While Apple’s iPad might be the most well-known tablet out there, it’s not always the best choice if you’re prone to eyestrain, distractions, or just plain prefer a more paper-like reading or writing experience. If that sounds familiar, then an e-ink tablet might be exactly what you’re looking for. With their low-distraction designs, easy readability, and frequently excellent handwriting experience, they’re a standout alternative for students, professionals, and anyone who craves a bit more focus in their life.

E-Ink tablets have been on the rise for years and there’s no shortage of options to choose from these days. I’ve done the testing and am a verified lover of all things e-ink, so if you’re on the hunt for anything from a paper replacement, to a “second brain,” to a simple e-reader, I’ve got something in mind.

TL;DR – These Are the Best E-Ink Tablets

E-Ink first came into the mainstream with the Amazon Kindle. Like many people, it was my first experience with it, and I’ve been a fan ever since. Compared to traditional tablet LCD displays which use bright backlights and quickly flashing images to display motion, e-ink displays don’t have lights behind the screen to shine into your eyes and only refresh the image as much as necessary to display the content – even if that’s only one time to change the page you’re reading.

Modern e-ink tablets have evolved from simple e-readers into feature-rich alternatives to normal tablets. Many run on modified versions of Android for their operating system and some even offer Google Play Store access. Most offer an array of reading, writing, planning, and productivity apps to support your needs through the day, even if you can’t freely download any app you’d like. The handwriting experience is often much better too, as the screens most often utilize Wacom EMR technology and micro-textured surfaces to deliver a more paper-like writing experience.

Even with these advancements, the limited nature of the display technology makes them much less likely to distract you while you read or take notes. While you can browse the web or load a video on some models (not all), the experience isn’t as fast, seamless, or tempting, allowing you to focus and accomplish more.

How to Choose the Best E-Ink Tablet

E-Ink tablets aren’t new anymore and as the technology has advanced, there are more factors to weigh when it comes to best meeting your needs. I’ve done the research and testing to find the best picks for most people, but if you’d rather consider options on your own, these are the things to look out for.

Stylus Support

Just like with traditional tablets and tablet PCs, stylus support can vary between brands and models. The most common stylus technology for e-ink tablets is Wacom EMR (electromagnetic resonance). Wacom styluses are a popular choice for their natural and responsive writing experience and exceptional palm rejection, and they don't actually need to be recharged since they don't run on batteries. Any EMR stylus will work with any EMR tablet, but the same can’t be said for capacitive styluses, which are the second option.

Capacitive styluses are commonly found on traditional tablets. But, just like that world, there are multiple standards applied between brands. You'll need to do research to ensure any aftermarket option you consider is compatible. Right now, the leading options are Bluetooth, USI, and USI 2.0. USI 2.0 is backward compatible with USI, but the opposite isn't true. As you can see, things can get confusing if you’re not careful. In general, however, if the tablet you’re considering offers stylus support, go for Wacom if possible.

Tablet Size

From the smartphone-like Boox Palma to the paper-sized Boox Note Max to middle-ground options like the Viwoods AI Paper at 10.3 inches or the Remarkable Paper Pro at just over 11 inches, there is a wide range of size options. If you're looking for a simple e-reader, a smaller tablet may be a better choice for its increased portability. If you read a lot of large PDFs or want to write on a sheet that's nearly the same as physical paper, a 13.3-inch option would be a good fit. In my experience, if you're not sure, opting for something in the middle is the safest bet, such as one of the 10.3-inch options in this list.

Color or Monochrome

Do you want color on your screen, or will black and white suffice? Color can be an important feature if you read files with color imagery or highlighters, download apps, or spend a lot of time browsing the web. If you'll mainly be using your tablet for reading, writing, or sketching, then monochrome is a fine choice and often comes with benefits, such as a lower price. One important thing to remember is that color e-ink is significantly less vibrant than color on an LCD tablet. Think of it more like color newsprint, and you'll be on the right track.

OS and App Support

As you consider what you would like to do with the tablet, one of the most important aspects to think about is whether you want access to an app store or if you'll be content with the features and functions provided by the manufacturer. While many e-ink tablets are deliberately designed to avoid downloadable apps for their propensity to distract, others, like those from Boox, aim to offer a full Android experience in an e-ink format. Just because a tablet runs on Android doesn’t mean that it will offer Google Play support, though. Be sure to verify that the tablet you’re considering offers access to the tools you’ll need to make it through your day.

Screen and Resolution

As you look into different tablets, you'll surely notice different screens highlights in feature and specification lists. Unless you’re shopping the used market and are considering a tablet more than 2 or 3 years old, you don’t need to get too hung up on this. For e-reading and writing, most displays will work similarly. Instead, I recommend paying closer attention to the resolution of the display and its pixel density (measured in Pixels Per Inch or PPI). As of this writing, the gold standard is 300 PPI, which offers a crisp reading experience with enough resolution to fully enjoy illustrations and photos.

As with most things, doing your research is still important. In the world of color e-ink, panel technology is advancing quickly, so a newer screen may offer more vivid colors and less ghosting. As always, take a gander at user reviews before pulling the trigger if you’re shopping for prior years’ models.

Reviews, Reviews, Reviews

I can't stress this enough: Even if you feel totally confident in a certain tablet being a great fit for you, take the time to read and watch different reviews to get a better idea of its strengths and weaknesses. Ghosting performance, app performance, update cadence, and battery life are all qualities with an element of subjectivity to them and aren’t things you can typically clean from product listings. Depending on your preferences, any of these qualities could turn a tablet that’s popular among others into a frustration for you. Do yourself a favor and do your research before pulling the trigger. You'll be glad you did.

1. Boox Tab X C / Boox Note Max

Best E-Ink Tablet

2. Viwoods AI Paper

Best for Students

3. Boox Note Air 4C

Best Color E-Ink Tablet

There is no e-reader as well-known as the Amazon Kindle, and with its latest release, the Amazon Kindle Colorsoft has slid into the top spot for anyone that doesn't mind purchasing their e-books from Amazon's vast library. Of course, if you don’t care about color, the Kindle Paperwhite is the next best, but either way, Amazon continues to have the e-reader market on lock.

The Kindle Colorsoft is the latest version of the Kindle to come to market, and it’s a welcome one. The original Kindle Colorsoft was plagued by yellow banding issues distorting colors along its bottom edge. With this release, it appears that Amazon has officially solved those issues, making it one of the most cost-effective and easy to use e-ink tablets out there.

Unlike most of the other devices in this list, the Colorsoft isn’t trying to be your do-it-all tablet. Instead, this is a purpose-driven device, designed to provide you with easy access to your ebook library anywhere you might be. You’ll need to be in the Amazon ecosystem or use a tool like Calibre to add non-Amazon ebooks, but if you are, you’ll find that this is the hands-down easiest way to access your entire library.

Like the other color tablets on this list, the Colorsoft’s plentiful assortment of hues adds a new dimension to anything with color pictures or illustrations. It makes a strong first impression, too, rendering all of your book covers in full color. As is the case with all e-ink screens right now, they won’t be as vibrant as an LCD reader can produce, but the few other places benefit from a paperlike screen than good, old-fashioned reading.

The new Kindle Colorsoft goes for $250 but tends to go on sale whenever there’s a major shopping event. If you don’t need color, the Kindle Paperwhite is only $160.

The Supernote Manta from Ratta is one of the most popular digital notebooks out there. It has a dedicated fan base, which is true of many options on this list, but few are as enthusiastic as the Manta's. Thanks to an existing customer-first approach to business and a design that emphasizes interconnecting your thoughts in a way that few others do, it's as close to a "second brain" as e-ink tablets have been able to deliver so far.

Here's the thing: While many, if not most, of the leading e-ink tablets on the market allow you to organize your notes and add tags, the Manta allows you to link between ideas more deeply and easily than anything else out there I'm aware of. You can add links to previous notes, categorize them with keywords, and search handwritten text. Notes can be linked to documents, images, and web pages. It’s also smart enough to create outlines for your documents on the fly, so even mid-note, it puts organization at the forefront.

In addition, it highly emphasizes the quality of the writing experience. The Supernote Manta uses a soft surface with a proprietary screen protector to give a gel pen-like writing experience. It comes with lots of purpose-built templates you can use to create your notebooks and allows you to sort everything into your choice of custom or pre-made folders, including subfolders, to really personalize your workflow.

