Thanks to a massive community vote, Jagex are removing RuneScape’s notorious Treasure Hunter microtransactions

Oh I do love a win! Today’s is quite a surprising one, coming in the form of Jagex willingly removing some microtransactions from RuneScape after more than 120,000 people voted in favour of having them permanently removed from the game. To be frank, I am genuinely unsure if I have… well, ever seen a company do this simply because everyone hated them so much.

Read more

Deals for Today: Pokémon TCG for MSRP and Early Black Friday Gaming Deals

It’s not every day I can write about Pokémon TCG sealed product selling at MSRP, but today is the day. Tomorrow, Walmart is launching its Black Friday Pokémon TCG offering with three ex Premium Collection boxes containing 8 boosters for $24.99. The good news is if you’re a Walmart+ paying member (Free trials excluded), you’ll get in five hours early to make your purchase.

TL;DR: Deals for Today

After some new gubbins for your Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5? Black Friday deals are coming in hard and fast on controllers, games and other peripherals, so don’t miss out. Let’s get straight into todays deals:

Sign Up for Walmart+ For MSRP Pokémon TCG

Want to make sure you get one of these on the day? Well the max buy limit is 5, and Walmart+ is half price until 2nd December, so it’s the perfect time to get signed up and make sure you’re ready for tommorow, 13th November at 4 pm PT / 7 pm ET (or five hours before for Walmart+ members). One things for sure, 8 booster packs for $24.99 is a great deal in this climate.

Xbox Early Black Friday Deals

These deals are Black Friday level bargains. $60 off an Elite Series 2 Core controller? Bargain. A cheeky 512GB of extra storage for $10 and change off? Believe it. Even if you don’t have an Xbox, the Xbox Controller, Fire Stick and Game Pass Ultimate bundles are heavily discounted too.

PlayStation 5 Early Black Friday Deals

You can actually buy a PS5 Pro for around the same price as a standard Xbox Series X right now, let that sink in. Already got a PlayStation 5? Some of the best games on the console are marked down right now. Even newer releases such as Rise of the Ronin is down to $44.70. Don’t miss out on these early Black Friday deals.

Electric Scooter Deals Starting at $109

Scooters have some major advantages over bikes. 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 doesn’t have to be the case. AliExpress is offering a couple of well-regarded electric scooters at prices you probably didn’t expect.

You can pick up a LADPED LP80 350W electric scooter for just $127 with coupon code “AEUS26“. Alternatively, the LADPED LP60 350W electric scooter, which has a smaller battery, is $109.53 after code “AEUS20“. Both scooters ship free from a local US warehouse; since they’ve already been shipped from overseas, any tariffs have already been paid for and you don’t need to worry about them. AliExpress marketplace vendor AOVOPRO is an authorized reseller of these scooters and has plenty of reviews and sales to back up its reputation.

60% off Samsung S90D 65″ and 77″

144hz refresh rate screams gaming TV to me, especially when it’s on a quantum dot OLED screen. That 144hz refresh rate is supported on all four of its HDMI 2.1 ports, which is insane. There’s no worries about getting the best performance from your Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and even gaming PCs.

MSI Vector HX 16″ AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX RTX 5070 Ti Gaming Laptop

With a processor that’s built for performance and outperforms Intel Core i9-1400HX, we’re off to a good start with this RTX 5070Ti gaming laptop. 32GB DDR5 Ram is higher end too, clocked at 6400MHz and has a tidy 1TB M.2 SSD, both of which can be upgraded at anytime. Topping this build with a 240Hz QHD screen and you’re laughing at this price point.

Samsung P9 512GB MicroSD Express Card

Whilst this is one of the cheaper options for a Switch 2 Micro SD Express card, there’s cheaper. The problem is with cheaper cards is the lower transfer speeds, which add up on more demanding games. Getting a Samsung P9 ensures 800MB/s, with Samsung having a great reputation for storage products in general.

