Solo director Ron Howard has recalled the advice George Lucas gave him about making a Star Wars movie — that the franchise's audience is primarily "12-year-old boys."

Speaking to Vulture, Howard opened up about the circumstances which led to him helming Solo: A Star Wars Story, after Lucasfilm decided to ditch the project's original directorial duo Phil Lord and Miller, of The Lego Movie and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse fame.

During an impromptu breakfast meeting with Lucasfilm president Katherine Kennedy, Howard said he was told the studio had "reached a creative impasse with Lord and Miller" and then asked if he'd consider stepping in.

"I'd always been curious about Star Wars, and Solo landed in my lap when I didn't have another movie set to go," Howard said, when asked about the movie's behind the scenes drama. "My wife, Cheryl, and I were vacationing in Paris. I went to London to see Hans Zimmer play at the O2, and I reached out to Kathy Kennedy just to say 'hi.' And she said, 'Do you want to come to breakfast?' I said, 'Okay.'"

The meeting ended up being a mini summit on the future of the troubled Star Wars spin-off, Howard explained, with Rogue One producer Alli Shearmur and Solo screenwriter Jon Kasdan also in attendance.

"They basically said, 'We've reached a creative impasse with Lord and Miller. Would you ever consider coming in?'"

Howard said he took a bit of time to agree to the project, during which he was shown some of the footage Lord and Miller had already shot — and quickly saw "what was bothering" Lucasfilm. It was also around this point that he spoke with Star Wars' legendary creator, writer and director George Lucas, who offered his own advice.

"I talked to [Lucas] once early, when I was just thinking about doing it," Howard said. "He wasn't active on the films, but he said, 'Just don't forget — it's for 12-year-old boys."

Under Howard's direction, Solo was completed and released in May 2018, but failed to become a box office success — something that has often been blamed on the creative tussle behind the scenes.

"There was a studio that liked the script the way it was and wanted a Star Wars movie, but there was a disconnect early on tonally, and they weren't convinced that what Phil and Chris were doing was working effectively," Howard said. "I couldn't judge that because I didn't see enough of it to know. But they were sure."

The director was told by Lucasfilm to "reshoot a lot" of what Lord and Miller had already made, though Howard said he retained some scenes he liked and that the duo remained "incredibly gracious throughout."

"They were just seeing two different movies," Howard concluded. "So I came in, I had a blast, but there's nothing personal about that film whatsoever. It's still just a shame. I can’t wait for Phil and Chris' next movie."

Image credit: Daniel Knighton/Getty Images.

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

You may have recently heard about how Amazon is dipping into the past and bringing back the 1989 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sewer Playset back into circulation.

Well, that's not all. It's not the first time Amazon has secured the bag on a classic TMNT toy set, as last year it also exclusively released the "Technodrome Playset" as a reimagined classic toy.

Antony Starr has waved goodbye to The Boys and supervillain Homelander as Season 5 wraps production.

In a post on Instagram, Starr reflected on the end of the hugely popular Prime Video show now the fifth and final season is in the can, thanking the cast and crew as well as “the people at Amazon and Sony that took a chance on this insane thing (and made the great choice in casting me😂).”

Starr also had some interesting words for Homelander, the evil Superman-style antagonist who has dominated headlines around The Boys pretty much since the show hit Prime Video in 2019.

“This complicated character allowed the space and range to discover and push boundaries in a way I never expected and I will always be grateful for this experience,” Starr said, before thanking showrunner Eric Kripke, his “co-parent with this twisted gem of a character.”

“We created a monster, sir. And I will miss him, and you,” Starr added. “Til we roll out the last season. When I’ll see you. But this creative chapter is closed, and I’ll miss it, brother.”

Homelander has always been a contentious character. The Boys is a super gory satire of the superhero genre based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. It follows the eponymous team of vigilantes who work to bring down a group of supervillains (The Seven).

Homelander is a demented despot who rules The Seven with an iron fist. The other supes on the team live in fear of his mood swings and his overpowered abilities, which give him carte blanche to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants.

In May, Starr spoke of his surprise at the glorification of Homelander by some The Boys fans, calling it “surreal.”

"We had a bunch of guys that we all kind of knocked them down a little but on social media to say, 'This guy is not the hero of any story.'" Starr said. "They were really glorifying him, they loved him. Which is surreal."

Starr added that he was surprised to find some The Boys fans siding with Homelander, given the outrageously evil actions he takes in the show. "What I didn't expect was that people would be so conflicted around it and, you know, finding themselves finding empathy for this monster."

And last year, ahead of The Boys Season 4, Kripke responded to fans saying Homelander is a hero, saying: "Some people who watch it think Homelander is the hero. What do you say to that? The show’s many things. Subtle isn’t one of them. So if that’s the message you’re getting from it, I just throw up my hands.”

Kripe has also said that Homelander was always intended to be a proxy for Donald Trump. “When Seth [Rogen] and Evan [Goldberg] and I took it out to pitch, it was 2016," he said. "We just wanted to do a very realistic version of a superhero show, one where superheroes are celebrities behaving badly.

"Trump was the, ‘He’s not really getting the nomination, is he?’ guy. When he got elected, we had a metaphor that said more about the current world. Suddenly, we were telling a story about the intersection of celebrity and authoritarianism and how social media and entertainment are used to sell fascism. We’re right in the eye of the storm. And once we realized that, I just felt an obligation to run in that direction as far as we could.”

Finally, in his goodbye post, Starr issued a “massive thank you to the fans. You are the life blood. Without you, we don’t get to do this. And our fans are second to none. Mad love to you... and deepest respect for your taste.”

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.

Following the hugely popular Battlefield 6 Open Beta Weekend 1, developer DICE has outlined the changes and additions fans can expect for the upcoming Weekend 2, and confirmed its start time.

Weekend 2 kicks off today, August 14, at 8am UTC (1am PT), and runs until Sunday, August 17.

In a blog post, DICE outlined the playlist adjustments it has made for Weekend 2 and set out its reasoning. The thing to know here is the All-Out Warfare playlist will include Breakthrough, Conquest, and Rush.

