Nintendo allegedly expressed dissatisfaction at Sega during the development of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, after seeing Sonic’s foot placed ahead of Mario’s.
The incident has come to light in an Arcade Attack Retro Gaming Network interview with Sega veteran Ryoichi Hasegawa, who worked on the Wii and Nintendo DS sports minigame classic ahead of its release back in 2007.
According to Hasegawa, Nintendo insisted that Sega change artwork set to be used for the game’s cover that depicted Mario’s foot placed behind that of Sonic’s.
“There was one funny story,” Hasegawa recalled of the game’s development. “There was artwork of Mario and Sonic, and you know, other characters standing on the field. And those artworks were used for the package, the instruction manual cover, and the cartridge label, and things like that…
“There was one small error and Sonic’s foot was in front of Mario’s foot, ” he continued, “and Nintendo demanded us to change the priority.”
Asked if Sega agreed to the change, Hasegawa said the game’s developers “of course” made the change for Nintendo. “We were like ‘oh my god’ we have to change it,” he concluded, “or there will be no deal.”
Nintendo has frequently been reported to be a stickler for its characters appearing exactly as it wants — another infamous example is the company sending notes to Disney to describe how Bowser should hold his teacup during a brief cameo in Wreck-It Ralph.
As it was, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games was a smash hit for Sega, selling 10 million copies and spawning a string of sequels. Alas, the franchise ended after its final game in 2020, when the International Olympic Committee chose not to renew its licensing deal with Sega and Nintendo, and instead pursue partnerships based around mobile gaming and NFTs.
“Basically the IOC wanted to bring [it] back to themselves internally and look at other partners so they would get more money,” producer Lee Cocker, who worked on the series while at marketing company ISM Ltd, previously confirmed.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Ex-Assassin’s Creed boss Marc-Alexis Côté is suing Ubisoft for $1.3 million in lost severance pay and damages following his shock exit from the company last year.
Radio Canada broke word of the lawsuit, which Coté has filed against his former employer due to the manner in which he left the company — an “unacceptable demotion” that constituted a “disguised dismissal.”
Ubisoft told staff of Côté’s departure via an internal email that discussed the need for Vantage Studios’ leadership team to be “aligned” with its core goals. At the time, IGN reported that Côté had been offered a role as part of Vantage Studios’ leadership, but declined.
Côté’s lawsuit claims that he was essentially replaced in his role early in 2025 by Vantage Studios’ newly-installed leadership, Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot — the cousin and son of Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. With this layer of management now above him, Côté claims he then learned over the summer of 2025 that Vantage was now seeking to hire a new Assassin’s Creed franchise boss, too.
Radio Canada’s report suggests that Côté enquired about the role but was told he was not suitable and would not be supported by Yves Guillemot, as the position was to be based in Ubisoft’s base in France, rather than in Canada, where Côté is based and every major Assassin’s Creed title has been led.
Côté’s lawsuit allegedly claims that he was offered a “Head of Production” role, reporting into the incoming new “Head of Franchise”, and then alternatively the chance to lead another business unit, working on second-tier Ubisoft franchises.
During a two-week period of reflection on what to do next, Côté told Ubisoft his exit from the company would require severance pay. It was at this point that Ubisoft allegedly told Côté not to show up for work as expected on October 13 and await a formal response. The following day, October 14, Ubisoft announced that Côté had departed.
In an internal note to Ubisoft staff obtained by IGN at the time, Derennes said he was “disappointed” by Côté’s decision, but that the former leader “had his own expectations and priorities related to Vantage Studios’ creation and future.”
“Following the organizational restructuring announced in March 2025, Marc-Alexis Côté has chosen to pursue a new path elsewhere outside of Ubisoft,” a Ubisoft spokesperson said in a comment to IGN at the time. “While we are saddened to see him go, we’re confident that our talented teams will carry forward the strong foundation he helped build.”
Now, Côté’s lawsuit alleges his exit from Ubisoft constituted an abuse of power and resulted in damage to his reputation. The amount he is seeking — $1.3 million — is the sum of two years’ salary and a further $75,000 in damages. Côté is also seeking for Ubisoft to lift his non-compete agreement, which currently limits his ability to work elsewhere.
