‘This Is Like a Whole New World’ – Arc Raiders Players are Using Aggression-Based Matchmaking to ‘Retire’ from PvP

Arc Raiders and its cutthroat PvP encounters have generated dozens of viral clips since launch, but some peaceful players prefer PvE to such a degree that they’ve started using the aggression-based matchmaking (ABMM) to find friendly lobbies.

The jig is up: developer Embark Studios is matching aggressive PvP players together. It’s a matchmaking tactic that has set the Arc Raiders community ablaze since the company announced its implementation earlier this month. While some of the more aggressive fans aren’t sure how they feel about being linked up with other bloodthirsty Raiders, gentler players are using ABMM to find lobbies where player-vs.-player violence is practically off-limits.

Posts from the arcraiders
community on Reddit

Multiple players have shared stories online about finding friendly lobbies that see Raiders cooperate with one another by evenly sharing loot after taking down a Matriarch. Some runs have even been said to result in a group dance party.

“Took down a matriarch and everyone shared the loot equally and then danced together at extract,” one player explained. “After a week of pure PvP this is like a whole new world.”

“Lately I’ve been running into nothing but friendly players,” another added. “Last night, a gentlemen just randomly gave me two blue prints. Didn’t have too, just did.

“I’ve been trying to repay that kindness forward. I’ll be the first to admit im not even good at this game, but the exploring, looting and meeting friendlies has been totally worth it for me.”

There are plenty of fans, especially in the solo queue pool, who favor a more serene Arc Raiders experience. While players do their best to use ABMM to land them in friendly lobbies, some have begun offering advice to those who would prefer to avoid PvP but can’t quite crack the code. There are even some fans discussing their hope for official support for strictly peaceful lobbies, but for those who prefer to rummage for loot in Stella Montis with a hint of paranoia, ABMM can be manipulated in the other direction, too.

Those who keep the safety on when looking for rusted gears and light bulbs with friends may have some luck balancing their lobbies with both friendly and aggressive players if they don’t exclusively stick to PvE combat. With enough trial and error, a few fans say they’ve had luck tweaking matchmaking to add just a dash of mischief.

“I enjoy both lobbies,” one Reddit user commented. “PvE for making new friends and looting properly. PvP with my mate terrorising the whole lobby and losing all the good weapons we brought [because] someone outplays us with a big smile on our faces and having a great time.”

Embark has been clear: ABMM isn’t a science. The aggression-based matchmaking tool is also likely still being tweaked as Arc Raiders rides success through its third month since launching for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X | S October 30. Still, it’s proven to be at least somewhat useful for those looking to avoid PvP, and the tension that comes with it, as much as possible.

While players argue over whether ABMM is right for Arc Raiders, Embark seems to have made up its mind. For the Stockholm-based game developer, Arc Raiders is better off without doubling down on competitive gameplay mechanics like leaderboards, with CEO Patrick Söderlund explaining in a recent GamesBeat interview that “the game isn’t about shooting other players.”

“You can do that if you want to,” he added, “but the ethos of the game has never been to go in and shoot players. It’s a part that we use to craft tension.”

The Arc Raiders community is still deciphering its favorite way to experience the evolving extraction shooter. While we wait for more updates, you can see what Embark is doing to extinguish cheaters. You can also check out what to expect from upcoming patches as players look out for a potential in-game marketplace.

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).

Hytale Can Run Doom, Apparently, and It’s Not Even Out Yet

Where can you play 1993 classic fps Doom? Loads of places. Cooking pots, smart photo frames, receipt printers (what), Wikipedia (what???), Alarmo, the wacky list goes on. And as of yesterday, that list includes unreleased indie sandbox Hytale, courtesy of a clever modder.