Ratta has also implemented its own dedicated art application called Atelier. While basic note-taking still has a relatively limited pen selection, there are significantly more options built into Atelier, including different pencil hardnesses to shade with just gradients.

It never ceases to impress me what actual artists can create using the Manta. While I would never classify myself as an actual artist, I've still had a lot of fun using it for impromptu drawing and practicing new handwriting techniques. If you’re an art major, though, or just enjoy sketching, the Manta provides a lifelike drawing experience with an easy ability to move your draws off of the device into the cloud or directly to your PC.

While some people will find its lack of Google Play Store support limiting, it's one of the few devices that allows you to create a Wikipedia-like web of connection between your thoughts, which impressed me in my review. It should be on your radar if you’re looking for a digital notebook that can become integral to your day and be genuinely helpful to supplement your memory and planning.

In the e-ink space, Remarkable is probably the most well-known brand out there. The original Remarkable and its successor, the Remarkable 2, were very highly regarded and brought the idea of digital notebooks to a large mainstream audience in a way that shook the industry and made many of these other tablets possible. The Remarkable Paper Pro continues its legacy of delivering a class-leading writing experience and feels the most premium of any e-ink tablet I've used thus far. As far as paper replacements go, it’s great.

One of my hands-down favorite qualities about it is its excellent handwriting experience. Not only does the screen feel great to write on with its subtly textured surface, Remarkable is pulling some software magic behind the scenes to make your handwriting look better than anywhere else. Impressively, the changes are small enough that your handwriting still looks like your own, but looking back at it, it's satisfyingly refined in a way that will leave you wishing other tablets did the same.

There's also something about the way colors render on the screen, initially black and then chased by a colored line that's oddly satisfying. Its color presentation is quite good and is one of the more vibrant options out there today. It's perfect for reading PDFs and color coding within your own notebooks and templates.

Remarkable has never hid the fact that it is a handwriting-first device. Over the years, its "first to the mainstream" bona fides have allowed the company to occupy a somewhat luxurious space. That's evident in the weighty, metallic build of the Paper Pro, and, it must be said, its comparatively high price.

Whether or not this is a good fit for you will depend entirely on whether you are looking for a pure paper replacement. While there are lots of downloadable templates and resources to aid in your writing and organization, there are no outside apps, no dedicated art functions, and there's not even an ability to access Kindle, so your e-reading needs are limited to PDFs and ePubs. You can view Microsoft Word and Powerpoint files, too, so you can still access and review those files.

Overall, the Remarkable Paper Pro is limited in comparison to many other e-ink tablets but is a good example of choosing one thing, replacing paper, and doing it well.

Stardew Valley creator Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone has a cameo role in Team Cherry’s new mega hit indie game, Hollow Knight: Silksong.

The sequel to Team Cherry’s original bleak and beloved metroidvania game finally launched across PC and consoles earlier today, bringing an end to more than six painful years of anticipation. As what is sure to be millions of fans swarm to see if the wait was worth it, The Verge has pointed out that the Hollow Knight: Silksong credits tease a special cameo from one of the most notable indie developers of the last decade.

Those who navigate to the Hollow Knight sequel’s credits – which can be found in the “extras” option on the main menu – will notice that Barone is featured among the shortlist of names included under “Additional Character Voices.” It means that, if you know where to look, you’ll be able to hear the mastermind behind farming sim sensation Stardew Valley among those lending their voice talents to the land of Pharloom and all of its insect inhabitants.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the first four episodes of South Park Season 27.

We may only be four episodes into South Park’s latest season, but it seems safe to say Season 27 is one for the history books. Rarely has the series been this witty, this timely, and this downright angry in its takedown of the current political climate. For proof, look no further than the Season 27 premiere, which shocked the world with its scathing, nudity-filled parody of Donald Trump.

There are any number of reasons why Season 27 is resonating in a way few have before it. The series certainly picked a great time to make its long-awaited return, given how bizarre and infuriating the news headlines are of late. But more than anything, it seems to be the new release format that has reinvigorated the series. Staggering new episodes two weeks apart is the best thing that ever happened to South Park.

South Park’s 2016 Woes

South Park is renowned for its ability to reflect current events and breaking news at a speed that is simply impossible for other animated sitcoms. The show’s intentionally crude animation style allows creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and their team to craft new episodes in a matter of days, not months or years. That’s allowed South Park to be extremely topical over the years, whether it’s poking fun at Steve Irwin’s tragic death in 2006 or the series getting itself banned in China for making fun of Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. The teams behind The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Rick and Morty only wish they could work that quickly.

But for all South Park’s timely humor is a constant source of amusement, it does have its drawbacks. As the series has shifted in a more continuity-driven approach to storytelling in recent seasons, the South Park crew have attempted to balance timely humor with the need to build coherent, season-long narratives. It hasn’t always entirely worked out.

Season 20 is probably the most glaring example of the show being tugged uncomfortably between these two opposing forces. Season 20 followed an ongoing narrative centered around Internet trolls, the dangerous allure of nostalgia in the form of “Member Berries,” and the 2016 presidential election. That narrative hit a major pothole midway through when Trump defied expectations and won the election, an event reflected in the November 2016 episode “Oh, Jeez.” Even Parker and Stone were taken aback by that turn of events, which forced them to substantially rework an episode that was originally titled “The Very First Gentleman” (obviously referencing Bill Clinton).

Even as it propelled Trump stand-in Mr. Garrison into the White House, Season 20 arguably never fully recovered from that surprise turn of events. Like they had in 2008 and 2012, Parker and Stone gambled on the outcome of the election, only this time they bet wrong. As entertaining as Season 20 was, it never managed to tie its disparate plot threads together into a satisfying conclusion. It was a reminder that there are risks to trying to keep pace with current events and constantly rewriting and reconfiguring a show on the fly.

Surely, there were lessons learned in 2016, and the series seemed to take a step back from aggressively tackling every news headline it could in subsequent seasons. South Park’s release cadence has also slowed of late, with a more than two-year gap separating Seasons 26 and 27. At some point, the novelty of seeing current events play out in animated sitcom form cooled a bit, leaving the show to focus on crafting coherent storylines and a slightly more timeless form of satire. And, much to the chagrin of many viewers, the series has been really fixated on Randy’s Tegridy Farms phase lately.

The Secret of Season 27’s Success

Now Season 27 is here, and with it comes a revamped release schedule. Rather than airing weekly in one or two blocks, South Park is being spaced out in biweekly doses. The series is tackling current events and headlines with a zeal it hasn’t shown since 2016, but at the same time, it’s doing so at a more methodical pace. That pace has really made all the difference.

Certainly, South Park hasn’t been holding back in its attacks on the Trump administration. Where the show relied on Mr. Garrison as a Trump surrogate during his first term, now the series is directly lampooning Trump himself, depicting him as Satan’s latest abusive boyfriend (leading to the repeated refrain in Episode 4, “Trump is f***ing Satan.”) Other Trump administration officials like J.D. Vance and Kristi Noem have been in the show’s crosshairs of late. In the first four episodes of Season 27, the series has tackled everything from ICE immigration raids to ChatGPT to the Labubu craze.

But the key is that the series is doing so in a much more cohesive and narratively satisfying way than it did back in 2016. There’s no longer the all-consuming sense of urgency to reference current events as soon as they happen and pivot with every new plot twist. Given the nonstop deluge of disturbing headlines these days, that way lies madness. Parker and Stone seem more willing to take a step back and consider how all of these elements fit together. Having an extra week in between new episodes gives the South Park team more time to focus on storytelling. If they aren’t able to immediately satirize some new development, so be it. It’s more important to get the jokes right than get them out fast. And, mind you, two weeks is still pretty darned fast.

The result is that Season 27 is already shaping up to be one of the show’s best in a long time. The political humor is bold and insightful. At the same time, there’s a clear story being told about the latest crisis brewing in South Park, CO. Everything, from South Park Elementary’s Christian makeover to Cartman’s “woke is dead” disillusionment to the reveal that Satan is pregnant with Trump’s child, feels like a logical piece of a larger puzzle. If the series has been a bit scatterbrained and unfocused in the past, it’s showing a real laser sense of focus in 2025.