Representatives for Côté have confirmed the lawsuit. IGN has contacted Ubisoft for comment.
Côté, known to colleagues by his initials as “Mac”, joined Ubisoft in 2005 as a software engineer, before working as a lead engine programmer on Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. From there, he joined the Assassin’s Creed series in time for Brotherhood, working as a lead level designer, before serving as a game director on Assassin’s Creed 3.
As creative director, Côté led development on a string of projects built at Ubisoft Quebec, the talented team which made Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag DLC Freedom Cry, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, and then Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, for which he served as senior producer.
In March 2022, as Quebec worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Ubisoft sought to relaunch the series with a more consistent story focus via the Animus Hub (a project then envisioned under the title of Assassin’s Creed Infinity), it was Côté that took the reigns on the entire franchise, laying out a Marvel-style slate of upcoming projects that included the forthcoming Assassin’s Creed Hexe, which still lacks a release date. The next release in the franchise is widely-expected to be an Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag remaster, meanwhile.
Image credit: Andrej Ivanov/AFP via Getty Images.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
We’ve rounded up the best deals for Sunday, January 18, below. Don’t miss your chance to save on these deals!
Borderlands 4 for $39.99
Borderlands 4 is on sale this weekend for $39.99. This weekend is the perfect time to pick up a copy in case you missed the latest Borderlands adventure. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “Borderlands 4 gives the series the massive kick in the pants it has needed, with a fantastic open world and greatly improved combat, even if bugs and invisible walls can sometimes throw off that groove.”
Mafia: The Old Country for $34.99
Mafia: The Old Country is on sale for $34.99 this weekend at Best Buy, and this is the lowest we’ve seen this game yet! Set in Sicily during the 1900s, The Old Country follows Enzo Favara on a journey of proving his worth. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “Mafia: The Old Country is a conventional but effective return to the linear and tightly story-driven format of the original Mafia and Mafia II, and it boasts a wonderful eye and ear for detail.”
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition for $64.99
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was only released in December, and today, you can save $5 off a physical copy of the Switch 2 Edition at Amazon. The latest adventure of Samus Aran takes place on the planet Viewros, and you’re given new psychic abilities to utilize in navigating the secrets of the planet. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is an excellent, if relatively uneven, revival that reaches heights worthy of the Metroid name in its best moments.”
Pre-Order the LEGO Zelda Ocarina of Time – Final Battle Set
Launching March 1, you can secure this newly announced Ocarina of Time LEGO set today. This set depicts the ultimate final battle at the end of OoT, featuring Zelda, Link, Ganon, and the legendary Triforce. If you’re a fan of The Legend of Zelda, this LEGO set is the perfect addition to any shelf, room, or collection.
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.
Little Nightmares III for $29.83
Little Nightmares III is on sale today at Amazon for $29.83. If you’ve yet to pick up the latest entry on Nintendo Switch 2, this weekend is a great time to score this co-op adventure on sale.
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.
The Art of Final Fantasy XVI for $19.79
The Art of Final Fantasy XVI is a 320 page collection of the stylish game’s concept, character, weapon, and location art. Each piece by Kazuya Takahashi is included in this book, in addition to concept art from the whole team of artists. With the LOGOS lore book set to release soon in English, this is the perfect companion piece to complete your FFXVI collection.
Digimon Story Time Stranger for $47.59
This one keeps dropping lower! 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.”
Despite being on TV for nearly 30 years, with 28 seasons and over 330 episodes so far, there have been shockingly few video games based on the hit animated television series, South Park. That could be down to the fact that video games take years to make and the average South Park episode only takes a few days, meaning the usual topical pop culture references that fuel the show might feel positively ancient by the time a video game hits shelves. Regardless, a dozen South Park games have managed to buck that trend and actually get released since the show debuted in 1997. Some of them great and some of them..not so great. Here are the best, worst, and weirdest South Park games.