“During Week 2, we're delivering more variety and choice for how you’d like to play with more playlists rotating between multiple different game modes,” DICE said.

“As an example, the All-Out Warfare playlist will include both Breakthrough, Conquest, and Rush. The in-game descriptions for each mode will tell you which modes are included in the rotation.

“Rotating through multiple modes within playlists helps us understand what our community enjoys as we shape the launch experience, and enables us to keep more fan-favorite modes available at the same time.”

DICE said rotating through playlists daily is specific for the Open Beta “while we're still able to test and gather feedback, and is not planned for launch.”

Battlefield 6 Open Beta Weekend 2 Playlists Overview:

Day 1, Thursday 14th

• Conquest
• Rush
• Attack & Defend (Breakthrough, Rush)
• Close Quarters; Fast-paced playlist on smaller maps (Domination, King of the Hill)
• Closed Weapons All-Out Warfare (Conquest, Breakthrough)

Day 2, Friday 15th

• Conquest
• Squad Deathmatch
• Close Quarters; Fast-paced playlist on smaller maps (Domination, King of the Hill, Squad Deathmatch)
• All-Out Warfare; Epic battles across expansive maps (Conquest, Breakthrough, Rush)
• Closed Weapons All-Out Warfare (Conquest, Breakthrough)

Day 3-4, Saturday 16th - Sunday 17th

• Conquest
• Close Quarters; Fast-paced playlist on smaller maps (Domination, King of the Hill, Squad Deathmatch).
• All-Out Warfare; Epic battles across expansive maps (Conquest, Breakthrough, Rush)
• Closed Weapons All-Out Warfare (Conquest, Breakthrough)

Meanwhile, DICE has added custom search options for Weekend 2. The developer stressed that this is now a Server Browser, which some fans are hoping to see.

“Based on your previous feedback and to give you more control over map and mode selection, we're introducing a new feature called Custom Search,” DICE said.

“This feature allows you to choose your favorite combinations of maps and modes. For example, if you want to play Conquest on Siege of Cairo, then matchmaking will prioritize putting you in a match with this combo, if available. Note that this is not a Server Browser (which is not being tested this week).

“During Open Beta, Custom Search will be available for Open Weapon mode playlists so you can mix and match maps and modes as you prefer.”

The Battlefield 6 Open Beta hit over half a million concurrent players on Steam last weekend, so it will be interesting to see whether Weekend 2 can beat that figure. Either way, there’s huge interest in the first-person shooter, which bodes well for its October launch.

If you're thinking of jumping in on PC for the first time, be aware you need to enable Secure Boot to play.

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.

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has revealed the 'Superman Saga’ while discussing his ongoing work on the follow-up to this summer’s Superman.

While promoting Peacemaker Season 2, which follows the events of Superman as part of the newly established DC Universe, Gunn told The Hollywood Reporter that he’s already finished the treatment for “the next story in what I’ll call the ‘Superman Saga.’”

“The treatment is done, which means a very, very worked out treatment," he continued. "I’m working on that and hopefully going into production on that not too far away from today.”

What exactly this 'Superman Saga' includes is unknown. Does it also encompass next year’s Supergirl movie? Perhaps that will depend on whether David Corenswet’s Superman turns up. But we do know it includes Gunn’s next writer / director project, which Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav confirmed in a recent financial call. At the time, Zaslav described it as the next installment in the ‘Super-Family.’ Superman Saga probably has a nicer ring to it.

Gunn has spoken in the past about his next movie, which sounds like it's sort of a Superman sequel, but isn't really. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Gunn said: "... is it a straight-up Superman sequel? I would not say necessarily."

Here’s what’s confirmed. In film, DC Studios has Supergirl and Clayface coming out in 2026, and the next Wonder Woman at some point after. The Batman II, from Matt Reeves’ self-contained ‘Batman Epic Crime Saga,’ begins shooting next spring, with a release date set for December 2027. Gunn has also talked about a Sgt. Rock adaptation, and a Justice League team up starring Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. In February, Gunn and co-DC Studios CEO Peter Safran confirmed The Brave and the Bold will introduce a new Batman into the DCU, ruling out current Batman actor Robert Pattinson in the process. But there's no release window for that yet.

In TV, the Batman Epic Crime Saga looks set for The Penguin Season 2, with DCU entry Peacemaker Season 2 out soon and a Lanterns series due in 2026. Gunn is reportedly considering TV spinoffs for characters such as Mister Terrific and Jimmy Olsen following their well-received supporting roles in Superman.

All these initial movies and TV shows are, let’s remember, a part of ‘Gods & Monsters,’ which Gunn and Safran announced was the name for Chapter One of the rebooted DCU in 2023. Looking back at what was announced at the time, already we’ve seen some projects fall by the wayside and others emerge. There’s no set timeframe for Chapter One, so we don’t know when Chapter Two is due or what it will include, assuming it actually happens. Warner Bros. has spoken enthusiastically about a 10-year plan for the DCU, which is probably about as far as anyone can hope for right now.

As for Peacemaker Season 2, Gunn once again hyped up its significance for the future of the DCU. ”... Superman leads into this show and then we have the setting up of all of the rest of the DCU in this season of Peacemaker, it’s incredibly important,” Gunn told THR.

“Lots of guest stars coming up, lots of characters that are showing up that we’ve already met in Superman. I don’t think there’s anything that I’ve ever done that I love more than this season of Peacemaker, so I’m so excited for people to see it.”

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.

There’s no better way to derail a weekend than to “just browse” a few storefronts and end up in possession of ten new games. Today's discounts are absolutely in that dangerous category. From sprawling JRPG worlds to nostalgic remakes and unexpectedly brilliant licensed titles, I found a little something for every mood, every console, and every budget.

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I'm celebrating the 12th birthday of DuckTales Remastered, an exemplary milestone on how to nail an 8-bit glow-up. Ironically, developer WayForward was the opposite of Scrooge with this, sparing no expense on hand-drawn HD graphics, extra levels, unlockable content, and most of the original voice cast from the iconic '80s cartoon. Better yet, they preserved much of the insane difficulty that made this an absolute qwacker of a game in the first place.

