Lenovo didn’t wait around until Black Friday to drop the price of the Ghost Cipher Limited Edition Xbox Series X|S wireless controller to the lowest we’ve seen. Right now you can get it for just $54.99 after a 21% off discount. Although Xbox controllers in standard colors are likely to be discounted further for Black Friday (we expect they’ll be $39.99 each), it’s less probable that the Ghost Cipher edition will follow the trend, since it was only just released on October 21. This is an official Microsoft controller that’s compatible with Xbox Series X and S consoles as well as your PC.
21% Off Xbox Controller Ghost Cipher Edition
The Ghost Cipher Edition is an absolutely gorgeous controller, with a translucent clear top case, rubberized ash gray grips, metallic bronze triggers and D-pad, and a solid white back. The interior components are colored silver to match the overall theme. Aesthetics aside, this Xbox wireless controller is identical to the one that’s bundled with the Xbox Series X and S console. Standard features include textured grips, hybrid D-pad, button mapping with the Xbox app, a 3.5mm audio jack that works with any wired headset, and a Share button to upload screenshots and video.
The controller supports both Xbox wireless and Bluetooth connectivity. That means you can use it for your PC or mobile device. In fact, we think this is the the best PC controller you can get. If your PC doesn’t have Bluetooth, you can still use it in wired mode with a USB Type-C cable or go out and buy a Bluetooth or Xbox wireless adapter.
Get the Sky Cipher Controller as Part of a Bundle Discount
A similar looking edition is the Sky Cipher controller, which features the same trasparent casing but in blue instead of clear. It’s available on Amazon as part of an Xbox Cloud Gaming Bundle, which includes the controller, an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, all for only $79.99. Better yet, this bundle will allow you to play Game Pass games without having to own an Xbox console.
Xbox Gift Cards Are on Sale at Amazon
Amazon Prime members can get 10% off Xbox gift cards and PlayStation Store gift cards. We only see this deal come around a few times a year and it’s usually only for smaller denominations. This time around you can get up to a $100 Xbox gift card or $250 PlayStation gift card and still get the discount.
3 Months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $36.49
Woot! (which is owned by Amazon) is offering the best deal on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. For today only, you can get a 3 month code for only $29.19 after code “TWENTY“. Earlier this year, Microsoft raised the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to $19.99 per month, so now you’re saving 40% off a 3 month membership. Note that you can purchase multiple codes and apply them to your account, up to a maximum of 36 months. If you’re an Xbox gamer, this is a great way to save a lot of money in the long run since you won’t have to buy new release games individually to play them.
When Is Black Friday 2024?
The actual date of Black Friday in 2024 falls on November 29 this year, but the deals season will begin a lot sooner than that. Leading up to the big event, retailers will begin to open deals online. This usually starts in the last week of October, just before Halloween. Each week leading up to the event will slowly roll out more deals, which ultimately leads to massive discounts on Black Friday. Retailers will not reveal their biggest Black Friday deals until the big day, but most general deals will be available well in advance.
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.
PlayStation 5 exclusive Astro Bot saw its supposedly final drop of downloadable content released today in the last announced weekly speedrunning level, but fans are scratching their heads over a number of unreleased bots present in the credits.
Reddit user pkowswald noted that, even with the additional two bots released in today’s DLC, there are still several game franchises such as Assassin’s Creed and Rayman credited in Astro Bot despite not having individual bots of their own.
While it’s entirely possible this is from deals fallen through or content cut, what makes the prospect of more DLC down the line more believable is that the credits were actually updated to include an extra character upon the final speedrunning level’s release. None of the unused franchises were cut either.
Astro Bot still includes licensing credits for Rayman, Worms, Assassin’s Creed, Beyond Good & Evil, Croc, and Tomba, the last of which was added today. Nothing official has been said about if these games will be featured eventually, or if more DLC is planned. The PS5 exclusive seems to have performed well both commercially and critically though, so Sony may want to push more DLC down the line.