There’s always a danger that things could eventually go off the rails. One has to assume the writers were sweating a bit this past weekend when rumors briefly swirled of Trump’s death. There’s no guarantee that some new political crisis won’t come along to blow up the overarching plans for the season. That’s the inherent risk of the show’s “ripped from the headlines” approach.

But still, with this added buffer between new episodes, there’s more room to do what wasn’t always possible in 2016. There’s time to think and consider the best path forward. There’s a greater emphasis on quality over speed. And in an age where more and more people and organizations are afraid to speak truth to power, it’s all the more important that South Park be on its A-game. It’s good to have the series back, and especially when it’s in top form.

For more on South Park, find out how you can stream Season 27.

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

Legendary has announced the full cast for their upcoming live-action Street Fighter movie, which will be released by Paramount Pictures on October 16, 2026.

Street Fighter is the first Legendary title to be released as part of the company’s new distribution deal with Paramount.

Bad Trip’s Kitao Sakurai directs Street Fighter, which has begun filming in Australia and is filming in IMAX.

See the full Street Fighter cast list below:

• Noah Centineo as “Ken Masters”
• Andrew Koji as “Ryu”
• Callina Liang as “Chun-Li”
• Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i as “Akuma”
• David Dastmalchian as “M. Bison”
• Cody Rhodes as “Guile”
• Andrew Schulz as “Dan Hibiki”
• Eric André as “Don Sauvage”
• Vidyut Jammwal as “Dhalsim”
• Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as “Balrog”
• Jason Momoa as “Blanka”
• Orville Peck as “Vega”
• Olivier Richters as “Zangief”
• Hirooki Goto as “E. Honda”
• Rayna Vallandingham as “Juli”
• Alexander Volkanovski as “Joe”
• Kyle Mooney as “Marvin”
• Mel Jarnson as “Cammy”

Legendary also released side-by-side images of the actors opposite their game characters, which you can see by scrolling the slideshow below.

“Set in 1993, estranged Street Fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) are thrown back into combat when the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament: a brutal clash of fists, fate, and fury,” according to the official plot synopsis.

“But behind this battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces them to face off against each other and the demons of their past. And if they don’t, it’s GAME OVER!”

This will be the third live-action feature film based on the iconic Capcom video game franchise. The first Street Fighter movie, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia, was released in 1994. A much loathed reboot, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, was released in 2009. Numerous Street Fighter television series and online shorts have been produced over the years.

This new Street Fighter movie was originally going to be directed by Talk to Me and Bring Her Back filmmakers Michael Philippou and Danny Philippou, who ultimately exited the project to focus on original projects.

Video game adaptations have found a new lease on life in recent years, with streaming series like The Last of Us and Fallout finding critical success and A Minecraft Movie and Super Mario Bros. striking gold at the box office. Also aiming for a commercial win is Mortal Kombat II, which has postponed its release date until next summer.

A new Resident Evil movie is also in the works from Weapons director Zach Cregger, while Return to Silent Hill will hit theaters next year.

Meanwhile, Prime Video’s live-action Tomb Raider series starring Sophie Turner begins filming next year while Netflix’s animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft will end with Season 2 this December. Beyond the final season of Tomb Raider, Netflix’s new big animated video game adaptation is Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, which premieres in October.

With Wicked: For Good preparing to fly into theaters this November, LEGO is dropping a few different Wicked-themed LEGO sets in September for musical theater fans to get their hands on before the film's release. One of these sets is the Emerald City Wall Art, which is now available. As a big Wicked fan myself, I was excited to piece this set together. Not only is it filled with bright pinks and greens in honor of the show's leading ladies, but there are plenty of smaller details throughout it that are a joy to find.

In total, there are 1,518 pieces in this LEGO set that come together to create this incredibly detailed piece of wall art. It's recommended for adults, which I do agree with since there are a lot of smaller pieces that go into the complex layering of this set. However, if you have a younger Wicked fan in your life who's dying to build it, just give them a closely-supervised hand and they'll be golden.

This set comes with 14 bags (plus an additional bag filled with some larger pieces) and a full-color instruction manual, which features some little blurbs and shots from the film in the first few pages. In these initial pages you'll also find an image that points to some of the different easter eggs that can be found throughout this set, from the yellow brick road, to the train leading to the Emerald City, to a hidden compartment that will soon hold some very familiar faces about to journey through Oz in Wicked: For Good.

The first few bags of this set focus on piecing together the backdrop portion of this wall art. A lot of pieces layer together to create a sturdy structure, which is good news for those hoping to hang it up when they're all done. There are even two mounting holes in the back that are perfectly placed for that purpose. The first bag also sees you putting together Dorothy with little Toto, and they get placed on a white platform that will fill up with some other friends from later bags.

By the time you get to bag four, you'll get to start filling in more of the background for the wall art, which is mostly vibrant pinks and a little touch of green in the corner. You also get the Scarecrow minifigure to place next to Dorothy on the white platform, and your first little easter egg of a flying monkey below the green. Don't worry, he'll have a little place to hide behind later.

Bags five and six focus on building out the frame edges around the wall art, alongside a little cut-out in the top right corner for where Elphaba will be attached later, and building up the base of what will soon become the Emerald City. From bag six you'll also start to construct the first tower in the Emerald City, which houses The Wizard's mechanical face. The cool part about this is you also create a little cover to go over him, so it's a nice surprise to take off later and reveal him underneath.

Also in bag six are some nice little touches for around the tower, alongside a little cloud build to cover the flying monkey from earlier. Most importantly, though, the top right corner of the wall art is built out into a beautiful display for Elphaba to be in (who you will also put together from this bag), surrounded by golden details that frame the green background.

Bags seven and eight build out even more buildings in the Emerald City, including another fun little easter egg of Glinda and Elphaba in the center tower, alongside the start of Shiz University on the far left. Bag eight also sees the Tin Man join our merry band of travelers who are off to see The Wizard (but stuck on the white platform for now).

Bag nine focuses on adding more details around the Emerald City, including little tulips popping up around its base, while bag 10 moves you down to the lower part of the wall art. Here, you'll get to build up more of the bottom part of the piece and add in some fun details. One of these is a very small track on the right side that'll hold the train to the Emerald City later on.

There are plenty more small details to add to this wall art, and bag 11 is packed with pink tulips to build out the fields near Munchkinland alongside more pieces to create a river flowing from Shiz University and part of the yellow brick road. And with bag 12, you'll create a little compartment at the bottom that can hold our minifigure friends against a yellow brick backdrop. Speaking of minifigures, you also get the Cowardly Lion from bag 12, completing the line-up of new characters from Wicked: For Good (or familiar favorites from The Wizard of Oz).

But this Wicked wall art wouldn't be complete without Glinda. She's the last (though certainly not least) minifigure to be pieced together from bag thirteen. This bag also comes with pieces to build out her little bubble in the bottom left hand corner, placing her at the opposite end of the set from Elphaba, and comes with the Emerald City train to put on the tracks you built earlier.

And finally, with bag 14, you piece together the cover for the hidden compartment housing Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. On this cover, you build up Munchkinland and continue the path of the yellow brick road and the river to connect with the main piece of the wall art. There's also a little Wicked logo you can place on it, which is a nice touch to finish everything off with.

But that's not all. There are more clouds to piece together and place on the set alongside the Wizard's hot air balloon towards the top. And with that, the completed set looks like this:

And here's how the hidden compartment looks with Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion on the inside:

The Emerald City Wall Art Lego set is a fairly decent size once it's fully pieced together, coming to just over 12.5 inches (32 cm) high, 10 inches (25 cm) wide and 3 inches (8 cm) deep. It's one I'd definitely recommend if you're a big fan of Wicked and The Wizard of Oz. It took me a few days to finish completely, so if you're looking for a lengthy, detailed LEGO set to dig into, this is a great pick.

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

I've watched a lot of anime in my adult life, but some of my very favorites include the RPG elements I've come to love from video games. My first experience with the genre was Sword Art Online, and I've been hooked ever since.

When I heard about how popular Solo Leveling was, it was a good enough reason for me to get a Crunchyroll subscription just to watch it. I was pretty tempted by the limited edition Blu-ray when it first went up for preorder, but the price was too steep. Now that Amazon has it at a discount, it may finally be worth picking it up for my collection.