ASRock Steel Legend Radeon RX 9070 XT

Want something that performs around the same as a RTX 5070Ti without the price tag to go with it? AMD is slowly clawing back its GPU market share by targeting mid-range gamers, but the RX 9070 XT is a brilliant graphics card. Whilst I can run something like Oblivion Remastered at 4K 60FPS all day long on it, I get a lot more joy from it playing at 1440P and getting twice the frame rate instead. This is well worth the money if you’re in the market for a new GPU.

iBuypower Y40 Pro RTX 5080 Gaming PC

RTX 5080 has claimed it place as the sweet spot on the Nvidia 5000 series GPU lineup. It’ll play anything in 4K with dedicated ray tracing support, and has DLSS4 technology to insert AI frames and resolution upgrades to fall back on. Ryzen 9 7900X is also a solid processor to back up the 5080, with a max turbo of 5.6GHz and rocking 12 cores, 24 threads and 64mb of L2 cache. Long story short? It’s a cracking rig for under $2,000.

Up To 50% off Pokémon TCG

You might want to check if your AMEX and Discovery is eligible for up to 50% off Pokémon TCG on Amazon right now. All you have to do is add a sealed product to your basket sold directly by Amazon, use your AMEX or Discovery and pay either $1 or use 1 loyalty point to apply the discount. You could also be extra savvy and get a $60 Amazon gift card by being accepted for an Amazon Store Card. Of course, none of this is financial advice, and if you’re going to struggle not spending on credit and store cards, make the right choice.

Audible Premium Plus

Nice and simple, sign up for a zero commitment Audible Premium Plus sub and get your first 3 months for $0.99 a month. That’s 3 months of top tier access for under $3, it’s worth doing just to try the service out!

Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 Gaming PCs

Here’s two 4K gaming beasts that will stay that way for a long time. If you’re just focused on having a RTX 5080 for now with a view to upgrade in the future, go for the $2,099.99 build. If you can stretch the extra $650, you’re getting a far better processor, double the DDR5 RAM and double the M.2 SSD space. Either way, you win with a cheeky 14% off.

LG Evo C5 4K TV Bundle Deal

Need a beast of a TV that can handle proper gaming performance and the Thanksgiving football game in style? 77″ should do the job, and this is LG’s C5 4K 2025 model that’s half-price. You’ll also save over $300 snagging the S40T Soundbar and Subwoofer combo alongside a slim wall mount. This is one of the best early Black Friday deals.

Samsung S84F 4K OLED Smart TV

At 53% off, this 2025 model Samsung TV is a bargain thanks to its 4K OLED panel with all the bells and whistles you’d come to expect from one of the biggest TV manufacturers.

Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Console Bundle

Who wants a Nintendo Switch 2 for less than MSRP? Yeah, it’s a silly question, right? These consoles are brand new, just from a different region and work exactly the same as a US model. They’re region-free and AliExpress has a massive discount code to bring this deal home.

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

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2’s latest patch offers up fixes, as a roadmap promises more improvements

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is, in Dominic’s own words, “merely okay.” I haven’t played it myself, so I can’t comment there, the general consensus seems to be in agreement on that point however. The Chinese Room are working on turning that around at least! Today they released a new patch for the RPG, containing a bunch of fixes, and offered up a small roadmap of improvements and DLC to come.

Read more

Mini Review: Yakuza Kiwami (Switch 2) – Kiryu’s Debut, Smoother Than Ever

Majima magic.

It only feels like yesterday that Yakuza Kiwami finally made its way onto the Switch, and yet here we are with a beefed-up Switch 2 version. This new release is effectively the same game, but Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio have taken advantage of the newer console’s specs for a much smoother, crisper experience.