South Park
The first South Park video game ever made was an ambitious one, even if a first-person snowball fighting simulator didn’t exactly make a ton of sense for the brand. But since local multiplayer FPS games like Goldeneye were all the rage on the N64 in 1998, it’s no surprise that South Park got a similar treatment, even if the end result was much sillier. Developer Iguana Entertainment (known mostly for the Turok game series at the time) and publisher Acclaim Entertainment came together to create a solid FPS game packed with South Park references, including a recreation of the show’s theme song, multiple playable characters, and Kenny dying brutally before the title screen even appears. It’s not a great game by any stretch, and seeing the traditionally flat and hand drawn South Park characters as low poly 3D models was an odd fit, but it had enough South Park fan service to make it worth checking out at the time.
South Park: Chef’s Luv Shack
A year later South Park: Chef’s Luv Shack arrived, this time with a graphical style much truer to the show’s 2D look. Developed once again by Acclaim, it moved away from first person combat, instead providing a game show-style minigame and trivia collection for Kyle, Stan, Kenny, and Cartman to compete in. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to play this game without other human players, so if you were an only child (or just a loser like Butters), you were pretty much out of luck. Additionally, the limited trivia question set led to a lot of repetition, meaning the joke got old pretty fast, and fans were once again left holding a licensed video game letdown.
South Park Rally
The third and final Acclaim Entertainment South Park video game once again delivered an experience that critics disliked and diehard fans merely tolerated, this time attempting to take on the popular kart racing genre with the South Park license slapped on. South Park Rally is a crude and ugly kart racer with unreliable controls and lackluster track design, but hey, you can drive Big Gay Al’s car and throw Mr. Hanky turds at other players, so at least there’s that.
Despite the show’s immense popularity, South Park video games ended up taking a seven year hiatus after this capped off Acclaim’s trilogy of games, which probably pleased South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, seeing as they once said during a DVD commentary for an episode of the show: “Oh God, the South Park games were so bad. We were so bummed out on those, because we love playing video games.”
South Park 10: The Game
In 2007, South Park celebrated its 10th season on the air less than spectacularly by releasing a bare bones, Europe exclusive mobile game that referenced key moments from the show. South Park 10: The Game is a short and very no-frills platformer that looks like a fan made flash game. Aside from collecting hidden Cheesy Poofs in each level, there’s not much to do or see once you roll credits in under an hour. Still, it was nice to see somebody utilizing the license again, even if the final product was totally average. But you could play as a cow nearly two decades before Mario Kart World let you, so hey, there’s that.
South Park: Let’s Go Tower Defense Play!
Two years later, Xbox Live Arcade got its own South Park tower defense game, pitting its main characters against waves of ginger kids, hippies, cows, and more as they tried to save their idyllic and weird little town. The 2D art direction, official voices and sound effects, and iconic humor elevated a pretty bog standard tower defense outing into an actually solid South Park video game.
South Park Mega Millionaire
Once again revisiting the game show setting for reasons that are unclear, 2009’s South Park Mega Millionaire – hot off the heels of 2008’s hit film, Slumdog Millionaire – was a mobile game that decided it was a good idea to strap roller skates to the South Park kids and put them in precarious platforming situations in front of a live studio audience. It’s not a great game by any stretch, but it does have one of the best South Park video game jokes of all time, as the kids survive a Japanese game show in hopes to win a ten thousand yen prize; unbeknownst to them, ten thousand yen equates to roughly sixty three dollars.
South Park: Tenorman’s Revenge
2012’s Tenorman’s Revenge is another Xbox exclusive South Park game, this time revisiting Scott Tenorman, a character from the infamous South Park episode where Cartman makes Scott eat chili made from the bodies of Scott’s own dead parents. Well, Scott Tenorman has returned to get revenge in video game form in this brief and mediocre platforming game which is only briefly improved by the occasional boss fight and its central plot device, which focuses on the kids having to recover a stolen Xbox 360 hard drive along with all of their precious game save files.
