Warning: Spoilers follow for various TV finales from years past...

There have been many series finales that have split fandom over the years, whether they involved visits to the Iron Throne, the afterlife, or even Holsten's (and maybe the afterlife, too, in that case?). It's often clear when it comes to ending a favorite TV series that it's hard to keep everyone happy, and frequently viewers are left steaming, even if some others are satisfied.

Stranger Things has become the latest series to divide the fan community with its long-awaited and very controversial series finale. There's even a term for this particular phenomenon - "Conformity Gate" - with some fans clinging to the hope that Netflix would drop a secret real finale episode. Needless to say, that theory didn't pan out.

So with the furor over Stranger Things still raging, let's take a look at some of the more outrageous, divisive series finales in TV history. These aren't bad finales, just ones that made bold creative choices that didn't sit right with a large portion of the audience. Read on for the full list...

Game of Thrones: "The Iron Throne"

After the penultimate episode, "The Bells," left so many fans furious, leading to an online petition to "remake" Season 8, "The Iron Throne" had one hell of an uphill climb. Not only to win people back, but also end the entire 10-year story.

In the end, many felt let down by the fates of most characters, along with the nice and neat epilogue that crowned a new ruler of the realm. Even those who didn't hate the finale would readily admit it wasn't exactly the best ending possible. Yes, this particular Song of Ice and Fire saga split the kingdoms and sent Westeros to war one final time.

Lost: "The End"

Lost chose to deliver an emotional finale - based more on the feelings, desires, and ultimate happiness of the characters - over one that answered lingering questions fans had stockpiled over the years. Many liked the focus on the heartstrings while others were frustrated with the lack of specifics.

And no, they weren't "dead the whole time." Well, except for those in the flash-sideways scenes during the final season. They were in a type of purgatory. But the others weren't. Some lived on after the island and died from natural causes. It was then that they all joined up in the limbo church for a final farewell. The fact that none of this was abundantly clear though probably means the episode, and season, didn't do a bang up job exactly.

Battlestar Galactica: "Daybreak"

BSG's three-part mega close-out also wrapped things up with quiet emotion, as the notes from "All Along the Watchtower" created coordinates that led our heroes to a habitable planet filled with primitive humans. Our Earth.
Sure, the stripping away of all technology rubbed a few fans the wrong way, but it was the crazy 150,000-year time jump, and the "humanity is doomed to make machines too sentient again" messaging, that split the viewers. It's always going to be risky to leap that far ahead, to the point where every character you cared about is a fossil, for a moral that many fans already understood.

The Sopranos: "Made in America"

Like the BSG closer, The Sopranos' finale really lost people right at the very end. Right when the music stopped and the screen turned to black and a lot of fans thought their TVs went out.

The creative swerve got a ton of flak at the time, though now, years later, many fans and critics have come around on it as one of the more daring examples of "different" done right. And it certainly hasn't hurt The Sopranos in the annals of TV history as it's still considered one of the best series of all time.

Seinfeld: "The Finale"

Yes, it became abundantly clear over the years that Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer weren't great people. In fact, once the show leaned into their shallowness, it hit its creative stride. But sending the guys to prison? Because they weren't great people? It was just a bit too much for many Seinfeld loyalists.

None of this stopped the episode from being a ratings juggernaut though, or the series itself from going out as the number one show on TV. Like The Sopranos, the finale didn't make a dent in the show's legacy. What can we say? Sometimes it's the journey and sometimes it's the end.

St. Elsewhere: "The Last One"

What if there was a popular, long-running, acclaimed '80s medical drama that, right at the very end, told the audience that nothing they'd seen for 137 episodes was even real. And then that weird ending became the show's overall legacy, spoofed for decades by other shows.

This is the case of St. Elsewhere, which closed things out with the reveal that the entire hospital was inside the snow globe of an autistic boy named Tommy. Tommy had been dreaming that his father was the hospital's medical director when, in fact, as revealed in the final scene, he worked in construction. I guess the title St. Elsewhere should have clued people in, right? Anyhow, this final beat left many fans bewildered and belligerent.

Star Trek Enterprise: "These Are the Voyages..."

Though Star Trek Enterprise isn't really considered one of the top tier Trek series, it still had a ton of fans. Some of whom were left stunningly cold after the show's finale jumped six years into the future and split the narrative between the regular cast and a holodeck adventure featuring TNG's Will Riker and Deanna Troi.

This "valentine for the fans," that was meant to connect Enterprise to TNG, fell flat for many as Captain Archer's story wound up feeling like second-billing and under-rug-swept.

Felicity: "Back to the Future"

If you had to guess which TV show suddenly dove deep into time travel for its final installment, not many would have guessed "late '90s college love triangle dramedy" Felicity. Unless you thought it was possible for all J.J. Abrams shows.

Actually, the time travel stuff started a few episodes earlier (after the show had planned out its final episode and the WB Network ordered five more) and viewers got to experience an alternate timeline in which Keri Russell's Felicity got to go back (thanks to a spell from her goth roommate) and make different choices.

Regardless, many said the show just didn't feel like the show anymore by the time it ended. Including the cast. And that might be a recurring element here when it comes to divisive finales -- when, for whatever reason (pacing, tone, freakin' impromptu time travel), the story no longer feels like the one you've been following for years.

Which TV finales did you find to be the most outrageous and divisive? Vote in our poll and discuss in the comments!

Note: This story originally ran in May of 2019.

Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association (TCA). Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Nintendo Switch 2 sales over the holidays reportedly fell short of those recorded by the console's predecessor back in 2017, during its first end-of-year season.

As revealed by The Game Business, Switch 2 sales in the US and within key markets in Europe fell behind the equivalent pace of Switch 1 — something an unnamed senior Nintendo source blamed on a "complicated" economic climate today, and the "absence of a major Western game" during the year-end period.

That particular analysis will likely raise eyebrows among Nintendo fans, as the company launched the long-awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyond during the period — albeit to a more muted critical response than the franchise's beloved original trilogy. Nintendo has so far made no announcement on how that game has fared.

