The Latest Articles from IGN

New Pokémon x ESA Collection Includes the Astronaut Pikachu Plush That Went to Space

Blythe Dujardin — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 20:59:12 +0000

Pokémon's collaboration with the European Space Agency has officially led to a merch drop. The new collection includes two new Pikachu plushies, listed at $29.99, which feature the electric-type Pokemon in two versions of the ESA space suit.

Recognize the design? The new plush is modelled after the Pikachu plush ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot took on her flight to the International Space Station earlier this year. The collection also includes apparel, pins, and plenty of TCG accessories, now available directly from The Pokémon Center.

Pokemon x ESA Collection Drops Ahead of World Space Week

The collaboration between Pokémon and ESA kicked off on April 11, when the original astronaut Pikachu plush was launched into space. The plush spent a grand total of 67 days in orbit at the International Space Station, circling Earth over a thousand times.

Now, the partnership is coming back to Earth. The Pokémon Center's new collection is dropping ahead of World Space Week, which kicks off on October 4. That date will also see the launch of a new space-themed event in Pokémon GO and interactive “Space and Pokémon” exhibitions in select museums across Europe.

For those of us on the other side of the pond? Well, at least we get merch. The new TCG accessories, led by a binder, deck box, and playmat, all show illustrations of astronaut Pikachu floating alongside Lunatone, Cosmog, and Minior.

Fans can also get their hands on t-shirts and hoodies with the same cosmic Pokémon graphic. The most expensive item in the drop is a full bomber jacket, listed at $129.99, which features individual Pokémon patches and a Poké ball zipper.

The Pokémon franchise is marking its 30th anniversary this year, and there have been plenty of partnerships to celebrate. Here’s TPC’s statement on the ethos behind this particular collaboration:

While most of the collection is available for purchase now, one "delightful and inspiring" item that still doesn't have a release date is a new figure of Pikachu in his astronaut outfit. Just another thing for fans to look forward to during the long wait for Gen 10.

Riot Games Co-Founder Says 2XKO Needed ‘Hundreds of Thousands, if Not Millions’ of Monthly Active Players to Survive

Virginia Glaze — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 20:54:48 +0000

The co-founder, co-chairman, and chief product officer of Riot Games, Marc Merrill, revealed the number of monthly active users 2XKO would have needed to justify its budget, and the eye-popping amount has sparked an animated debate within the fighting game community.

Speaking on The Lemonade Stand, Merrill went into detail about what happened behind the scenes at Riot to cause 2XKO’s catastrophic failure, and provided a ballpark figure of monthly active users the game would have needed in order to justify how much money and time was spent on its development.

It’s no surprise that this figure was, to put it lightly, pretty unrealistic for a fighting game; Merrill said that, considering its cost structure, 2XKO would have needed a player count “in the high hundreds of thousands, if not millions” to rationalize its continued support.

Merrill also mentioned Street Fighter 6, saying the 2023 release of Capcom’s juggernaut title threw off their plans to take a big chunk of the fighting game community’s interest off the back of Street Fighter V.

“I think we had a window to do some great things to really help the fighting game community, and then Street Fighter 6 came out, which was something like eight years after we started working on 2XKO,” Merrill explained. “We had an awesome development team of really talented people that did great work, that made a beautiful game. We’d already communicated all this stuff to players, and so we were like, ‘You know what? Let’s just keep going. Let’s give it to the community. Let’s see what happens, right?’ …I think if we came out, ideally when we should’ve, years before Street Fighter, I think we would have made a really significant impact on the community.”

Merrill explained that Riot didn’t have internal “alignment” on the strategy for 2XKO, which caused “managerial fracturing” and confusion within the team. Ultimately, not enough players hopped on the game in order to justify the time and money spent on it, so Riot did what they thought was best — issued full refunds to players and canceled further content updates.

“We’ve got nobody to blame but ourselves,” he said. “[2XKO] resonated with some players, but not nearly enough players in order to justify the sort of live service, long-tail approach that the game was designed to do. And so we were like, let’s just pivot, let’s create this box, give everybody a refund, say, ‘Hey, sorry we weren't able to achieve this incredibly high aspiration that we were trying to do for the fighting game community, but we love you guys, appreciate [you], hope they’ll play this game, like many other box games, for years to come, and here you go. Sorry we let you down,’ is sort of the orientation of what happened there.”

For comparison, Street Fighter 6 — which is indisputably the biggest fighting game on the market right now — boasts an average of anywhere between 16,000 and 20,000 monthly active users on Steam (not including PlayStation, which doesn't share these statistics publicly). It’s understandable that Riot, the maker of massively popular MOBA League of Legends, might expect more than that — but even Riot themselves knew there was no way they could reach “millions” of monthly active users to justify keeping their tag fighter alive.

Unsurprisingly, Merrill’s comments have sparked a swath of heated reactions within the fighting game community. Most players were left stunned that Riot felt such a high player count was necessary to keep 2XKO afloat, given how relatively ‘niche’ the genre is.

“It seems like they figured the game wasn't going to last long, but they spent so much money on it, so instead of immediately canning it, they released it to see if it would do anything,” one player mused. “Unfortunately, what it needed to do goes way beyond what any fighting game has ever done in existence lol.”

“The way [Merrill said], ‘Then Street Fighter 6 came out,’ like that wasn't going to happen. SFV had one of the best comeback stories in fighting games. Did he really not think 6 was going to happen?” another asked.

2XKO was first revealed to the public as ‘Project L’ in 2019, though rumors of a fighting game based on the League of Legends IP had been swirling around long beforehand. Its confusing release (from a closed beta to extended early access) on the back of a lengthy development period essentially killed most of the hype around the game, and Riot officially announced plans to end active development after December 2026, though online play will still be supported.

The FlashForge AD5X Multi-Color 3D Printer Drops to Just $220 Shipped at AliExpress

Eric Song — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

An excellent 3D printer with multi-color print capability just got a huge price drop that will probably be better than Amazon's upcoming Prime Day sale. AliExpress is offering the FlashForge AD5X 3D Printer with integrated multi-material printing system for just $220 after you apply coupon code "VUSHS23". The exact same printer sells for $349 on Amazon.

Make sure you're signed into your account to see the shipping options (you may have to refresh the page twice). You're buying it from FlashForge's official store on AliExpress. It ships free from the United States and arrives within 1 to 2 weeks.

Flashforge AD5X Multi-Color 3D Printer for Just $220

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The AD5X is the least expensive FlashForge printer that offers multi material printing, which basically allows you to use multiple colors or multiple filament types on a single 3D print. It also features a CoreXY structure, which is rare for a printer in this price range. In a CoreXY printer, only the print head moves while the motors are permanently fixed. Since the motors are generally the heaviest component, this improves print speed and precision.

The AD5X features an open bed design with a working space measuring approximately 8.7" cubed. For those of you who are looking to enclose the chamber in order to create a more stable environment for your prints, you can purchase the official $50 kit. Alternatively, you can save the money simply by putting a box over the printer.