Doom running in Hytale comes courtesy of modder tr7zw (h/t Rock Paper Shotgun), who uploaded a video of Doom running “100% inside a Hytale mod, before Hytale is even released.” It is apparently fully controlled within the game of Hytale and isn’t actually very good to play in terms of controls working well. It’s a bit goofy, too, as it involves standing somewhere out in the world and then playing on what amounts to a blocky in-game monitor floating in the air in front of you. It runs at 20fps. But it is functional! That sure is Doom all right! I don’t know why you’d want to play it here when you have so many better options, many of which are on actual gaming platforms, but the purpose of the long-standing tradition of running Doom on weird systems has never been actually playing Doom in an ideal environment.

What’s really nuts about this is that Hytale isn’t even out yet: it launches in early access tomorrow. But modding platform CurseForge is already fully ready to support all the mods the community might desire, which imaginably will be quite a few given the game’s sandbox nature and similarities to Minecraft.

Hytale is showing some early signs of being a pretty big deal. According to its developers, it’s already made enough money to cover the next two years of development costs. Hypixel Studios founder Simon Collins-Laflamme is expecting over one million players on release day, and urged fans today to download the launcher now to help reduce stress tomorrow.

It’s a pretty incredible turnaround for a game that almost didn’t even get finished. Initially announced in 2018 from the developers of popular Minecraft server Hypixel, Riot Games ended up buying the studio mid-development to support the project. The game was delayed several times as its scope increased, until in June of 2025 the project was canceled and the studio closed. However, in November, Collins-Laflamme announced he had acquired the IP rights, announced that the game was back in development, and in a seemingly Herculean effort, the team has an early access version ready for tomorrow.

“It’s a damn miracle we were able to salvage Hytale,” Collins-Laflamme said in a statement last year. “It was barely playable. All basics were broken. Camera, movement, combat, crafting, building, gameloop, sounds, rendering. Everything, everything was wrong.

“It should have taken years to fix, but within weeks, we got the game into a playable, fun state. And now, instead of slowing down or celebrating a release, we have to keep pushing for years to make up for the time that was lost.

“So yes, I feel anger. And I’m turning that into focus and execution. I’m committing more money, more time, and personal sacrifice to deliver the game this vision deserves.”

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Peak Developer Explains Successful Game Pricing: ‘Eight Bucks Is Still Five Bucks’

Peak, a popular cooperative climbing game, costs $5. Except it actually costs $8, which is basically $5. And it’s on sale right now for just under $5, which is also $5, but if it dropped down to $3 it would actually be $2, which is basically free…

“What.”, you are probably thinking right now, but hear me out. It kinda makes sense. This goofy pricing scheme comes directly from Peak co-creator Nick Kaman in an interview with Game File, where he explains how his team came to the game’s actual sale price of $7.99. In the interview, he shares a theory about indie game pricing vibes that the team floated around as a bit of a joke that still has some truth behind it.

“We had this joke of, like, how much is a game really? In a player’s mind, what does it mean to spend five bucks? Well, that’s five bucks. But six bucks? Well, that’s still five bucks. Four bucks is also kind of five bucks. Three bucks is two bucks. And two bucks is basically free.

“So we’ve got these tiers: You know, twelve bucks… that’s ten bucks. But thirteen bucks is fifteen bucks. “And we found that eight bucks is still five bucks. It doesn’t become ten bucks. Seven ninety nine, that’s five bucks, right?

“So, eight bucks going to five bucks is the biggest differential we could find in pricing, so we found it very optimal.”

If you’re still reeling from this a bit, what Kaman is trying to say here is that a person getting ready to spend money on a game might see a price tag for $7 or $8, and psychologically not feel it’s that different from $5. But if a game is $9, it feels more expensive, closer to $10. And if a game is $2, it feels basically free to them.

There’s no exact science behind that, to be clear, but Kaman is working off his seven years of experience at Aggro Crab, and it seems to have worked out for the team. Peak launched in June 2025, and by August it had sold 10 million copies. Though its playerbase has (naturally and understandably) shrunk since launch, it’s still pulling in tens of thousands of people per day, which is a huge feat for such a small game.