The Game Business reports that US Switch 2 sales over the holiday period were down around 35% versus the Switch 1's sales performance back in 2017. In the UK, a similar comparison saw Switch 2 lagging Switch 1 by 16%. Even in Nintendo's homeland of Japan, Switch 2 holiday sales couldn't match Switch 1, and were down by 5.5% over the year's final nine weeks.

In France, 2025's final tally of Switch 2 sales was down by "over 30%" versus the amount Switch 1 notched up back in 2017, meanwhile.

While these numbers may take some of the shine off of a successful first year for Switch 2 overall, it's not all doom and gloom. Switch 2's lifetime sales in Japan are still above what Switch 1 managed in its first year, with less time on sale. And in the UK, Switch 1 continued to sell well enough that it made up Switch 2's holiday sales deficit.

Looking ahead, Nintendo has a smattering of first-party games already planned for 2026, including Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book and Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, as well as Switch 2 upgrades for Super Mario Wonder and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. There's also the FromSoftware exclusive The Duskbloods to look forward to, and the promising-looking Pokémon Pokopia life sim.

But as the Switch 2 prepares to celebrate its first anniversary in June, all eyes will be on Nintendo to roll out a truly new blockbuster entry in one of its biggest franchises. Back in 2017, Switch 1's first year was marked by the launch of both Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo has not released a major new 3D Mario platformer since, while it will soon be three years since the arrival of 2023's The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Switch 1's other top-selling titles include Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Animal Crossing: New Horizons — and for now, there's no suggestion a big new entry in either franchise is forthcoming. Smash Bros. series boss Masahiro Sakurai has only just finished work on Kirby Air Riders, while Nintendo is opting to update New Horizons for Switch 2 this year, as previously mentioned.

Could we see a new 3D Mario in 2026? Nine years on from Super Mario Odyssey, now feels like the right time. And then there's Pokémon, which celebrates its 30th anniversary next month. Could we get a glimpse soon of the series' long-awaited 10th generation? The arrival of these titles would certainly help Switch 2 keep its momentum, following last year's explosive launch.

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

Predator: Badlands is making its physical media debut with its own steelbook release alongside a standard 4K and Blu-ray. For those who are dying to add this one to their library, it's thankfully not too long of a wait, as it's set to be released in just over a month on February 17.

Below, we've broken down where you can preorder the film right now, alongside information on the bonus features it comes with. For those who love a good behind-the-scenes breakdown, it seems like there will be plenty to enjoy.

Preorder Predator: Badlands 4K Steelbook

• 4K UHD (non-steelbook): Amazon | Walmart | Target
• Blu-ray: Amazon | Walmart | Target

The steelbook case for Predator: Badlands boasts quite the action shot on the front and comes with a 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and digital copy of the film. The 4K and Blu-ray covers are a bit busier and mainly feature the characters front and center, but the former also comes with a 4K, Blu-ray, and digital copy of the film. The Blu-ray release just comes with a Blu-ray and digital copy.

Predator: Badlands 4K/Blu-Ray Bonus Features

There's plenty of great bonus features to look through on the physical release of Predator: Badlands, whether you're itching to watch behind-the-scenes featurettes or deleted scenes. Here's everything you'll be able to watch:

• Embodying the Predator - Meet the artists as they bring one of the most terrifying creatures to life on screen.
• Authentic Synthetics - Join Elle Fanning as she describes crafting her two characters.
• Building the Badlands — Uncover how real locations were transformed into a threatening landscape.
• Dek of the Yautja — See the development of the Yautja's home world, spacecraft, and family dynamics.
• Audio Commentary by Director Dan Trachtenberg, Producer Ben Rosenblatt, Director of Photography Jeff Cutter and Stunt Coordinator Jacob Tomuri
• Deleted & Pre-Visualization Scenes with Audio Commentary by the Director and Filmmakers

We had a lot of fun with Predator: Badlands, giving it an 8/10 in our review. IGN's Clint Gage said that, "Badlands, in shifting the perspective to a Yautja main character, actually highlights what’s been great about this franchise in its better moments. Dek and Thia are an unexpectedly fun pairing that bring a new energy to the franchise and an altogether different kind of hunt. It might not be pulling the skull and spine out of us and screaming in bloody victory, but it gets close." If you're eager to join the hunt sooner rather than later, the movie has also arrived on digital.

If you're hoping to add more movies and shows to your library this January, check out our roundup of upcoming 4Ks and Blu-rays. Here, we've broken down what's coming out over the next few months, so you can plan ahead on what's worth adding to your library.

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

Corsair's Galleon 100 SD is the keyboard I've been asking for for years: a mechanical gaming keyboard with proper Stream Deck keys, complete with the built-in screens, wide Elgato ecosystem integration and customization that make them so useful.

The Stream Deck keyboard looks exactly as you'd expect given the concept, with the usual number pad on the right-hand side of a full-size keyboard excised for a grid of 12 Stream Deck keys. You might not have anticipated the other inclusions though, including a surprisingly expansive 5-inch LCD display above the key grid and two knobbly dials above that.

The Galleon represents a trade-off, as you lose out on the satisfying key feel of a proper mechanical switches for that number pad area, but the flexibility that you get in return from this number of customisable keys, the display and the knobs feels fair.

Artist Dan Dos Santos has left a big mark on the Marvel Universe in recent years, as he's the painter responsible for the 2022 Marvel Masterpieces trading card series. Dos Santos' gorgeous oil paintings for that series and other works will now form the basis of Clover Press' newest Marvel art book.

With the crowdfunding campaign for The Marvel Art of Dan Dos Santos now live, IGN can exclusively debut a new preview of the Spider-Verse-themed portfolio set that will be included as an optional extra. Get a closer look in the slideshow gallery below:

The Marvel Art of Dan Dos Santos is a 9" x 12" hardcover that clocks in at over 200 pages. The book features many of Dos Santos' published paintings alongside rare and unseen artwork. The Kickstarter campaign includes optional bonuses like the aforementioned portfolio, stickers, a slipcased edition, and even original art sketches.