Cars nowadays are equipped with USB ports for charging your phones, but if you have a decades old beater like me, then chances are good that it doesn't. Fortunately, there's an extremely inexpensive solution to that problem. Amazon is currently offering a slim Lisen 65W Car Charger with a built-in coiled USB Type-C cable for a mere $7.98 after you apply a 50% off coupon code "3OPSQ269" during checkout. This little car charger plugs into a standard 12V vehicle socket and can fast charge an iPhone 16 or Nintendo Switch at their fastest rate.

Lisen 65W Car Charger with 4ft Type-C Coiled Cable for $8

Starting now and running through September 1, Sonos is hosting its very own Back to School Sale with discounts of up to 25% off plus free shipping on select speakers and headphones. Sonos offers free shipping on all of their speakers.

If you're looking for an easy solution to add great sound to your home, then you've probably already heard of Sonos. Sonos speakers are very easy to set up, don't take a large amount of space, and most importantly, offer distortion-free room-filling audio. They're definitely pricier than budget options, but the sound quality is comparable to speakers that cost hundreds more or take up much more space.

The Sonos Back To School Sale Starts Now (Ends 9/1)

$100 Off Sonos Ace Headphones

$100 Off Sonos Move 2 Portable Speaker

$40 Off Sonos Roam 2 Portable Speaker

$20 Off Sonos Era 100 Speaker

Google is officially launching its Pixel 10 line of phones next week. With the imminent release of new phones, we're already starting to see some massive price drops on last year's models. If you're in the market for a new Google smartphone, right now is one of the best times of the year to find a discount.

The budget Google Pixel 9a was the first big price cut we saw earlier this week, but the deals have officially moved up all the way up to the most expensive models. The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold has received a $600 discount on Amazon, dropping it to the lowest price we've ever seen.

The Best Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Sale at Amazon

Having spent nearly a decade testing VPNs, there’s one thing that was crystal clear to me from the outset that remains true today: Not all VPNs are created equal. Some boast powerful unblocking and seamless streaming, while others offer a more robust security setup or a stronger stance on privacy. These VPNs are available at prices to suit all budget levels too – some are even free.

The challenge is finding the best VPN for your specific needs, the list of which only seems to grow given the age verification steps implemented in the UK and, even more recently, the U.S. starting with YouTube. To make this easier, I’ve run dozens of VPNs through a series of tests to see where they excel and, crucially, where they fall short. This includes measuring server speeds, accessing streaming services from abroad, checking for DNS leaks, reading privacy policies, and even contacting each VPN’s support to gauge response time and quality. It’s about as comprehensive an approach as there is, resulting in a fair and accurate picture of the very best VPN services in 2025.

TL;DR: These Are the Best VPN Services:

Still not sure exactly what a VPN is or how it works? Short for Virtual Private Network, a VPN is a service you can use to encrypt your internet connection and spoof your virtual location. When you connect to a VPN, it routes your traffic via a secure, encrypted tunnel to a server in your preferred location. The encryption provides security from hackers and snoopers but, in hiding your IP address, a VPN also allows you to sidestep annoying geographic restrictions on content.

1. Proton VPN

The Best VPN

2. ExpressVPN

Best VPN for Streaming

3. NordVPN

Best VPN for Gaming

4. Surfshark

Best VPN for Extra Features

5. IPVanish

Best VPN for Unlimited Devices

6. CyberGhost

Best VPN with a Free Trial

7. Mullvad

Best VPN for Anonymity

Sony has revealed its PlayStation Plus Game Catalog August 2025 additions, pulling back the curtain on Extra and Premium tier highlights like Marvel’s Spider-Man, Mortal Kombat 1, Resident Evil 2, and more.

The full lineup of titles joining PlayStation’s gaming subscription service was revealed in a new PlayStation.Blog post today. It’s a month with titles that range from some of the biggest games on the market to a few hidden indie gems, with PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers also netting access to a five-hour Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Game Trial.

The PlayStation Plus Game Catalog will expand with 11 new titles come August 19. Subscribers at the Extra and Premium tiers will enjoy standouts like NetherRealm Studios’ soft reboot fighting game, Mortal Kombat 1, as well as Insomniac Games’ original superhero video game, Marvel’s Spider-Man. The latter is making its return to the service after departing the library of available PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games in April 2023.

Those unimpressed by the two AAA additions may find something to love in the lineup of other games, which includes Harold Halibut, Indika, Earth Defense Force 6, Unicorn Overlord, Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, and Coral Island. There’s also Giant Squid’s Sword of the Sea, which launches day one for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers.

Finally, PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers can look forward to two monumental PlayStation 1 titles: Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. Both of Capcom’s classics will be available to play on PS4 and PS5. You can see all of the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog August 2025 additions, as well as their support platforms, in the list below.

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Game Catalog Additions – August 2025

• Mortal Kombat 1 | PS5
• Marvel’s Spider-Man | PS5, PS4
• Sword of the Sea | PS5
• Earth Defense Force 6 | PS5, PS4
• Unicorn Overlord | PS5, PS4
• Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key | PS5, PS4
• Indika | PS5
• Harold Halibut | PS5
• Coral Island | PS5

PlayStation Plus Premium Game Catalog Additions – August 2025

• Resident Evil 2 | PS5, PS4 (PS)
• Resident Evil 3: Nemesis | PS5, PS4 (PS)

PlayStation Plus subscribers can look forward to diving into all of the new Game Catalog games next week. In the meantime, be sure to check out all of the games added to the service in July 2025. You can also see the August 2025 Essential tier games that joined PlayStation Plus earlier this month.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer 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).

While just about every phone you can get your hands on nowadays will be able to play some games, several key features distinguish a fine gaming phone from a great one. Powerful processing is one piece of the puzzle. Being able to sustain high performance levels is also a must – you don’t want to deal with a phone that can only run smoothly for a few minutes before it slows down and scorches your hands. Extra memory and storage are also clutch for gaming phones, providing a means for multitasking even while you have a game running and giving you plenty of space for games. Some gaming phones, like the RedMagic 10 Pro, even offer extra upgrades for gaming, like additional shoulder buttons and enhanced touch sampling rates. (Though you could also just pick up a dedicated phone controller.)