The AD5X boasts a print speed of up to 600mm/s with 20,000mm/s² acceleration and can print a benchy in 12 minutes. Other features including solid build quality (all structural components are made of metal), a 4.3" color touchscreen with intuitive controls, auto leveling, and vibration compensation. Assembly is quick and easy and you should be able to make your first test print in a matter of minutes. No camera is included but, again, there's an official kit to add one.

The multi-filament module fleshes out the 3D printing capabilities and is one of the most important features for any mid to pro level enthusiast. With it you can print using up to four different colored filaments or filament materials simultaneously. It features an intelligent filament system that can identify and manage all four spools seamlessly and independently. Multi-filament add-ons in general cost $200-$300 by themselves, so having an integrated solution will save you a lot of money.

TL;DR:

Open chamber 8.7" cubed working space
CoreXY 3D printer (more stable than other types)
600mm/s print speed with 20,000mm/s² acceleration
Includes multi-filament printing module
Automatic filament switching
Auto leveling and vibration compensation
Easy assembly

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

We Build LEGO SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom: a F.U.N. Build for Nostalgic Adults

Matthew Adler — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 20:03:39 +0000

As a millenial, I grew up during what I consider the golden era of cartoons – the 1990's. Some of my favorites included Rugrats, The Angry Beavers, Hey Arnold!, and Rocko's Modern Life. But, just as the 90's came to a close, Nickelodeon dropped another certified classic on my young, impressionable mind. I knew there was something special about SpongeBob SquarePants from the very first episode, and now, more than 25 years later (wow, I feel old), it's one of the most popular children's cartoons of all time, and is still going strong with over 300 episodes.

LEGO SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom (available now exclusively from the LEGO Store) is the first new SpongeBob-themed set since 2012, and the first designed for adults with an 18+ age rating. It includes plenty of references and gags from the series, making it an excellent set for longtime fans to put together.

The original set featuring the iconic homes and denizens of Bikini Bottom released in 2006, composed of just 579 pieces, and included a rather horrifying Squidward minifigure. Now, 20 years later, the set is much larger and has been completely reimagined for an older audience. At 1,794 pieces, more than three times the number of the original, this is also the largest LEGO SpongeBob SquarePants set released by far.

The contents of the massive box are split across 14 bags. This is the second set I've built that uses LEGO's new eco-friendly packaging, which replaces the transparent polyethylene bags with paper bags, an initiative that began back in 2021. While I appreciate the positive environmental impact these new bags promise, I've found that they are prone to having small pieces get stuck in the seams. If you're building a set that includes these new bags, be sure to double-check each one if you're potentially missing a piece.

One aspect I really like about this set is just how good the minifigs look. Each one has been redesigned from the previous iterations, with more accurate colors and improved moldings. SpongeBob, in particular, looks great. The color is spot-on, and he finally has a proper pair of printed pants instead of looking like he's standing on a pair of brown stilts. SpongeBob also comes with his trusty jellyfish net.

Patrick's minifig received a substantial redesign compared to his originals as his head and stomach are now one large piece that fit over the torso like a sort-of reverse cape that more accurately depicts his food-loving physique. He even comes with one of his favorite junk foods – a Neopolitan ice cream cone.

Squidward got the biggest glow-up compared to his original minifig. Although later iterations fixed this by giving him a proper head mold, the version included in this set features a more accurate face, improved coloring, and little tentacles printed on the feet.

While not minifigs per se, the set also comes with a buildable DoodleBob (complete with the Magic Pencil) and a buildable Gary the Snail, although it hasn't changed much from early LEGO iterations aside from having better coloring. He still doesn't have eyes, though.

This set is divided into two instruction books, with the first book covering Patrick and Squidward's houses, and the second book dedicated entirely to SpongeBob's famous "Pineapple Under the Sea," which employs some unique tactics to get its shape – more on that later. There are also a number of smaller builds to round out the scenery, including the crooked Bikini Bottom sign, a Boatmobile, SpongeBob's Bubblestand, and small diorama of the Jellyfish Fields, with a small rotating platter to make the jellyfish swim around.

Patrick's house doesn't take long to put together, as all of its contents fit in a single bag. After all, it is just a large rock covering a hole in the ground. Thankfully, LEGO didn't just stop there. The lid of Patrick's house can be opened to reveal all of his sand furniture, including his chair, lamp, rug, and CRT TV. It even includes a space for him to "sleep" under the lid.

Squidward's house, split across six bags, is a little more involved to assemble as it's comprised of four floors: the bottom floor which features his clarinet and music sheet; the second floor with his canopy bed; and the third floor bathroom, complete with his toilet, shower, and bubble bath. There's also a shower curtain with what appears to be a silhouette of SpongeBob hiding behind it - a reference to the episode "Squid's Day Off," where Squidward becomes paranoid after leaving SpongeBob in charge of the Krusty Krab. Finally, the top floor of the house features Squidward's tanning bed that he frequently sets up in front of his house, along with a mirror and a flower-topped cocktail drink.

The interior of the house repurposes some LEGO pieces in interesting ways, such as a pink-colored crown as a sea anemone plant and an upside down cupcake piece as the lampshades for Squidward's nightstands.

LEGO absolutely nailed the exterior of Squidward's house. The dark blue pieces look fantastic, and the chunky geometry of the large nose, ears, and thick brow come through great. The window "eyes" are also a unique printed piece, of which this set has a surprising amount. I was pleased to find only two small sticker sheets overall.

The highlight of this set is undoubtedly SpongeBob's pineapple house, though, which comes together across the remaining seven bags. The bottom floor features plenty of references to the show, including a hidden Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy Easter egg inside the TV set, the shellphone, the photo of Gary on the wall, and even SpongeBob's "friends" Penny, Chip, and Used Napkin.

Upstairs, SpongeBob's bedroom includes his bed, complete with ladder and diving board, of course, as well as his alarm clock and Gary's dessert in the corner. Don't worry, he's gonna finish it, and he's gonna like it!

The designers at LEGO took a very interesting approach to recreate the rounded nature of the pineapple's exterior and its criss-crossed diamond pattern. Each one of the pinapple panels is attached to a rigid internal frame built out of Technics pieces, allowing them to sit on an angle and pivot a bit to create the rounded look. Individual panels are attached to the exterior, leaving a small gap around the edges to make the diamond pattern. While they don't fit together perfectly, the overall shape and finished house looks fantastic.

Finally bringing all three houses together to recreate the Bikini Bottom landscape is a blast. Each of the bases can be connected to save space, or you can display them all freely. There's so much character to this set with endless scenes that can be recreated that it's a must-have for SpongeBob SquarePants fans.

LEGO SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom, Set #11386, retails for $219.99 and is composed of 1,794 pieces. It is available to purchase exclusively from the LEGO Store.

Matthew Adler has written for IGN since 2019 covering all things gaming, tech, tabletop games, and more. You can follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.