Solo Leveling Season 1 Collector's Edition Discounted at Amazon

Hot on the heels of the news that Prime Video’s live-action Tomb Raider series starring Sophie Turner begins filming next year comes word that Netflix’s animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is coming to an end.

Variety reports that Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft’s upcoming second season will also be its last. Season 2 launches on Netflix on December 11.

“When adventurer Lara Croft (voiced by Hayley Atwell) discovers a trail of stolen African Orisha masks, she joins forces with her best friend Sam (Karen Fukuhara) to retrieve the precious artifacts,” according to the season’s official plot synopsis.

“Lara’s thrilling new adventure takes her around the globe as she delves deeper into the hidden secrets of Orisha history, dodging the machinations of a dangerous and enigmatic billionaire who wants the masks for herself, while discovering these relics contain dark secrets and a power that defies logic. Power that may, in fact, be divine.”

Season 1 debuted in 2024. IGN’s Ryan McCaffrey wasn’t overly fond of the show, writing in his Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, Season 1 review that it "isn’t terrible, but it’s well below the high bar set by other animated video game adaptations on Netflix."

Prime Video’s live-action Tomb Raider series begins filming in January 2026, with Phoebe Waller-Bridge serving as creator, writer, and executive producer. Chad Hodge is co-showrunner, while Jonathan van Tulleken (Shogun) will direct and executive produce.

Beyond the final season of Tomb Raider, Netflix’s new big animated video game adaptation is Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, which premieres in October.

Civilization VII developer Firaxis has laid off an unknown number of individuals today, despite the insistance of Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick that the game's sales are consistent with expectations.

Today, a number of Firaxis employees announced across social media that they had been let go, including members of production, narrative, and art. Civilization VII publisher 2K confirmed the layoffs to Game Developer, saying the studio was restructuring and optimizing its development process for "adaptability, collaboration, and creativity." The company did not confirm the number of individuals impacted.

Firaxis released Civilization VII earlier this year, and the game has since received a mixed reception on Steam amid player complaints about the game's user interface, lack of map variety, and that it was missing expected features. Since then, Firaxis has released a number of updates to the game to improve it in these areas.

In the meantime, Strauss Zelnick, CEO of 2K parent Take-Two, has said that while Civilization VII did get off to a "slow start", the company's internal projections for the "lifetime value" of the game still match initial expectations.

“I think the key thing is that Civ has always been a slow burn. It's always been a title that had — I'm not really a big believer in the long tail theory of the entertainment business — but Civ is an example of that theory. And right now our projections for the lifetime value of the title are very consistent with our initial expectations for the title.

“So while we were off to a slow start and while we have had to make changes — and there are more changes coming — I feel like consumer uptake is better and better and we feel really good about the title. I think over time it's going to take its place in its civilization pantheon in a very successful, credible way.”

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

The 2025 NFL season officially kicks off this week and if you're hoping to stream all of the games online, it is once again unnecessarily confusing. There is no single place where you can watch every NFL game live, and it gets even more confusing when you start factoring in some streaming exclusives coming later this year. If you're looking for the best way to watch as many NFL games as you can this season, you're likely going to need to be subscribed to multiple streaming services.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Streaming Services for NFL Games

For those who are only looking to watch the occasional game, most of the popular sports streaming services should do the trick. You can also get some games through other streaming services depending on the day. I'd recommend checking out the NFL website for an up-to-date schedule of games to find out where you can stream each one.

Fubo

Best Option for Most People

Hollow Knight: Silksong is already a huge hit on Steam despite causing Valve’s storefront to crash, posting massive concurrent player numbers.

At the time of this article’s publication, and as those storefront problems ease, Silksong was on a huge 453,993 concurrent players on Steam, making it the third most-played game on Valve’s platform behind only Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2.

This number looks set to rise, too, as more people download the game ahead of its first weekend on sale. The question now is, just how big will it be? It’s already the 29th most-played game on Steam of all-time, with the likes of Helldivers 2 in its sights.

Silksong is one of the most anticipated games of 2025. Over six years after its initial announcement and as the most wishlisted game on Steam, Silksong finally launched today, September 4, across PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S priced $19.99 and weighing in at 7.62GB.

Of course, Silksong’s true player count will be much bigger across all platforms. Neither Sony, Nintendo nor Microsoft make player numbers public, but Silksong crashed those storefronts, too, so it will be massive everywhere. And let’s remember Silksong is a day-one Game Pass title. Yep, this one’s enormous, perhaps even the biggest indie game launch of all time.

Little was known about Silksong ahead of launch, so players are only now discovering its secrets. One of the first revelations is the achievements list (Silksong has 52 Achievements and 53 Trophies to unlock and discover).

Be sure to check out IGN's Silksong coverage, which includes the story of the superfan behind the YouTube Channel Daily Silksong News, who can finally rest after an incredible 1,693 days of videos.

Be sure to stay up-to-date with all the latest from IGN by clicking here and setting IGN as a preferred source in Google.

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.

We now live in an era where we can’t always trust our eyes — and that has led none other than Lady Gaga to come under fire for potential AI usage in her latest music video for “The Dead Dance,” her new song for the Netflix show Wednesday.

So how did this happen, exactly? Let’s break it all down all the way from the beginning, including whether or not the signs actually do point to AI being used in the visual directed by Tim Burton himself.

First of all: Gaga on Wednesday! Yes, it’s happening. Lady Gaga was previously announced as a guest star for Season 2 of the beloved streaming series, and was revealed to be showing up in the second half of the season, which would air on September 3. A couple days before the release date on September 1, the show’s official social media accounts shared the first glimpse of her in costume as Rosaline Rotwood.

The old cliche is that war never changes, but what happens when the hellish actions of war manifest as monsters that trap people in time loops of their worst deeds? Well, even then it turns out the cruelty of mankind itself are still worse than any supernatural destruction, and Hell is Us uses its fantastical near-future setting to take a dark, authentic look at the horrors of war. While the actual act of fighting your way through the monsters of this devastated nation isn’t doing much that’s new to the action-adventure genre, Hell is Us kept me entertained throughout my 38-hour adventure nonetheless. Its combat is simple but satisfying and its world is full of puzzles that push you to really pay attention, which makes for a campaign filled with intrigue, grief, and sometimes a little frustration.

Hell is Us is equal parts exploration, combat, and puzzle solving. It’s a familiar formula if you’ve played games like God of War or Resident Evil before, but roaming the fictional country of Hadea as Remi, an exile smuggled out of the country as a child, proved to be a different kind of challenge. You're told upfront that there is no map, waypoint system, or indication of where to go next. I had to retrain my brain in the early hours of Hell is Us as I adapted to how it does things, like I was riding a bike without training wheels for the first time. While frustrating at first, that annoyance seemed to fade away around the midpoint of Act One, and I could feel myself more quickly pinpointing the necessary clues I needed to progress.

What starts as a quest for answers about Remi’s missing family, his whole reason for returning to Hadea, quickly becomes a series of puzzles and scavenger hunts that reveal a bigger picture. With both that mystery and a large number of items to collect, the lack of a traditional map or waypoint system meant I found it almost mandatory to keep physical notes on what I had seen. That was especially true as I assembled a lengthy list of puzzles and NPCs that required specific items I had yet to find, with some items that wouldn't even become available until later portions of the story.

At first, I was caught off guard by how front and center the puzzle component is in Hell is Us – not because I disliked that, but because it just wasn't what I expected going in. There are plenty of puzzles to solve with all the usual suspects represented: aligning symbols to open doors, delivering specific items to NPCs, deciphering safe codes, finding color-coded keys, stepping on pressure plates, and more. While I've only solved about three-quarters of them so far, most solutions have ranged from obvious to mild head scratchers – this is nice place for them to land because there are a lot of things to keep track of on your own at once, but I never got stuck in one place for too long (and the rewards typically were worth the effort).

The only mildly frustrating part of some puzzles is that you don't always know upfront if you have everything you need to solve them, or if certain key pieces are even available yet, as many items don't show up until you progress further. That would usually be such a minor inconvenience that it wouldn't even be worth mentioning; however, because Hell is Us takes pride in not automatically tracking the specifics of stuff like quests and puzzles, if you don't keep detailed notes or if you happen to take a few days off from playing, it can lead to running around in circles searching for an unknowable solution.

