in general? Nintendo Switch 2 consoles are currently sold out at every major retailer. While launch day stock was solid, helping the console shift over 3.5 million units in just four days worldwide, it's been tough to come by ever since.

The summer is a great period for games, but also kinda weird when you think about it: it’s a few weeks where we’re all more excited about watching trailers for games, rather than playing them. It’s all for a good reason, of course – the multiple big presentations, once the framework that held up E3, showcase the most exciting new games in development and often reveal new projects for the very first time. They’re our first taste of what we’ll be playing tomorrow and beyond, and so naturally they garner a huge amount of interest.

To see what’s really caught players’ attention, we’ve combed through every video posted to IGN over the last couple of weeks and picked out the 10 most-viewed trailers from the Summer of Gaming. There are some clear standouts, clocking up millions of views, as well as a mix of highly-anticipated returns and brand new surprises. You can see the biggest and best trailers below.

1. Resident Evil Requiem

View count: 2.1 million

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Resident Evil 9 was the big hit of Summer of Gaming 2025. Resi fans have been waiting a long time for this one, with Requiem’s predecessor – Resident Evil Village – having been released back in 2021. And with Ethan Winters’ story now over, the perspective is switching to a new character. This first trailer provides a solid introduction to FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft, and we couldn’t be more excited because it appears she’ll be heading to a bombed-out Raccoon City. While much of the trailer is set in Ashcroft’s office, the final segment goes hard on the dark and gnarly survival horror tone established in Resident Evil 7 – making it clear that developer Capcom is looking to scare us all silly. We can’t wait.

2. Invincible VS

View count: 2.1 million

Prime Video’s animated version of Robert Kirkman’s Invincible comics has proven exceptionally popular, so naturally an Invincible video game has captured the imagination of many gamers this week. Invincible VS is a 3v3 tag fighting game that really does seem to capture the bone-crunching, bloody violence of the TV show – more than clear during the shot where Invincible causes Bulletproof’s head to detonate. While the promise of a city-destroying Invincible vs Omni-Man showdown is enough to sell us on the idea, seeing other characters turn up for the tag-style matches – including Atom Eve and Rex Plode – really has us eager to learn more.

3. Game of Thrones: War for Westeros

View count: 1.5 million

People may grumble about Game of Thrones’ final season to this day, but that doesn’t mean the fantasy series has lost any popularity. That’s proven by the massive number of views on the War for Westeros trailer, which acts as something of a “what if?” scenario. The cinematic trailer sees Jon Snow face off against the Night King in a one-on-one duel, a thrilling event that never happened in the HBO show. As the fight continues, we see other exciting but similarly non-canon moments play out, such as Daenerys and Drogon being shot out of the sky by a huge ballista, and Jaime Lannister fighting in what appears to be a four-way battle between his army, Stark bannermen, the Unsullied, and the White Walkers (the first hint of this being a real-time strategy rather than an action game). The big surprise, though, is seeing Jon killed and turned into a wight. As many in the trailer’s comments have said, this is the big finale season 8 could have been.

4. ILL

View count: 1.3 million

Resident Evil understandably got the most love of any horror reveal this year, but we’re delighted to see the grotesque gameplay trailer for ILL also struck a chord. This terrifying, rusty-looking survival horror is full of some of the freakiest enemies we’ve seen recently, including multi-limbed monstrosities, bobble-headed babies, and zombies with a desperate need to see a dentist. All of them can be torn apart thanks to an "advanced dismemberment system". Despite all that grossness, ILL knows how to crack a good joke: over in the equally engaging SGF trailer, the whole sequence ends with a zombie toddler being kicked in the face and punted into a pile of barrels. A little dark humour to brighten up your Summer of Gaming, there.

5. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn

View count: 1.2 million

RPG experts Owlcat Games is back with a new project, set in the world of The Expanse. But Osiris Reborn is very different from Owlcat’s previous projects – where the studio usually develops isometric RPGs that take inspiration from both games like the original Baldur’s Gate and tabletop adventures, this new Expanse game looks a lot like a modern-day Mass Effect. And considering how long it’s been since we had a good Mass Effect, it’s no wonder the internet has gone wild for this lengthy trailer, which combines exciting cinematics involving flying grenades and face crystals with a healthy gameplay montage demonstrating some good cover-shooting mechanics.

6. 007 First Light

View count: 835,000

IO Interactive’s Bond game was announced years ago, but we finally got to see it in action as part of PlayStation’s State of Play stream. The coolest thing about this trailer is how it treats First Light as if it were a brand new 007 film, introducing us to the new cast playing the likes of M, Q, and – of course – James Bond. Our super spy hero is much younger and greener than we’re used to, but it’s clear that IOI knows everything that’s required for a hit Bond mission. There’s exotic locations, expensive watches, a vintage Aston Martin, and more high-stakes action than the entire Hitman trilogy combined. It seems like IOI really does have a license to thrill.

7. ROG Xbox Ally X

View count: 822,000

New hardware is always going to draw significant interest, and so it's no surprise to see a handheld Xbox among the most-watched trailers. Of course, the ROG Xbox Ally X isn’t quite a true handheld Xbox – this portable PC is developed by Asus rather than Microsoft itself, and is an extension of its existing line of ROG Ally devices. However, it’s still the next step in Microsoft’s “This is an Xbox” project, which aims to allow you to play Xbox games anywhere from your console to your computer, TV, phone, and (presumably, one day) your fridge. And a powerful handheld PC that can directly interface with Xbox Game Pass and the Xbox cloud services is certainly nothing to be sniffed at.

8. Atomic Heart 2

View count: 796,000

The first trailers for the original Atomic Heart were big hits with the IGN audience, but a sequel was never a sure thing – reception of the first game was mixed, and it wasn’t quite the BioShock spiritual successor that the trailers suggested. Nevertheless, Atomic Heart 2 seems to be doing it all over again. This time around things look significantly more expansive; there’s space stations, wall-running, hang-gliding, mechs, and more vehicles, plus what looks like a much more active world with a larger array of characters. It’s all rendered in Atomic Heart’s signature, retro-futuristic Sovietpunk art style, which really is unlike anything else out there. Well, apart from The Cube, a multiplayer game set in the Atomic Heart universe that was also announced at Summer Game Fest this year.

9. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

View count: 720,000

You’d think that the only kart racing game anyone would care about in June 2025 would be Mario Kart World, but the latest trailer for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has truly popped off. That may be down to Sonic going through what is undoubtedly his most significant popularity spike in many years (no doubt thanks to the movies), but it also helps that this new trailer shows off some exciting guest additions to the character roster: Hatsune Miku, Like a Dragon's Ichiban Kasuga, Persona 5's Joker, and Minecraft's Steve. There’s even Minecraft-themed courses, which hints to even larger ambitions when it comes to cross-dimensional races.

10. Chronicles: Medieval

View count: 708,000

There’s very little gameplay in the trailer for Chronicles: Medieval, but those brief few seconds reveal that we’ll be leading an entire army from horseback. That promises an epic scale, perhaps one similar to that explored by the Mount & Blade series. The CGI cinematic proceeding that glimpse of gameplay showcases the life experiences of a medieval warrior, from simple village life, to forging weapons, to bracing against cavalry charges. If Chronicles: Medieval can capture all that, then all the excitement around this trailer will be well-rewarded.

Honourable Mentions

There are also a few other trailers that demand honourable mentions. Naturally, much-demanded sequels and remakes always do well in trailer showcases, and so it hasn’t been surprising to see both Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and High on Life 2 clock up over half a million views each. It’s been far too long since we had a new MGS game, and while Delta isn’t a brand new entry, it is at least a shiny remake of arguably the best game in Kojima’s back catalogue. High on Life, meanwhile, was a breakout hit for Squanch Games back in 2022, and clearly people are excited about wielding even weirder weapons with faces in a sequel.