The Officially Licensed WD Black 1TB PlayStation 5 SSD Just Dropped to the Lowest Price of the Year

Eric Song — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 19:50:00 +0000

Good deals on PlayStation storage are practically non-existent in 2026... until today, sort of. For a limited time, Woot!, which is owned by Amazon, is offering the officially licensed 1TB WD Black SN850P PlayStation 5 solid state drive (SSD) for $179.99 after you apply 10% off coupon code "APPLETEN". This is still very expensive for a high-speed 1TB SSD, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better deal on a comparable SSD at this point in time. Amazon Prime members get free shipping, otherwise add $5 delivery fee. This is a brand new item with the original 5 year WD warranty.

Officially Licensed WD SN850P 1TB PS5 SSD for $179.99

The WD SN850P was made specifically for the PS5 console. That means it fulfills all of Sony's requirements, like a minimum read speed of 5,500MB/s, a PCI-Express Gen4x4 interface, and a slim yet effective heatsink that fits within the confines of the PS5 bay. It's officially licensed by Sony which means WD paid to have the PS5 logo gloriously emblazoned on its stick. No, you'll never see it once it's installed and no, it won't make your PS5 any more special, but it's there.

Of course the SN850P is also a great option as a boot drive for your gaming PC. It's one of the faster PCI-E Gen4 SSDs on the market with transfer speeds of up to 7,300MB/s read and 6,600MB/s write. The SN850P also has a dedicated LDDR4 DRAM cache. Pretty much every other SSD at this price point is DRAM-less and relies on HMB, or system memory, as a less expensive alternative. It doesn't make much of a difference in a PS5 console but PC users might notice it.

The built-in heatsink means you don't have to go out and buy one and install it yourself, even though it's not that hard and not too expensive to do so. There are a few other SSD drives at a similar price, but most of them are from brands that you've probably never heard of.

The 2026 AOVOPRO 48V 500W Electric Scooter with 22-Mile Range and 22mph Top Speed Drops to $130

Eric Song — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 19:20:00 +0000

There are many reasons why an electric scooter might be a better fit for you than an electric bike. They're lighter, more compact, and usually less expensive. Electric assisted scooters give you more range and speed for less effort, and the brushless motor is pretty quiet. You'd think upgrading to one would cost you a lot of money, but that's not the case with one of AOVOPRO's more powerful models.

48V 500W Electric Scooter With 10.5Ah Battery for Just $130

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AliExpress is offering the new 2026 AOVOPRO 48V 500W electric scooter with 10.5Ah battery for just $129.81 with free shipping after coupon: "VUSHS15". AliExpress marketplace vendor AOVOPRO is the official manufacturer of this scooter. It's stocked in a local US warehouse and usually delivers within a week with no additional import fees.

The AOVOPRO scooter has nearly the same amount of power as entry-level electric bikes. For starters, it's equipped with a powerful 500W brushless motor that can push the scooter at speeds of up to 22mph and a 48V 10.5Ah battery that lasts up to 22 miles on a single charge and the torque to climb steep inclines. The 10" tires and dual suspension allows the AOVOPRO to tackle rougher terrain versus the single suspension models with 8" tires that are restricted to smooth paved surfaces. The scooter weighs about 35 pounds and can be folded for easier transport and storage.

There's not much more you could ask for from an e-scooter that costs significantly less than $200. Other popular brands like the Segway Ninebot E2 and the Niu KQi 100P scooters have less powerful 300W motors and cost 2X the price, despite the fact that they're also built overseas.

How GTA 6's Jason and Lucia Have Evolved Since 2023 in Pictures

Cade Onder — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 19:09:58 +0000

GTA 6 officially releases next month, so we're taking a look at how the game's two protagonists, Jason and Lucia, have evolved since their 2023 reveal.

If there's one thing Rockstar has consistently managed to achieve, it's that its finished games often look better than the reveal trailers. That isn't the case for many game studios. In fact, a lot of games have been slammed for being downgraded between their reveals and launches. Watch Dogs, Cyberpunk 2077, and BioShock Infinite are all solid games, but they looked even better when they were initially revealed.

GTA 6 appears to have only visually improved over time, and that is most evident in the level of detail on protagonists Jason and Lucia. In 2023, we got our first official look at GTA 6 with the first trailer. There had been some leaks prior to this, but this was the first time Rockstar showed the game itself. The game looked stunning with gorgeous lighting effects, vivid colors, and realistic-looking characters. Rockstar would then go dark for a year and a half before re-revealing the game, and the graphical leap was absurdly impressive.

Compared to the 2023 trailer, GTA 6's visuals have drastically changed. The overall art direction remained the same, but the level of detail presented in the character models changed massively during this period. In the first trailer, Lucia's skin looks less textured, more flat, and less nuanced. Her hair also doesn't move much; there's a bit of bounce to her ponytail, but it's more limited. She also has the same hairstyle throughout the entire trailer, outside of some loose strands of hair on the sides of her face in the opening shots.

Jason only gets a few seconds to shine, but he largely looks like a generic white guy with his shaved head and stubble. Trailer 2, however, provides a lot more depth. Both characters sport a variety of hairstyles, with Lucia rocking wavy hair and a golden dress. Jason's brown hair flows out of the back of his hat. His skin glistens after sweating in the Vice City heat, his veins outline his arms, and his facial hair appears to be somewhat uneven, with certain strands of hair poking out slightly further than others. These human imperfections are perfections in the world of a video game trying to emulate realistic people. The light also bounces off of their skin in a more natural way.

It's a clear showcase of not only the level of detail, but also the amount of customization the player will have. That mindset carried into the recent extended look for GTA 6. The visual leap wasn't as large as the one between trailer 1 and 2, but it does feel like a world of difference from trailer 1 itself. There's infinitely more customization options and Jason and Lucia are clearly at their final level of polish.

Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson recently stated that trailer 1 was a "mission statement" for the team, as the game wasn't "fully formed." It was a north star for the team to follow and something they could point to as a way of understanding the overall vision for the game. As a result, it makes sense that the game has only improved since then.

GTA 6 is just weeks away from release now and the finishing touches are being added to the game. The ESRB officially rated the game M for Mature this morning and Rockstar is starting to ramp up its marketing efforts with physical ads in places like Miami and New York. After years of waiting, GTA 6 will finally be here on November 19.

Get a UrLife E20 1,000W Peak 48V Adult Electric Bike With 28mph Top Speed and 80 Mile Range for $297

Eric Song — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 19:05:00 +0000

Looking for a powerful ebike with the speed and range to meet your ambitious needs? Nowadays you can find a decent ebike for well under $500 if you know where to look (hint: it's not necessarly Amazon). For a limited time, AliExpress is offering the UrLife E20 750W 48V Electric Bike for a low price of $280.97 after you apply $40 off coupon code "AFFUS40". You will need to be logged in (and may refresh the page a couple of times) to see the shipping options.

The AliExpress marketplace seller "urlifeglobal" is the official manufacturer of these scooters and has plenty of reviews and sales to back up its reputation. Since they've already been shipped from overseas, any tariffs have already been paid for and you also don't need to worry about egregiously long shipping times.