Of course, the display is also a big piece of the puzzle. If you can’t see your games, you’re going to have a hard time playing them. A bigger, brighter display helps, as does a boost in refresh rate for smooth motion. An added benefit of a bigger phone is that your thumbs won’t cover as much of the display when you’re using touch controls. I've been testing and reviewing gaming phones for years now, so with all these details in mind, here’s a look at the best smartphones that also excel when it comes to gaming anywhere, anytime.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Gaming Phones:

1. RedMagic 10 Pro

Best Gaming Phone

2. OnePlus 13

Best Everyday Phone for Gaming

3. iPhone 16 Pro Max

Best iPhone for Gaming

4. iPhone 16e

Best Budget iPhone for Gaming

5. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Best Foldable Gaming Phone

6. OnePlus 12R

Best Budget Android for Gaming

What We’re Looking Forward to:

The RedMagic 10 Pro is truly an excellent gaming phone. But with all the performance it pumps out of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip inside, it got me wondering just what the kind of performance could do if it were funneled into the same kind of games we all play on PC. When I’m not testing phones, I’m often testing laptops, and I’ve tested the MSI Claw 8 AI+ for Lifehacker. What’s been interesting to see is how the divide between the PC and phone hardware has been narrowing, both because the phone chips are speeding up considerably and because Windows has made a push toward ARM (the same architecture used by phone processors) alongside the introduction of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite SoCs for Windows systems.

With that narrowing divide, I’m constantly checking to see where there’s the closest overlap. For instance, the RedMagic 10 Pro actually performed quite close to the MSI Claw 8 AI+ in Geekbench 6’s single-core and multi-core test. It falls a bit further behind in raw GPU performance, though with just 78% of the performance in Steel Nomad Light. But bear in mind that the MSI Claw 8 AI+ is a powerful handheld that outstrips the Steam Deck considerably in 3DMark, by even more than it beats the RedMagic 10 Pro in Steel Nomad Light (one of the more demanding tests). All that is to say, the RedMagic 10 Pro could make a viable handheld when paired with a phone controller.

Now, there are certainly plenty of great games for Android, but there’s a whole world of PC games that it would be wonderful to throw all of the RedMagic 10 Pro’s horsepower at. But you can’t. And that’s where the upcoming RedMagic 10S Pro gets exciting. As reported by TechSpot, the RedMagic 10S Pro may support some form of Windows emulation to run PC games. While I’d expect there to be some performance penalty as a result, I don’t think even a 25% penalty would be enough to stop the phone from offering excellent performance in games like Hades or Dead Cells — the kind of indie titles that excel on gaming handhelds. And since the new RedMagic 10S Pro is packing a Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Version chip, it should offer a slight bump in performance over its predecessor.

While this currently remains in the realm of conjecture, as I don’t have my hands on the new phone (yet) and can’t be certain it will even offer the sort of emulation suggested, it’s still an exciting prospect. Even better would be if someone (like Valve) would adapt Steam OS to support some of this mobile hardware. Heck, it might not be long before Windows can run natively on these phone SoCs.

What to Look for in a Gaming Phone

Once you're certain you're a prime candidate for a gaming phone, here's exactly what to consider when you're on the hunt for one. While the best smartphones on the market tend to have some of what it takes to be a decent gaming phone, proper gaming phones tend to have some considerable advantages. You’ll find unseen benefits under the hood, upgrades to the screen and battery, and even extra controls to help give you the edge while gaming.

• Processors: This is a key area for gaming phones as they effectively define how well a phone can run a game. Top-tier chips like those from the Snapdragon 8 family (e.g., Elite, Gen 1/2/3) tend to be strong performers in games, and the recent Snapdragon 8 Elite has shown itself an absolute beast when it comes to gaming. Apple’s iPhones also tend to have pretty high-performance chips, with any model within the last year or two often providing more than enough speed for the latest games.

• Cooling and heat management: While a fast processor is a good start, running games is demanding and generates heat. Gaming phones generally make a point of managing that. Paying attention to sustained performance is a key part of how we test phones’ gaming potential. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra may have great performance in a short benchmark, but it slows down considerably as it heats up. Meanwhile, a top-notch gaming phone like the RedMagic 10 can lag behind Samsung in some benchmarks, but proves itself capable of sustaining its performance for the long haul thanks to powerful heat management in the form of an active cooling phone — something most everyday phones won’t have.

• Power: Sometimes it’s not about hardware when it comes to smartly managing heat. You should be on the lookout for pass-through power when shopping for a gaming phone. This feature lets you plug in your phone and have the chipset draw power directly from the outlet, skipping the battery and avoiding the extra heat this would create while also letting you game nonstop without worrying about running out of charge. But again, this isn’t something you can count on every phone offering.

• Display: Most gaming phones will give you a solid display for gaming. This will include a high resolution and refresh rates ranging from 120Hz to 165Hz or above. Most often, these will be OLED displays, giving you rich contrast and limited motion blur. While many games have framerate caps at 60fps, not all do, and the extra frames can make a world of difference in the perceived smoothness of a game. Quite a few gaming phones also offer high touch sampling rates, ensuring your inputs are registered quickly, and with games often calling for split-second reaction times, this can make a difference.

• Gaming-specific features: Finally, good gaming phones often find ways to make themselves extra useful in games. This often comes in the form of extra software that’s not always pleasing or easy to use, or extra buttons on the phone that let you use more than just your thumbs as inputs. Even with just a pair of shoulder buttons on a gaming phone, you end up with double the input methods you’d have otherwise, and the ability to move, aim, jump and fire all with separate fingers in online FPS games, for instance, makes a big difference.

Gaming Handhelds vs. Gaming Phones

Deciding on a portable gaming device truly depends on your lifestyle, the type of games you want to play, and how you want to play them.

A gaming phone is ultra-portable and easily pocketed. However, it’s still a highly capable machine that does more than game, offering all your typical smartphone features, including quality cameras, navigation, and communication. Gaming phones also better support cloud streaming for Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox games. Many gaming phones even have cooling solutions to prevent thermal throttling and some handy triggers. If you’re not a fan of touch controls, you can always grab a phone controller and get an experience much closer to a gaming handheld.

