If you’ve wanted to give VR gaming a try but the cost of entry has kept you at bay, then you might be interested in the first great Meta Quest deal for 2025. For a limited time, Best Buy is taking $50 off the Quest 3S 256GB VR headset, now only $349.99. But that’s not all. You also get a bonus $50 Best Buy gift card and 1 month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for free. That essentially brings the price down to the same level as the base 128GB model.
To sweeten the pot even more, the package also includes a copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow VR game and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+. In IGN’s 8/10 review, Dan Stapleton wrote that “Batman: Arkham Shadow makes most of the Arkham series’ defining gameplay work respectably well in VR, and its mystery story pays off.”
Meta Quest 3S VR Headset with Batman: Arkham Shadow
The Quest 3S is an improvement over the original Quest 2 in every way and, amazingly, without a price increase. It also adopts many of the same features of the more expensive Quest 3, like the new and improved Touch controllers, the upgraded SnapDragon APU, and support for full color AR passthrough. In IGN’s 9/10 Quest 3S review, Gabriel Moss wrote that “raw processing power, full-color passthrough, and snappy Touch Plus controllers make the Quest 3S a fantastic standalone VR headset that also brings entry-level mixed-reality gaming to the masses for – arguably – the very first time.
What really sets this deal above all other VR deals is that the Meta Quest 3S can be played completely untethered. That means you can play games like Beat Saber or Pistol Whip without having to own a powerful gaming PC or a PlayStation 5 console. Try to find another standalone VR headset at this price and you’ll come up empty.
How Is the Quest 3S Different from the Quest 3?
Even at retail price, the Quest 3S comes in at $200, or 40% cheaper than the $500 Quest 3. Obviously, some compromises were made to get the 3S to its competitive price point. The spec comparisons are listed below:
Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Similarities
Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor
Touch Plus controllers
120Hz refresh rate
Mixed reality passthrough (same cameras, different layout)
Quest 3S vs. Quest 3 Differences
Lower per-eye resolution (1832×1920 vs 2064×2208)
Fresnel lens vs. pancake lens
Lower FOV (96°/90° vs 104°/96°)
Smaller storage capacity (128GB vs 512GB)
Longer battery life (2.5hrs vs 2.2hrs)
In essence, the Quest 3S is nearly the same headset but with downgraded optics. On the plus side, since both headsets use the same processor, running at a lower resolution reduces the load on the APU, which could theoretically improve performance in games and also account for the increased battery life.
For the price, the Quest 3S is unquestionably a better value than the Quest 3, and a better choice for most gamers, especially if the Quest 3 was completely out of your budget in the first place. Compared to the previous generation Quest 2, the decision is even easier.
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.
The Monster Hunter Wilds beta is back, and it’s got a few new fights in tow. Beta players are already grappling with its big challenge, a fearsome new foe called Arkveld, and its eliciting both excitement and dread.
Arkveld is the new flagship monster for Monster Hunter Wilds. This means the beast is the cover star for the game, and stands to play a significant role in the course of players’ journeys through Wilds. As part of the new beta test, courageous hunters can try to tackle a hunt for the Chained Arkveld, with a 20-minute time limit and five “faint” limit.
As ambitious players are discovering, this new monster packs a punch. Arkveld is a massive winged beast, with electric chains stretching out from each of its arms. It can swing them around and make the air crackle with its thunderous attacks, and it’s surprisingly fast, too.
Experienced hunters are still finding themselves sent back in a cart by its powerful moves. It’s an impressive display of the new technology, as Arkveld uses its whips to move around, throw out long-reaching attacks, and generally be a menace. One attack in particular has Monster Hunter players in the beta thunderstruck, as it grabs the hunter and roars at them before slamming them down.
It’s a visually impressive fight and an incredibly dangerous monster. While the difficulty might be worrisome for some, the Monster Hunter faithful seem spurred on by it. Taking down big, dangerous monsters is the name of the game after all, and seeing Wilds’ flagship monster be so fearsome and iconic in equal measure is a reaffirming notion. Additionally, the “Chained” note — plus Arkveld’s flagship status — has some players consideringwhether there could be an even more terrifying “Unchained” version down the line.
The Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta Test 2 runs February 6 through 9, and then returns February 13 through 16. Both Arkveld and returning monster Gypceros are available to hunt, and there are some other added features, like a Training Area and Private Lobbies.