“I’m incredibly excited about this new collection of my Marvel artwork,” said Dos Santos in a statement. “Over 30 years ago, as a young teen, it was my exposure to a similar collection of Marvel art that set me on the path of wanting to be a professional artist in the first place. So it is incredibly apt, and really thrilling, to see it all come full-circle in this new collection of my own. This book represents years of work, and contains hundreds of paintings that I feel are my finest work to date. I labored tirelessly to breathe as much life and backstory into each of these modern mythological heroes as I could. It is my hope the next generation of young artists and fans will find these characters as inspiring as I found them so many years ago.”

The Kickstarter campaign for The Marvel Art of Dan Dos Santos is live now.

In other comic book news, find out which series was selected as IGN's best comic book of 2025, and see which comics we're most excited for in 2026.

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

Sometimes it's fun to match wits in a board game with other players in competitive matches. But many of the best board games go the other way and embrace the spirit of cooperation. Co-op board games come in a wide variety of themes, with varying levels of complexity so you can find one for players of all ages. Below, we've selected our favorites on the market. For more game night ideas, check out our other roundups, including the best board games for kids and the best two-player board games.

TLDR: The Best Co-op Board Games

• Sky Team
• Slay the Spire
• The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick Taking Game
• Nemesis: Lockdown
• Sleeping Gods
• Marvel Champions: The Card Game
• Frosthaven
• Paleo
• Pandemic Legacy
• Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
• Just One
• The Crew: Mission Deep Sea
• Return to Dark Tower
• Arkham Horror: The Card Game
• Spirit Island

Sky Team: Prepare for Landing

Slay the Spire: The Board Game

The Fellowship of The Ring: Trick-Taking Game

Nemesis: Lockdown

Sleeping Gods

Marvel Champions: The Card Game

Frosthaven

Paleo

Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 (Blue Version)

Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 (Red Version)

Robinson Crusoe – Collector’s Edition

Just One

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea

Return to Dark Tower

Arkham Horror: The Card Game

Spirit Island

Matt Damon took getting in shape for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey seriously — and that included slimming down to his high school weight for the role.

"I had a beard like yours for like a year," he told Jason and Travis Kelce on a recent episode of their podcast New Heights. "I was in really good shape. I lost a lot of weight. [Nolan] wanted me lean but strong."

He also noted that a specific change in diet helped him get there. "Just because of this other thing that I did with my doctor, I stopped eating gluten,” Damon explained. “I used to walk around at between 185 and 200, and I did that whole movie at 167. And I haven't been that light since high school. So it was a lot of training and a really strict diet."

The Ocean’s Eleven star also told the hosts how training so intensely for the role felt playing a season of professional sports. "I imagine what that feels like for you guys, where you're preparing," Damon said to the Kelces. "It's just part of your day, it's part of your job, and you get really routinized about it and kinda build your day around all that stuff."

Damon also revealed that he has yet to reintegrate gluten into his routine post-shooting The Odyssey. "I'm done. I'm gluten-free everything," the Good Will Hunting actor declared. "I found a gluten-free beer. It's been so long since I've had gluten, I can't tell if it's good or not. So that's a good sign."

The Odyssey was written and directed by Nolan and stars Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlie Theron, and more alongside Damon. It’s the first of Nolan’s movies to be shot on IMAX 70mm film.

The adaptation of Homer’s epic poem from ancient Greece is only a few short months away — the film premieres in theaters on July 17 — so fans will get to see Damon’s slim frame in action very soon. In fact, it’s probably going to be the highlight of the summer if you ask me.

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

Mission Impossible legend Tom Cruise dropped in on the set of Star Wars: Starfighter via helicopter and ended up filming a lightsaber duel.

Starfighter director Shawn Levy, who also helmed 2024's Marvel hit Deadpool & Wolverine, revealed Cruise's set visit as part of an interview with The New York Times, and said that viewers will be able to watch the actor's work behind the camera when the upcoming Star Wars movie arrives in theaters next year.

"Last week Steven Spielberg was here," Levy recalled. "And now Tom Cruise is wielding a camera, ruining his very nice shoes." The director recalled welcoming Cruise to the set — which he landed on in his own helicopter — by playing the Mission Impossible theme via loudspeakers.

Levy joked that Cruise, who had said he just wanted to visit and watch the filming, should jump behind a camera. But Cruise took Levy's offer seriously, and splashed out into a "muddy pond" to film a lightsaber battle between several unrevealed characters.

Aside from the fact that Tom Cruise helped film some of a major upcoming Star Wars movie — something that is, quite frankly, notable enough — many fans have expressed surprise at this anecdote confirming that lightsaber battles will be a part of Levy's project.

Now, yes, lightsaber battles in a Star Wars movie may not sound like much of a surprise. (Next we'll find out the movie has aliens!) But this confirmation has still raised a few eyebrows among fans today, as Starfighter has — so far at least — been pitched as something unconnected to the wider Skywalker Saga's Jedi shenanigans, and rather more down to earth.

Admittedly, much of Starfighter's plot remains under wraps, but we know that the movie will focus on a scruffy-looking scoundrel-type character played by Ryan Gosling, as well as his young nephew. Production images released by Levy so far have seen the pair next to a speeder and on some kind of sci-fi raft, with a vibe that seems far removed from the franchise's usual galaxy-defining space conflicts.

That said, both Matt Smith and Mia Goth have also been cast on the project, with rumors and fan speculation around their mystery roles suggesting they could be playing members of the Sith. Could the pair fight each other, or does Starfighter also include Jedi that the Doctor Who and Dracula actors both fight together? Time, and also now possibly Tom Cruise, will tell.

"This is a standalone. It’s not a prequel, not a sequel," Levy previously said at Star Wars Celebration 2025 in April. "It’s a new adventure. It’s set in a period of time that we haven’t seen explored yet." Star Wars: Starfighter is currently due to launch on May 28, 2027.