Speaking of running in circles, while the first act is initially pretty straightforward, I found myself getting a bit lost after a few hours. Without a map, it was tough to figure out where I had and hadn't been. You can't progress to new locations without uncovering specific clues or NPCs that give you information about those zones, so I began to lose steam towards the midpoint of Act One. However, this pain point completely went away in the following two acts thanks to the combination of more characters that reliably offer information about the quest and my own acclimation to how I was meant to decipher the bread crumbs of the story.

As Remi, you are a firsthand witness to Hell is Us’ themes of hate, violence, brutality, and humanity being its own worst enemy. They are seen in every NPC conversation, location, and piece of lore you find on the search for Remi's family. You would think that the worst of what you have to face are the Hollowed monsters plaguing the streets and countrysides of Hadea, but if history has told us anything time and time again, our worst enemies are always ourselves. It wasn't those haunting enemies that stuck with me past the credits, but the imagery of the world, the harrowing events described by its survivors, and the vitriol characters often had for one another.

It’s almost impossible not to draw parallels between the horrors portrayed throughout Remi's journey and current events happening in the real world. Hadea's towns are ravaged by war, filled with imagery of civilian executions and propaganda as two fictional races of people, the Palomians and Sabinians, constantly blame the other for everything wrong in the world. Add in the rise of those terrifying new Hollow creatures, which are impervious to traditional weapons, and it culminates in a believable alternate history with horrors rooted in our own.

Hell is Us wears its grim view of a collapsed civilization and its struggling population on its sleeve. Every major NPC can be asked about Hadea, the war, peacekeepers, the Hollow creatures, and both the Palomians and Sabinians. And unlike the obscure puzzles and riddles throughout the world, the characters speak plainly about their feelings on each topic – be that a young girl who wishes everyone on the other side would die or a member of the military who has no issues whatsoever with collateral damage. While these conversations won't progress any storylines or assist in sidequests, they all help to paint an effective picture of the current state of the world and how it came to be.

These conversations were enlightening, but they were also tough to swallow in today's world, especially when myself and many others use video games as a means of escapism. There were times when it often felt like too much, but the thought of ignoring these kinds of experiences felt cynical and disrespectful to those enduring similar tragedies daily. Even minor NPCs struck a chord as I encountered small settlements of survivors, many of whom have lost families, limbs, and more. Hell is Us never strays away from showing the cost of war, and it’s better for it.

These tragedies aren't just there for show, either, as they also feed into the important time loop mechanic. Time loops appear as concentrated spheres of negative energy derived from truly heinous actions such as public executions, murders, and other tragic events, and they can only be cleared by removing an area of its time loop guardians. Though most are optional, clearing them provides rewards like key items for certain puzzles or NPCs and various weapon upgrades, and also stops enemies from respawning in that vicinity, which was enough incentive for me to tackle them when convenient. The guardians appear as regular Hollow enemies at a glance, but are slightly tougher fights due to their higher health and attack power – although, more often than not they were still so easy I would only realize I had just faced a guardian after the fact, so they didn’t stand out as meaningful or memorable fights to match the somber moments around them.

Combat not quite scratching the itch I hoped it would was a consistent theme throughout most of Hell is Us. It has all the staples you'd expect in an action-adventure game: attack combos, charge attacks, parries, dodges, and special abilities that improve both your weapons and a drone that fights alongside you. But while it has the ingredients of a great combat system, they never come together to make something more impressive than the sum of those parts. That isn't to say combat is bad in any way, because is can still be quite fun – but it never really wowed me, either. Even the special executions for certain enemies, which shift the camera perspective in an attempt to punch up the stylishness of those moves, didn't amaze me despite being functionally useful.

Early on, Remi learns that standard weapons are useless against the Hollow enemies and quickly builds up an arsenal of limbic weapons with special properties – swords, twin axes, polearms, and more, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. As you explore and solve various puzzles or help the citizens of Hadea, you unlock glyphs that can be equipped to weapons to augment them with properties such as Rage, Ecstasy, Terror, and Grief. Upgrading weapons with different properties will not only change their appearance, but also change which abilities they can equip. I was a big fan of Rage as it supercharged my aggressive playstyle, allowing me to stagger enemies and giving me some range options. Meanwhile, Terror ended up being the augment for my second weapon as it allowed me to drain enemies of their health at a safe distance.

Hell is Us also takes a different approach to healing while in combat: dealing damage refills your health, but only if you cash in after landing an attack or combo without taking damage. This was a double-edged sword for me, as it’s an interestingly unique system, but one that meant I would often not worry about how much damage I was taking because I knew that landing one or two combos would be enough to heal me back up in a pinch. It allowed me to be more aggressive in the hopes of outhealing any damage I took, but occasionally my bravado would get the best of me and lead to either death or finishing a fight with critical health. My strategy had to change as I reached the later acts, with specific enemies that could chain attacks to interrupt or stagger me, preventing me from retaliating or causing me to get overwhelmed by a group.

That said, Hell is Us lacks enemy variety overall, with only five types of visually distinct Hollow enemies. That is a letdown, because I really liked their designs – which range from a humanoid with an eerie black void of black in place of its face and chest, to a mage with large ribbed wings that creates damaging zones on the ground – and was hoping to see the team behind them flex their creative muscles even more. It is similarly lacking in the boss department, with only two traditional bosses across the three acts. It does have a few gauntlets of enemies to fight through that act as pseudo bosses for certain areas, but they just don't have the same impact after delving through multiple floors of a dungeon.

Thankfully, the roster is padded out with 12 Haze-type enemies in addition to the Hollows. These don't have the same cool, distinct designs, instead looking like more generic shapes or creatures made of smaller colorful blocks. But what they lack in visual flair, they make up for in challenge, as these enemies were often the ones to either overwhelm me or give me a better fight. Early on, Hollow enemies become entwined with each other and various Haze enemies, preventing them from losing health until the attached Hazes have been subjugated. This creates a small dance of taking down the Haze and then attempting to defeat the Hollow before that Haze could respawn, adding a nice layer of complexity to the otherwise simple combat.

Get ready, users: Tron: Ares is on its way to becoming a reality, and I phrase it that way for a reason. Tron: Ares is poised to make good on the open ending of 2010’s Tron: Legacy with a plot focused on programs from the digital world making their way into the real world.

In early 2024, Disney invited IGN to visit the set of Tron: Ares to share a wealth of details about what a modern Tron movie looks like, and how it attempts to establish an identity (disc) of its very own.

Tron: Ares Is Proud Of Its Legacy… But May Keep It At Arm’s Length

Our set visit began with a roundtable discussion with the film’s producer, Justin Springer, whose involvement with the franchise began as a co-producer on 2010’s Tron: Legacy, and naturally, one of the first questions was about how Ares would continue that film’s story. Reports on the then-untitled Tron 3 had pegged it as more of a reboot, centered around a new program called Ares coming into the real world. That was especially confusing, seeing as, on paper, that sounds like a very logical continuation of the events of Tron: Legacy, which you’ll remember ends with Sam Flynn (son of Jeff Bridges’ Kevin Flynn) bringing the sentient program Quorra back with him into the real world.

Springer essentially confirmed Ares as a soft reboot of Tron, mentioning a feeling on Disney’s part that Ares represented a “good time to move on” from the events of Legacy. But as our set visit continued, and certainly as we learned later in 2024 that Jeff Bridges would indeed return as Kevin Flynn (or whatever biodigital spirit version of him we see in the trailer), that sentiment felt more and more like semantics shmantics. No, it’s safe to say based on what we’ve seen up to this point that Tron: Ares is firmly a sequel to Tron: Legacy, even if the Flynns are no longer the center of attention.

When talking about how Ares, Springer put this into the context of how the Tron series has evolved since 1982, saying that if Tron asked what the inner world of a computer would look like, and Legacy followed that on with considering how that world would evolve in isolation, Ares should be focused on the question of what happens when the lines of the computer world and our own start to blur? Which, hey, when artificial intelligence is dominating the global conversation, feels like an obvious thing to dig into.

Lightcycles Are Practically-Built For The First Time Ever

When it comes to Tron imagery, it doesn’t get more iconic than the lightcycle. The sleek, rounded edges of the originals, and the glassy hardlight trails they leave in their wake, got a serious glow-up in Tron: Legacy. In both of those films, lightcycles were entirely digital creations, but with Tron: Ares all about bringing the digital creations of the Grid into the real world, it was time for lightcycles to shift into another gear.