Get a 1,000W (Peak) 48V Adult Electric Bike for $280

The UrLife E20 is an adult electric bike featuring a 750W (1,000W peak) motor that can get up to speeds of 28mph. Unlike most bikes in this price range that use a 36V battery, the E20 includes a powerful 48V battery which offer more power, acceleration, and torque, perfect for tackling steep hills. The 13Ah battery offers up to 80 miles of range under ideal conditions. The actual distance is dependent on other factors like your speed, terrain, elevation, and so forth. It's also removable in case you want to store the battery in a separate location from the bike.

The frame is made of carbon steel so it's on the heavier side at about 60 pounds, but it also has a decent weight capacity of 265 pounds. It's equipped with 20" fat tires with front fork shock-absorbing suspension, which makes it better suited for unpaved terrain compared to other bikes at this price.

There are bikes out there that offer high-quality components, a more powerful motor, better upgradeability, and/or domestic customer support, but only if you're willing to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars more. The UrLife E20 bike will likely stay within your budget. It offers a perfectly respectable assisted ride that will satisfy most bikers.

Ahead of Metro 2039, Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light Are Getting Next-Gen Updates

Jacqueline Thomas — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 19:01:55 +0000

Metro 2039 is not terribly far away now, launching on February 4, 2027. While that game will truly bring the franchise to current generation consoles, developer 4A Games is launching next-gen updates for the first two games.

Both Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light were incredible tech showcases for their time, but they haven't exactly aged gracefully. Despite getting an intial remaster all the way back in 2014, Metro 2033 doesn't play super well with modern hardware, and I've needed to tweak it every time I've gone back to play it. Luckily, these next-gen updates should bring some long-needed bug fixes to the game.

The update will look different on console and on PC. For PS5 and Xbox Series X, the Metro games will run at either native 4K at 60 fps or an upscaled 4K at 120 fps, with PSSR on PS5 Pro and traditional temporal upscaling on the Xbox consoles. Over on PC, though, the game will finally have DLSS support, along with some unnamed quality-of-life improvements.

4A Games hasn't shared a lot of details on the updates coming to Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light, but it does promise to share full patch notes ahead of its October 22 release on PC and October 29 release on consoles. Either way, as long as the games are more stable, I'm all in.

As a lifelong PC gamer, all three of the Metro games hold a special place in my heart, for all the torture they've put my graphics cards through in the past. Luckily, if you don't like putting your hardware through the wringer, it doesn't sound like 4A is going to add ray tracing or anything crazy to 2033 or Last Light, so they should be significantly easier to run at high settings than they were when they launched in 2010 and 2013.

We've already gone hands-on with Metro 2039, and it seems like an incredible and brutal post-apocalyptic shooter — just like I'd want out of the franchise. The visuals we've seen so far look incredible too, so I can only imagine that it's going to stay true to its roots of pushing PC hardware to its limits. Although, it is launching in the middle of an ongoing RAM crisis, which is going to limit its already niche appeal a bit when the benchmarks start rolling out. Here's to hoping 4A Games finds a way to make a Metro game scalable at launch for once.

Amazon’s 3 for $33 Sale on 4K UHD Movies Is Back

Chris Reed — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 18:30:08 +0000

It’s back, friends. One of the most popular Amazon sales among IGN readers is on once again ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. It’s the 3 for $33 sale on 4K movies. These are new and classic movies on physical discs you can buy and keep on your shelf. Many of them come with Blu-ray and digital copies as well, and many of the digital copies are compatible with Movies Anywhere, so you can stream them from your platform of choice.

Better yet, this is not part of Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, which means anyone can take advantage of the deals, whether or not you're a Prime member. What movies are on sale? Let’s take a look.

There’s something for everyone in this sale, whether you’re into timeless classics like All the President’s Men and The Wizard of Oz or action-packed thrillers like Twisters, Jurassic Park Rebirth, and Mission Impossible 6: Fallout. Waterworld is in here, too, if you want to see what an exceptionally expensive movie looked like in the ‘90s.

With Halloween coming up, it’s a good time to fill out the horror movie offerings in your collections. You can get movies like Smile, The Ring, It, and Friday the 13th on sale for $11 apiece in this sale. Shutter Island is a dark psychological thriller from Martin Scorsese that has plenty of spookiness as well.

To lighten the mood after watching a fright-fest, you can turn on a comedy like The 40-Year-Old Virgin or American Pie. Or classics like Eddy Murphy’s Coming to America or the SNL skit-inspired Wayne’s World. Beyond those are Watchmen and Warcraft, Hot Fuzz and Tár. Superman’s in there.

Again, whichever movies you want, grab them soon (here's the full sale again). You never know when Amazon will run out of stock and you’ll be stuck paying full price. If you want to see what upcoming physical releases for movies and TV shows are coming up, check out our freshly updated list of 4K Blu-ray release dates.

Save 44% Off the Officially Licensed The Legend of Zelda Mini Backpack

Eric Song — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 18:20:00 +0000

Zelda fans, check out this pretty cool piece of officially licensed merch. Bullseye Deals via eBay is offering The Legend of Zelda Mini Backpack for just $27.99 with free shipping after a 44% off discount (it's normally $50). "Bullseye Deals" is Target's authorized liquidator. Many assume that it's actually just Target since the products ship from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, the same location as Target's distribution center. The account has over 1.5 million reviews with a 99.5% rating.

44% Off The Legend of Zelda Mini Backpack

The Zelda backpack is mini-sized, measuring 11.25" high, 8.5" wide, and 6 inches deep. It would probably look great on chibi Link from Link's Awakening. It's made of sage green faux leather with saddle brown accents. A large golden Hyrule Royal Crest adorns the backpack face along with a smaller gold Triforce metal zipper pull. This is a tastefully designed backpack that looks good even if you're not a Zelda fan and a worthy addition to your collection if you are.

Don't forget to preorder Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Switch 2

Ocarina of Time for Switch 2 is out on October 5. You can preorder it on Amazon for $59.95, which is probably going to be $10 less than the official retail price once it's out. This is a complete remake, not remaster, of the 1998 original and if you haven't already seen the trailer, this game is shaping out to become yet another Zelda masterpiece.

See Why Deicidium Returned Is One of 2026's Most Promising New Graphic Novels

Jesse Schedeen — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 18:00:00 +0000

DC's All In initiative has been responsible for some pretty great comics in the last couple of years, but it's tough to top Ram V and Evan Cagle's New Gods. Luckily, while that series only lasted 12 issues, the creators are reuniting for a new graphic novel called Deicidium Returned. That's enough to immediately make it one of our most anticipated books in the months ahead.

With the final order cutoff for Deicidium Returned happening on October 5, IGN can exclusively debut the first 24 pages of this graphic novel. Feast your eyes on this gorgeous comic bookery in the slideshow gallery below:

Decidium Returned is written by Ram V, with art by Evan Cagle and Anand Radhakrishnan. The book is published through Image Comics. Here's the official summary:

In a future rebuilt from the ashes of war, belief is no longer sacred—it’s monetized.