Gaming handhelds, like the Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch, are substantially bulkier but still easy to toss in a bag and take on the go. Unlike gaming phones, they are pretty much used solely for gaming, so you get responsive joysticks, triggers, and buttons with these options.

As for actual games, there’s a considerable rift. Android and iOS get plenty of games, and it’s becoming increasingly common to find the same titles on mobile and PC, though the mobile versions are often scaled back in some ways. Gaming handhelds get access to pretty much all of the PC games out there because they are, in fact, gaming PCs (except the Nintendo Switch, of course). Some PC games won’t run well (or run at all) on the low-powered hardware of the gaming handheld, though.

Both gaming handhelds and gaming phones can tap into cloud gaming platforms like Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Game Pass. In these, the performance of the phone and handheld don’t matter nearly as much as the quality of their internet connection. In that sense, phones can get an advantage as they offer both Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity (though a very good 5G connection is all but essential to try game streaming).

Battery life can be a tossup. Gaming phones tend to have sizable batteries, run efficiently, and can easily last through the day even with a bit of gaming sprinkled in – otherwise, what use is it as a phone? Gaming handhelds tend to last just a few hours, with the Steam Deck offering pretty poor battery life as an example. And topping up the battery on the go will be easier for the phone, which won’t require a high-wattage charger.

Cost is a big question. The Steam Deck starts at $400 and the original Nintendo Switch is even less than that. Most gaming phones cost more. But some gaming handhelds are landing with prices closer to $1,000, and that far outpaces some of our favorite gaming phones. Plus, most of us need a phone whether we get a gaming handheld or not. The fact a gaming phone can pull double duty should weigh into its value.

The limited access to games may be the deciding factor, as even with cloud gaming as an option, some games simply won’t be available for gaming phones. If everything you want to play is available on mobile or cloud gaming, then it’s worth testing the waters of cloud gaming with your current phone and then, if you like the experience, considering a gaming phone as your next device. If you can’t play the games you want the way you want, then a handheld may fit the bill.

Mark Knapp is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything electronics and gaming hardware. He has over 10 years of experience in the tech industry with bylines at PCMag, Reviewed, CNET, and more. Find Mark on Twitter @Techn0Mark or BlueSky at @Techn0Mark.

Keeping your gaming PC clean inside and out is one of the best ways to ensure it continues to operate at peak performance and efficiency. Insulating dust and debris can leave heatsinks unable to shed the heat output by your hottest components, which in turn can lead to overheating, thermal throttling, and even system crashes.

To make sure that doesn’t happen, doing a once a year quick clear out of any dust built up inside your PC and its dust filters is a smart plan. Here’s how to do it effectively and safely.

What You Need To Clean Your PC

Cleaning out your PC is simple, but depending on the extent of the grime, you might want to get some tools ready to really give your PC a deep clean.

• Microfiber cloths
• Can of compressed air
• Screwdriver
• Gentle, long bristled brush
• Stiff-bristled brush
• Distilled water or screen cleaner (not glass cleaner)
• Anti-static wrist strap (if you want to be extra safe)
• Ensure your PC is powered down and unplugged before cleaning.

You ideally want a large, clear desk surface to clean the PC, with clear lighting and ventilation. If you have an air filter or purifier, it might not be a bad time to grab that, or at the very least open a window. There’s going to be some dust flying around. If you have a garage, that’s an even better option.

It’s best to perform any maintenance on your PC with an anti-static wrist band to avoid static, but you can also ground yourself periodically by touching your PC chassis or PSU. You should also avoid doing the cleaning on a carpeted floor, but if you have no choice, at least avoid wearing socks on the carpet.

How To Clean Your PC’s Interior

When cleaning your PC it’s best to start with the inside. There’s a good chance that dust will be wafting around your room for a while, so there’s little point cleaning the outside if it’s just going to become dirty again.

Remove all the panels from your PC and lie them down flat to give you a good view of them. Remove any dust filters if possible, and thoroughly clear them of dust. If they’re particularly dusty, consider doing this part outside, or at least near a window. Use canned air to get most of the dust off, but if anything is particularly stubborn a gently bristled brush will do the trick – just make sure it won’t conduct static electricity.

If there are any large, flat surfaces on the case panels that are dusty, lightly dampen the microfiber cloth and wipe them down thoroughly, then leave them to dry.

Locate your CPU cooler heatsink or radiator and use the can of compressed air to blow out any dust hidden between the fins, making sure to hold the fan blade so it doesn’t spin, as that can damage the motor. You can also use a soft-bristled brush to gently clean the capacitors and chips on your motherboard. Use the microfiber cloth to wipe down the blades of the fan and any other large, dusty surfaces.

Then, locate the RAM and use compressed air to clean any dust from around the slots and between any fins present on the heatspreader. Use a soft brush to gently clean between the sticks. Alternatively, remove each stick from their slot and wipe them down with the microfiber cloth.

To cean your graphics card, use the compressed air to clean the dust from the heatsink fins and fan housings, but be sure to hold the fan blades still to prevent motor damage. Wipe down the backplate and any large dusty surfaces using a microfiber cloth.

Use a combination of compressed air and a microfiber cloth to clear out any dust from the power supply and the interior of the PC case. Wipe down system fan blades and housings.

Finally, before putting the side panels back on your case, take the time to tidy up your cables. Cable ties and clips can help pin cables down and out of the way of the main body of the case, which can improve airflow, reducing overheating and noise, just like cleaning out dust.

How to clean your PC’s exterior

With the interior of your PC clean, you can wipe down any side panels or other exterior surfaces with the damp microfiber cloth to remove most of the dust and debris. Pay close attention to any grills or filters that still show dust, and give them a blast with compressed air or wipe them down if they’re stubborn.

Locate any external ports on the front and rear of the case and give them a short blast of compressed air to clear out and dust and debris in there that can inhibit connections. Don’t forget to check the underside too, as the PSU has its own intake, usually accompanied by dust filters which need removal and cleaning.

PC Cleaning: Frequently Asked Questions

How often should you clean your PC?