Peak is currently on sale for $4.95, which is almost actually $5, and the lowest price it’s ever been offered for. It’s also significantly cheaper than basically everything AAA, as major publisher game prices in recent years have slowly crept up from $60 to $70, and now even $80, a price that definitely doesn’t feel like $5 or $10. Meanwhile, discussions in the indie game community about what to charge for a game remain ongoing, following a $20 price tag on Hollow Knight: Silksong causing some to panic about how it would impact their own prices.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

‘Masters of Albion Is the Culmination of My Life’s Work’ — Peter Molyneux’s Final God Game Has a Release Date and a New Trailer

Veteran video game developer Peter Molyneux has announced a release date for what’s described as his final god game: Masters of Albion.

Molyneux and his studio 22cans confirmed Masters of Albion for April 22, 2026 exclusively on PC via Steam, alongside a new video, below. 22cans said the trailer shows off Masters of Albion’s “unique blend of cosy creativity by day and brutal survival by night.”

Molyneux, who famously developed the likes of Fable, Populous, Dungeon Keeper, and Black & White before founding 22cans in 2012 and releasing controversial god game Godus, worked with the likes of Mark Healey, Russell Shaw, Iain Wright, and Kareem Ettouney on Masters of Albion.

“Blending strategy, simulation, town management, and real-time defence, the game gives players extraordinary freedom to play the game the way they want to play it,” 22cans said.

“Taking inspiration from some of Peter’s classic titles, Masters of Albion is a return to form, blending gameplay mechanics from multiple genres, strategy with simulation, town management with defence, to reinvigorate the god game, and give players the power and freedom to create. Or destroy…”

Here’s a comment from Peter Molyneux:

“Masters of Albion is the culmination of my life’s work, a game that owes so much to titles like Dungeon Keeper, Black & White, and Fable. It’s a totally unique game that we hope will delight players, a game that brings God Games into the modern gaming landscape and puts the genre firmly back on the map.”

Masters of Albion game features:

Build, Create, and Customise

As a god, you have absolute freedom over your towns and villages:

• Design and build every structure

• Hire, house and manage your workforce

• Customise buildings with paint, patterns and embellishments

• Combine building types into unique multi-purpose structures

• No timers or waiting, build instantly and iterate freely

From small workshops to sprawling towns, Albion grows exactly how you decide.

Wield the Power of the God Hand

Command the world with ancient powers:

• Manipulate buildings and objects freely

• Possess and control the living

• Inspire, reward, insult, or punish your people

• Throw giant boulders, spiked balls, exploding barrels or just plain old-fashioned people

• Rain lightning, fire and destruction down upon your enemies

• Shape Albion with absolute authority

Enjoy the freedom that being a god brings, but with great freedom comes great responsibility.

Roam Freely Across Albion

Experience the world from multiple perspectives:

• View Albion from the heavens or possess living beings to explore on foot

• Control heroes, dogs, workers and even chickens

• Complete quests to unlock treasures and secrets

• Delve into dangerous underground cave networks

• Craft weapons and armour for your heroes

• Design the clothes that your workers wear (however bizarre)

• Explore, experiment and uncover the forgotten history of Albion

Defend the Night

When night falls, Albion is no longer safe. Malevolent creatures emerge from the darkness, attacking towns and killing indiscriminately. Survival depends on preparation and decisive action:

• Design, build and arm powerful defensive turrets

• Hire heroes to protect the people

• Escort the vulnerable through the terrors of the night

• Construct walls, choke points, and deadly defences

• Channel enemies into carefully planned kill zones

• Use god powers to strike fear into the undead

• Possess heroes and fight enemies directly in real-time combat

Each night tests your planning, creativity, and resolve.

Key Themes

• Power and responsibility

• Industry versus ancient magic

• Freedom of choice and consequence

• Cosy creativity contrasted with chaos and danger

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Hytale Isn’t Even Out Yet and It’s Already Made Enough Money to Cover the Next 2 Years of Development Costs

Minecraft-style sandbox game Hytale looks set to be a significant hit even at the early access stage. Hot on the heels of predicting over 1 million players for tomorrow’s launch, its developer has said Hytale has already made enough money to cover the next two years of development.