Humanity has entered a hard-won age of stability, governed by an unholy alliance between global corporations and newly engineered religions. Worship fuels the economy. Faith is power. Salvation is a product. Welcome to the industry of belief. That fragile balance shatters when the old gods return. Ancient deities of fire, wind, jaguars, love, war, and mischief awaken inside ordinary people, transforming neighbors and strangers into living gods. To the powers that be, they aren’t miracles—they’re threats.

The great faiths of the new world knew the old gods could one day return, and they planned for such an eventuality. 12 orphans were chosen, bestowed with gifts and taught to be faithless, loveless instruments without reward or remorse. The old gods have returned—and the 12 will be unleashed.

As old myths collide with a world built on manufactured faith, a brutal conflict ignites—one that will decide who controls humanity’s future, and whether salvation comes from those placed above us…or from within us. DEICIDIUM is a global epic series from the multi-award-winning collaborations of RAM V, EVAN CAGLE, ANAND RADHAKRISHNAN with TOM MULLER, ADITYA BIDIKAR and more.

"A daring heist. A pair of thieves in slums around a holy city. A biker gang of graverobbers around a mausoleum town. A protest at the foot of a sacred mountain. This is how DEICIDIUM begins," V tells IGN. "Separate threads, looking at the lives of ordinary, seemingly unconnected people in a world that is run by faith, worship and the commerce of belief. An explosive revelation is to follow. Something old was stolen. Something ancient is broken. Clever machiavellian fingers pulling at long-forgotten threads. What if these ordinary people with loves, lives and lingering regrets...what if these people were actually gods? Would we love them? Hate them? Hold them up or would we kill them?"

Deicidium Returned will be released on November 11. You can preorder a copy on Amazon.

For more, find out about the Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man prequel comic and learn which major comics icon finally joined the Marvel Universe in Avengers: Armageddon #4.

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

Today’s Top Deals: 1TB WD_BLACK PS5 SSD, LEGO Star Wars & F1, and ASUS Hatsune Miku Mouse

Danielle Abraham — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 17:20:00 +0000

From cheap video games to early Prime Big Deal Days LEGO discounts, the deals are hot on this first day of October. You can even score a 1TB PS5 SSD for less or pick up a quality gaming mouse for $40 off. And those are just a few of the many savings available today.

TL;DR - The Best Deals for October 1

Scroll through today’s top deals and read on to learn more

1TB WD_BLACK SN850P SSD for PS5 Down to $179.99

GTA VI and Phantom Blade Zero are shaping up to be massive games in more ways than one; they’ll likely take up a big chunk of space on your PS5. The best way to expand storage is with an SSD, and Woot has brought back its awesome deal (given the current climate) on a brand-new, officially licensed 1TB WD_BLACK SN850P SSD. With the code “APPLETEN”, the drive is just $179.99. It slots seamlessly into the console and already comes with the required heatsink. With read speeds up to 7,300 MB/s and write speeds up to 6,300 MB/s, the drive exceeds PS5 requirements and is ready for all your games.

LEGO Mandalorian Helmet and F1 Collector’s Pack Early Prime Day Deals

The LEGO Star Wars The Mandalorian Helmet is down to just $47.49 for Amazon Prime members. This set features 584 pieces and offers incredible detail to replicate the famous bounty hunter's helmet. It even includes unique drum-lacquered LEGO bricks in different shades of gray to give a metallic look and better define the contours of the helmet.

That’s not the only early Prime member deal; the LEGO Speed Champions Ultimate Formula 1 Collector's Pack is also back to its lowest price ever. The set includes 10 different F1 cars to build using a total of 2,601 pieces.

Save $40 on the ASUS TUF Gaming Hatsune Miku Edition Mini Wireless Mouse

The ASUS TUF Gaming Hatsune Miku Edition Mini Wireless Mouse is down to $69.99 on Amazon when you clip the coupon and Newegg with the code “SSF73948”. That’s the lowest I’ve seen this lightweight, well-built gaming mouse drop. While the mouse’s aesthetics are pretty awesome, with turquoise and pink inspired by Hatsune Miku, it’s also a great all-around option for gaming. That’s largely thanks to the 12,000 DPI optical sensor, mechanical switches, and six programmable buttons. Latency shouldn’t be an issue using the 2.4GHz dongle or wired USB, but you can also connect via Bluetooth.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga for PlayStation 5 Is $10

The LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga disc for PlayStation 5 is only $10 at Walmart. Now, this action-adventure saga covers the nine-film Skywalker Saga, hence the name. The game earned an 8/10 rating in IGN’s review, with Tristan Ogilvie noting that it “provides some rollicking reimaginings of Star Wars’ most iconic moments and seats them inside a series of interplanetary playgrounds that are dense with discovery and entertaining diversions.”

$30 Off Moza Racing R5 Direct Drive Racing Wheel for PC

The Moza Racing R5 Direct Drive Racing Wheel and Pedal Set for PC is down $30 at Best Buy. It might not seem like a significant discount, but Moza wheels are rarely on sale. This immersive direct-drive offering delivers a solid 5.5Nm of force. The wheel itself is made of aluminum alloy with microfiber leather grips and 22 programmable buttons, while the pedals use Hall Effect sensors and are made of high-strength steel.

$15 Off a Key Card of Split Fiction for Switch 2

It looks like Walmart is selling Split Fiction for Switch 2 on a Game Key Card, not a “code in box” like it used to be, for $15 off. It was runner-up for the best action-adventure game of 2025 and is also one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 games. In IGN’s Split Fiction review, Luke Reilly said it's “a rollercoaster of constantly refreshed gameplay ideas and styles – and one that’s very hard to walk away from.”

Zarimi Cordless Electric Air Duster for PC for $19.79

Keep your PC setup up to snuff with this discounted cordless electric duster. Use the coupon code “F9XYB7NH” at checkout to get the Zarimi Cordless Rechargeable Electric Air Duster for just $19.79. Not only is this electric option less wasteful than typical air canisters, but it’s also easy to use and more versatile. It delivers 170,000RPM of airflow, multiple speed settings, and four nozzle options to expel accumulated dust from computer components, car air vents, blinds, and more.

Save Up to 50% on Echo Devices

Ahead of Prime Big Deal Days next week, Amazon has discounted Echo devices. In fact, the Echo Dot has dropped by 50%, and there are plenty of other deep discounts like that. These smart speakers and displays let you control your home with just your voice, provide room-filling sound, and more. Now’s an incredible time to buy if you’ve been considering purchasing one; I’m not sure how long this deal will last, so jump on it now. Check out all the top discounts below:

$15 Off a Star Wars: Galactic Racer for PC Preorder

A Star Wars: Galactic Racer for PC preorder is only $44.99 on Newegg. That’s already $15 off the game set to release on October 6. To score the discount, enter the code “STARWARS” at checkout. It will arrive as a Steam code to be redeemed on release day. You can also get $15 off the Deluxe Edition with the same discount code. This racing game features a roguelite campaign structure that makes it a “trailblazer,” according to Matt Purslow, who previewed the game. With the preorder, you also get bonus livery for your repulsorcraft and a bonus player banner for multiplayer modes.