South Park: The Stick of Truth
As you can probably tell by now, the first 16 years of South Park games left a lot to be desired. Everything changed in 2014 with South Park: The Stick of Truth, a genuinely great RPG that, unlike previous South Park games, was made with direct input from the show’s creators. Known for their previous work on franchises like Fallout and Star Wars, developer Obsidian Entertainment built a fantastic and hilarious 2.5D role playing game that looked and felt almost exactly like an episode of the show. It’s not just one of the best licensed games ever made, it’s also a fantastic turn-based RPG in its own right, and definitely the only game in the genre where you have to shrink down your character small enough to explore a human anus so you can disarm a bomb. Take that, Final Fantasy.
South Park: Pinball
Zen Studios, creators of the excellent digital pinball franchise Zen Pinball, created a set of South Park pinball tables that totally understood the assignment, mixing rock solid gameplay and hilarious show references to excellent results. There’s even a dedicated Butters pinball table, as well as Mr. Hanky inspired brown pinballs, in case you ever wanted to knock a bunch of pellet-shaped turds around to compete for high scores.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
2017’s sequel to The Stick of Truth was The Fractured But Whole, which was probably/possibly legally as close as they could get to putting the word “butthole” in a video game title. Fractured But Whole is another fantastic and funny RPG, this time satirizing the superhero movie genre more than just role playing games in general, and once again looking exactly like an episode of the show. This time around the battle system takes place on a grid complete with environmental hazards like LEGO bricks that can injure characters when stepped on, and features levels like the Peppermint Hippo, a strip club complete with a lapdance minigame sequence, just in case you were worried that South Park would lose its edge in a Ubisoft published video game.
South Park: Phone Destroyer
That same year, South Park: Phone Destroyer was – you guessed it – a mobile game, which just so happens to be the only South Park mobile game you can still download and play on your phone today. Phone Destroyer is a free-to-play card battling game that does a surprisingly good job of playing to the strengths of its platform. You’ll receive believable calls and texts from Cartman, and you can unlock multiple endings based on how much real money players spend on premium microtransactions, even shaming you and telling you to seek help with addiction if you spend too much. More mobile games should do that. The world would be a better place.
South Park: Snow Day!
The latest (but hopefully not the last) South Park video game is South Park: Snow Day, a sloppy action adventure roguelike that simultaneously attempts to complete the story established in Stick of Truth and Fractured But Whole, while also returning to the original South Park game’s snowball fighting roots. It’s a shame that Snow Day doesn’t even come close to being fun or funny, with IGN’s own review calling it “thoroughly unenjoyable,” and “uncharacteristicly toothless and unfunny.”
It’s been a weird, windy road for South Park games, but with the recent Fortnite collaboration and megadeal renewal of the show, something tells me we’re just getting started and that hopefully, more South Park games are on the way.
So what’s your favorite South Park video game ever made? What’s your dream South Park game idea that you’d love to see someday? Go on down to the comments section and leave your woes behind. And if you want more about video game tie-ins to highly successful animated sitcoms that have been on TV for decades, go check out my video about the best, worst, and weirdest Simpsons video games.
We’ve rounded up the best deals for Saturday, January 17, below. Don’t miss your chance to save on these deals!
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition for $64.99
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was only released in December, and today, you can save $5 off a physical copy of the Switch 2 Edition at Amazon. The latest adventure of Samus Aran takes place on the planet Viewros, and you’re given new psychic abilities to utilize in navigating the secrets of the planet. In our 8/10 review, we wrote, “Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is an excellent, if relatively uneven, revival that reaches heights worthy of the Metroid name in its best moments.”
Pre-Order the LEGO Zelda Ocarina of Time – Final Battle Set
Launching March 1, you can secure this newly announced Ocarina of Time LEGO set today. This set depicts the ultimate final battle at the end of OoT, featuring Zelda, Link, Ganon, and the legendary Triforce. If you’re a fan of The Legend of Zelda, this LEGO set is the perfect addition to any shelf, room, or collection.
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.
Little Nightmares III for $29.83
Little Nightmares III is on sale today at Amazon for $29.83. If you’ve yet to pick up the latest entry on Nintendo Switch 2, this weekend is a great time to score this co-op adventure on sale.
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.
Digimon Story Time Stranger for $50.39
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.”
Animal Crossing: New Horizon’s big 3.0 update is now live, and with it a bustling hotel where you can decorate rooms and attract villagers from the game’s massive roster of over 400 animals for a visit. But while these visiting pals can wander your island, see the sights, and even participate in activities like Group Stretching, there’s one thing they can’t do: stay forever.