In a social media post, Hypixel Studios founder Simon Collins-Laflamme said that the next two years of dev costs are now covered through Hytale pre-purchases. He added: “combined with my personal commitment of 10 years, we are looking very strong for the future.”

Three pre-purchase options are available: the Standard Edition costs $23.99; the Supporter Edition costs $41.99; and the Founder’s Edition costs $83.99. Collins-Laflamme confirmed the Hytale development team is now “50+ or so.”

It all points to enormous early success for Hytale, which has endured a tumultuous development. Hytale was announced in December 2018 with a trailer that has an incredible 62 million views on YouTube. Here’s the official blurb, as it was back then:

Hytale combines the scope of a sandbox with the depth of a roleplaying game, immersing players in a procedurally generated world where teetering towers and deep dungeons promise rich rewards throughout their adventures. Hytale supports everything from block-by-block construction to scripting and minigame creation, delivered using easy to use and powerful tools.

Excitement around Hytale was fueled by the experience of the developers themselves, who co-founded Hypixel, one of the most influential Minecraft servers in the world. Riot invested in the project and eventually bought the studio.

But in November, League of Legends developer Riot Games confirmed it had sold the rights to Hytale back to Collins-Laflamme after it had acquired the game back in 2020. Riot said that after considering “a range of options,” it decided to sell the IP rights back to Collins-Laflamme as this “gives players the best chance to one day experience a revised version of the game they’ve been waiting for.”

Development on the game had been stagnating despite its sale to Riot, but Collins-Laflamme set out to resurrect the dying IP, confirming he had rehired scores of developers who had worked on it.

In a statement published at the end of 2025, Collins-Laflamme expressed his “anger” at what had happened to Hytale over the years.

“The game has insane potential, but four years of engineering went into rebuilding the engine rather than gameplay features,” he said. “That leaves us with a four-year gap and a lot of catching up to do, and that rebuilt engine is never gonna be used.

“When you don’t invest in gameplay, you don’t just lose time. You lose momentum, iteration, and player feedback. Now the focus has to be on gameplay first and rebuilding trust by actually shipping things at a rapid pace.

“It’s a damn miracle we were able to salvage Hytale. It was barely playable. All basics were broken. Camera, movement, combat, crafting, building, gameloop, sounds, rendering. Everything, everything was wrong.

“It should have taken years to fix, but within weeks, we got the game into a playable, fun state. And now, instead of slowing down or celebrating a release, we have to keep pushing for years to make up for the time that was lost.

“So yes, I feel anger. And I’m turning that into focus and execution. I’m committing more money, more time, and personal sacrifice to deliver the game this vision deserves.”

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Stellar Blade Studio Shift Up Gifts Staff Yet Another Big Bonus, This Time an Apple Watch, AirPods Max, and a $3,400 Cash Bonus

Stellar Blade studio Shift Up has once again given bonuses and gifts worth around $4,000 to its entire team.

According to the South Economic Daily, the South Korean studio gifted each of its 300-ish staff a pair of Apple AirPods Max, an Apple Watch, and a cash bonus of around $3,400.

The studio has previously said that it provides these bonuses to retain and encourage existing talent at the company (thanks, VGC).

This isn’t the first time Shift Up has lavished gifts upon its staff, either. This time last year, the studio gifted all staff a PS5 Pro as well as a cash bonus of 5 million won, which is also around $3,400. Staff also secured a Nintendo Switch 2 each in June when Stellar Blade hit the 3 million copies sold milestone. In 2024, staff were given pre-paid credit cards worth around $6,800, and in 2023, staff were given iPhone 14s, among other bonuses.

The CEO of Shift Up recently received the Presidential Commendation at this year’s Korean Content Awards for his work in the games industry. Hyung-tae Kim was recognized for his contribution to the Korean games industry with the games Goddess of Victory: Nikke and Stellar Blade.