Along with producer Justin Springer, we spent most of our set visit with Darren Gilford, Tron: Ares’ production designer, who returns from having worked on Legacy. Gilford’s done impressive work over the last twenty years updating the visual language of established IP for the 21st century, and not just for Tron.

Gilford was also the production designer for the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and he designed The Dark Knight’s rad-as-hell Bat-pod motorcycle. He carried that experience directly into Tron: Ares, tasked with creating practical, working lightcycles for the first time so they could be towed on filming rigs for some of the chase scenes we’ve seen represented in trailers and in the footage debuted during the film’s Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con this past summer.

The design of the Ares’s lightcycle is more iterative than evolutionary, hearkening heavily to the Legacy design, and definitely favors cool over comfort. I can be sure of that because each of the journalists in attendance got a chance to mount the thing while it was on its hydraulic rig and yeah, going belly down on a cyberpunk speeder looks a lot cooler than it feels. But hey, the pictures are sweet.

Gilford mentioned the importance of the lightcycle illustrating Tron: Ares’ theme of combining man and machine in its design, and the way you slot into it does evoke a sense of putting on a bike as opposed to getting on a bike. In a world where companies like Meta and Apple are pushing consumers towards wearable AR/VR tech that blurs the line between the digital and the corporeal, it makes a lot of sense for Tron: Ares to be finding ways like this for the action to reinforce those themes.

The Grids

During our walkthroughs with Justin Springer, we saw a lot of storyboards for what’s to come in Tron: Ares (perhaps even a little more than intended…) and one of the most intriguing elements hinted at is how the film will be approaching the idea of “The Grid”, the digital frontier which characters often find themselves rezzed into (never turn your back on a laser in a Tron movie, kids.) Now that we have footage from the trailers to back this up, I think I’m safe saying that there will be multiple Grids in the film.

Before we continue, though, there’s some canon context that may be helpful to reinforce, because Tron and Tron: Legacy’s digital worlds are actually not one and the same. The “grid” in 1982’s Tron is firmly ensconced within ENCOM’s computer intranet. That is to say, the digital world of the original Tron is a closed system under the control of the Master Control Program, an efficiency-focused artificial intelligence visualized as a spinning conical face. After Flynn finds himself zapped into that system, he overthrows the Master Control Program, ostensibly freeing all of the subjugated programs from their pre-determined functions and roles.

Can you imagine if you hit play on your favorite podcast on Spotify and your computer started stress-testing your GPU? Neither could the creatives behind Tron, because it was 1982 and no one was interested in diving that deep into the questions implied by that kind of revolution. The MCP was destroyed, the good guys get proof that Dillinger had stolen the credit for Flynn’s Space Paranoids game; a classic “story over, movie over” ending.

Tron: Legacy drills down on the metaphysical aspects of that ending a little bit more, as we learn Kevin Flynn created his own Grid outside of ENCOM to test the limits of digital creation, tests which eventually lead to the genesis of the ISOs, an immaculately conceived digital race of programs which weren’t written by Users. It’s this Grid which Kevin Flynn, his estranged son Sam, and the ISO Quorra liberate from the reign of Clu, Kevin Flynn’s authoritarian digital avatar. So that’s two Tron movies, each with their own Grid.

Without giving too much away, Tron: Ares seems poised to acknowledge these branching digital realities with at least three separate systems: one belonging to the Dillinger Corporation, one belonging to ENCOM, and one that’s still a bit of a mystery but is sure to get fans of the original Tron aesthetic excited (again, all three of these are represented in the trailer!).

Blending Real and Digital Worlds

The Tron franchise has a reputation of being at the cutting edge of filmmaking technology: the 1982 original is widely considered the first movie to extensively use computer-generated imagery, and Legacy helped pioneer 3D filmmaking in the 21st century, shooting on a custom stereoscopic rig. Legacy is also remembered for being on the bleeding edge of photorealistic digital character design… and a solid reminder of why we use the phrase “bleeding edge.” From a story perspective, the villain Clu being a clone of Jeff Bridges’ Kevin Flynn at his most ambitious makes a ton of sense… but the execution has aged worse than anything else in Tron: Legacy.

As for Ares’ technological raison d’etre, our time on the set didn’t afford us much sense of what that is. Recent comments from Tron: Ares director Joachim Rønning suggest that the film as a whole is the “holy grail of computer graphics”, and the footage we’ve seen so far certainly looks sharp as hell, but the jury’s out on whether or to what degree we can expect any brand-new tech to help bring the story to life.

What was well-represented during our time on set though was that Tron: Ares is using every method under the sun to bring its story to life. Though there was definitely some on-location filming, our set visit was restricted to the soundstages we toured in Vancouver, where we got to watch a scene being shot against the volume digital set technology that’s been rapidly adopted by studios in recent years. That scene was set in the real world, featuring Greta Lee’s Eve Kim at the base of a communications tower, which itself was on top of a snowy mountain. Lee was hauling a long cable over to a console in the tower, so this seemed like it was a piece of a larger action sequence being grabbed.

Cool as the volume may have been to behold though, sometimes the old ways are best. We got to walk through the bridge of Ares’ command ship, a massive red-and-black chamber that definitely communicates the austere power and focus the Dillinger programs wield. After that, Darren Gilford brought us through the set of an executive suite at Encom headquarters, the centerpiece of which was an office walled in on all sides by glass. It belongs (belonged?) to Kevin Flynn, and Encom seems to have preserved it as a monument to their lost president (sometime around the year 1989, according to Gilford).

Flynn’s office is full of easter eggs, like a rolodex I spotted opened to the contact info of Tron’s “user” Alan Bradley… Gilford mentioned my flagging of that may make me the first person to spot an easter egg in Tron: Ares, and if there’s an award for that, I have not seen it come through the mail.

Star Wars: Jedi’s Cameron Monaghan Wields Dual Lightsabers In A Fight Scene

Finally, we also observed a rehearsal for a fight scene that incited a true “holy sh!t” moment for the Star Wars fans among the assembled journalists… and given we’re the nerds that got sent to the new Tron movie set, that was most of us. My colleagues and I were brought onto a blue screen stage where a dozen or so stunt performers were practicing fight choreography for a battle with Caius, a program played by Cameron Monaghan, who our audience may know for his role as Cal Kestis from the Star Wars: Jedi games.

The worlds of Tron and Star Wars collided in a big way when Monaghan walked out onto the stage duel-wielding a pair of lightsaber-esque batons and ready to kick all kinds of ass, with eerie similarity to his Jedi: Survivor character Cal Kestis. It was an especially surreal moment for me: I had just beaten the recently released Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and used the dual wield stance nearly exclusively. Was this some kind of glitch in the system? Had I been digitized into a computer world somewhere along the way? Am I still in the computer right now!?

I hope not, because then I won’t be able to see Tron: Ares when it comes out on October 10th. Are you excited for Tron: Ares? Let me know in the comments, and for more on the movie, check out my reaction to the footage they debuted at San Diego Comic-Con and for everything else, biodigital jazz or otherwise, keep it here on IGN.

Streaming has made entertainment more accessible than ever, but that doesn't mean it's cheap. Most streaming services have continuously hiked their own prices and limited password sharing, and confusing licensing deals sometimes make it surprisingly difficult to find an entire franchise in the same spot.

Nowadays it's common to debate, as I'm doing constantly, which subscriptions are worth keeping for the long haul. Plenty of streaming services – particularly the newer ones – offer free trials, bundles, and discounts to try and attract new subscribers. "New subscriber," of course, meaning "different e-mail address."

The best time to save on subscriptions is undoubtedbly Black Friday, when most streaming services offer their biggest discounts of the year. But if you're trying to find savings sooner rather than later, these are some of the best streaming deals available right now.

TL;DR: These Are the Best Streaming Deals Right Now:

Save With Bundles: Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, and ESPN Unlimited

I’m back with my monthly roundup of the best new books to keep an eye out for, and quite a few of our most anticipated reads of 2025 are dropping this month. From fantasy and romance to cosy crime, a Greek mythology retelling, and an age gap romance, there’s something for every reader.

So, here are the books that you won’t want to miss this September. Missed August’s roundup? You can find it right here.