Image credit: Henry Nicholls/AFP via 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

Whether you’ve set yourself a reading goal for the upcoming year or are on the lookout for a great new book or series to get stuck into, there are plenty of fantastic releases to get excited about in January 2026.

From fantasy and romantasy to psychological thrillers, contemporary fiction, and a modern retelling, we’ve included a mix of standalones and continuations of ongoing series to take all the hard work and hassle out of picking your next read - or reads.

There's also a brand new Audible deal that absolutely must be brought to attention, as it matches the recent Black Friday discount ($0.99 per month / £0.99 per month). But, for now, here they are, the best new books to pick up this month!

Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy

Release date: January 20

Searchlight has found a new star for its upcoming film Behemoth! in none other than Will Arnett, who Deadline reports will now join the project and star alongside Pedro Pascal, Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor, and Matthew Lillard.

The movie, which will be directed by The Bourne Identity writer Tony Gilroy, was originally set to star Stranger Things alum David Harbour, before his recent departure from the project. The actor had already filmed some scenes, as production began in late October, but according to the outlet, Harbour’s involvement so far had been minimal enough that reshoots won’t be a big part of the process.

Stranger Things actress Jennifer Marshall, who played Max's mom Susan, has called out her character's absence in the show's final season — and said that being able to film scenes would have helped fund her own cancer treatment.

Marshall appeared in a recurring role during Stranger Things' second season, where Max (played by Sadie Sink) was originally introduced. Marshall then reappeared in the series' fourth run, but was unable to complete filming due to ill health.

The actress and former military veteran publicly announced in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stage 3 cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. By the time it came to film Stranger Things' fifth and final season, however, the actress now says she had been in remission.

These next few months of winter are a great time to settle in with big games until spring arrives. Recently, Amazon's been offering some great discounts on a variety of options to help you stock up your library this January for a little less than usual. Among some of the games on sale right now is Assassin’s Creed Shadows for PS5 (see it here at Amazon), which has dropped back to its lowest price so far of $34.99 at the retailer.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows (PS5) for $34.99

Nintendo has unveiled its first set of alternative Switch 2 Joy-Con colors, which feature cool pastel shades resembling violet and teal.

Officially named "Light Purple" and "Light Green" (the latter looks closer to blue to my eyes, but sure), these imaginatively-named colors will go on sale alongside the upcoming Mario Tennis Fever on February 12.

If you're keen, you can already pre-order a pair of the new controllers now, at the same $99.99 price point that Nintendo of America sells the original Switch 2 Light Blue and Light Red Joy-Con.

One of the biggest highlights of this winter anime season is the return of Jujutsu Kaisen. The Culling Game Part 1 kicks off this week on Crunchyroll, picking up after the chaos of the Shibuya Incident in Season 2. Here’s everything you need to know.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Episode Release Schedule

The third season of Jujutsu Kaisen is expected to run for between 24 and 26 episodes total. These episodes will be split up into two cours, thus The Culling Games Part 1. Depending on the full episode count, each cours will include 12 or 13 episodes.

The new season will premiere with two episodes, releasing on Crunchyroll on January 8 at 9am PT. Subsequent episodes will be released weekly on Thursdays. Here’s the episode release information we have so far:

Aside from an unknown episode total, it’s also unclear whether the season will take a break between cours (the most likely outcome) or carry through into the next anime season. We’ll continue to update this guide as more information gets announced.

Where to Stream Jujutsu Kaisen

The new season of Jujutsu Kaisen will stream exclusively on Crunchyroll in the U.S., where you’ll also find the first two seasons as well as the prequel movie, Jujutsu Kaisen 0. Here’s the full series in release order, for reference:

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Voice Cast and Characters

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 continues to adapt Gege Akutami’s manga with animation from MAPPA. Here’s the Japanese voice cast confirmed for this season:

• Junya Enoki as Yuji Itadori
• Yuma Uchida as Megumi Fushiguro
• Mikako Komatsu as Maki Zen’in
• Megumi Ogata as Yuta Okkotsu
• Daisuke Namikawa as Choso
• Noriko Hidaka as Yuki Tsukumo
• Yoshiko Sakakibara as Master Tengen
• Kazuya Nakai as Kinji Hakari
• Yuki Sakakihara as Kirara Hoshi
• Koji Yusa as Naoya Zen’in
• Tomokazu Sugita as Hiromi Higuruma
• Satoshi Tsuruoka as Fumihiko Takaba
• Yutaka Aoyama as Reggie Star
• Neeko as Kogane

You can check out the Crunchyroll site for key visuals and more information about the animation staff.

Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator at IGN who, when she isn't following streaming news, spends way too much time in character customization screens and tracking down collectibles.

After Xbox Game Studios boss Matt Booty teased the return of Microsoft's now-annual Xbox Developer Direct showcase last month, the publisher has now confirmed the details. The 2026 Dev Direct will air live on Thursday, January 22 at 10am PT. You can watch it live here on IGN or on IGN's YouTube channel.

Booty had already confirmed the presence of accomplished Xbox Game Studios developer Playground Games at the event, and now we know for certain that both its upcoming blockbusters will be shown: Forza Horizon 6 and Fable.

Given that both are expected to release this year and they are two of Xbox's biggest first-party offerings – and that we've yet to see proper gameplay from either one – we're due a proper look at gameplay. And that, according to Microsoft's announcement this morning, is exactly what we'll get.

Also featured in the showcase will be Beast of Reincarnation, the upcoming action RPG from Pokémon developer Game Freak that was announced during the Xbox Showcase event in June last year.

There's no confirmation of any other games under the Microsoft umbrella being included, such as Gears of War: E-Day, the prequel that's bringing back Delta Squad to the time period before Emergence Day; or Halo: Campaign Evolved, the Unreal Engine 5-based remake of the original Halo's campaign. I played it, if you'd like to read or watch my first impressions.