Pokémon TCG: Perfect Order Booster Bundle Amazon Restock

The Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle is available for $44.99. Now, is this a great deal? No, it’s actually higher than the market value on TCGPlayer, but Amazon sells and ships it for free. That added peace of mind might be worth the higher price. As for the bundle, it contains six Boosters, making each about $7.50.

64% Off the Flexispot Lotus Swivel Rocker and Recliner

Kick back in style with Flexispot’s Lotus Swivel Rocker and Recliner. This manual oversized rocker is wrapped in an easy-to-clean PU leather and swivels a full 360 degrees. It reclines up to 136° with rocking functionality and a footrest for deeper relaxation. The 350-pound weight limit, plus a 19.7" seat depth and 21" seat width, make it great for a range of users. Right now, you can pick this seat up for just $249.99 with the code "LOTUS100OFF", saving you 64%.

Save $6 on the Gears of War: E-Day Limited Edition Xbox Wireless Controller

Gears of War E-Day is out on October 6th, but you can pick up the limited-edition controller for the Xbox-exclusive game today. It’s even discounted by $6 at Amazon and Walmart. Its design is quite jarring, even featuring 3D molding and laser-etched details you can feel. The face buttons are unlabeled, and the series iconic skull image, the Crimson Omen, sits right at the center. Underneath that killer facade is the same familiar Xbox Wireless Controller you know and love.

After a different design? Pick up the Breaker Series controllers are up to $16 off.

4 Months of Audible for $0.99/mo + $20 Credit

Amazon’s Audible deal for Prime Big Deal Days just got better, but it’s exclusively for Prime members. Not only is four months of Audible’s Standard subscription $0.99 per month, down from $8.99, but it now also includes a $20 Audible bonus credit. A Standard membership includes one audiobook per month, and that $20 credit can be used to buy even more. Those books remain in your library until the subscription is suspended. Even with the lower-tier membership, the catalog of millions of audiobooks is the same as a Premium Plus subscription.

$30 Off the MTG x Marvel Super Heroes Draft Night Box

The MTG x Marvel Super Heroes Draft Night Box has dropped to just $89.99, sold and shipped by Amazon. In the box, you’ll get everything needed for a Pick-Two Draft with four players, including 12 Play Boosters, 90 Basic Land Cards, and 10 double-sided token cards. There’s even a Collector Booster for the winner, but you might just want to keep that for yourself, especially since a pack is going for $40+ right now.

$300 Off a 25” TCL G64 Series FHD 300Hz QD-Mini LED Gaming Monitor

If you’re after a cheap and speedy gaming monitor for esports, Walmart has a 25” TCL G64 Series FHD Monitor for only $149, which is $300 off its list price. This 1080p display offers 1ms response times and an impressive 300Hz refresh rate with FreeSync support and G-Sync compatibility for butter-smooth action. As for picture quality, the QD-Mini LED panel delivers better contrast and more vibrant colors than the more commonly seen IPS panels in this price range. While TCL isn’t as recognizable in the monitor space as in the TV space, it still delivers solid quality and exceptional value.

Get 2 Months of the Paramount+ Premium (Ad-Free) Subscription for Just $1 Per Month

Eric Song — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 17:15:00 +0000

To kick off its new fall lineup, Paramount is offering a promotional deal for most new and returning subscribers. Right now, you can get your first two months of Paramount+ for just $0.99 per month when you apply the unadvertised coupon code "26zcsp2prm3qz" during checkout. I'd definitely suggest going with the Premium tier, which normally costs $13.99 per month, since it is ad-free and includes Showtime.

Note that with Paramount+ codes, your mileage may vary (meaning it may not work for everyone).

Paramount+ Premium with Showtime for $0.99/mo

Paramount+ is one of the better populated streaming services available, especially if you're on the ad-free plan. Several high-profile movies are currently streaming exclusively on Paramount+, including The Running Man, The Naked Gun, and Primate. Its extensive library of media has been bolstered with the addition of Showtime, making it a great service for those who enjoy movies, original shows, live sports, and news. Popular TV shows include Dexter: Resurrection, Marshals (a recent spinoff of Yellowstone), Landman, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Tulsa King, Halo, and Yellowjackets.

If you're a UFC fan, then signing up for Paramount+ is a no-brainer. Dubbed "the home of UFC", your Paramount+ subscription gives you access to all UFC numbered events and Fight Nights on demand, from prelims to main cards.

If you watch American football, then you'll be stoked to hear that the regular season starts up on September 9. Paramount doesn't stream very many pre-season games, but that should change during the regular season as more NFL games start airing on your local CBS network. The two free months won't get you through an entire football season, but hopefully there's another streaming deal floating around by then.

The Amazon October Prime Day Audible Deal Is Now Live: Pay $0.99 Per Month and Get $20 in Audible Credit

Eric Song — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 17:15:00 +0000

Amazon just launched its October Prime Day Audible deal and it's no longer Prime exclusive. Starting now and running through October 7th (the end of Amazon's actual October Prime Day Sale), both Amazon Prime and non-Prime members can sign up for four months of Audible Standard for $0.99 per month. In addition to the discounted membership, you also get an extra $20 in Audible credit. This deal is valid for new and expired subscribers, however your mileage may vary (we noticed that some this deal doesn't show up for some account). After the four months is up, your subscription will convert to the standard $8.99/mo, but you can cancel the auto-renewal at any time.

4 Months of Audible for $0.99 Per Month + $20 in Audible Credit

Amazon offers two Audible subscription tiers: Standard and Premium Plus. Standard is a lot less expensive - $8.95 per month compared to $14.95 per month. Standard also gets you access to the same catalog of million plus audiobooks that Premium Plus does. The difference lies in the credits: Standard gets one free audiobook per month that you can read so long as you maintain your membership. Premium Plus gets you one free audiobook that you keep indefinitely.

Unless you really want an audiobook to keep every month, then the Standard subscription is definitely the better deal. You'll save $72 on subscription fees per year not including the discount you're getting with this current deal.

Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobooks are on Audible

IGN's Jacob Kienlen is a huge fan of the Dungeon Crawler Carl LitRPG series. He's written about many of the books and just recently the series' first ever graphic novel. The books are all currently available as audiobooks, all narrated by Jeff Hays, who is part of Soundbooth Theater. They also all happen to be free to listen to with an Audible membership.

Catch up on the latest novel releases, audiobook style

Audible is a subscription service that gives you access to over 1.1 million of the best audiobooks without ever having to purchase them. Several best-selling new and recent releases are available in an audiobook format and part of Audible's accessible library. Rebecca Yarros' The Empyrean Series romantasy novels have consistently hit the top of the New York Times' best seller list throughout all of 2025 and they're all available in audiobook format. Sunrise on the Reaping, the latest Hunger Games novel, is narrated by Jefferson White, who you may already know from Yellowstone where he played Jimmy Hudstrom. The audiobook has a listening time of about 12 hours and 48 minutes.

If you're looking for something fast-paced and fun, you can also check out Matt Dinniman's popular Dungeon Crawler Carl series. It's currently the bestselling audiobook on Audible right now thanks to excellent narration from Jeff Hays. This new deal will get you the first three DCC audiobooks for only $0.99.