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

• Release date: September 9

PlayStation is no stranger to releasing unique colors for its accessories throughout its 30-year history. Since the PS5 launched in November 2020, PlayStation has expanded the DualSense controller line to include 12 additional standard colors, along with a swath of limited edition controllers featuring popular PlayStation characters and vibrant patterns. Whether you're looking to replace an existing controller, add to your collection, or just want to take a trip down memory lane, we've rounded up every PlayStation 5 DualSense controller color in order of release date.

If you're in the market for a DualSense alternative, our guide to the best PS5 controllers features a variety of different options we've reviewed.

All Dualsense Controller Colors by Release Date

White DualSense Controller

Release Date: November 12, 2020

Midnight Black DualSense Controller

Release Date: June 11, 2021

Cosmic Red DualSense Controller

Release Date: June 11, 2021

Starlight Blue DualSense Controller

Release Date: January 14, 2022

Galactic Purple DualSense Controller

Release Date: January 14, 2022

Nova Pink DualSense Controller

Release Date: January 14, 2022

Grey Camouflage DualSense Controller

Release Date: October 14, 2022

Cobalt Blue DualSense Controller

Release Date: November 3, 2023

Volcanic Red DualSense Controller

Release Date: November 3, 2023

Sterling Silver DualSense Controller

Release Date: January 26, 2024

Chroma Pearl DualSense Controller

Release Date: November 7, 2024

Chroma Indigo DualSense Controller

Release Date: November 7, 2024

Chroma Teal DualSense Controller

Release Date: January 23, 2025

White DualSense Edge

Release Date: January 26, 2023

Midnight Black DualSense Edge

Release Date: February 20, 2025

Special Edition DualSense Controllers

In addition to the standard DualSense controller colors, Sony has also released several limited edition controllers over the past few years. Arguably the most popular limited-time offering was to celebrate PlayStation's milestone anniversary in November 2024, when Sony launched an entire PlayStation 30th Anniversary collection that included a standard DualSense controller, PS5 Slim, PS5 Pro, PlayStation Portal, and DualSense Edge controller, each sporting the iconic grey color of the original PlayStation console.

While you may still be able to get your hands on some special edition controllers, they are often well above retail price as Sony only manufactures a limited amount. In addition to the 30th Anniversary collection, Sony has also released limited edition DualSense controllers celebrating the release of God of War: Ragnarok, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, the ill-fated Concord, Astro Bot, The Last of Us, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and most recently, Ghost of Yotei.

For those looking to add some games to their PC library as the chilly fall weather starts to roll in, September's Humble Choice lineup has officially been announced. This includes a wide variety of games, including WWE 2K25, Destiny 2: Legacy Collection, The Plucky Squire, and five others you can stock up on for just $14.99 if you sign up for a Humble Choice membership. On top of those games, this month also comes with one month of IGN Plus for free, which allows you to turn off ads across the site, get free games, and more.

Humble Choice – September 2025

Hollow Knight: Silksong is out now, but the huge rush to buy and download the game has caused some storefronts to crash.

Steam, for example, struggled to cope with the influx of customers, with Silksong’s store page returning an error page in the initial hours after launch. All this, remember, for a $20 indie game.

Sony is gearing up for the release of Ghost of Yotei by offering a series of limited-edition hardware that’s etched with imagery from the game. You can get PS5 consoles, DualSense Controllers, and console covers with black or gold etchings. All of them are now available to preorder at PlayStation Direct and are set to release on October 2. Below, we dig into what items are available, how much they cost, and more.

Featured in this article

All the new items are listed in the catalog above. For more information about them, you can scroll down.

PS5 Console - Ghost of Yotei Limited Edition Bundle (Gold or Black)

Gold PS5 Console Bundle

• Get it at Amazon - $599.99
• Get it at Best Buy - $599.99
• Get it at PS Direct - $599.99
• Get it at Target - $599.99
• Get it at Walmart - $599
• Get it at GameStop (Pro membership required) - $599.99

Black PS5 Console Bundle

• Get it at PS Direct - $599.99

The PS5 console bundle gets you Ghost of Yotei-themed PS5 and DualSense controller, with either black or gold designs on them, as well as a voucher to download a digital copy of the game.

DualSense Wireless Controller - Ghost of Yotei Limited Edition (Gold or Black)

Gold DualSense Controller

• Get it at Amazon - $84.99
• Get it at Best Buy - $84.99
• Get it at PS Direct - $84.99
• Get it at Target - $84.99
• Get it at Walmart - $84.88

Black DualSense Controller

• Get it at PS Direct - $84.99

The DualSense Wireless controller is similarly decked out in Ghost of Yotei markings, available in either black or gold. Aside from the stylized design, it’s a standard PS5 controller with all the features you’d expect, including haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

PS5 and PS5 Pro Console Covers - Ghost of Yotei Edition

• PS5 Pro Cover
• PS5 Slim Cover

If you want the look of the Ghost of Yotei PS5 but you already own a slim PS5, you can pick up just the console covers. These PS Direct-exclusive items let you turn your standard PS5 into a Ghost of Yotei one without buying a whole new console.

For more, check out our full Ghost of Yotei preorder guide.

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

If you’ve been waiting for your next James Bond adventure, 007 First Light is officially up for preorder ahead of its March 27, 2026 release on PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Alongside the standard edition, there’s also a Legacy Edition that comes with a collectible Golden Gun replica and other extras for longtime fans. Just after the base game or fancy the full collector’s package? It’s worth locking in your copy early.

TL;DR: Todays Best Deals

Today’s other deals span across home, tech, and nerdy building goodness. You can grab the LEGO Disney & Pixar WALL-E & EVE set for under $70, a great display piece for Pixar fans; the EUKI Compressed Air Duster at $39.99, a rechargeable alternative to canned air that’s handy for cleaning keyboards, PCs, and more; and the RUNBOX Slim Card Holder Wallet, now just $8.98 (70% off), offering RFID protection and a sleek, minimalist design. Don't forget about keeping an eye on Pokémon TCG preorders and deals below too, finding stock for a good price is harder than ever in 2025. Let's get into it:

007 First Light: Legacy And Standard Edition Preorders

The standard edition of 007 First Light includes the base game for $69.99 and is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC (via Steam or Epic). Physical copies are offered for all consoles, though Switch 2 uses a game-key card rather than a full cartridge, meaning you’ll still need the card inserted to play but can lend or resell it like a typical game card. Preorders also come with the deluxe edition upgrade at no extra cost, adding early access for digital buyers plus exclusive DLC skins and outfits.
For fans who want something more collectible, the Legacy Edition ($299.99) comes packed with extras. Alongside the full game in a steelbook case, it includes a Golden Gun figurine with a stand and hidden compartment, a certificate of authenticity, and a bundle of deluxe DLC skins and outfits. Between the display-worthy replica and the bonus in-game content, this edition is tailored for Bond enthusiasts who want both a showpiece for their shelf and extra flair in-game.

LEGO Disney & Pixar Wall-E & EVE

EUKI Compressed Air Duster

Runbox Slim Card Holder

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution - Phantasmal Flames Preorders

With the Pokémon Center listings going live for preorder at any moment, it's only a matter of time until the first expansion for the new era of Pokémon TCG, Mega Evolution: Phantasmal Flames, comes pouring down to other retailers. First up will be Best Buy, normally around 24 hours after the Pokémon Center launch, followed by Target then secondary market and small seller allocations being available on TCGPlayer. Amazon and Walmart have been known to stock Pokémon TCG preorders in the past, but it's not always a guarantee.
Phantasmal Flames drops on November 14, with prerelease events running the week before, and the big headline is Mega Charizard X ex returning in full force. What makes this set even more exciting is its size , about 90 cards before secret rares, which makes it the smallest English set in nearly a decade. For collectors like me, that usually means a much more manageable chase, while still packing in plenty of heavy hitters for players.

The product lineup looks pretty stacked too. We’ll be getting the usual booster packs and booster box (36 packs), a 9-pack Elite Trainer Box featuring a shiny new Charcadet promo, and an Ultra-Premium Collection built around Mega Charizard X ex. On top of that, two theme decks for Mega Gengar ex and Mega Diancie ex are arriving a few weeks early on October 24, which is a fun way to get a taste of the set before launch. If you’re like me and love cracking packs, the booster box is the way to go, but the UPC is already looking like the big collector piece this time around.