Typically Microsoft does include at least one surprise title, however. Could this be where we get a glimpse at the newly-leaked Life is Strange: Reunion? It's perhaps worth noting that the franchise's previous game Life is Strange: Double Exposure was unveiled back during the Xbox Showcase in June 2024.

For more on what stands to be a very busy year for Microsoft, check out my What to Expect From Xbox in 2026 piece, and join us every Thursday for a new episode of Podcast Unlocked.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

When a series such as Trails lasts as long as it has, sometimes things start to get weird. We’ve seen giant mechs, supernatural beings, and even multiversal time travel. After all of that, where else is there to go? Oh yeah, outer space! The vast, unknown territory of the final frontier is filled with possibilities, and The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon breaks through the atmosphere in order to tell a compelling sci-fi fantasy story filled with deception and intrigue. It also continues to refine the Daybreak saga’s hybrid action/turn-based combat system, with battles that are more engaging than ever before. The cliffhanger ending could make for a rocky re-entry for some, but when the dust settles, Trails beyond the Horizon manages to safely touch down as another enthralling RPG.

Picking up where Trails through Daybreak 2 left off, Trails beyond the Horizon sees the nation of Calvard attempt humanity’s first manned spaceflight, called Project Startaker. Like Trails into Reverie, the roughly 60 to 70-hour campaign is split between the perspectives of three characters: Rean Schwarzer, the Trails of Cold Steel saga’s protagonist, Kevin Graham, the lead of Trails in the Sky the 3rd, and Daybreak’s mercenary hero Van Arkride. Trails beyond the Horizon manages this balance well, but (unsurprisingly) it does mean this isn’t a good starting point for new fans – Van is the star, but it treats each of the three as a “main” character in their own way, so you’ll need to have played the two previous Daybreak games and be familiar with the Cold Steel saga, Reverie, and the third entry in the Sky trilogy to really get everything that’s going on.

That said, this story is still good on its own merits. Rean’s route kept me glued to the screen as he uncovered the real objective of Project Startaker and the conspiracy surrounding it. Kevin’s storyline is just as captivating as he picks up the mantle of “Heretic Hunter” once again,learning more about who his assassination target is and how to come to grips with it. Surprisingly, Van’s section is the most boring of the three (at least at first) as he and his crew fight off a mysterious new faction called the Vestiges. Van’s path is as long as the other two combined, and while that makes sense since Trails beyond the Horizon is his story, the first half of his route takes too long to build up, making the faster pacing of the other protagonists’ tales much more exciting by comparison. However, the way their stories tie in with Van’s towards the finale ultimately redeems it.

Trails beyond the Horizon also successfully manages the character bloat that plagued some previous Trails crossovers. It only includes a few key cast members from Rean’s Thors Academy days as both student and instructor, such as the lively student council president Towa Herschel and the calm but calculated Altina Orion. Kevin has Reverie’s Rufus, Nadia, Swin, and Lapis in tow, and new additions to both his and Van’s casts are smartly kept to a minimum as well.

Don’t fix what ain’t broken

If you played Daybreak 2, this review might sound familiar in spots, as Trails beyond the Horizon sticks quite close to that formula outside of combat. For instance, the Marchen Garten roguelite dungeon returns in the form of Grim Garten, and it’s the same drill as usual. You navigate it by playing a minigame, moving across a board and fighting monsters until you reach a floor’s boss. Only the first half of the dungeon is required for story purposes, with the second being entirely optional, but it’s a shame that Grim Garten isn’t available to continue playing through after the credits roll like Marchen Garten was. That’s a slight downgrade, as Marchen Garten gave a satisfying “post-game” feeling to Daybreak 2, letting me clean up other tasks as I prepared to jump into New Game Plus, that’s now missing.

Thankfully, Grim Garten still has the same worthwhile incentives to explore it periodically throughout the story. You can earn valuable skill points to level up your party’s attacks, as well as unlock cosmetics and useful items (all of which are earned in game, with no microtransactions involved whatsoever), and even learn more about the backstories of certain characters, which was particularly interesting for some of the antagonists.

Optional activities like this have always been an important part of previous Trails games, and deep side quests and fun bonding events make a return to Trails beyond the Horizon as well. Not only do they reward you with useful and rare items, they also provide a vast amount of insight into the world and the people who inhabit it. It was fun to see how Rean contacted Van, asking if he could accept requests from the city bulletin on his behalf in order to experience the mercenary life. One of my favorite quests involved busting an illegal casino chip trade, with the culprit behind it being a recurring character who has been cooking up schemes since the Crossbell games, Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure, 16 years ago. It’s a nostalgic touch that showcases how expansive this series is.

The LGC morality system from the first two Daybreak games makes a return, too: Sometimes when Rean, Van, and Kevin finish quests, they have the option to decide the outcome, which increases their affinity to either Law, Gray, or Chaos. In the first Daybreak game, your affinity determined which allies joined Van towards one of the later chapters. Disappointingly, like Daybreak 2, there’s no such impact in Trails beyond the Horizon, which made me once again question why the LGC system still exists in its current iteration at all. It was initially a standout feature that separated Van from other Trails heroes, so it’s disheartening to see the mechanic has actually regressed instead of evolved in any meaningful way, especially since it’s now tied to other protagonists as well. For example, what would a “chaos” aligned Rean look like, similar to his berserk “ogre” form from Cold Steel III and IV? Ideas like this could’ve been cool to explore.

At least the bonding events, called Connections, remain consistently delightful and charming, letting you hang out with other party members during major story beats. Not only do they offer fantastic character development, but they can also increase a character’s parameters, such as their attacking stats or chance that they’ll initiate a follow-up attack in battle. A favorite bonding event of mine was when Rufus reflected with Kevin about where he’s at in life – introduced all the way back in the first Cold Steel game, Rufus was a high-tier noble at the upper echelon of society, being recognized and revered wherever he went. A fall from grace and several (in-game) years later, he now spends his days in the shadows with his hair down looking after kids, but is content with himself. It’s a satisfying full-circle moment that had me reminiscing about my college days when I started playing the Trails series on my PlayStation Vita.