Monster Hunter Wilds will be out on February 28, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. You can read more about Capcom’s latest hunting expedition in our IGN First coverage, including our Monster Hunter Wilds Final Preview here.
Roguelike deckbuilders need to do something pretty special to stand out nowadays, what with the Slay The Spileup of bangers over the past few years. Cobalt Core, Wildfrost, Samurai Showdown (if you squint). All excellent, but Diceomancer stands out above even those, thanks to a clever gimmick and a hefty dose of chutzpah. It’s there in the strapline, you know the deal, but to emphasise: you can reroll ANY number on your screen.
Your health, enemy health, attacks, blocks, buffs, mana, gold – all fair game. The numbers in encounters. On Relics. Have at ‘em! Heck, and that’s before you start scribbling in the rulebook.
It probably says something about the system that the question ‘y cant metroid crawl?’ is one of the most memorable nostalgia nuggets from the Wii U era.
Don’t get me wrong – while the initial messaging was poor, the GamePad’s killer apps never really arrived, and the system itself was slow and bulky, I still loved my Wii U. But with Nintendo spending the last eight years picking at its carcass and making its greatest hits accessible on 150 million more consoles, many memories made by the Wii U’s faithful few are now muddled with the shinier ‘Deluxe’ versions.
25 years ago, The Sims made history with the first instalment of a legendary series that would go on to be one of the best-selling of all time. Few simulation games have enjoyed the success and longevity of The Sims – and the freedom and creativity to play with life however you want has afforded the series near-unrivalled appeal in the years since.
This week, Electronic Arts is celebrating this milestone and the history of the series in a big way, which includes a huge The Sims 4 Free Content Update containing new Create a Sim options, clothing, Build/Buy Items and much more. The festivities will also include the limited-time Blast From The Past Event, which lets players earn revamped versions of iconic items from the original The Sims game via in-game goals.
We had the opportunity to chat with Kevin Gibson, Production Director for The Sims at EA. Gibson has been working in production roles across the franchise since 2003, and has first-hand experience of how the series has evolved in that time. The studio is abuzz with excitement about the franchise’s birthday, and Gibson shares that digging deep into the series’ past to rediscover nostalgic highlights has been extremely rewarding.
“Our incredible players have shown us that no one does life like The Sims, and we wanted to celebrate this journey we have been on together,” Gibson says. “25 years ago there was a game with an idea that made big a splash at E3, and look where we are today! We’ve been part of multiple generations and touched millions of lives.
“We wouldn’t be here today without that, and we wanted to take a moment to pause and recognize all of our players – from those who were there at the E3 launch in 1999, to those that are brand new Simmers today enjoying The Sims 4 for the first time. All of the Simmers from all of the years and all of the different ways to play The Sims, are part of this 25-year journey, and this is our way of saying thank you.”
Blast From The Past
The Blast From The Past event is a particularly nostalgic look back at the early 2000s, bringing memorable clothing, furniture and decor from the early Sims games into The Sims 4. Among the items are some of my personal favourites, including two bold neon inflatable chairs, a three-tiered cake, and the fabulous light-up dancefloor where my young self also ordered many a Sim to boogie on down.
A lot has happened in the world in 25 years too – in the year 2000, The Sims created a simulation in the image of real life. Now, that original game serves as a time capsule to a past life. For example, in the first game, putting a wired phone inside your home was a necessity. In The Sims 4, Sims carry their own mobile phones, brimming with services that can be accessed anywhere, just like us.
“We’ve taken time to really explore the history of The Sims, going back to the roots and playing the original game, as well as exploring many of the previous game launches to remind ourselves of all the different ways people play with life,” Gibson tells us. “Everyone at the studio has had a different part of the franchise they cherish as meaningful to them, and the opportunity to share those moments with our players as part of the 25th birthday celebration has been a lot of fun.”
Preserving the Spirit of The Sims
The original The Sims was great fun, but often irreverent, difficult and downright wacky in the scenarios it presented. Your Sims could perish in freak accidents, their shrill screams piercing through your cheap PC speakers, all while another Sim is receiving a mysterious prank call about canoes. While The Sims has evolved to welcome a wider audience across two decades, its spirit remains largely unchanged, and this is something that the team has always wanted to preserve.