One of our favorite Xbox Game Pass Ultimate deals has returned at Woot, providing another opportunity for users to stack their membership at a discounted rate. You can get three months of the service for just $29.19, today only with code TWENTY.
The promotion includes significant savings, such as $10 off a $100 Xbox gift card. These discounts are particularly valuable for those planning to purchase digital games, downloadable content, or subscriptions during the holiday sales period.
Early Black Friday Deal: Save on an Xbox Series X Console
Black Friday may not be until November 29, but some retailers have been dropping some excellent deals ahead of time. Walmart has kicked off its first wave of Black Friday sales and there are plenty of offers on games to explore. If you’ve had your eye on picking up an Xbox console, the 1TB Carbon Black Series X is currently on sale at the retailer for $50 off, dropping its price to $448.
Best Xbox Game Deals
This time of year is great for finding games on sale. At the moment, you can score some incredible deals on a wide variety of physical games. This includes Space Marine 2 for Xbox Series X, which has dropped to its lowest price yet at Amazon according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. You can also score some great deals on Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, which is down to $24.99, and Madden NFL 25, which has dropped to $34.97.
More Xbox Video Game Deals:
Best Xbox Accessory Deals
Does your family complain when you stay up playing loud shooters late into the night? They’ll stop complaining if you pick up anXbox headset that lets no one but you hear the delightful explosions you cause on the screen.
Right now, you can get 17% off the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX wireless headset and 37% off the Razer Kaira Pro wireless headset at Amazon. To see even more gaming headsets on sale, visit our roundup of the best gaming headset deals.
What is Xbox’s Recent Controversy?
The recent discomfored surrounding Xbox can be isolated to a recent round of brutal layoffs. Microsoft is closing a number of Bethesda studios, including Redfall maker Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush and The Evil Within developer Tango Gameworks, and more in devastating cuts at Bethesda. Alpha Dog Games, maker of mobile game Mighty Doom, will also close. Roundhouse Studios will be absorbed by The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios. Microsoft, currently valued at over $3 trillion, did not say how many staff will lose their jobs, but significant layoffs are inevitable.
Is Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Coming to Xbox Game Pass?
Microsoft has confirmed the arrival of Call of Duty Black Ops 6 day-one on Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft made the announcement alongside the release of a live-action reveal trailer called ‘The Truth Lies’. In it we see world leaders including Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, George H. W. Bush, Colin Powell, and Saddam Hussein, delivering cryptic speeches. Black Ops 6 will be set during the events of the Gulf War during the early ’90s.
When Should I Buy an Xbox?
In general, it is advisable to keep an eye out for sales and restocks throughout the year, as availability has improved since the initial launch of the console. Unlike the Nintendo Switch, there is no specific recommendation to wait for a sale regardless of the time of year. Instead, it’s a good idea to monitor various retailers and online platforms for restock announcements and promotional offers.
However, certain events like Black Friday or other holiday seasons may bring about unique bundles, discounts, or promotional deals specifically for the Xbox Series X. These bundles may include additional games, accessories, or exclusive limited editions. While quantities for such promotions might be limited, they can provide an opportunity to get more value for your purchase. See our guide to Xbox Series X prices for more info.
Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S?
Choosing between the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S ultimately depends on your gaming preferences, budget, and specific requirements. Let’s compare the two consoles to help you make an informed decision:
1. Performance: The Xbox Series X is the more powerful option, offering native 4K gaming, higher graphical fidelity, and faster loading times. It has more advanced hardware, including a larger storage capacity. On the other hand, the Xbox Series S targets a lower price point and offers a less powerful performance, targeting 1440p resolution gaming and upscaling to 4K.
2. Price: The Xbox Series S is more affordable compared to the Xbox Series X. If budget is a significant factor for you, the Xbox Series S provides a cost-effective option while still delivering a next-generation gaming experience. For example, the Series S can play Starfield at 1440p 30fps (vs 4K 30fps on Series X).
3. Storage: The Xbox Series X comes with a larger internal storage capacity, allowing you to store more games directly on the console. The Xbox Series S, however, has a smaller storage capacity, which means you may need to manage your game library more actively or rely on external storage solutions.