Most people don’t clean their computers for years because they don’t realise how important it can be to keep their systems dust-free. But just as you give your TV or your gaming monitor a wipe down to make sure the picture stays clear, it’s worth ensuring that dust and dirt aren’t making your PC experience worse than it needs to be.

If you can commit to a once a year clean you’re doing better than most, and it’s a convenient milestone that makes it easy to remember when it’s time to give your system a clearout. If your home is particularly dusty, however, you might like to perform a quick internal clean once every six months to keep on top of things.

Can you use a vacuum cleaner for cleaning your PC?

No. Vacuum cleaners are notorious for generating static electricity which can easily damage the sensitive internal components of your PC. There are electronic dust blowers which can work as an alternative to compressed air, but full size vacuums are too dangerous for cleaning your PC.

How do I know if my computer needs cleaning?

If it’s been more than a year since you cleaned it last, it could probably do with a clean. However, you might want to consider a clean if your PC is particularly loud or slow. That can indicate that the components are thermal throttling, which can be due to clogged and dirty heatsinks. You can also just look at your PC, and if you notice a lot of dust building up, it’s probably time to whip out the canned air.

Samsung has announced a new set of Odyssey gaming monitors, leading with the Odyssey OLED G6, a 27-inch, 500Hz display that the company says has 0.03ms response time. The new display, which is joined by two new Odyssey G7 curved gaming monitors, is available to buy for $999.99 on Samsung’s website and Amazon.

Wait, you ask, doesn't Samsung already have an Odyssey OLED G6 with an absurd refresh rate? Why yes, it does, and it's $100 cheaper, to boot. But its refresh rate is a mere 360Hz! (Actually, there's an even cheaper 240Hz model, too.) Would I ever be able to tell which is which by watching them? No, but listen, 500Hz is a bigger number, and bigger is better.

In all seriousness, the new OLED G6 having an even higher refresh rate for this display feels more like a stunt than a value proposition. Digging around in the specs, I'm not seeing a good reason to drop an extra $100 on it. It has the same QHD (2560x1440) resolutiion, the same HDR10+ support, the same dual HDMI 2.1 ports. Samsung lists the older 360Hz model's brightness as measuring 250 nits, while the new one is 300 nits and VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 500 certified, so that's something. It's also Pantone Validated for accurate colors and skin tones; so it might look a tad bit better, but it would be hard to say so without seeing them side-by-side. Think of it as being more like a PC spec bump than a wholly new display.

We might as well run down some other details. Around the back of this screen, you'll find an obligatory ring of RGB lights and some ports – two for HDMI 2.1 and one for DisplayPort 1.4, along with two USB-A ports, a USB-B port, and a headphone jack, The OLED G6 uses Samsung's Auto Source Switch+, which is basically its version HDMI ARC, switching inputs for you when it detects that another connected device has come online. The whole thing sits on a height-and-tilt-adjustable stand that can pivot and swivel, too. (That's all stuff you'll find on the older G6, too.)

As for the new curved displays, Samsung released its new Odyssey G7s in 37-inch ($899.99) and 40-inch ($1,199.99) versions. Unlike the OLED G6, it's easy to see what's new here; principally, that they're bigger than the G7 line's existing 27-inch and 32-inch models. In most ways, the displays are the same as one another, featuring VA panels, a 1000R curve, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro support, VESA DisplayHDR 600 certification, and 1ms response time. They each have 350 nits of brightness and support HDR10+ Gaming, too. Physical dimensions aside, where they differ from one another is in resolution, screen ratio, and refresh rate: The 37-inch model is a 165Hz, 16:9 screen with 3840x2160 resolution, while the 40-inch version is 21:9 with a 180Hz refresh rate and 5120x2160 resolution.

Wes is a freelance writer (Freelance Wes, they call him) who has covered technology, gaming, and entertainment steadily since 2020 at Gizmodo, Tom's Hardware, Hardcore Gamer, and most recently, The Verge. Inside of him there are two wolves: one that thinks it wouldn't be so bad to start collecting game consoles again, and the other who also thinks this, but more strongly.

James Gunn’s Superman finally swooped into theaters last month, and the new Krypto Saves the Day!: School Bus Scuffle animated short is here to keep the fun going.

The five-minute animated short film was released today on YouTube to help usher in Superman’s impending arrival on digital platforms. It will be included as an animated series for all who purchase a copy of the debut DCU movie when it becomes available digitally on its August 15, 2025, release date, or physically on its September 23, 2025, release date.

Krypto Saves the Day!: School Bus Scuffle is the first of the four DC shorts and focuses on Clark Kent’s super pooch as he tries (and fails) to stop a pigeon with his canine laser eyes and x-ray vision. It doesn’t come close to providing any earth-shattering DCU revelations, but it’s a cute story that gives fans a few more minutes with one of the standout characters in Superman.

The other entries in the Krypto Saves the Day! saga include Episode 2: Halloween Havoc, Episode 3: Package Pandemonium, and Episode 4: Coastal Catastrophe. Only School Bus Scuffle will be available to watch upon Superman’s home release, with the others expected to premiere individually throughout 2026.

“From school bus rescues to Spring Break cruise ship saves - and even Halloween candy crises - no adventure is too small as Krypto delivers super-powered action, laughs, and plenty of mischief for fans of all ages,” a description for the Krypto Saves the Day! series says.

Superman kicked off the DCU with a bang when it launched into movie theaters July 11. It’s performed well amongst fans and critics alike (we gave it an 8/10), with its time at the box office seeing it soar to a global total of more than $580 million (via Box Office Mojo).

Its time on the big screen will soon come to an end, with fans told to look out for its digital release in a few days before it becomes available to watch in 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD in September. While we wait to see more from the Man of Steel and Krypto Saves the Day!, you can read up on how Gunn is already preparing for the next Super-Family story. You can also learn more about every hero featured in Superman’s Easter Egg-filled History of Metahumans mural.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer 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).

S.H.Figuarts makes some really fantastic action figures. They’re on the pricy side, but they’re generally worth it, thanks to their superior build quality, wealth of accessories, swappable parts, and highly articulated joints so you can pose them however you want.

The newest batch added to the lineup are some great looking Super Mario figures that are available for preorder now (see them at Amazon). We have Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Bowser, and a play set, all coming next year. Let’s take a look.