“This Presidential Citation is thanks to the developers and fans who believed in and supported Shift Up,” Kim said at the time. “We will continue to do our best to further promote the competitiveness of Korean games on the global stage.”

Don’t forget that a sequel, Stellar Blade 2, is also on the way. Shift Up is also working on Project Spirits, to be published by Level Infinite.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Hytale Dev Expects Over 1 Million Players to Turn Up for Early Access Release Date, Asks Fans to Download the Launcher Now

The developer of Hytale has issued a warning to fans ahead of what is expected to be a hugely popular early access launch tomorrow.

Minecraft-esque sandbox game Hytale’s hotly anticipated PC early access release date is set for January 13, and Hypixel Studios said it expects over 1 million players to turn up.

Hytale founder Simon Collins-Laflamme took to X / Twitter to make the bold 1 million player prediction, and to call on fans to download the launcher today (January 12) and log in “to help us significantly reduce launch-day stress.”

1 million players on launch day may sound like wishful thinking, but Hytale is one of the most anticipated games around, and views to its various trailers are enormous. This one does feel like it’s going to be big.

In November, League of Legends developer Riot Games confirmed it had sold the rights to Hytale back to Collins-Laflamme after it had acquired the game back in 2020. Riot said that after considering “a range of options,” it decided to sell the IP rights back to Collins-Laflamme as this “gives players the best chance to one day experience a revised version of the game they’ve been waiting for.”

Development on the game had been stagnating despite its sale to Riot, but Collins-Laflamme set out to resurrect the dying IP, confirming he had rehired more than 30 developers who had worked on it.

Hytale was announced in December 2018 with a trailer that has an incredible 61 million views on YouTube. Here’s the official blurb, as it was back then:

Hytale combines the scope of a sandbox with the depth of a roleplaying game, immersing players in a procedurally generated world where teetering towers and deep dungeons promise rich rewards throughout their adventures. Hytale supports everything from block-by-block construction to scripting and minigame creation, delivered using easy to use and powerful tools.

Excitement around Hytale was fueled by the experience of the developers themselves, who co-founded Hypixel, one of the most influential Minecraft servers in the world. Riot invested in the project and eventually bought the studio. Now, it’s ready to go it alone.

“Hytale and Hypixel Studios are independent again, and we are returning to the original vision from the 2018 trailer,” Collins-Laflamme said in a statement issued in November. “Because we went back to an older game build that was now meant for prototypes, some parts of the game will feel behind, but momentum is strong, and we’re working fast to make this into the game we all dreamed of.

“Modding and creative tools are in a decent state; however, they’re not where we want them long term. That being said, they’re ready for players who want to create content on day one. This is a good moment for modders, server owners, and creators to step in early! They will play a significant role in Hytale’s future.

“Since the cancellation, we’ve rehired more than 40 former and new team members, bringing the total to 50. Reacquiring a game from a AAA studio and preparing an early access launch within weeks is rare, and players will be able to watch the progress as it happens.

“If you don’t feel comfortable pre-ordering, please don’t. This is true early access, meaning it’s still very much unfinished and will be buggy for a while, but you have my and the team’s commitment to make Hytale the game we’ve always wanted it to be.

“The first impression will be rough, but the path ahead matters more.”

Then, in a statement published at the end of 2025, expressed his “anger” at what had happened to Hytale.

“The game has insane potential, but four years of engineering went into rebuilding the engine rather than gameplay features. That leaves us with a four-year gap and a lot of catching up to do, and that rebuilt engine is never gonna be used.

“When you don’t invest in gameplay, you don’t just lose time. You lose momentum, iteration, and player feedback. Now the focus has to be on gameplay first and rebuilding trust by actually shipping things at a rapid pace.

“It’s a damn miracle we were able to salvage Hytale. It was barely playable. All basics were broken. Camera, movement, combat, crafting, building, gameloop, sounds, rendering. Everything, everything was wrong.