4. Disc Drive: The Xbox Series X includes a disc drive, enabling you to play physical game discs and enjoy a wider range of media options, including Blu-ray and DVD playback. The Xbox Series S, in contrast, is a digital-only console, meaning you can only play games downloaded from the digital store.
5. Graphics and Performance: While both consoles support ray tracing, the Xbox Series X provides a more immersive and visually impressive experience due to its superior hardware capabilities. If you prioritize cutting-edge graphics and want the best performance available, the Xbox Series X is the preferable choice.
Consider your gaming preferences, budget, and whether you prioritize top-of-the-line performance or cost-effectiveness. If you have a 4K TV, want the most powerful console, and are willing to invest more, the Xbox Series X is the recommended option. If you have a lower budget, a 1080p or 1440p TV, and don’t mind sacrificing some performance, the Xbox Series S offers excellent value for money.
With how expensive gaming is getting in 2024, we’re trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We’ve got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as Switch and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand new offers. If you’re trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.
Star Wars is forever bringing back elements of the prior Extended Universe and Andor Season 2 is doing its bit by featuring a ship from a 1994 video game.
IGN’s Andor: Season 1 review returned a 9/10. We said: “Andor is one of the very best TV shows of the year and as good as Star Wars has been in a long, long time.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
Despite being the face of a Hollywood film franchise and the star of a three decade old video game franchise, Sonic the Hedgehog is still homeless.
As reported by Automaton, fans grew concerned recently after discovering what appeared to be a major change to an incredibly random piece of Sonic the Hedgehog lore. A comic featured in the 2025 Sonic the Hedgehog Annual claimed the blue blur lived in Green Hill Zone, the iconic opening level to the original Sonic the Hedgehog.
But Sonic lore has otherwise stated he’s a drifter, roaming from place to place and never settling down, with even official channels like the TailsTube web series pointing to this fact.
Some fans were therefore relieved to hear Sonic had settled down, while others were in an uproar, forcing the hand of Chris Hernandez, Sega’s associate manager of Sonic the Hedgehog lore, who clarified the annual’s claim was just a misprint.
“Sorry to burst the bubble so late here,” Hernandez said on X/Twitter. “This was something we caught early on but it looks like an older draft got through on accident. Sonic doesn’t have a home; he’s still a drifter. Will work on making sure this doesn’t happen again. Thanks for catching this.”
Sonic appears too busy to sit down and apply for a mortgage, with his third film debuting on December 20 and bringing Shadow the Hedgehog to the cinematic universe. An enhanced remake of Sonic Generations folded in the edgier hedgehog in the aptly titled Sonic x Shadow Generations.
In our 9/10 Sonic x Shadow Generations review, IGN said: “Sonic x Shadow Generations takes an already excellent game and spring jumps it to new heights with a creative Shadow campaign and an appreciable graphical upgrade.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
Infinity Nikki, the open-world dress up role-playing game from former The Legend of Zelda director Kentaro Tominaga, launches on PlayStation 5, PC, and mobile on December 5.
Developer Infold Games revealed the date alongside a new trailer, below, which showed off a ton of the world alongside its characters, their companions, side activities, and clothes players can dress up in.
“Infinity Nikki breathes new life into the Nikki series by delivering an open world experience unlike any other,” the synopsis reads.
Infinity Nikki Official Release Date Set for December 5!đź’«
Check out the Official Release Date Announcement Trailer for Infinity Nikki! Stylists, are you ready to set foot in the enchanting Miraland? Soar through the sky, relish each thrilling step, and capture all these… pic.twitter.com/05CMzti0in
“Players will discover and explore a charming, vibrant world through activities such as fishing, pet grooming, and fashion contests. Additionally, a diverse cast of characters will brighten the world through evocative and engaging story quests, while locations will challenge Nikki with platforming challenges to take advantage of her movement and exploration toolsets.”
The game also has a staggering 30 million pre-registrations, meaning its launch next month could set some records of its own.