The reason this is coming up is because you can invite new animals onto your island in various other ways. If they visit through the Campsite, they can be persuaded to stay. If you encounter them during Island Excursions, you can similarly invite them to come back home and live next door. You can even steal villagers from friends if you visit their towns while that animal is already moving out. But for some reason, the hotel works differently. Animals staying for a vacation won’t move to your island, even if you have a vacancy, no matter how much you beg.
A number of players (me included) are upset about this! The hotel is the best method yet of meeting a lot of different animal villagers, since there are eight total rooms and they can all be full at any given time, meaning eight potential chances to find the villager of your dreams. These little guys will also roam around the island and do most of the things normal residents do while they’re there. They even have dialogue about how they wish they could stick around longer!
What’s even more tragic is that former island residents can come visit you via this feature, and they’ll have unique dialogue talking about how much they miss living on your island. But there’s no way to get them to return permanently. They’re just there for a little relaxation, and then gone again.
As much of a bummer as this is, the Hotel is still a pretty good way to get familiar with what villagers are even out there, so you know when they come around the campsite or when you stumble over them on an Island Expedition that you want to bully them into moving in. Besides, you’ve surely banked enough Nook Miles by now to go on hundreds of Expeditions until you find the friend you want, right? Right?
From dumbbells to gaming headsets, there are some great discounts you should take advantage of heading into the weekend. Many deals, including Best Buy’s Winter Sale will be wrapping up over the next few days, so be sure to take advantage of all the savings while you still can. Take a look at all the best deals for today below:
TL;DR: Best Deals Today
Audible Premium Plus for $0.99/mo for First 3 Months
There are only a few days left to score an Audible Premium Plus subscription for only $0.99 per month for the first three months. If you don’t have an active Audible membership, chances are good you’ll be eligible for this promotion. After the three months are over, you’ll be charged the usual subscription of $14.95/mo, but you can cancel at any time.
As an Audible Premium Plus member, you’ll enjoy access to 500,000 of the top audiobooks; Premium members only get 10,000 audiobooks to choose from. Additionally, you’ll receive 30% off other audiobooks you’d like to purchase, get one audiobook monthly that will remain in your library indefinitely (two for Prime members), plus access to other sales and promotions. Given that all of this is only $3 for three months, you don’t have much to lose.
The Belkin Connect USB-C 6-in-1 Core GaN Dock Is 50% Off
Woot has knocked 50% off the current Amazon price of the Belkin Connect USB-C 6-in-1 Core GaN Dock 130W. This compact little dock is perfect for those looking to take a workstation on the go or who are tight on space at an office. It’s packing up to 96W of power delivery via USB-C port to keep your device charged, be it a laptop, tablet, or even a handheld gaming PC, while five extra ports are available to connect all your peripherals. Two USB-A, a USB-C 3.2, an HDMI 2.0, and a Gigabit Ethernet port are all available to plug a mouse, keyboard, display, and more.
40% Off the Dreamegg Sunrise 1 Alarm Clock
If you’re like me and don’t want to drop $150+ on a Hatch Alarm just yet, the Dreamegg Sunrise 1 is an awesome alternative that costs less than $100. But what makes things even better is it’s 40% off on Walmart and Amazon (for Prime members), making it just $60. While it won’t have as many features as a Hatch, you do get a simulated sunrise coupled with the sounds of nature for a more gentle, natural wake-up. Beyond the sunrise feature, the clock offers several other adjustable colors. Additionally, the sound machine feature allows you to select from over 29 relaxing sounds, ranging from white noise to meditations.
Razer BlackShark V2 X Gaming Headset Back to Lowest Price
The Razer Black Shark V2 X Gaming Headsets are back down to their lowest prices on Amazon right now. Whether you’re after the PC, Xbox, or PlayStation version, all of them have gotten a nice markdown. Each headset easily connects to your console or PC via a 3.5mm jack, and once you’re connected, the 50MM drivers deliver some impactful, clear audio to put you in the center of the game’s action. With well-cushioned, breathable earcups and a relatively lightweight design, you’ll even be comfortable rocking this headset during longer gaming sessions. It’s a great budget gaming headset that’s well worth the current price tag.