Crucially, the frame rate has been greatly improved here, sticking to 60fps that (to my eyes, at least) never falters. It makes exploring Kamurocho all the more enjoyable, and even the busiest scraps with Yakuza thugs run smoothly. The resolution has been bumped up considerably in docked and handheld, bringing it more in line with launch title Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut. It looks wonderful.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Zombies Is Tapping Into Its Past to Guide Its Future

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Zombies Is Tapping Into Its Past to Guide Its Future

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Zombies Asset

Summary

  • Learn how Black Ops 7 Zombies is being designed to pay homage to the past, with each destination within the Dark Aether representing a different period and location.
  • With a drivable Wonder Vehicle, compelling locations to explore, and a tremendous number of surprises hiding within the Dark Aether, Black Ops 7 Zombies is shaping up to slay.
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches November 14, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Cloud, Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

We’ve never seen Zombies like this before. Ashes of the Damned is not only the largest Round-Based Zombies map the series has ever seen, but it’s also the culmination of ideas and fan-favorite modes from over the years that have been built for this moment. Like a shambling undead ripping through a boarded-up window looking for their next meal, Black Ops 7 Zombies feels like it’s ready to feast.

From the rural Vandorn Farm to the frontier town of Ashwood, there are an awesome number of thrilling POIs for us to explore. In addition to the several unique modes at launch — Standard, Survival, Cursed, and Dead Ops Arcade 4 — Black Ops 7 Zombies will also be one of the most accessible entries ever; there’s something for everyone, especially once Directed mode arrives in Season 01 to help guide new players through the Main Quest.

In talking again with Treyarch Design Director Kevin Drew (you can read our previous piece about Ol’ Tessie here on Xbox Wire), this starts with the massive Ashes of the Damned map, whose size was directly influenced by the team’s desire to have a new drivable Wonder Vehicle in the game. “That kind of dictates that you need a bigger space,” says Drew. “We also really wanted to sell this idea of the Dark Aether being like a Bermuda Triangle, have things come into this place from various dimensions.”

This direction has led the team to pay homage to the past, with each destination representing a different period and location. “There’s a familiarity with those locations, like Green Run from TranZit, but it has an entirely different place and backstory that’s going to be important for that level and beyond,” adds Drew.

We can also look forward to experiencing a new incarnation of the iconic crew from the early days of Zombies. However, once we meet them, it sounds like they will not exactly be as we once remembered them. “Where they came from is unknown, but from somewhere else, some other dimension. Not from our Earth. And being inside of the Dark Aether, you’re going to see other familiar elements sprinkled in.”

Narratively, it sounds like there will be a lot to unpack for those who have been following the Zombies storylines over the years. “They have a reputation for being incredibly complex,” Drew adds. “I love that, but I like to think that we’ve taken an iceberg approach now since Cold War, where at the peak, at just a glance, it’s a simple story. Like in Black Ops 6 Zombies, you’re getting revenge for the person who imprisoned you. In Black Ops 7 Zombies you’re now trapped in this other dimension trying to escape. For a new player, that’s really all you need to know. But obviously, you can go look below the water and see there’s more to discover.”

Working alongside the Creative Director, who makes a lot of calls with what path the game’s story will take, Drew is also there to point out opportunities and suggestions as they arise, like resurrecting lost ideas or characters and giving them new life. But it’s not just him. Drew makes it a point to call out the community — it’s the fans who have helped guide a lot of this unique story over the years.

“Zombies is such a unique mode, and the gaming landscape is historically shaped by the fans. We’ll put things out there and see what resonates and what people are looking for, combining that with some stories that we want to tell. For example, we have a brand-new antagonist (in Black Ops 7 Zombies) and just being inside the Dark Aether there will be all sorts of new lore to explore.”

Part of that landscape evolution is the Cursed mode, which has been designed to be a more challenging experience for advanced players. In this mode, players can discover and activate Relics to face even harder challenges in exchange for new levels of power and rewards. These Relics work as significant debuffs to increase the challenge in a Cursed match, with nine to uncover across Ashes of the Damned. The more potent the Relic, the greater the challenge you’ll face. Which in turn means the more potent the Relic, the greater your Tier power becomes.