“It should have taken years to fix, but within weeks, we got the game into a playable, fun state. And now, instead of slowing down or celebrating a release, we have to keep pushing for years to make up for the time that was lost.

“So yes, I feel anger. And I’m turning that into focus and execution. I’m committing more money, more time, and personal sacrifice to deliver the game this vision deserves.”

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Magic: The Gathering’s Full Release Schedule for 2026 Confirmed

Magic: The Gathering had some great sets in 2025, but it also showed Wizards of the Coast perhaps straying a little too far from what makes the long-running card game special.

That’s not to say Universes Beyond was a total bust. Final Fantasy brought in record-breaking numbers of players, and Avatar: The Last Airbender was a return to some semblance of form after the disappointment of Spider-Man.

Still, cardboard waits for no Planeswalker, and there are more sets in 2026 – seven, in total. That’s before we even get into the myriad of Secret Lair drops, and perhaps most worryingly, four of those sets are Universes Beyond.

Will they end up being closer to Final Fantasy or Spider-Man? And will the in-universe sets live up to the high bar set by Tarkir: Dragonstorm or Edge of Eternities? Here’s everything coming to Magic: The Gathering in 2026.

Lorwyn Eclipsed – January 23, 2026

If you’ve been yearning for a return to Lorwyn, the first set of 2026 is here to get things started. The set is a Universes Within to kick off the year, and marks the debut of the Draft Night Box.

You can preorder it now, and it’ll see the return of Commander Decks for the first time since 2025’s Edge of Eternities with two options: A five-color, or a Jund option.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – March 6, 2026

Wizards of the Coast revealed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at Comic-Con New York, with Universes Beyond going back to The Big Apple for the second time in a few months.

Still, expect colorful new art of the Heroes in a Half Shell, their assorted rogues gallery, and the debut of a Turtle Team Up co-op game mode.

We’ve got a full rundown of the product lineup, so be sure to check out the preorder guide, including a five-color Commander deck that stars all four Turtles.

Secrets of Strixhaven – April 2026

We still don’t know a great deal about our return to Strixhaven, but it is getting its own tie-in novel.

This Plane has been fertile ground for fun card designs and characters in the past, so here’s hoping for something good when it arrives in April.

Marvel Superheroes – June 2026

Spider-Man arrived in 2025, and now more Marvel heroes are coming to MTG, too.

We’ve already seen cards for Iron Man, Black Panther, Fantastic Four, and more, and the set will lean on comic book versions of the Marvel universe’s characters. Will it be better than the underwhelming Spider-Man set, though? We’re at least hoping the increased roster of heroes and (hopefully) villains will make this more exciting.

We’re expecting a Mentor/Sidekick theme, and for this one to be a popular entry point for new players. It might even be a good choice for a Beginner Box.

The Hobbit – August 2026

We’re going back to Middle-earth! Universes Beyond: Lord of the Rings was a colossal win for Magic: The Gathering, and the fact its fantasy theming fit so well with the card game means it feels a lot less jarring than other crossovers.

The only information we have so far is the following:

“Join Bilbo’s adventure of a lifetime with Dwarves to befriend, Trolls to trick, Elves to outwit, and songs to sing. There’s gold or dragon’s fire at the end, so enjoy the journey!”

Give us some Five Armies Commander Decks, please, or at least a Smaug card that isn’t just a Token creature.

Reality Fracture – October 2026

The last in-universe set of 2026 is Reality Fracture, and it’ll feature callbacks to Tarkir: Dragonstorm and Outlaws of Thunder Junction.

The team has suggested it has a theme players have wanted for a long time, but that’s all we know so far.

Star Trek – November 2026

If you felt Wizards had got the sci-fi out of their system with the (excellent) Edge of Eternities, think again.

November 2026 will see the arrival of a Star Trek set to celebrate that franchise’s 60th Anniversary, and it’ll incorporate everything from the original series to Strange New Worlds. It even got a trailer.

Magic’s 2025 Sets – At a Glance

It’s also good idea to take stock of 2025’s sets, because it was definitely a year that divided opinion.