Ever prolific Stephen King released the Never Flinch crime novel in 2025. It's available as a nearly 15-hour long audiobook narrated by veteran Jessie Mueller. If you're a fan of fantasy, check out Brandon Sanderson's Wind and Truth, book five of the popular The Stormlight Archive series. It was released in December of 2024 and runs an epic 63 hours long.

The Flexispot Lotus Swivel Rocker and Recliner Is on Clearance for $250 Plus Free Shipping

Eric Song — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 17:15:00 +0000

Nothing beats lounging in a comfy chair on a Saturday afternoon and playing your favorite video game. You can get started with this new deal from Flexispot. The Lotus PU Leather Swivel Rocker and Recliner is currently on sale for $349.99 (originally $680). Apply $100 off coupon "LOTUS100OFF" to drop the price even further to $249.99 with free shipping. This is considerably cheaper compared to other name brand swivel rockers, and Flexispot has a solid reputation.

Flexispot Lotus Swivel Rocker and Recliner for $250

The Flexispot Lotus is an oversized manual swivel rocker and recliner upholstered in an easy to clean PU leather. The creamy ivory color is the least expensive right now. There's a sunset brown color, but it's $50 more. The Lotus has a weight capacity of 350 pounds and is amply sized with a 19.7" seat depth and 21" seat width, although the width doesn't account for the arms. The arms are slung low enough that you could probably rest your torso or legs on them comfortably.

In terms of range of movement, the Lotus can swivel a full 360 degrees and recline up to 136 degrees with rocking functionality. The foot rest pops out while you're reclining, allowing you to kick up your feet and relax in a near prone position. Flexispot includes a 3 year general warranty and 2 year warranty on the frame.

The Amazing Spider-Man #1000: Breaking Down Peter Parker's Massive Loss

Jesse Schedeen — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 17:02:52 +0000

The Amazing Spider-Man is one of Marvel's longest-running series, and it's now become the first Marvel title to legitimately reach the 1000-issue mark. Naturally, Marvel went all-out to celebrate that milestone, releasing a jam-packed issue #1000 that clocks in at over 100 pages. But the big news is what transpires in the lead story from writer Joe Kelly and artist Pepe Larraz. Peter Parker has never suffered a loss quite like this.

Read on for a full breakdown of what happens in this dramatic story, complete with commentary from Kelly himself. Just beware of spoilers for The Amazing Spider-Man #1000 ahead!

Lately, the series has shaken up the status quo by introducing a new character named Cormac Crane. Cormac has turned out to be the son of Aunt May and Uncle Ben, making him Peter's cousin. May and Ben thought Cormac had been lost at childbirth, and now Peter is struggling to accept this new face in his life and a new rival for May's motherly affection.

That rivalry takes a very dark turn in issue #1000. This story opens with Spidey rushing to the hospital after learning May has suffered a stroke. He arrives to find that while May is awake and lucid, she has no memory of him.

Many fans predicted May would die in this issue. And while that would certainly be a tragedy for Peter, it's not one he hasn't faced before. In some ways, this twist cuts even deeper. May is alive and well, but she seemingly has no memory of the years she spent raising Peter like a son. For a man who has precious few people in his life he's truly close with, that has to really sting.

"When we were breaking this story, we wanted to lean into both the soap opera and the action folks expect from Amazing Spider-Man, and that's where the initial thought for Cormac Crane came from," Kelly tells IGN. "A Parker child separated at birth?! Nothing more soap opera than that. Making it May's actual son was a huge deal and it rocked Peter's world... but we had to turn the knife just a little bit more. He was worried about losing May once wealthy, handsome, and all put-together Cormac showed up, but she put the kibosh on that. Told him he could never be replaced... and yet it still happened, in a very different and unexpected way."

Peter has little time to come to terms with this loss, however, as he's shortly attacked by the new villain Ravage. And it's here that we learn Ravage is none other than Cormac. Jealous of the fact that Peter enjoyed the relationship with May he was denied, Cormac used his powers to cut out May's memories and transform them into a literal weapon.

As the two men battle, Peter is bombarded with May's memories of him, the good and the bad. But this also opens up Cormac to being exposed to Peter's memories, as he relives the traumatic night Ben Parker was killed. Realizing that Peter could have stopped the mugger who murdered his father, Cormac's hatred of Peter takes an even more intense turn.

In the short term, Spidey proves victorious over Ravage. He saves a group of bystanders from a fatal fall and is reassured by May's memories that she ultimately saw him as "a fine man." This story ends with Peter regrouping and preparing to confront Ravage again. But the core problem still remains - May doesn't remember him. Can he defeat Ravage and restore those lost memories? Expect that to be a major focus of upcoming chapters of the series.

"We've spent a lot of time in my run focusing on Aunt May and what an important influence she is in Peter's life - having her 'there but not there for him' is a big status quo shift with huge ramifications," Kelly says. "Who is Peter Parker without Aunt May? Can he restore May's memories and, more importantly, her love? What about Cormac? The one event becomes very propulsive, which felt critical in such a milestone issue."

Kelly also makes it clear that he has big plans for Ravage, with the hope that this villain has the staying power to become a core part of Spider-Man's rogues gallery.

"This initial introduction to Ravage sets the stage for some epic throwdowns with Spider-Man, and I have plans for him that go well beyond #1000," Kelly teases. "The hope is that fans and other writers will love to hate him as much as I do and he'll start to pop up elsewhere. You never know whether or not an original villain will stick, but that's the dream - especially with Spider-Man. As a character he has some of the most iconic villains in pop culture, let alone comics. Adding one more to the rogues gallery would be a dream."

As for what to expect from the remainder of this story arc, Kelly says, "We designed #1000 to function as a standalone story while at the same time living as the next chapter in Spider-Man's ongoing adventure. So while there is a resolution so to speak in this issue, the story continues next month picking up moments after #1000 ends. Pepe's storytelling really shines in #1000, and he gets to unleash even more as the arc continues. We're very excited for everyone to see it."

Look for this dark Spidey saga to continue in The Amazing Spider-Man #1001, which hits stores on October 14. You can preorder a copy at your local comic shop.

For more, find out about the Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man prequel comic and learn which major comics icon finally joined the Marvel Universe in Avengers: Armageddon #4.

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

Sony Finally Brings AI Upscaling to Base PS5

Jacqueline Thomas — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 16:48:27 +0000

AI upscaling continues to be a huge part of the modern graphics pipeline, and while PSSR brought this tech to the PS5 Pro, the base PS5 was left without it due to its weaker GPU. That's been remedied with QSSR.

In a blog post, Sony detailed a new upscaling model that runs on its base console called Quick Spectral Super Resolution, or QSSR. Just like the PSSR that debuted earlier this year on the PS5 Pro, QSSR was born from the Project Amethyst collaboration with AMD that kicked off last year.

The new model is much more lightweight than PSSR, and so it won't be quite as good at maintaining detail as PSSR is on the PS5 Pro, but it should be much more accurate than the temporal upscaling traditionally used on the console.