Teaching a new dog old tricks

Like the previous Daybreak games, Trails beyond the Horizon uses a hybrid turn-based/real-time action combat system. Out in the field, you can wail on enemies in real time in order to stun them. After successfully doing so, you can then transition to the turn-based battle system with an advantage, dealing extra damage right out of the gate. This was an imperfect but exciting system I liked when it was first introduced, and further refinements here make the field battles feel more fleshed out.

There are now ZOC abilities that let you temporarily stop time and get a few extra hits in, but the biggest game changer is the Awakening mechanic. Van, Rean, and Kevin can power themselves up to dish out more damage before going into turn-based combat. These Awakenings include Rean’s Spirit Unification, Van’s Grendal, and Kevin’s Stigma, which are clever ways of marrying a story-based power up and a previously turn-based exclusive-mechanic into a real-time action one. Even if the turn-based combat will always be where Trails thrives the most, it’s admirable that developer Falcom is continually iterating on the real-time elements to make them equally engaging.

The bulk of the turn-based combat is the same as previous Daybreak and Trails games at large. At the top of your screen sits a turn order timeline that you can plan around and manipulate. There are several bonus icons that will randomly align with either an ally or enemy on the timeline, which can range from bursts of healing or bypassing the casting time for magic to let a character fire off a spell right away. It’s important to pay attention to the timeline order as these bonuses can change the flow of battle, which makes for a compelling combat puzzle.

While “stealing” bonuses was possible in Daybreak 2, you could only do so when enemies were stunned or unconscious, and Trails beyond the Horizon slightly revised this mechanic to make it more accessible. If you activate a Shard Boost from your Boost Gauge to power up your next attack and then strike an enemy, you’ll grab whatever bonus was aligned with it and transform it into a more powerful “Plus” version, increasing the effectiveness of it for yourself. Steal a Zero Arts bonus? Not only will your next spell be cast immediately, but its power jumps up by 50%! This adds an extra layer of clever planning to an already well-thought out battle system.

Alternatively, you can still use skills that can inflict Delay on an enemy, pushing a bonus further down the timeline to hopefully land on an ally. In fact, this tactic has even gotten an update in Trails beyond the Horizon as successfully delaying an enemy while under a Shard Boost will also spawn a “Plus” version of that same bonus on the timeline during the next turn. These minor yet impactful boons make the combat more strategic and engaging. They can mean the difference between victory and defeat, especially against the hardest enemies later on.

Positioning, once again, is also crucial to combat. Each skill has a certain attack pattern, whether it’s a circle, cross, or a straight line. Maneuvering your characters so that you can hit as many enemies as possible ensures you get the most out of each action you take. Skills also have secondary effects. For example, Rean’s Sixfold Gales skill inflicts Delay, but also gets a damage buff if the enemy is struck from behind. Even if Rean can’t get behind an enemy, the skill is still useful as the Delay effect can help push a timeline bonus away from it. Trails has always had these mechanics, but the consistent quality and improvements between all of the entries is impressive, and a big part of what makes this combat system unique.

The biggest addition to Trails beyond the Horizon’s turn-based combat is the introduction of Shard Commands. These are basically upgraded versions of Brave Orders from Cold Steel III, IV, and Reverie. By consuming portions of your Boost Gauge, you can apply party-wide buffs that last for a limited number of turns. They can drastically turn the tide of battle, with effects like reducing incoming damage down to 30% or decreasing casting time for spells. Shard Commands are also more flexible than Brave Orders. In previous Trails games, bosses could enact their Brave Orders, called “Disorders,” to overwrite your own, but you couldn’t do the same thing back. You’re now able to overwrite boss Anti-Shard Commands with your own, but it’ll consume an extra bar in your Boost Gauge on top of the normal cost. It’s a smartly implemented trade-off that levels the playing field and feels fair.

Additionally, using two bars of your Boost Gauge activates ZOC and lets characters act twice in a row. In previous Daybreak games, you were incentivized to mainly conserve your Boost Gauge to fire off a character’s S-Crafts (ultimate attacks), so between Shard Commands and ZOC, as well as the aforementioned new bonus stealing mechanics, you have exciting new choices for how to spend it.

Finally, the customization options remain largely unchanged from the two previous Daybreak games, but that’s not a bad thing since it provides the same kind of fun as tinkering in a toybox and getting lost for hours while optimizing your party’s full potential. Slotting elemental gems, called Quartz, into one of four available lines for a variety of perks is still a clever system. It’s fun to experiment with different elemental combinations and values in order to unlock more potent Shard Abilities, including ones that can help outside of battle – like Golden Eye, which marks every treasure chest on your map in the area, ensuring that you’ll never miss any useful items. The Quartz system has been polished over the past two decades and has become one of the most flexible in any modern RPG.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is set to release February 3, 2026 if you buy the more expensive editions, or February 5 for the standard edition. It’s coming to PS5, Switch, Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A from-the-ground-up remake of the original PS1 game, this remake brings the epic RPG adventure to modern platforms with modern visuals and storytelling. It’s available in several editions, all of which are detailed below. Let’s dive in.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Demo Is Live

• Get it for PS5
• Get it for Switch 1/2
• Get it for Xbox
• Get it for PC (Steam)

If you want to try it before you buy it, you can now download a demo that lets you play the opening hours of the game. It's free on all platforms, and your save data even carries over to the full game if you decide to purchase it.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined - Standard Edition

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined - Digital Deluxe Edition

• Get it for PS5 - $74.99
• Get it for Switch - $74.99
• Get it for Switch 2 - $74.99
• Get it for Xbox Series X|S - $74.99

In addition to the base game, here’s what digital extras you get with the deluxe edition:

• 48 hours early access
• Luminary’s Livery costume set
• Road of Regal Wretches battle arena content
• Jam-Packed Swag Bag - assortment of helpful items
• White Wolf Costume

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined - Collector’s Edition

• Get it at Square Enix Store - $249.99

The Square Enix Store-exclusive collector’s edition comes with the following physical and digital extras:

Physical Items

• Steelbook Case
• Ship in a Bottle Figure
• Smile Slime Plush

Digital Items

• Luminary’s Livery costume set
• Road of Regal Wretches battle arena content
• Jam-Packed Swag Bag - assortment of helpful items
• White Wolf Costume

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Preorder Bonus

Preorder Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, and you’ll receive a couple of in-game items to help you on your way. Here’s what you get:

• Trodain Togs
• Seed of Proficiency x3

What Is Dragon Quest VII Reimagined?