“Looking back at our most dedicated audience, it’s like, what are they looking for? They’re looking for a challenge. They’re looking for Easter eggs. So, we built an entire mode with them in mind,” says Drew. “I’m really excited about Cursed. It’s something that we’ve been thinking about for several years. It’s all about being extremely difficult, and that’s okay now because you’re opting in for that. Players can choose how they want to make the mode more difficult, which I think is really cool. And we’ll be continuing to release additional Relics throughout the seasons so that toy box will just grow for those players.”

Dead Ops Arcade is also getting some added love in Black Ops 7 Zombies. It’s no longer a mode that you must unearth on your adventure, as it will be available for you right from the game’s menu. “It is a huge mode and it is part of the family. We want to make sure people see this. It’s a massive experience that could be its own game,” adds Drew.

With 80 levels and more than 20 arenas, coupled with outrageous firepower, Dead Ops Arcade 4 will have you unleash the hurt against the Silverback clan’s armies and their vengeful new patriarch, Papaback. And for the first time, DOA embraces Round-Based Zombies mechanics with Ammo Mods, Field Upgrades, and GobbleGums, all tailored to enhance your Dead Ops Arcade experience. Also, both top-down and first-person camera options are supported, letting you switch perspectives without losing pace. Best of all, every DOA run contributes to shared progression, earning XP that advances your player level across Campaign, Multiplayer, Zombies, and Call of Duty: Warzone. “Leveraging a lot of our enemy types, seeing those and even fighting them in a different way has been really cool,” says Drew. “It feels like a cohesive and massive offering, which is great.”

And with launch approaching soon on November 14, I was curious to know if Drew could shed some light on what we can look forward to down the road. “You’re not going to know what to expect. Looking at our lineup this year, each map is going to bring something different to the table. And that is going to be a lot of fun for fans to experience with extra layers of things to uncover.”

With an awesome Wonder Vehicle to drive around, many compelling locations to explore, and what sounds like a tremendous number of surprises hiding within the Dark Aether, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Zombies is shaping up to slay starting November 14.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches November 14, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Cloud, Battle.net, Steam, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7 – Vault Edition

Activision Publishing Inc.

$99.99

Pre-order any digital edition and receive:

– Items for immediate use in Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty®: Warzone™*:
— Reznov Challenge Pack – unlock the SOG Reznov Operator Skin. Plus, get access to unlock the Stalingrad Reznov and Memory Reznov Operator Skins
— Guild Override Weapon Camo – unlock the Guild Override dynamic Weapon Camo

The Vault Edition includes:

– Cross-Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7
— Includes Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Xbox PC versions of the game
– BlackCell (1 Season)**
— Includes: Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP and more
– Operator Collection
— 4 Operator Skins: Harper, Karma, T.E.D.D. and Reaper EWR-3
– Mastercraft Collection
— 5 Mastercraft Weapons
– Ultra GobbleGum Pack for Zombies
— 8 GobbleGums of Ultra rarity for Black Ops 7
– Permanent Unlock Token for Black Ops 7 (available at launch)

In Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7, Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players the most mind-bending Black Ops ever.

The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare. David Mason leads an elite team on a covert mission to the sprawling city of Avalon. While there, they discover a sophisticated plot that won’t just plunge the world into chaos, it will pull them into their own haunting pasts.

Squad up or go solo in an innovative Co-Op Campaign that redefines the Black Ops experience.

Multiplayer explodes out of the gate with 16 electrifying 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps at launch. Master a cutting-edge arsenal and outmaneuver your enemies with an evolved Omnimovement system.

In Treyarch’s legendary Round-Based Zombies mode, the nightmare begins where reality ends. Trapped in the heart of the Dark Aether, the crew is thrust into a vast, ever-shifting hellscape.

Game requires a Game Pass Core subscription (sold separately).

TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot required for PC, other security measures may be enforced. Learn more at https://support.activision.com/tpm.

*Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 or Call of Duty®: Warzone™ on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by November 14th, 2026.

**BlackCell, Battle Pass, Call of Duty® Points and Tier Skips will be accessible in Black Ops 7 upon availability of the Season 1 Battle Pass in-game. Redemption applies to one Season of the Black Ops 7 Battle Pass only.

Content, features, services, online play, and support not available in all regions, and may vary, change, or terminate.

Requires an Activision account and acceptance of the Activision Software License and Services Agreement. A mobile phone number linked to your Activision account may be required to play Black Ops 7.

Additional storage space may be required for mandatory game updates.

For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.

©/TM/® 2025 Activision Publishing, Inc. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software (‘Id Technology’). Id Technology © 1999-2025 Id Software, Inc.


Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7 – Vault Edition Upgrade

Activision Publishing Inc.


117

$30

Upgrade to the Vault Edition and receive the following bonus content*:

– BlackCell (1 Season)**
— Includes: Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP and more
– Operator Collection
— 4 Operator Skins: Harper, Karma, T.E.D.D. and Reaper EWR-3
– Mastercraft Collection
— 5 Mastercraft Weapons
– Ultra GobbleGum Pack for Zombies
— 8 GobbleGums of Ultra rarity for Black Ops 7
– Permanent Unlock Token for Black Ops 7 (available at launch)

*Requires existing ownership of the digital version of the Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7 – Cross-Gen Bundle on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC (sold separately), or active subscription to select Game Pass plans (Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC, or Game Pass Console).

**BlackCell, Battle Pass, Call of Duty® Points and Tier Skips will be accessible in Black Ops 7 upon availability of the Season 1 Battle Pass in-game. Redemption applies to one Season of the Black Ops 7 Battle Pass only.

For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.

©/TM/® 2025 Activision Publishing, Inc. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software (‘Id Technology’). Id Technology © 1999-2025 Id Software, Inc.


Xbox Play Anywhere

Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7 – Cross-Gen Bundle

Activision Publishing Inc.

$69.99

Pre-order any digital edition or subscribe to select Game Pass plans* and receive:

– Items for immediate use in Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty®: Warzone™**:
— Reznov Challenge Pack – unlock the SOG Reznov Operator Skin. Plus, get access to unlock the Stalingrad Reznov and Memory Reznov Operator Skins
— Guild Override Weapon Camo – unlock the Guild Override dynamic Weapon Camo

Includes:

– Cross-Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7
— Includes Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Xbox PC versions of the game

In Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7, Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players the most mind-bending Black Ops ever.

The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare. David Mason leads an elite JSOC team on a covert mission to the sprawling Mediterranean city of Avalon. While there, they discover a sophisticated plot that won’t just plunge the world into chaos, it will pull them into their own haunting pasts.

Squad up or go solo in an innovative Co-Op Campaign that redefines the Black Ops experience. Take on high-stakes challenges across a wide spectrum of environments, from the neon-lit rooftops of Japan to the Mediterranean coast, and even into the deepest corners of the human psyche.

Multiplayer explodes out of the gate with 16 electrifying 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps at launch. From futuristic Tokyo vistas to the frozen, unforgiving wilds of Alaska, every environment is brimming with danger and opportunity. Master a cutting-edge arsenal and outmaneuver your enemies with an evolved Omnimovement system.

In Treyarch’s legendary Round-Based Zombies mode, the nightmare begins where reality ends. Trapped in the heart of the Dark Aether, the crew is thrust into a vast, ever-shifting hellscape. This isn’t just survival. It’s a descent into madness.

Game requires a Game Pass Core subscription (sold separately).

TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot required for PC, other security measures may be enforced. Learn more at https://support.activision.com/tpm.

*Requires active subscription to Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC, or Game Pass Console. Subscribers must login to Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 or Call of Duty®: Warzone™ on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC by November 14, 2025 to redeem the Reznov Challenge Pack and Guild Override Weapon Camo.

**Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 or Call of Duty®: Warzone™ on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by November 14th, 2026.

Content, features, services, online play, and support not available in all regions, and may vary, change, or terminate.

Requires an Activision account and acceptance of the Activision Software License and Services Agreement. A mobile phone number linked to your Activision account may be required to play Black Ops 7.

Additional storage space may be required for mandatory game updates.

For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.

©/TM/® 2025 Activision Publishing, Inc. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software (‘Id Technology’). Id Technology © 1999-2025 Id Software, Inc.


The post Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Zombies Is Tapping Into Its Past to Guide Its Future appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Five Years of Play: The Evolution of PlayStation 5

Five years ago, in November 2020, PlayStation 5 marked a new era of speed, immersion, and creativity. As we celebrate its fifth anniversary, we’re looking back at how PS5 has evolved – year by year – through system software updates, new accessories, and community milestones that continue to redefine play.

2020: The beginning of a new generation

The PS5’s launch in November 2020 redefined what a console could do. Powered by an ultra-high-speed SSD, immersive 3D Audio, and the innovative DualSense wireless controller, PS5 introduced a new generation of immersion never felt before in gaming.

  • Share Screen debuted, allowing players to watch friends’ gameplay in real time via PS5 and later on the PS App. Since launch, Share Screen has been used more than 1.6 billion times, totaling over 900 million hours. Top shared titles include Fortnite, Roblox, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, and Grand Theft Auto V.
  • Accessibility has been at the heart of PS5 since day one. The console launched with 11 accessibility features, which has grown to 20 by 2025 – including new additions such as Accessibility Tags and Second Controller for Assistance. One out of every four PS5 users have enabled at least one of these accessibility features.
  • Every PS5 console and accessory features microtextured PlayStation shapes – on DualSense alone, there are 45,674 tiny triangles, circles, crosses, and squares.

2021: Expanding the experience

As the PS5 player base grew, so did the platform’s capabilities. 2021 focused on updates that expanded social connectivity and storage options:

  • The first major PS5 system update added Cross-generation Share Play, enabling PS5 players with PlayStation Plus membership to virtually ‘pass the controller’ to friends using PS4. Since launch, Share Play has been used over 700 million times on PS5.
  • M.2 SSD storage expansion gave players freedom to grow their libraries. The use of an industry-standard M.2 format provided a flexible and cost-efficient way to expand PS5 storage, and the feature has since been adopted by millions of players.
  • We also added the ability to share PS5 game captures through the PlayStation App, resulting in 5.6 billion captures uploaded. Today, nearly half of PlayStation messages are sent from the PS App, with more than 1 billion voice chat sessions taking place through the app.
  • 2021 also introduced PS5’s first color variations – Midnight Black and Cosmic Red, giving players more ways to customize their console and accessories in their favorite color.

2022: More Options, More Ways to Play

In 2022, PS5 evolved further to deliver a richer and more personalized play experience.

  • VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) enhanced visual performance by minimizing visual artifacts for smoother, crisper gameplay. Millions of players have enabled the feature, with 96% of those with VRR-compatible monitors using it regularly.
  • This was also the year PlayStation Plus introduced a new three-tier service, offering hundreds of games in the Game Catalog for Extra members and Deluxe/Premium members, as well as access to a Classic Game catalog for Premium members. Since launch, the number of unique catalog players has doubled, and the total gameplay hours for Game Catalog and Classic Catalog has also increased – cumulatively hitting 14 billion hours.
  • PS5 personalization expanded further with new galaxy-inspired color variations: Nova Pink, Starlight Blue, and Galactic Purple.

2023: Pushing the boundaries of play with new accessories

2023 was a year of more breakthrough hardware and innovation.