Black Ops 6 Season 1 launches today, November 14, and with it comes a mammoth update that has become a Call of Duty trademark.
The Season 1 update, which brings Call of Duty up to version 1.061.000, is available to download now and weighs in at a gargantuan 40.422 GB on PS5 and 38.724 GB on PS4.
This is an enforced update for Call of Duty, the all-encompassing app that houses Black Ops 6, Warzone, and prior Call of Duty games. You need to download the 40 GB update for the base game even if you don’t have Black Ops 6.
Season 1, which goes live at 9am Pacific / 5pm UK time, makes a number of significant changes to Black Ops 6, adding new Multiplayer maps, skins, a battle pass, and big balance changes. Activision published the Season 1 patch notes overnight. New updates are also coming for the Black Ops 6 campaign and Modern Warfare 3, if you have those downloaded.
Call of Duty, with its various evolving modes like Multiplayer and Zombies alongside yearly releases on top of separate games like Warzone, is not only messy but takes up a big slice of your storage. For this year’s game, Activision made a number of changes designed to streamline the Call of Duty interface, offering more direct access to games and more control over downloads.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Mortal Kombat 1 developer NetherRealm fully unveiled Ghostface overnight, showing off the DLC guest character’s signature hunting knife, crawling skills, and ability to phone in a fellow Ghostface partner to help finish off victims.
But what the developers failed to reveal is which Mortal Kombat characters they’re quietly bringing back to the series via the Scream villain’s various versions that are available in-game.
During a Kombat Kast, NetherRealm confirmed there are actually three versions of Ghostface: the main Ghostface is the villain from the Scream films, as you’d expect, but the identities of the other two are secrets NetherRealm challenged players to work out for themselves.
As reported by EventHubs, NetherRealm confirmed that the other two Ghostface versions are Black Dragon characters called, at least for now, The Enforcer and The Assassin. Black Dragon is Mortal Kombat’s mercenary clan headed up at various points (the timeline is pretty complicated!) by fan-favorites Kabal and Kano. The lore justification here is Ghostface has been transported to Lui Kang’s timeline without his partners from the movies, so recruits two members of the Black Dragon clan to help him out.
So, Ghostface is actually three characters in one. You can switch to temporarily playing as The Enforcer or The Assassin by holding a button during certain moves. You can tell them apart by their knives, if you look closely. You get 12 seconds to play as an alternative Ghostface before you revert back to the OG, or your opponent lands a hit and triggers the OG to come running back in.
Players have analyzed The Enforcer and The Assassin’s unique movesets for hints at the Black Dragon characters’ true identities. Already, there are two outstanding suggestions.
Warning! Spoilers for the identity of Ghostface in Mortal Kombat 1 follow.
Mortal Kombat fans have identified moves that are directly related to Kobra (Enforcer) and Kira (Assassin), two human Black Dragon members who each made their debut in 2004’s Mortal Kombat: Deception. We also see Assassin do Kano’s famous roll attack, but Kira does this move as well in both Deception and 2006’s Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. As you can see from the movesets, this one looks nailed on.
Reaction to this revelation has been positive, not only because it’s a clever way of bringing back two rather obscure Mortal Kombat characters that perhaps would never have seen the light of day otherwise, but also because it leaves the door open for other, perhaps more wanted characters to appear as Kameos or even fleshed out DLC characters with a potential, but so far unannounced Kombat Pack 3.
As for Ghostface, the OG version is voiced by Roger L. Jackson, who has voiced the character throughout the Scream franchise. Ghostface joins the Mortal Kombat 1 roster on November 19 as part of the early access period for Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Expansion owners, followed by wide availability for purchase on November 26. Up next is Conan the Barbarian and T-1000 Terminator.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Hi everyone! Today, I’d like to share a brief statement by the #PokemonTCGPocket Team about more immediate updates coming to the game in the next few months.
I look forward to sharing more details with everyone as they become available! pic.twitter.com/eaN35vRpSw
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
In the wake of today’s large 2.0 update for Warcraft III: Reforged, Blizzard has released the complete list of patch notes, revealing changes to everything from multiplayer to various bug fixes.