Big Savings on PowerBlock Adjustable Dumbbells
Need dumbbells in a few different weights, but don’t want to break the bank to get them? While these might not be Bowflex’s adjustable dumbbells, Woot has a killer deal on PowerBlock’s adjustable dumbbells right now, so you can get them for only $239.99. That’s a fraction of what Bowflex sets will cost. With the EXP Adjustable Dumbbell Set Stage 1 starter set, you’ll get weight options between 5 and 50 pounds in adjustable increments of 2.5 to 5-pounds. All of which is easily adjustable by turning a dial. If you’d like to lift even heavier, two expansion kits are available for $119.99 each.
Save $500 on the Acer Nitro 60 GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Gaming PC
Skip the headache of building your own rig and opt for an awesome value pre-built PC instead. The Acer Nitro 60 GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Gaming PC is $500 off on Best Buy, making this awesome gaming PC just $1,800. It’s one of the best prices available for a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti graphics equipped rig. Plus, given that this graphics card is likely at its end of life, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a standalone RTX 5070 Ti priced reasonably. Beyond graphics, an Intel Core i7-14700F processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 2TB PCIe SSD are packed in. It’s clear that this gaming PC is ready to tackle some high-fps gaming and a whole lot more.
Hisense 65″ Class U6 Series MiniLED QLED UHD 4K Smart Fire TV (2025) Hits Lowest Price Ever
Looking for a great gaming TV that won’t break the bank? The Hisense 65″ Class U6 MiniLED 4K TV is an awesome option. Best of all, it’s even cheaper than Black Friday, costing you just $530. That’s the lowest price it has ever hit. Now, just because this TV is affordable doesn’t mean it’s lacking. With a 4K 144Hz refresh rate and VRR support on two HDMI ports, this TV is ready to keep up with your PS5 and Xbox Series X. The mini LED panel with local dimming delivers solid contrast, while the overall picture quality is bright and vibrant. Anyone looking for a reliable budget TV should take advantage of this deal.
Save $11 on Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition for Switch 2
Right now, the Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition for Switch 2 is discounted by $11, which is one of the lowest prices we’ve seen. Sure, Nintendo’s handheld might not seem like the ideal console for playing this dark, moody, and graphically intense RPG. However, during our review of Cyberpunk 2077 for Switch 2, reviewer Tom Marks found the experience “impressive,” adding, “If you haven’t had the pleasure of exploring Night City before, this seems like a solid way to do so.”
3 for $33 4K UHD Movies
Great news! Amazon’s three for $33 4K Blu-ray sale is still live (it ends on 1/19). That means you can score an awesome deal on select 4K UHD titles. All that you need to do is add three movies to your cart, and when you go to check out, the price will drop to just $11 each. Whether you’re looking to add a few classics to your physical media collection, like The Shining or 2001: A Space Odyssey, or want some newer titles, like Jurassic Park: Rebirth or Sinners, there’s a huge selection to choose from. It’s a great time to buy.
Save $60 on the JBL Flip 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
The JBL Flip 6 is ridiculously cheap on Woot. This brand-new Bluetooth speaker is almost 50% off, now priced at just $70. It’s going for $60 more on Amazon, so that’s one heck of a deal that’s sure to sell out fast. Boasting a 12-hour battery life, IPX7 waterproofing, and a versatile design, it’s a portable option ready to go with you anywhere. Most importantly, the audio performance is impressive thanks to a 2-way speaker system ready to deliver loud and clear sound.
Best Buy Video Game Winter Sale
The New Year’s Sale may be over, and now we’re on to the Best Buy Winter Sale. Luckily, the savings are similar, bringing solid discounts on tons of popular titles. From Borderlands 4 for Xbox Series X getting 40% knocked off its price tag, to NINJA GAIDEN 4 for PlayStation 5 seeing a $30 price drop, there are some pretty awesome deals worth checking out.