  • PlayStation VR2 launched, introducing next-generation immersion with eye tracking, headset feedback and deep immersion with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers through PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller.
  • Discord voice chat arrived on PS5, connecting players across platforms. Since launch, more than 1 billion Discord voice chat sessions have taken place on PS5, averaging 105 minutes per session.
  • PlayStation Portal remote player redefined remote play, now accounting for over 50% of all PS5 Remote Play sessions – surpassing streams through mobile, PC, PS4 and PS5 consoles combined.
  • We also introduced DualSense Edge wireless controller – our first high-performance, ultra-customizable controller – and the Access Controller, a controller kit designed to make gaming more accessible for all.
  • Cloud Streaming access for PS5 games brought new options for PlayStation Plus Premium members to stream supported PS5 digital games from Game Catalog, Game Trials and purchases from PS Store on their PS5 console.
  • Additionally, we released a new line of audio products featuring planar magnetic drivers and our innovative PlayStation Link technology that provides lightning-fast, lossless audio connection with Pulse Explore wireless ear buds, followed by Pulse Elite wireless headset in early 2024.

2024: Empowering players and communities

In 2024, PS5 deepened community connection and personalization.

  • Community Game Help debuted, enabling players to share gameplay hint videos generated from opt-in contributors. The feature is now available across hundreds of PS5 titles, with thousands of helpful community hints contributed by players around the world.
  • The new Welcome Hub introduced a personalized PS5 home screen space with customizable widgets and backgrounds. Customization has been rising since launch, with the battery widget emerging as the most popular, and personal gameplay screenshots becoming the top background choice among players.
  • This was also the year we launched the PS5 Pro – our most visually impressive and innovative console to date, along with the PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection, celebrating 30 incredible years of play and creativity.

 

2025: Five years of play

Happy 5th Anniversary, PS5! As we celebrate five years of the amazing journey, the numbers tell the story:

  • PS5 has cumulatively sold over 84 million units globally. If you lined up every PS5 ever sold, together they’d stretch over 28,600 kilometers – long enough to go from Tokyo to San Francisco to London, and then all the way back home again.
  • More than 7,500 PS5 games have been published by over 4,000 creators around the world. By total playtime, the top three most-played PS5 multiplayer games were Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto V, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare II and the top three PS5 most-played single-player games were Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, God of War Ragnarök and Hogwarts Legacy.
  • Players have earned a combined 40 billion Trophies on PS5, including 110 million Platinum Trophies.
  • Across five years, PS5 players have logged a total of 100 billion hours of gameplay.

Five years on, the PS5 platform continues to evolve and connect more players than ever. From the day it launched to today, PS5 has redefined what play can mean for creators and the community alike.

Here’s to five incredible years of play – and to the millions of players who made them unforgettable!

*All figures are based on internal data collected as of September 2025.

PlayStation Plus November Game Line-up Confirmed, Includes GTA 5

November’s list of PlayStation Plus Game Catalog titles has been confirmed by Sony and, as expected, it includes a welcome return for Grand Theft Auto 5.

Just in case you’re one of the few people that doesn’t already own Rockstar’s open-world epic already, the game is once again part of PlayStation Plus for the month of November. It’s a timely addition, too, and almost like publisher Take-Two knew it was about to once again delay Grand Theft Auto 6, which will now launch on November 19, 2026.
A bumper month of other additions also includes enjoyably creepy Scottish oil rig horror game Still Wakes the Deep, made by Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture studio The Chinese Room, and the critically-acclaimed first-person automobile-based survival game Pacific Drive.

Also included are brain-teasing first-person puzzler The Talos Principle 2, and delightfully British comedy platformer Thank Goodness You’re Here! Both of those are well worth a look. Other titles this month include multiplayer shooter Insurgency: Sandstorm, arcade truck demolisher Monster Jam Showdown, and yet more cars in MotoGP 25.

If you’re a PlayStation Plus Premium subscriber, you’ll also gain access to the Tomb Raider: Anniversary collection, which emulates the PS2 version of the original Tomb Raider title. Here’s the full list of everything available:

PlayStation Plus November 2025 Games

PlayStation Plus Extra:

PlayStation Plus Premium:

So, anything take your fancy?