  • Innistrad: Remastered – January 24
  • Aetherdrift – February 14
  • Tarkir: Dragonstorm – April 11
  • Final Fantasy – June 13
  • Edge of Eternities – August 1
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man – September 16
  • Avatar: The Last Airbender – November 21

That’s seven sets in total, with three of those being Universes Beyond collaborations with the likes of Square Enix, Marvel, and Nickelodeon. And, from looking at the 2026 schedule, it looks as though Wizards is looking to stick to that ratio.

Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay.

The Best Deals Today: Digimon Story Time Stranger, Tears of the Kingdom, 8BitDo SN30 Pro, and More

We’ve rounded up the best deals for Sunday, January 11, below. Don’t miss your chance to save on these deals!

Digimon Story Time Stranger for $52.45

Digimon Story Time Stranger was the long-awaited next entry in the Digimon Story franchise, and it turned out to be a major hit. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “Digimon Story: Time Stranger builds on its predecessors to deliver one of the best Digimon RPGs to date. It has a much more engaging story this time around thanks to its clever time travel setup and a charismatic and lively cast of Digimon characters.”

Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 for $58.99

Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 released for Nintendo Switch last Fall, and today, you can score this double pack for $58.99 at Woot! These two adventures are some of Mario’s greatest, making this a must-own game for any Switch owner. Plus, there’s a free update for Nintendo Switch 2 that enables 4K support.

New Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 Up for Pre-Order

Last week, Nintendo revealed the first new set of Joy-Con 2, which feature purple and green colors. These are set to launch on February 12 alongside Mario Tennis Fever, so now’s the time to secure a new pair if you’re planning on heading to the courts together with friends next month.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound for $31.12

Ninja Gaiden had an incredible 2025, and today, you can score one of the franchise’s most unique entries for $31.12. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound released in August and was created by The Game Kitchen. In our 9/10 review, we wrote, “Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound looks and sounds incredible, and the fast but thoughtful combat is so satisfying it’s hard to put down.”

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for $46.99

Tears of the Kingdom is one of the best games of the decade, maybe even ever. The expansive world and formula that Breath of the Wild introduced was perfected on, with Sky Islands and The Depths adding to an already gigantic world. Right now, you can take home a physical copy for $46.99, which is 33% off the usual price.

Save on The Art of DOOM: The Dark Ages

Art books are a great way to gain greater insight into the development of your favorite games. This DOOM: The Dark Ages art book was released a few weeks ago, and it’s already on sale for just under $31. Featuring over 200 pages, you can dive into behind-the-scenes art of the Doom Slayer, his weapons, and even enemies or locations.

8BitDo SN30 Pro Bluetooth Controller for $29.99

If you’re looking for a solid gamepad, the 8BitDo SN30 Pro is hard to beat. This controller is compatible with Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, iOS, and Android devices, so you can play games wherever you please. Drift is not a concern with Hall Effect Joysticks, and the battery life will last through multiple long sessions.

Silent Hill 2 for $27.39

Silent Hill 2 is available for $27.39 at Amazon. The Bloober Team-developed remake brought new life to the iconic Konami game, depicting the story of James Sunderland as he travels to Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his dead wife. With revamped combat, a rerecorded soundtrack, and new story additions, Silent Hill 2 is a fantastic horror game that is worth experiencing.

Devil May Cry 5: Official Artworks for $24.59

Devil May Cry 5 had a fantastic group of artists working on it, and you can take home the Official Artworks book this weekend for $24.59. This hardcover 256 page book packs in concept art, weapon designs, locations, storyboards, and more. It’s the perfect addition to any DMC fan’s collection.

The Warhammer 40,000 Narrative Finally Looks Set for a Significant Jolt Forward After 500 Worlds Book Teases Long-Awaited Meeting of Primarchs Roboute Guilliman and Lion El’Jonson

Warhammer 40,000 lore fans are in overdrive after a single page of a new campaign book teased something that’s never happened before in the setting: the meeting of two loyalist primarchs.