A Pokémon card store in Manhatten has become the latest target for thieves looking to steal merchandise featuring the lucrative pocket monsters — and this time, customers were held at gunpoint.
Speaking to ABC News, staff at the Poké Court outlet in the Meatpacking District have said that $100,000 worth of stock was stolen in just three minutes, as a team of three robbers burst into the newly-opened store during its first community evening event.
As one thief smashed glass cabinets to obtain expensive items, another held shoppers at gunpoint. A third, meanwhile, kept watch at the door. “It was a free event and then three armed men just came in and brandished guns in [customers’] faces,” store owner Courtney Chin said. The shop has since employed a security guard.
ABC News reports that similar thefts have occured in Boston, Los Angeles and Seattle, as the latest in a long line of card shop robberies targeting Pokémon items.
“If you look at any local card shop around the country, there’s a good chance they’ve gotten robbed,” Chin added. “I’ve seen videos where the robbers will tunnel in through the walls, or through the ceiling.
“We can’t let a few bad apples like this ruin the hobby for everyone else,” Chin concluded. “We want to create a safe space for the community and it really sucks that like 50 people had to basically get held up and held hostage.”
Image credit: ABC News.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
This 2008 Nintendo DS Disney tie-in has been the focal point of numerous viral campaigns over the years, which have seen the users of notorious internet imageboard 4chan propel the game to notoriety despite (or because of) the fact it is… not very good.
Now, seemingly, the game has achieved cult status to the point where copies are changing hands for hugely-inflated sums of money on eBay. A look at recently-sold listings on the auction site shows copies have been bought for as much as $399.97.
Auctions currently in progress have copies set to sell for as high as $700 at the time of writing. Meanwhile, half a dozen completed listings from earlier this week show copies that have sold for over $100. Last year, similar listings show the game selling for around $15.
Currently, Disney Cory in the House is still the joint-second best game listed on Metacritic by user ranking, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 not yet dethroned. Earlier this week, IGN contacted Metacritic to ask if it planned to intervene at some point to put an end to the mischief. As of yet, the company is yet to comment.
If you have a copy of Disney Cory in the House yourself — or you can source one from a local second-hand store — now might be a good time to try and turn a profit. Or, of course, you could hang on to the title — which IGN rated as an “awful” 3/10 when it released almost two decades ago.
“The game has some of the clunkiest controls we’ve seen, the presentation is insultingly stupid, the minigames are hardly games at all, and on top of everything it’s really short,” IGN wrote in our Disney Cory in the House review. $400 well spent, then.
Image credit: Disney.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Speaking during the New Game+ Showcase 2026 earlier this month, Gerighty said: “So, The Division 3 is in production, right? This is not a secret. It’s been announced. It’s shaping up to be a monster. I can’t really say anything more than that. But this is, within these walls in Massive, we are working extremely hard on something that I think will be as big an impact as Division 1 was.”
He then went on to enthuse about other The Division projects in the works at Massive Entertainment, which he has now left for fellow Swedish studio DICE.
“It’s time for me to hang up my go bag (keeping the watch) as I go on another grand adventure,” Gerighty said. “The Division future burns bright, and I can’t wait for you to discover what the teams have been working on. Long live The Division and Godspeed!”
Two months ago, Massive Entertainment introduced what it called a “voluntary career transition program,” (the studio asked its staff to volunteer to be laid off) as part of a move to focus on The Division franchise and its Snowdrop game engine. It came as part of significant restructuring at Ubisoft that has seen multiple studio closures and rounds of layoffs. Massive Entertainment’s Star Wars Outlaws, released in 2024, was a big sales disappointment for Ubisoft, despite significant development and marketing costs. Julian Gerighty was Outlaws’ co-director.
In a social media post, Massive Entertainment told The Division fans not to worry about Gerighty’s departure, saying the teams who built The Division with him remain.
Once an Agent, always an Agent. We’re thankful for everything you gave this universe. You’ll always be part of it. Good luck at @EA_DICE, @jgerighty 🧡 pic.twitter.com/QlzuV4XtVV
— Massive Entertainment – A Ubisoft Studio 🎮 (@UbiMassive) January 16, 2026
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.