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

If you hate the term extraction shooter, Marathon’s former product manager is on your side

With as young a medium as games is (and it is young, as old as we all might feel), it’s no surprise that it would burgeon new genres, and that said genres would be called into question. Metroidvanias! That’s a potentially silly one, with a common argument being that it tells you nothing about the genre itself. I prefer Japan’s search action as a name myself, though I am but one humble games journalist. A genre I hadn’t called into question until today, however, is extraction shooter, a name that a former Bungie lead apparently disliked so much he tried to get the studio’s marketing team to make something else up for Marathon.

Read more

‘Keep Your Ear to the Ground’ – Battlefield 6 Devs Hear the Cries for Battle Royale Solo Queue in REDSEC

Battlefield Studios is telling Battlefield 6 players to “keep your ear to the ground” when it comes to a battle royale solo queue option for REDSEC.

We spoke with the Battlefield team to learn more about REDSEC and its battle royale, Gauntlet, and Portal modes earlier this week. During our chat, we asked if solo battle royale fans will ever be able to drop into Fort Lyndon without grouping up with others. Design director Justin Wiebe stopped short of confirming whether additional queue options are on the way, but he does want fans to know the BF Studios team is listening.

“I would say keep your ear to the ground on the future of solos,” Wiebe told us.

Battlefield REDSEC was met with a review-bombing campaign upon its launch late last month as disgruntled Battlefield 6 players gathered to ask for various changes, including a solo battle royale queue. It’s true the Battlefield battle royale offshoot launched without an option for single-player-minded fans, but Wiebe says adding solos into a squad-based shooter isn’t as easy as it seems.

“In my mind, that’s not something you just turn on and just say, ‘OK, solos,’” he said. “There needs to be enough thought put into it because we built a squad-based experience. At its foundation, the game was designed for squads to play together, with each of them having tactical abilities and options, and training paths that unlock new perks. A lot of those perks are very oriented towards helping the squad, not helping the individual.”

I would say keep your ear to the ground on the future of solos.

Wiebe continued: “If we were just to throw that out and say, ‘Well, now you can just play solos, and you’re unlocking these abilities that don’t even matter to you,’ that feels like a fail.”

Battlefield 6 and REDSEC are designed around four primary classes: Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon. Aside from a few tweaks between some modes, each can bring everything from quick revives to vehicle repairs to a gunfight. Even vehicles themselves are typically in better care with more than one player behind the wheel.

These are the kinds of mechanics BF Studios is considering when holding off on solos for battle royale in REDSEC. Still, it sounds like the option is far from off the table. Should players be allowed to queue up without teammates in battle royale, Wiebe tells fans they would need to launch “with the right abilities and training paths.”

“If we were going to launch something like solos,” he added, “we want to do it in a way that makes sense for players, that actually takes the mechanics and makes them work for making solos play better.”

Battlefield 6 launched October 10 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S. REDSEC followed closely behind with its launch for the same platforms arriving October 28, just weeks later. Despite initial review-bombing efforts bringing the free-to-play branch down to “Mostly Negative” Steam ratings, it has since bounced back slightly, now sitting at “Mixed” across the board.

We gave REDSEC a 7/10. In our review, we said, “Battlefield REDSEC offers an uninspired battle royale mode that dilutes what makes Battlefield 6’s regular multiplayer so much fun, but its Gauntlet option instead concentrates that formula into one of the coolest game modes I’ve seen from a military shooter.”

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

I learned Tai Chi from a bear in Where Winds Meet

Back in my university days, a few friends and I played Yulgang Online, also known as Scions of Fate. An early 2000s Korean MMORPG with a Chinese martial arts theme, Yulgang was one of dozens of free MMOs we dabbled in. While we never got beyond the “kill X number of things to level up” grind, it was novel to run around in a wuxia-themed world, which was a rarity in localised-into-English PC gaming back then.

Read more