“The Sims was hard. Your Sims died, a lot. However, a core concept of The Sims was that it was your story and the game provided the push back in a humorous way,” Gibson says, “The tradition of letting the player tell their story, while the game pokes at the edges with humor and challenge has been a key pillar of how we make decisions for the game.”
The Sims 4 continues in that original spirit of serving the needs of the player and the story they are telling, while using comedy to enhance the story in new and different ways – your Sims can die, they can be ghosts, they can romance the Grim Reaper… or even become a Reaper themselves.
Even at over a decade old, The Sims 4 continues to feel fresh, with a consistent roadmap of content packs and updates. The Sims as a franchise has always evolved over time, marking huge economical, societal and technological advancements inside its progression systems, and that is reflected in the recent Free Content Update.
“The Sims 4 team wanted to give our players something that felt more in line with today’s fashions and trends for clothing and decor,” Gibson adds. “We spent time doing a full review of our assets in the game, finding where there was room to draw inspiration from modern expectations of aesthetics and style that our players expect as part of the new content we wanted to add.”
“The Sims can draw from reality, fantasy and science fiction, romance, home decor, world culture, travel and so much more,” Gibson adds. “We’re always building onto this ever-growing toybox of options and experiences within The Sims. In addition, we have a large group of people who are all eager to share moments from their lived experiences and help bring authentic nuances to the game to help tell stories players are interested in telling.”
The Sims team has also kept a close eye on community requests and discussions over the years, and lots of additions that have been made to The Sims 4 directly reflect what the players are asking for, a demonstrable commitment to building a game for everyone.
“Our evolution has been fuelled constantly through listening to our players,” Gibson adds. “The Sims is about the player, the story they are trying to tell, the creative space they are trying to build within, and the expression they want to have within the game. We have evolved the most in the need to change and grow to meet our players expectations of this franchise and to reflect the world we all live in.
“From the beginning, we’ve always sought to immerse our player community in this different version of the world we know, where they can experiment and explore, and express themselves. Across all our games and spin-offs, this core commitment to creativity and imagination has always remained true, and underlying it all is an enthusiastic, endlessly inspiring community.”
The new The Sims 4 Free Content Update and Blast From The Past Event are available to play in The Sims 4 now. There are lots more Sims celebrations going on this week – be sure to visit the official website for more information. The Sims 4 base game is also free-to-play on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.
Unleash your imagination and create a unique world of Sims that’s an expression of you! Download for free and customize every detail from Sims to homes, and much more. Choose how Sims look, act, and dress, then decide how they’ll live out each day. Design and build incredible homes for every family, then decorate with your favorite furnishings and décor. Travel to different neighborhoods where you can meet other Sims and learn about their lives. Discover beautiful locations with distinctive environments and go on spontaneous adventures. Manage the ups and downs of Sims’ everyday lives and see what happens when you play out scenarios from your own real life! Tell your stories your way while developing relationships, pursuing careers and life aspirations, and immersing yourself in this extraordinary game, where the possibilities are endless. Play with life!
Download for Free – The base game of The Sims 4 is free to download. Get a plethora of options for building homes, styling Sims, and customizing their personalities. Craft their life stories while exploring vibrant worlds and discovering more ways of being you all at no cost.
Create Unique Sims – A variety of Sims are yours to personalize, each with distinct appearances, dynamic personalities, and inspiring aspirations. Use powerful customization features to bring your imagination to life. Create yourself, your favorite celebrities, your fantasy, or your friends! Change your Sims’ clothing to reflect your mood, develop stories that deepen your world, and give their lives purpose with traits and aspirations.
Build the Perfect Home – Effortlessly build and design homes for your Sims in Build Mode. Construct the home of your – and their – dreams by planning its layout, choosing furnishings, and altering the landscape and terrain. You can even add a pool, basement, and garden, or rebuild with new ideas and designs!
Play with Life – Control every moment of your Sims’ lives from their relationships to their careers. Your choices shape every aspect of their lives from birth into adulthood. Along the way, develop your Sims’ skills, pursue original hobbies, take them on adventures, start new families, and much more.
Add New Experiences – Use the Gallery to find inspiration from a community of players just like you. Download and comment on your favorite Sims, homes, and designed rooms.