Marvel has also had its fair share of success, but it wasn't ambitious PlayStation 4v4 tag team game Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls that drew in the crowds. Instead it was Deadpool VR and its kinetic, violent action. It really seems like an authentic Deadpool experience, from hacking a guy's head off with a katana and then bowling it at another enemy, to forcing someone’s face into a propeller. And because it’s VR, you know this is all player-controlled stuff rather than canned animations. We can’t wait to see the horrible possibilities.

But returning favourites are perhaps not as exciting as the truly new, and joining MGS, High on Life 2, and Deadpool in the “over half-a-million club” is Blood of the Dawnwalker and Clockwork Revolution. The former is a new RPG from former CD Projekt Red developers, and looks a little like a new take on The Witcher's recipe with bloodthirsty vampires. The latter, meanwhile, is from the RPG longbeards at InXile, and the five-minute-plus trailer dives deep into its steampunk world, roleplaying mechanics, and time-travel systems.

IGN is, of course, not the only place people go to for trailers on the internet. We’ve also taken a look at the official YouTube channels for PlayStation and Xbox, and you’ll see similar stats there. 007 First Light was the big winner at PlayStation, with almost three million views, closely followed by Resident Evil Requiem. ILL and Silent Hill f also pulled in over a million views each, and Gears of War: Reloaded – which marks the series’ arrival on a Sony console for the very first time – saw in excess of half a million views. As for Xbox, the brand new ROG Xbox Ally X handheld PC was the leader with over a million views, while Persona 4 Revival, Super Meat Boy 3D, and Beast of Reincarnation all clocked up hundreds of thousands of views.

But what was your personal favourite trailer of the event? Let us know in the comments, or vote in the poll below.

Will Smith has revealed why he turned down Christopher Nolan’s Inception, speaking on the record about the decision for the first time.

Inception is a 2010 sci-fi heist movie that revolves around mind-bending trips into dreams. The reality-shifting story sees a group of characters invade a target’s subconscious in order to commit an act of corporate espionage. But by the end, multiple layers down, the dream heist turns into something of a nightmare.

Nolan was reported to have gone to Brad Pitt for Inception’s leading role first, then Smith, before finally landing on Leonardo DiCaprio. Now, 15 years after the movie came out, Smith has spoken for the first time about why he rejected Nolan’s pitch.

“I don’t think I’ve ever even said it publicly before,” Smith began in an interview on UK radio station Kiss Xtra.

“Chris Nolan brought me Inception first, and I didn’t get it. I’ve never said that out loud. Now that I think about it, it’s those movies that go into those alternate realities, they don’t pitch well. But I’m hurt by those two.”

The “those two” comment relates to Smith’s high-profile rejection of Neo in 1999's The Matrix, which he has spoken about a number of times over the years. The revelation that he also turned down Inception because he “didn’t get it” now adds to the list of blockbuster films Smith regrets rejecting over the course of his acting career. Inception went on to make a huge $839 million at the global box office, and is one of Leonardo DiCaprio’s most iconic roles.

Inception's spinning totem top ending is notorious for failing to clarify the nature of the movie's events (is this real or a dream?), but in 2023 Nolan insisted the ultimate takeaway from the story is that Leonardo DiCaprio's character Cobb, who is finally reunited with his family, doesn’t care either way, which is why he doesn't turn back to look at whether the spinning totem falls or continues spinning.

While Smith has leaned into his The Matrix rejection, even using it to tease what ended up being a song with Big Sean, this is the first time he’s spoken about skipping Inception. But while admitting "I'm hurt by those two," Smith is no stranger to sci-fi films, having starred in classics such as Independence Day, Men in Black, and I Am Legend.

Photo by Pablo Cuadra/WireImage.

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.