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is a full remake of Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past, a JRPG that first launched in 2000 for the original PlayStation console. It’s previously been ported to Nintendo 3DS and mobile platforms, but this is, as the title suggests, a full reimagining of the game.

DQ7 is a famously long game, with an average of 75 hours to complete the main story in the 3DS edition, according to Howlongtobeat, with a completionist time of 130 hours. The PlayStation version has even longer completion times.

The game is a traditional single-player JRPG that has your unnamed character and a team of adventurers sailing around, traversing islands, and completing quests to help people out on each one.

As for the art, Square Enix wrote in its announcement, “The character designs, originally crafted by world-renowned manga artist Akira Toriyama, have been reimagined into a charming 3D art style using dolls actually created in the real world.” That’s wild. The graphics look great, though, almost toy-like in that Link’s Awakening remake sort of way.

Other Preorder Guides

Feel free to check out everything else announced during today's Nintendo Direct, including a new Super Mario Galaxy bundle for Nintendo Switch.

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.

Evidence of an under-wraps third expansion for The Witcher 3 continues to mount, with one report now pointing to a possible 'Dune-style' location for the new adventure.

Word of a fresh DLC for the beloved 2015 blockbuster RPG began bubbling up in earnest last month, fuelled by a set of reports from insiders and apparent teases by developer CD Projekt that it had something secret in the works.

Now, a report by IGN Poland has said its local sources have been aware of potential plans for several years, and that — initially at least — its developers had expressed a keen interest in exploring Zerrikania, an exotic desert region to the far east of The Witcher 3's current map.

Sarah Michelle Gellar, star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has described the franchise's upcoming new Hulu series as a "continuation" of the original — something that inspired its new name.

Speaking on the ShutUpEvan podcast, Gellar said that the new series was best described not as a reboot or even as a full sequel, but as a continued version of the classic series that originally aired from 1997 to 2003. Saying that, however, the new episodes will come with a fresh title.

"It's not a sequel, it's not a reboot," Gellar said. "It's a continuation. I think so, because where she is now in this world and what this world is that Buffy lives in — with her, without her — [that] kind of exploration... It's not a reboot, it's not picking up with all the same characters right away. That's why the name was even important to me, y'know, in Buffy: New Sunnydale. It's Buffy, but it's also something else."

Word that the series would be titled as Buffy: New Sunnydale has previously been rumored, though Gellar's comment serves as confirmation this is the official name for the upcoming show.

Filming for the Buffy: New Sunnydale pilot took place last August, with Gellar herself reprising her iconic role alongside a fresh cast of new characters. Young actress Ryan Kiera Armstrong plays the series' lead, a girl reportedly named Nova. Other cast members play her classmates and teachers at a rebuilt Sunnydale High School.

The project has been spearheaded by Marvel's Eternals director Chloé Zhao, who convinced an initially wary Gellar to return for the project and serve alongside her as an executive producer.

"I always said I would never do it, and I have learned a very hard lesson in life there's a reason why that saying is 'never say never'," Gellar continued. "So I will eat my words and I'm okay with that. I've learned my lesson, that's totally fair. I never saw how to do it. I never saw how and why it could be as good and be... I'm not trying to be better, I just want to hold and honor the memory of what we've created.

"I know sometimes that memory is conflicted for people about how they're supposed to feel about it," she added. "But a lot of people put their blood, sweat and tears into making what I think is an incredibly great show and I'm incredibly proud of it."

While last summer was marked by a flurry of casting activity and set leaks, word on the project's progress quietened during 2025's final months, and the it's unclear what the timeline is for additional episodes to be filmed or broadcast. Gellar noted the ongoing wait for fans to hear more, but said it was more important to not rush and "sully the legacy" of the original show.

"We're still working on that why and how," Gellar concluded. "I know we live in a society where we want binging, we want it now. I know this seems like it's taking a long time, and that's because unless we're sure it's exactly what we set out to do and that it makes sense to do it, we don't want to sully the legacy. When I know it's perfect, then it will be out there. But I won't do it unless I know it can be that."

Image credit: Paul Archuleta/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

A ratings board leak has detailed Life is Strange: Reunion, a new game in the narrative adventure series that focuses on the return of fan-favorite character Chloe.

Details of Life is Strange: Reunion have now been made public by the European ratings board PEGI, which published a now-deleted plot summary for the game online last night.

Reunion's existance had long been rumored among Life is Strange fans clued into the franchise's ongoing development at troubled studio Deck Nine Games. The expectation is that Reunion will be made official in the imminent future, and launch not long after.

Life is Strange: Reunion is particularly notable as it appears to revive (or return) the character of Chloe, the original game's blue-haired best friend (or love interest) that you could sacrifice (or save) depending on your choices.

Deck Nine's most recent Life is Strange game, Double Exposure, received a negative reaction from many core fans of the series for returning to the story of original main character Max Caulfield in a reality in which Chloe survived the events of the franchise's first game but did not appear in person. Fans of the pair's romantic relationship option were particularly upset, as Double Exposure explained that the two characters were now broken up, seemingly permanently.

Purported leaks from within Deck Nine Games amid this backlash painted a picture of a troubled development, but also mentioned a further game being in the works that did feature Chloe. Reunion certainly seems to be this project — and it will be interesting to see whether its final version feels like it has been shaped by feedback to Double Exposure.