Only two loyalist primarchs are confirmed alive and active in the current Warhammer 40,000 setting: Ultramarines boss Roboute Guilliman, who returned to the galaxy during the Gathering Storm event in 2017, and Dark Angels chief Lion El’Jonson, who miraculously popped back into existence as part of the Arks of Omen storyline in early 2023.

Ever since Lion El’Jonson’s shock return to Warhammer 40,000, fans have wondered when he’d finally bump into his brother, Roboute. Now, it looks like that long-awaited family reunion will take place in the coming months, after a new campaign book teased a meeting of the Emperor’s sons.

Word comes from Warhammer 40,000 lore expert Arbitor Ian, who IGN has partnered with for a number of explainer videos, such as the one above. Arbitor Ian got an early look at 500 Worlds: Titus, a soon to be released Warhammer 40,000 campaign book and narrative expansion that features 80 pages of lore covering the beginning of the Ultramarian Reclamation, and published a new video on its most explosive lore reveal.

To back up briefly, Lieutenant Titus from the Space Marine 2 video game has become one of the most recognizable faces in Warhammer 40,000 following its enormous success. To capitalize on Titus’ newfound fame, Games Workshop promoted him to Captain and made him Master of the Watch, which means he’s in charge of defending the 500 Worlds of Ultramar, the realm of Space Marine poster boys, the Ultramarines. With Roboute Guilliman off gallivanting with his Indomitus Crusade, Titus is now in charge of keeping things safe and sound back home, where new Necron threats have emerged, as they always do.

According to the new video from Arbitor Ian, 500 Worlds: Titus has a crucial piece of new lore, found right at the back of the book, that teases a meeting between Guilliman and Lion El’Jonson. It is an intergalactic message written by Lion El’Jonson and intended for Roboute Guilliman that reads: “Brother. We need to talk.”

This seemingly innocuous message teases a momentous plot development for the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Never before have two loyalist primarchs met in the current setting. Of course they spent a great deal of time with each other before the 41st millennium. They were, generally, pals during the glory days of the Great Crusade, for example. All the primarchs (apart from the two we don’t talk about) were active during the foundational events of the Horus Heresy, which took place 10,000 years before the current setting. And we just got our first novel set during the era known as The Scouring, which saw the loyalist primarchs enact their revenge on the traitor legions in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy.

The question now is, how will this meeting between Lion El’Jonson and Roboute go? It’s hard to tell. Some fans are speculating the Lion will be a bit miffed at Roboute, who has alarmed more than a few inquisitive minds with his Indomitus Crusade. Others think (hope?) the brothers will join forces to help drive back the forces of Chaos and rekindle the glory days of the Imperium. Given this is Warhammer 40,000 and everything is… awful, I suspect that plenty will go wrong, no matter the Lion’s feelings about his brother.

And then there’s the speculation around the message itself: “Brother. We need to talk.” That doesn’t sound aggressive necessarily, but it does suggest a matter of some importance needs to be brought to Guilliman’s attention. What does the Lion know that his brother doesn’t? Does he carry a warning? Has he discovered some grand conspiracy about their father, the Emperor? Does he bring good news? Is another loyalist primarch about to return?

Arbitor Ian speculates that the Lion may be upset with Guilliman because he believes his brother to be trying to usurp the Emperor with all this Indomitus Crusade and Ultramarian Reclamation business (there’s a whole thing about Roboute potentially doing something similar during the Horus Heresy when it looked like Chaos might win). Alternatively, Arbitor Ian suggests the Lion will reveal some new threat that becomes central to the plot of the next Warhammer 40,000 campaign book, perhaps to do with would-be fifth Chaos god Vashtorr the Arkifane.

Whatever Games Workshop has up its sleeve, it looks like we’re set for some answers over the next few months. At least, that’s the hope. Fans have been waiting three years for the Lion and Guilliman to get together. If Games Workshop just sat on this tease for another few years, well… that would be very Games Workshop, wouldn’t it?

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.