QSSR debuts in Marvel's Wolverine and Ghost of Yotei, and the respective developers seem pretty enthused about working the technology into their games. Sony's blog quotes Insomniac Head of Technology Mike Fitzgerald, who said, "QSSR adds more pixel-level clarity and stability to our environments, bringing out extra detail amidst the busy streets of Madripoor, the dense alleyways of Shinjuku, and many other areas across Logan’s epic journey. It’s a perfect companion to the launch of Marvel’s Wolverine, and it brings a great taste of the PS5 Pro experience to our players on PS5."

Likewise, Jasmin Patry, the Lead Rendering Engineer at Sucker Punch, said: “At Sucker Punch, we’re excited to bring QSSR to Ghost of Yōtei players so that they can experience the world we’ve created with even more clarity and detail. QSSR excels at resolving the fine details in our characters and environments and does so with a level of temporal stability that hasn’t been possible on the PS5 console until now. We’ve long wished that all PS5 players could experience the incredible image quality that PSSR brings to PS5 Pro, and QSSR is a positive step towards that goal!”

The blog also shared a couple of clips from the respective games showing QSSR in action, compared to the standard temporal upscaling on the base PS5, and the results are promising. In Wolverine, the clip zooms in on distant buildings, and while the QSSR sample is still quite blurry – it is a watered down model, after all – it is able to maintain a lot more detail in fine objects than the standard clip on the left.

Then, in Ghost of Yotei, the camera zooms in on foliage in the foreground. In the original PS5 sample, the grass is almost a collection of floating green lines, with aliasing that cuts it up into sections. With QSSR enabled, the grass maintains its actual shape, even if it's still a bit noisy.

Obviously, the model running on the more powerful PS5 Pro is going to be better at maintaining image quality than QSSR ever will. But, the PS5 Pro will now set you back $900, and so this lighter model at least brings this upscaling to more people. Sony does say that it is making QSSR available to all developers, so I'd only expect more studios to use it going forward.

Still, we've only seen this model in action in a couple of clips on Sony's blog, so I'm not sure exactly how well it'll perform. Luckily, the patch for Wolverine and Ghost of Yotei will be going live later today, so I'll be able to see how well it holds up. But I do hope it works well, because QSSR could help bridge the gap for anyone who won't be able to afford a likely expensive PlayStation 6 for at least an extra few months.

'These Jobs Are Not Easy': Ex-Star Wars Boss Kathleen Kennedy Admits 'Relief' After Leaving Lucasfilm, Following Turbulent 14-Year Tenure

Tom Phillips — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 16:43:47 +0000

Lucasfilm veteran Kathleen Kennedy has admitted she feels "a bit of relief" after stepping down from her role as the boss of Star Wars, following a long and often tumultuous run.

Kennedy took Lucasfilm's helm in 2002 directly from Star Wars creator George Lucas, and oversaw the studio as it was sold to Disney, produced a new trilogy of mainline movies, and expanded its storytelling via an array of series on Disney+.

Some of these projects have been hugely successful, such as early seasons of The Mandalorian and the critically-acclaimed Andor. And while the Star Wars sequel movies ended in a firestorm of fan backlash and disappointment, they still raked in billions of dollars.

At the same time, numerous Star Wars projects have flopped hard — or simply failed to get off the ground. Solo was a commercial disaster and also messy behind the scenes, as acclaimed directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The Lego Movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) were ditched mid-way through filming. Gareth Edwards was reportedly replaced for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story reshoots, while Colin Trevorrow was replaced during the development of Episode 9.

And then there is the long, long list of Star Wars projects discussed by Kennedy and others at Lucasfilm that have simply been lost to the sands of Tatooine. Most famously this includes The Hunt for Ben Solo and that trilogy of films from Game of Thrones showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, another trilogy from The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson, and a Knights of the Old Republic idea that could have kickstarted yet another trilogy. Marvel boss Kevin Feige was said to be working on a Star Wars project at some point, as was Luke Cage writer Matt Owens, as was legendary director David Fincher, as was British comedian Simon Farnaby.

A slew of other projects left over from Kennedy's tenure technically remain on the docket, though it is increasingly unclear if any will survive, particularly as Dark Phoenix director Simon Kinberg seems to have been given the opportunity to make Episodes 10 through 12. These include a continuation of Rey's story from director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, a Dave Filoni story wrapping up the Mandoverse, a Dawn of the Jedi project from James Mangold, a long-gestating idea by Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi, an even-longer gestating idea for a Rogue Squadron movie from director Patty Jenkins, and a return for Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian.

"I suppose there's a bit of relief," Kennedy admitted of her decision to step down from Lucasfilm, speaking at the Bloomberg Screentime event in Los Angeles this week (via The Hollywood Reporter). "These jobs are not easy and stepping into something like that that George [Lucas] had created was an incredible challenge."

Asked about the challenge of satisfying hardcore Star Wars fans while also appealing to a broad audience, Kennedy suggested this was a "challenge that all franchises [face], certainly something that's been around now for 50 years. You've got people where this means a lot to them," she continued. "But at the same time, the challenge is to try to create something new, something original. So finding that balance is really the toughest thing."

"I mean, I don't think you can do anything in terms of the movie business where every single thing is going to be a perfect hit," Kennedy concluded. "I think you learn things, I always like learning things from the movies that we do, the post-mortems we do on what worked, what didn't. But I'm always proud of the work that's been done."

Star Wars continues next year with ryan Gosling's Star Wars: Starfighter and Ahsoka Season 2.

Image credit: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for Disney.

The Art of Metaphor: ReFantazio Book Is Now Available To Preorder, Out Next March

Hannah Hoolihan — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 16:23:45 +0000

IGN's favorite game of 2024, Metaphor: ReFantazio, is getting a hardcover art book next year titled The Art of Metaphor: ReFantazio by Kelly Knox. If the game has a special place in your heart and you're eager to add this beautiful release to your bookshelf, preorders are now live for it at select retailers with a price tag of $50 (see it here at Amazon). You'll have to wait a little while to get your hands on it, though, as it's not set to be released until March 9.

Preorder The Art of Metaphor: ReFantazio

See at Amazon - $50
See at Walmart - $50 (OUT OF STOCK)

While that's still quite a ways away from now, don't let that stop you from putting an order in for it early. This new art book could very well sell out (it already has at Walmart), so it's better to secure a copy now than wait too long and miss out. If you're a big fan of the game, it certainly seems worth every penny, too.

For starters, the cover art for this book looks stunning, with a dark red background and gold designs. You can get a closer look at it in the image above. And as for what's inside, it's packed with information including behind-the-scenes details about the making of the game; concept art; character sketches; insights into its development, like breaking down its narrative and gameplay system; and much more.

That's an exciting amount of detail to dig into, plus a lovely hardcover casing surrounding it all. If you think it'd be the perfect pick-up for your shelf, or maybe know someone with a big love of Metaphor: ReFantazio who would adore it, don't miss out on this chance to get a preorder in. Again, it could sell out early, so make sure to secure your copy before that happens.