"Chloe Price was Max Caulfield's partner in time," reads a description of the game published by PEGI. "Losing her is Max's greatest regret. Now Chloe has come to Caledon University. Haunted by nightmares and impossible memories, Chloe needs Max's help. But Max is already in crisis: in three days, a deadly inferno will destroy the campus."

Other plot details include a character hallucinating on mushrooms, and a scene where a building is on fire with people trapped inside. The game will reportedly begin with a recap of previous Life is Strange entries, in which it sounds like we'll see Chloe during the events of the first game.

A digital deluxe version of the game will also be offered, containing additional outfits.

Life is Strange: Reunion is yet to be officially announced by publisher Square Enix, but it likely won't be long now. We've contacted the company for more.

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

Last year, Audible kicked off its brand new collection of Harry Potter Full Cast Audio Editions, with both Philosopher’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets already available. My absolute favourite is next, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which is set to release on January 13, 2026.

Each of the Full Cast Editions retails for £17.99 standalone, though you don’t actually need to spend that much to listen. Audible’s new limited-time offer gives new and returning members three months of Premium Plus for just £0.99 per month.

Netflix has dashed the hopes of Stranger Things fans expecting a secret final episode of the series, by confirming that "every" episode of the show is now available.

Fans unhappy with the hit series' final season have driven themselves into a frenzy in recent days on social media, and pushed the "Conformity Gate" theory that suggested Netflix had another episode waiting in the wings that would answer all of their questions and alleviate their various concerns. The theory centers on much of the final season being a dream — essentially replicating the Indoctrination Theory that unhappy BioWare fans conjured up years ago, following the launch of Mass Effect 3.

Yesterday, the Conformity Gate theory was dealt a huge blow by Netflix, which announced... a flashy trailer of other TV shows and movies coming in 2026 rather than anything Stranger Things related. And now, the streamer has updated its Instagram account to make the end of Stranger Things even clearer, for anyone still needing it spelled out.

"ALL EPISODES OF STRANGER THINGS ARE NOW PLAYING," reads the bio of Netflix's official Stranger Things account on Instagram, leaving no room for any final secret new episode still lurking behind the scenes that might be yet to release.

Of course, Stranger Things remains a huge and lucrative franchise for Netflix and there's plenty still to come — but from spinoffs, rather than the original show, which has definitively now ended. The animated series Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 will tell new adventures featuring the series' core cast (voiced by other people) set between Seasons 2 and 3. A second spinoff will be a new live-action series, though with all-new characters.

In a nutshell, don't expect Stranger Things' original cast to ever appear in live-action again. Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers have ruled out any kind of check-in on the original Stranger Things characters years later, saying it would be "a gross cash grab."

"Stranger Things was a generational event that barreled into a series finale with almost impossible expectations surrounding it," IGN wrote in our review of the Stranger Things series finale. "The Duffers certainly evolved into the successful blockbuster directors they so admired in their childhoods, but their enduring legacy will be mostly doing right by a cast of characters who beguiled the globe."

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

Amazon has been dropping some very nice gaming deals recently to start off 2026. The latest offer to catch our eye is on Star Wars Outlaws for PS5 and Xbox Series X, which have both dropped to $19.99 for a limited time. This marks a return to the lowest price for both PS5 and Xbox Series X versions at Amazon, so this is a great opportunity to grab it. And why not spend these next few winter months journeying to a galaxy far, far away?

Star Wars Outlaws (PS5 and Xbox Series X) for $20

If you’re from the South like I am, you know the sound: a light, echoing hum that softly screams whenever the temperature gets above 75. A sign of summer. Of languid days filled with both dread and possibility. Cicadas - those insects found all across the Eastern seaboard of the United States – are singing their song, which is both suffocating and soothing at the same time.

In Netflix’s new limited series His & Hers, based on the bestselling novel by Alice Feeney, cicadas are omnipresent whenever the characters step outside. It’s a small detail but one that reinforces the consistent, relentless Southern gothic nature of the show. Led by Tessa Thompson (Creed, Thor: Ragnarok) and Jon Bernthal (The Punisher, The Bear), His & Hers is the latest offering from Netflix’s seemingly unabated conveyor belt of glossy murder mysteries starring A-list talent.

But whereas many of those shows leave something to be desired in terms of execution and storytelling (see The Beast in Me, Pieces of Her), His & Hers, helmed by showrunners Dee Johnson (Fellow Travelers, Nashville) and William Oldroyd, blows past the usual paint-by-numbers whodunnit trap and quickly develops into something much more than the sum of its parts.

Thompson and Bernthal star as Anna and Jack, an estranged married couple reeling after the death of their young daughter. Anna, a news anchor in Atlanta, disappeared a year prior to the events of the show in an attempt to deal with her grief, leaving Jack (a detective) to move in with his sister in their hometown of Dahlonega, GA. Anna reappears to cover the story of a local woman who was stabbed to death, with Jack assigned to lead the investigation.

Plotwise, what follows is a pretty typical mystery that sees bodies pile up, secrets revealed, and more than a few expository flashbacks. But that’s where the similarities between His & Hers and most psychological thrillers end.

Bernthal and Thompson are at the top of their game here. Every scene they share crackles with yearning, grief, and a million layers of personal history. After losing their daughter, they lost each other, and being reunited both rips open old wounds and creates new ones.

Thompson projects a quiet strength, constantly balancing the sorrow of a mother who’s lost her only child with the persistent drive of someone destined to make a name for herself career-wise. For his part, Bernthal (with a subtle but impeccable Southern accent, something woefully absent in many a movie and TV show - I’m looking at you Benoit Blanc) shines as a man teetering on the brink. It just so happens that Jack was having an affair with the murder victim and was with her the night of the killing. This revelation leads to a cascade of poor decisions that compromises the investigation and paints Jack as one of the prime suspects.