What ties it all together is the Japanese set Inferno X, which hit shelves there in late September. That set had only 80 cards, and once you add in the Mega Gengar and Mega Diancie decks, you basically get the full Phantasmal Flames lineup. We’ve already seen some killer reveals, including the Mega Charizard X ex secret rare previewed at Worlds, so I’m fully expecting that to be the chase card when this launches. Between the smaller set size, Charizard hype, and some solid gameplay cards, I think this one’s going to fly off shelves and I’m definitely locking in my preorder.

Back To The Future Steelbook Preorders Are Live

The 40th anniversary Back to the Future steelbooks are a collector’s dream. Each movie in the trilogy is getting its own limited-edition release on October 14, with sleek new steelbook packaging featuring inside-and-out film artwork. Priced between $29.99 and $34.99, each edition includes the movie on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and digital, along with a treasure trove of bonus features, from archival documentaries and outtakes to new retrospectives with co-writer Bob Gale and cast/crew members.

Pokémon TCG: Holiday Calendar (2025) Cheaper At TCGPlayer

Marvel Legends Series Wolverine Premium Roleplay Mask

Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 + 4 Under $35

As part of Amazon’s Labor Day sale, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 has dropped to its lowest price yet, making now the perfect time to grab it. Normally priced higher, this updated collection delivers classic arcade skateboarding with a modern polish. In our review where we scored it an 8/10, we praised the game for proving “the series’ over-the-top skateboarding formula is totally timeless,” even if some of the tweaks to THPS4 and the soundtrack choices didn’t fully land. At this price, though, you’re getting an iconic piece of gaming history for less than ever before.

Pokémon TCG ETBs and Booster Bundles

When it comes to sealed Pokémon TCG products, the real bargains today are on ETBs and booster bundles. White Flare is sitting at just $75 on TCGPlayer, which is a nice break from the usual $90+ price tags. Even the newer Destined Rivals and Black Bolt boxes are running cheaper there than anywhere else. And if you don’t want to spring for a full ETB, Prismatic Evolutions booster bundles are going for as low as $59, which feels like an easy pickup if you’re chasing singles without committing to a whole box.

Pokémon TCG Collections, Tins and Boosters

If you’re more into variety packs than full ETBs, there are some great grabs in the collections and tins today. Cynthia’s Garchomp ex Premium Collection is down to $45 on TCGPlayer, which feels like a steal compared to Amazon’s $60 tag. The Slashing Legends Tin also jumped out at me at $29.99—that’s nearly half off what Amazon is charging. Even the smaller items are worth a look: Surging Sparks sleeved boosters are going for just $7.93, which is $15.98 on Amazon currently.

Pokémon Funko Pop! Preorders

I’m also eyeing a few of the new Funko Pop! preorders that just went live. Turtwig drops at the end of September for $15.99, while Ninetales and Absol are both set for mid-December at $14.99 each. These usually disappear around launch week, so if you’re the type who likes locking in new releases before they vanish, it’s probably worth snagging them now instead of hunting later at inflated prices.

Pokémon Funko Pop! Deals

Amazon’s been quietly slashing prices on a bunch of Pokémon Funko Pops, and some of them are cheaper than a booster pack. The biggest surprise for me was Horsea at just $4.31—that’s wild considering it normally goes for $12.99. There are plenty of others worth adding to your shelf too, like Fidough for $7.99, Dratini for $11.30, and even the 10-inch Pikachu for $62, which is a solid drop from its usual $75.99. Whether you’re filling gaps in your collection or just want a budget-friendly pick-up, today’s lineup has a nice mix of starters, legendaries, and fan favorites.

Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.

If the announcement of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight at Gamescom has you itching to jump back into some of the other LEGO games, Humble is here with a very nice surprise.

The latest Humble Bundle is a LEGO Worlds Collide Bundle, which offers 17 LEGO games for as low as $15. Considering the full collection is worth $499 in value, that's an excellent bundle to jump on while it's available.

Humble’s LEGO Worlds Collide Bundle

Hollow Knight: Silksong is out today, over six years after its initial announcement. Fans who have been waiting that entire time for the game finally have their hands on it in what is sure to mark an exciting new era for a community that’s driven itself to often-surprising lengths of hype and anticipation.

But for one fan in particular, today is not just a beginning, it’s an ending, an ending of a nearly five-year project that’s become a staple part of the Silksong community during the long wait for Team Cherry’s game. Today, September 4, 2025, marks the final video for the YouTube channel Daily Silksong News.

Daily Silksong News is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a YouTube channel run by Silksong community member Araraura, where he publishes a daily video covering what, if any, news about Hollow Knight: Silksong has surfaced on that day. But simple as the premise is, Daily Silksong News is impressive due to Araraura’s sheer dedication. Since the start of the channel, Araraura has made 1,693 videos. He tells me he hasn’t missed a single day.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has its long-awaited Patch 10 across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S. This is the big anniversary update that makes a number of significant changes and additions to Saber Interactive’s explosive third-person action game.

It’s worth noting that while Patch 10 is live now, Season Pass 2 and the Black Templars and Imperial Fists cosmetics do not go live until later today, September 4.

Patch 10.0 adds new game modes and maps, along with the Chaos Armour Pack, Champion Customisation, new weapons, and more.

The Chaos Armour Pack is available for free. You can finally change the armour set of your Heretic Astartes in PvP, but you have to unlock the set first. Each class requires you to score a certain amount of kills per match to unlock the corresponding skin.

LEGO has officially unveiled the heavily rumored LEGO Star Wars Death Star set. It’s an enormous build, comprised of 9,023 pieces, and it comes with a whopping 38 minifigures, including the two droids (see the listing at LEGO Store). The price might be jaw-dropping as well, as it comes in at $999.99, making it the most expensive set you can buy. It will be available October 1 for LEGO Insiders (sign up free here) and October 4 for everyone else.

The official name for the set is LEGO Star Wars Death Star - Ultimate Collector Series (75419). It’s not the full sphere-shaped build you may be expecting, either, but roughly one half of the Death Star. The flat portion is open, revealing a cross-section of the ultimate space weapon. Purchasing the Death Star gets you the TIE Fighter with Imperial Hangar Rack set free as a Gift With Purchase.

In the many rooms that comprise the build, you’ll find tons of references to the original Star Wars film trilogy. There’s the garbage compactor room where our heroes get stuck in A New Hope. There’s the room where Vader strikes down Obi Wan, and the communications hub where Han Solo, in Stormtrooper-armor, has a too-casual conversation with a superior officer.

Then there’s the conference room with the table where Vader and his commanders discuss the blowing up of planets. And the Emperor’s throne room, where Luke and Darth Vader have their final battle in Return of the Jedi. In other words, it’s a packed Death Star.

Among the 32 minifigures included in the set are Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, along with Stormtrooper-armored alternates. There’s Princess Leia, R2-D2, C-3PO, Chewbacca, and Obi Wan. There’s the Emperor and Darth Vader, along with various commanders, two Red Guard, six Stormtroopers, and more. You can see the full lineup in below.

Minifigures Included in LEGO Star Wars Death Star

• Admiral Piett
• C-3PO
• Chewbacca
• Colonel Yularen
• Darth Vader
• Director Krennic
• Emperor Palpatine
• Galen Erso
• General Tagge
• Grand Moff Tarkin
• Han Solo
• Han Solo (Stormtrooper Disguise)
• Hot Tub Stormtrooper (The Skywalker Saga)
• Imperial Crew Member (x2)
• Imperial Dignitary
• Imperial Gunner
• Imperial Navy Officer
• Imperial Navy Trooper (x2)
• Imperial Officer
• Imperial Royal Guard (x2)
• Imperial Shuttle Pilot
• KX-9A-1
• Luke Skywalker
• Luke Skywalker (Jedi)
• Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper Disguise)
• Obi-Wan Kenobi
• Princess Leia
• R2-D2
• R2-Q5
• Stormtrooper (x6)

It seems like LEGO has been announcing big new sets left and right lately, with sets based on Willy Wonka, Pirates of the Caribbean, and more just in the past couple of weeks. You can see all the latest sets in our roundup of every LEGO set coming out in September or check out more of the biggest LEGO sets money can buy.

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