Featured in this article

You’ll find links above to all of the new figures (and the play set). If you want more details about them, read on.

Mario - S.H.Figuarts Action Figure

Luigi - S.H.Figuarts Action Figure

Bowser - S.H.Figuarts Action Figure

Yoshi - S.H.Figuarts Action Figure

Playset - S.H.Figuarts Super Mario Line

A soldering station is an invaluable tool for anyone who works with electronic components, whether it be for mods or repairs, and Amazon has a popular and affordable model that's even less expensive today. Right now you can pick up the Fanttik T1 Max Cordless Soldering Iron Kit for just $49.59 after you apply coupon code "49T1MAXSD" during checkout. You do not need to be an Amazon Prime member to get this discount. This is more than just a basic soldering station; the T1 Max has a lot of extra features you wouldn't normally expect to see in a kit that costs less than $50.

Fanttik T1 Max Soldering Iron Kit for $49.59

Magic: The Gathering is offering an unprecedented three crossovers in its 2025 release calendar. The Final Fantasy’s set was the biggest launch in the trading card game's long history, and Spider-Man is up next.

Time waits for no one, though, and spoilers have already begun for Avatar: The Last Airbender’s set, due to launch in November. Better yet, preorders are now live for sealed products, and here’s where you can get them.

Play Boosters and Bundles

Collector Boosters

Beginner Box

Scene Box

Where Are The Commander Decks?

Commander’s Bundle Explained

Jumpstart Boosters

While not yet available for preorder (in the US at least), Jumpstart Boosters return for Avatar: The Last Airbender.

The idea is simple: Players take two packs of cards, put them together, and make an instantly-playable deck. It’ll be available in Booster Boxes or as individual packs.

UK Preorders

Curiously, Amazon UK has more products available than any other retailer at the time of writing.

• Beginner Box - £28.99
• Play Booster (Individual) - £5.99
• Play Booster Box (30 Packs) - £174.99
• Jumpstart Booster Box (24 Packs) - £104.99

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

If you're seeking the absolute best of the best in PC gaming performance, look no further. As part of a greater Back to School Sale, Alienware has just dropped the price of its flagship Alienware Area-51 prebuilt gaming PC equipped with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card to $4,549.99 with free shipping. This is a competitive price for a prebuilt RTX 5090 gaming PC compared to similarly equipped systems from other boutique PC builders, which is impressive considering the fact that the Alienware brand usually commands a price premium.

Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 Gaming PC From $4,499.99

The RTX 5090 Is the Most Powerful Graphics Card Ever

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 has emerged as the most powerful consumer GPU on the market. Although Nvidia has prioritized software updates, AI features, and DLSS 4 technology to improve gameplay performance, the 5090 still boasts an impressive 25%-30% uplift over the RTX 4090 in terms of pure hardware-based raster performance. The 5090 also has more (32GB vs. 24GB) and faster (GDDR7 vs. GDDR6) VRAM compared to the 4090. Although Nvidia GPU prices have been trending downwards, it's still difficult to find a 5090 card for below $2,500.

Check out more of the best Alienware deals

Check out our Best Alienware Deals article with all of Dell's currently ongoing deals on gaming laptops and desktop PCs. Not everyone is the DIY type. If you're in the market for a prebuilt gaming PC, Dell is one of the best brands we'd recommend. Alienware desktops and laptops feature solid build quality, top-of-the-line gaming performance, excellent cooling (further improved on the newer models), aggressive styling, and pricing that is very competitive with other pre-built options. Best of all, there are plenty of sales that happen throughout the year, so it's not difficult to grab one of these computers at considerably less than their retail price.

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.

If you're in need of a super high capacity power bank that's still pretty compact, check out this Anker deal from Amazon. Right now you can pick up the Anker PowerCore Reserve 60,000mAh 192Wh power bank for just $79.99 shipped after a 47% off instant discount. This is the lowest price I've seen for this particular model and beats out last year's Black Friday price by $10. The PowerCore Reserve is a lot smaller and lighter than a full-sized power station but has a much higher capacity and some unique features compared to other smaller power banks.

Anker PowerCore Reserve 60,000mAh Power Bank for $79.99

YouTube has officially launched its new AI age verification technology today, which will automatically add certain restrictions to your account if it thinks you’re under 18 years old.

This “age-estimation model,” as dubbed by the company, uses AI to establish if the user is under 18, despite what you might list as your birthday on your account. If the AI program determines the user is likely to be under 18 — which it uses factors like activity and longevity of the account to estimate — YouTube will enact restrictions and security measures.

Those restrictions and protections, which already exist on accounts for those under 18, include: showing only non-personalized ads; enabling “digital wellbeing” tools by default, which include reminders to take a break and for bedtime; showing reminders about privacy when uploading a video or commenting publicly; minimizing recommendations of videos with content that could be “problematic if viewed in repetition”; and blocking access to videos that are age-restricted for only viewers 18 and older (determined by YouTube or verified by users).

According to the video platform, users “have the option to verify your age (through government ID, selfie or a credit card) if you believe our age estimation model is incorrect.”

Initially, the program will focus on a small group of users in the US market “so that teens are treated as teens and adults as adults,” according to senior director of product management for YouTube’s youth products James Beser, who elaborated on the program in a blog post last month. “This technology will allow us to infer a user’s age and then use that signal, regardless of the birthday in the account, to deliver our age-appropriate product experiences and protections.”

Beser added in his post, “YouTube was one of the first platforms to offer experiences designed specifically for young people, and we’re proud to again be at the forefront of introducing technology that allows us to deliver safety protections while preserving teen privacy. Families trust YouTube to provide a safe and enriching experience, and we’ll continue to invest to protect their ability to explore safely online.”

Needless to say, many folks are not happy with this change, as it puts their account at the whim of a computer program with little oversight — and if flagged, will have to verify their age by uploading a government ID, which some users have said could leave them susceptible to data leaks and identity theft.