Get More with EA Play – EA Play* members can expand their career possibilities with The Sims 4 Get to Work Expansion Pack
*Conditions, limitations and exclusions apply. See tos.ea.com/legalapp/eaplay/US/en/PC/ for details. Conditions & restrictions apply. See ea.com/legal for details.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket has a strange black market where players are buying and selling the digital cards online via its controversial trading mechanic.
Myriad listings for Pokémon TCG Pocket cards have appeared on eBay, with players charging $5 to $10 per card. This is only possible through the game’s recently introduced trading mechanic, as these sellers are simply asking to exchange friend codes with the buyers and then sending a card over.
One $5.99 listing for a Starmie ex, for example, asks buyers to ensure they have 500 Trade Tokens, one Trade Stamina, and most importantly, an “unwanted Pokémon ex” to exchange for the card they actually want.
This is where things get a bit strange. While it’s already a blatant breach of the Pokémon TCG Pocket terms of service — as “buying or selling virtual contents or data on the service” is not allowed — the seller in these situations essentially loses nothing.
The buyer gives up a card they don’t need for a card they do, which is a regular trade beyond the price tag, but the buyer doesn’t lose stock. Per the restrictions on trading, only cards of the same rarity can be traded, meaning the seller gains an ex Pokémon when they sell one and can therefore just sell it again.
Myriad listings for ex Pokémon and 1 Star, alternate art cards, the two rarest available to trade, are listed on eBay, each with varying price tags. Entire accounts are on sale too, offering the likes of Pack Hourglasses and rare cards within them, though this is a fairly common for online games, breach of service or not.
Trading in Pokémon TCG Pocket proved controversial upon its release last week, though this trading online isn’t directly related to the complaints.
Alongside the standard mechanic that restricts players from opening packs or Wonder Picking or, now, trading too much without spending real world money, the feature was also introduced with an extra restriction called Trade Tokens. Players criticized the high cost of obtaining these, as they essentially had to delete from their collections five cards before trading one of the same rarity.
This black market would have spawned even if trading had been released with absolutely no restrictions, however. The only relation to what players have complained about so far is in how bare bones the mechanic is, as there is no way to trade without being friends with another player.
This is because some players, like siraquakip on Reddit, were hoping for “a pretty safe way for the community to connect more.” Players have called for the ability to put cards up for trade publicly within the app, alleviating the need for using external websites like Reddit and Discord, and now eBay, to find the cards they need.
The irony is that Creatures Inc. deployed the hated Trade Tokens mechanic in order to stop exploiting the system in ways exactly like these eBay sellers are doing. It’s therefore clearly not worked, but has turned much of the community against the developer.
This is also evidenced by the inability to trade cards of 2 Star rarity or higher, as if players could immediately trade for their missing cards, they wouldn’t need to spend $10 or $100 or more for a random chance of getting them. It cost one player around $1,500 just to complete the first set, for example, and the third in three months arrived last week.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
Path tracing has been back on the PC hardware agenda recently, with Nvidia’s sales pitch for the GeForce RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 more than lightly based on how good they are at shotgunning this premium graphics tech down your eye stalks. Yet beyond the sparkling glamour of marketing slides, however, path tracing remains exceptionally niche: nearly six years since Quake II RTX served as the tech’s de facto gaming debut, you can still count the number of compatible games on your fingers. Compare and contrast with the dozens upon dozens of games that have embraced ray tracing, path tracing’s less demanding nephew, and you’ll likely start wondering why more game devs don’t go for it.
We’re not here to answer that, though. This is Should You Bother With, here to investigate whether you should start using path traced effects to give your games – some of them, anyway – the full maxed-out-visuals treatment. Even if it takes a graphics card upgrade to do so.
The IGN UK Podcast is here to guide you on a tour of historical violence (and occasional diplomacy). Jesse and Jen have spent far too long in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Civilization 7 respectively, whereas Cardy has dabbled in both but is mainly here to promote new crisps he’s found on adventures to Lidl, before bringing the mood down with mini-reviews of new movies Nickel Boys and September 5.
Remember to send us your thoughts about all the new games, TV shows, and films you’re enjoying or looking forward to: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.
The Nvidia RTX 5080 is out! Kind of. In theory. If you can find one. But here’s the thing: it’s basically just an expensive RTX 4080 Super in disguise (in my opinion). Performance is near-identical, stock is non-existent, and unless you’re willing to shell out over $2,500 for a prebuilt system, good luck getting one.
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