The biggest highlight is a graphical update that adds HD versions of classic units, buildings, visual effects, environments, and icons. It also includes the option to customize between Reforged and Classic HD assets so fans can mix and match as they please.
Elsewhere, Warcraft III: Reforged 2.0 includes improvements to the lighting, the addition of XP and leveling to ranked play, and music from Warcraft I and II. The user interface also features various updates.
The 2.0 update represents another step forward for Blizzard’s ill-fated remaster, which is considered one of the worst moments in the publisher’s long history. The original release was panned for poor graphics, missing features, and broken promises, leaving it with a poor reputation from which it has never really recovered. Nevertheless, Blizzard has continued to work on Warcraft III: Reforged in the background, adding in ranked play and other requested features.
Added HD versions of Classic Units, Buildings, VFX, Heroes, Environments and Icons.
Added new section (under Reforged in the option screen) which will give players the ability to customize between Reforged and Classic HD Assets.
Collection
Collection screen now has a filter option between skins and portraits.
Added 5 new Warcraft III Starter Portraits.
Added Reforged Campaign Heroes as playable skins in Multiplayer (if the skin has a Classic equivalent, the Classic version will show if you have Classic HD Heroes enabled).
Added an option to disable Skins (for players who only want to see default units).
Added Warcraft 2 Portraits.
Added Warcraft 1 Portraits.
User Interface
Added The Frozen Throne Theme (TFT). Players can toggle back by clicking the logo on the main menu or in the options.
Menu flow has been updated.
All front-end menus have been updated.
Added in-game hotkey customization screen in the option menu. Players must have custom keys enabled to access the menu.
Added options to turn on APM, FPS, Timer, Ping through the option menu.
Added the ability for a player to watch through their Match History if they have the replay saved.
Search filter added to create game.
Search filter added to replays.
In-Game User Interface
Added in-game timer that can be turned on/off via the options or using “/time”.
Added deny indicator that can be turned on/off via the options.
Added Goldmine worker counter that can be turned on/off via the options.
Added Race Indicator in the Allies menu (F11) next to the players’ names.
All chat is disabled by default but can be turned on manually via the options.
Squad formation is disabled by default but can be turned on manually via the options.
Health bars are set to always on by default but can be changed manually via the options.
Numbers on cooldown are set to on by default but can be turned off manually via the options.
Idle worker key will camera snap to the unit only after the player has double tapped.
HUD can now be scalable in the option.
Classic mode HUD now has the option of removing the side boarders.
Campaign Talking Head UI is disabled by default but can be turned on manually via the options.
Music
Added Warcraft 1 and Warcraft 2 Music as an option.
Multiplayer
Added XP and leveling to ranked play.
Leaderboard ranking is based on the amount of XP if player have the same XP rank tie breaker will be MMR.
MMR bands have been reduced from 0-10000 to 0-7000.
MMR will no longer reset after a new season if you are currently ranked. MMR will reset slightly if you played 0 games in the previous season.
Level and XP will reset completely at the start of every season.
AT can no longer match RT in 4v4 and 3v3.
Added game servers located in Chicago, United States of America and Sydney, Australia.
Reforged Environments
All Reforged Terrian Art has been updated for all environments.
Various Tree Doodads have been updated to reflect the environment changes.
Foliage is disabled by default.
Reforged Lighting
Bloom has been removed.
Tone map has been updated.
Increased Ambient Lighting.
Settings
All settings have been set to default settings.
Tooltips
Updated various tooltips to better reflect ability usage for Heroes.
World Editor
Added option to turn on/off Addons from Reforged to Classic HD.
Added the ability to toggle on/off foliage.
Bugfixes
Fixed an issue where players could no longer create or invite players to Clans.
Fixed an issue where the Demon Hunter would lose vision permanently if it was revived through the Ankh of Reincarnation.
Fixed an issue where match results would not be processed.
Mac
Fixed an issue preventing Mac users from launching the game.
Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