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

Whether you're looking to pick up a carrying case, screen protector, or accessories, there are quite a few Nintendo Switch 2 deals worth checking out at the moment. Here we've gathered up some of the best that have crossed our radar lately. Alongside deals on the aforementioned items, we've also included exciting preorders, like for the Switch 2 Pokemon: Legends Z-A bundle, so you can secure a bundle for yourself ahead of its release in October.

If you're in the Switch shopping mood, now is a good time to pick up some of these items with great discounts available. Check out our favorite Switch 2 deals at the moment below.

TL;DR - The Best Nintendo Switch 2 Deals

Preorders Are Up for the Switch 2 Pokemon: Legends Z-A Bundle

Best Nintendo Switch Game Deals

Nintendo Switch 2 game deals are, unfortunately, pretty few and far between at the moment (not counting a Sonic X Shadow Generations discount over at Amazon). However, there are some great Nintendo Switch game deals available right now. We've included just a few our favorites above, including a great discount on Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection.

Pick Up the SanDisk 512GB GamePLAY microSD Express Card

Switch 2 Carrying Case Deals

If you're planning on taking your Switch 2 out on any trips or adventures you have planned this summer, a carrying case is a very wise investment. Thankfully there are plenty of great deals to check out right now on a variety of different case styles, whether you want something slimmer or with a very sturdy build. We're particularly fond of the Tomtoc slim carrying case, which offers the best of both and is discounted right now.

Best Switch 2 Screen Protector Deals

Once you've picked up your new Switch 2, it's important to find some extra protection for it. Screen protectors are a worthy investment and, thankfully, there are plenty of deals available right now. Even though these items are usually pretty affordable on their own, the discounts are a nice little treat to take advantage of while they're available.

Switch 2 Accessory Deals

If you've picked up your Switch 2 console and are now on the hunt for some accessories, there are a few deals worth checking out right now. From thumb grips to a protective case that can be wrapped around your Switch 2 in handheld mode, we've included some of our favorite deals above that are available at the moment.

Best Switch 2 Power Bank Deals

And lastly in our list of Nintendo Switch 2 deals for right now, you'll want to make sure you've got plenty of power to keep you going once you start playing on your new console. If you've been looking for a new Switch 2 power bank to have for when you're on the go, we've included a few great deals above that are worth checking out.

Where to Buy Official Nintendo Switch 2 Accessories

If official Nintendo Switch 2 accessories have been on your radar, we've included where you can buy those above. Some of these have been going out of stock quick, though, so if something that catches your eye is still in stock you'll want to be quick to scoop it up while it's still available.

Where to Buy Nintendo Switch 2

Walmart is clearing out the LEGO Icons Back to The Future Time Machine (DeLorean) 10300 building kit at an absolutely incredible price of $70. It's normally $200. The catch? The price is only available at select locations, so whether or not it's in stock or at this price depends on your zip code and store location. This is a really fun and relatively complex build for adult kids, especially since you can pick your favorite DeLorean from one of the three movies.

LEGO Icons Back to The Future DeLorean Time Machine

There are a lot of common unique pieces that you'd expect to find in all three variants of Doc's time machine, like the iconic flux capacitor light brick that actually lights up (battery included), gull-wing doors that open up to reveal a detailed interior, Dr Emmett ‘Doc’ Brown and Marty McFly minifigures that you can only get exclusively from this set, and accessories like Marty's hoverboard and the OUTATIME license plate.

The final build measures 14"x8"x5" and weighs about 4.5 pounds. There are 1,872 pieces to this build, so at the discounted price you're averaging about 9 cents per brick. This is one of the more complex LEGO builds and it's officially recommended for ages 18+, perfect for the adult collector or a joint venture involving you and your kid.

More LEGO Car Sets

Check out more LEGO cars to fill out your collection, including sets from Technic, Icons, Creator as well as themed sets from Transformers, Batman, or NASA. Most of these sets are geared toward ages 18+ and are rather challenging builds.

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.

South Park will skip out on airing a new episode this week as Season 27 of the Comedy Central show continues its bi-weekly run of takedowns against the Trump administration.

While past South Park seasons have followed a weekly release schedule, viewers will have to sit through another week without the show as it finds its new groove. Instead, Comedy Central is celebrating the long-running comedy series’ anniversary today, August 13, with what it has declared to be South Park Day (via THR).

This event that will see the network’s programming schedule filled with fan-favorite episodes like Casa Bonita, Fishsticks, and Make Love, Not Warcraft, as well as interviews with creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and behind-the-scenes footage.

In other words, audiences will have to wait until next week to see the yet-to-be-named third episode of South Park Season 27. Fans were already on the edge of their seats following the latest season premiere, Sermon on the Mount, which saw Parker and Stone unambiguously taking jabs at Donald Trump’s policies, appearance, and more. Its July 23 premiere also saw Eric Cartman and other South Park regulars calling out Comedy Central parent company, Paramount, after the company found itself in hot water due to its merger with Skydance and the controversial cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

South Park Season 27’s second episode, Got A Nut, then followed two weeks later, after a surprise delay that saw it skip a week as well. This new slice continued the show’s scathing criticisms of the Trump administration while shifting its focus over to U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem (the latter of which is the subject of a new extended ending that's not for animal lovers).

Welcome to Mar-A-Lago! #SouthPark pic.twitter.com/MgIlIVL51j

— South Park (@SouthPark) August 7, 2025

South Park Season 27 has been brutal and seemingly unrestrained, to say the least, making the wait between each episode similarly painful for fans. The show’s latest season is planned to be 10 episodes long, although it’s unclear if it will continue the new bi-weekly schedule it’s enjoyed thus far.

Regardless of the longer-than-usual wait for more South Park, Season 27 has proven to be one of the most successful runs it’s seen since the show began in 1997. Sermon on the Mount managed to secure its place in TV history with 6 million viewers across Paramount platforms upon its premiere, with live viewing numbers up 25 percent for Got A Nut, too.

We’ll have to wait to see what surprises Parker and Stone have up their sleeves for South Park Season 27 Episode 3. While we wait, you can see what the two TV creatives had to say about Sermon on the Mount when they attended San Diego Comic-Con last month. You can also read up on their recent $1.5 billion deal with Paramount, which will see the duo producing 50 episodes of South Park over the next five years.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer 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).