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Dragon Age: Dreadwolf Is Officially Being Renamed, With Gameplay Reveal Set for June 11 – EXCLUSIVE

The next Dragon Age is set to get its first big gameplay reveal on June 11, and when it does, it will be with a new name. IGN can exclusively reveal that the latest entry in the Dragon Age franchise, previously known as Dragon Age Dreadwolf, is being renamed Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

The news comes with a host of details that shed new light on BioWare’s anticipated RPG, which up until this point has been kept heavily under wraps. Among other things, BioWare confirmed that The Veilguard will feature seven playable party members, and that it will feature “fun and fluid, moment-to-moment combat” while continuing to center strategy via the unique powers of each companion.

But it’s the name change that will do the most to raise eyebrows among the fandom. Ever since the conclusion of Dragon Age: Inquisition’s Trespasser DLC, fans have expected a story focused on Solas, the former companion who was revealed to be the Elven god Fen’Harel, also known as the Dread Wolf. BioWare general manager Gary McKay explains that while Solas is “still very much a part of the story of Dragon Age: The Veilguard,” the team wanted a title that reflected a “really deep and compelling group of companions.”

“One thing that’s important to remind fans is that every Dragon Age game is a new and different experience and this game, more so than ever, is about you and your companions – a group that you must rally to fight by your side,” McKay tells IGN. “We can’t wait for players to meet, connect and form their own personal relationships with the unique companions that make up The Veilguard. That’s the spirit of this game…of this story. Choosing who will join you on your adventure, fight alongside you, and be there by your side in the end.”

In a separate blog post, McKay elaborated, “Each of the seven unique characters that make up your companions will have deep and compelling storylines where the decisions you make will impact your relationships with them – as well as their lives. You’ll unite this team of unforgettable heroes as you take on a terrifying new threat unleashed on the world. Naturally, the Dread Wolf still has an important part in this tale, but you and your companions – not your enemies – are the heart of this new experience.”

McKay claims that the name change wasn’t a matter of focus testing, which commonly informs decisions like these. He even goes so far as to admit that sticking with Dreadwolf might have been easier.

“We actually think sticking with Dreadolf would have been the safer choice – ‘Dread Wolf’ is a cool name after all!” McKay says. “In the end, it was most important for us to have a title that was authentic to the companions that are the heart of this adventure we’ve created. We’ve worked throughout development to create really incredible backstories for each companion that intersect with the main narrative in meaningful ways.”

As for why it’s not simply named “Dragon Age IV,” McKay says it’s for the same reason that Dragon Age Inquisition wasn’t called “Dragon Age III: Inquisition.”

“Every game in the series tells its own unique story and the title is an important element to help set the stage for the next standalone adventure inclusive of its own hero, companions, narrative arc, villain, setting, etc,” he says.

The highest-stakes release in BioWare’s history?

The name change is the beginning of what is shaping up to be possibly the highest-stakes release in BioWare’s history. It’s been a full decade since Dragon Age: Inquisition – which we we named our Game of the Year in 2014 – and since then the storied RPG studio has been battered by the disastrous release of Anthem, layoffs, and other setbacks, with Mass Effect: Legendary Edition being one of its few bright spots. The Veilguard has been in various stages of development during this time, even reportedly being canceled at one point, though McKay frames it as a period of exploration in his blog post.

“After Dragon Age: Inquisition launched, the studio was given an incredible opportunity to explore, test, and validate a variety of gameplay concepts as we worked to determine what the next Dragon Age could look like,” McKay writes. “We brought everything to the table which, yes, even included a multiplayer concept. The time we spent experimenting and iterating gradually taught us a lot. This work, and the amazing support from EA, helped us re-focus on creating an incredible single player game, with all the choices, characters and world building you’d expect from us.”

Asked what it means for BioWare to finally be able to show The Veilguard to the world, McKay said, “As the studio head and executive producer, it’s been incredible to see the journey, resilience and passion that this team continues to bring every day. We have an incredible group of both BioWare and Dragon Age veterans who have been with us for years, as well as new faces and voices that love the series who have helped to create an unforgettable experience we feel will be worthy of the Dragon Age name.”

So who exactly are the Veilguard? In the lore, the Veil is a barrier between the physical world and Fade, which is Dragon Age’s spirit realm. Solas, who helped create the Veil, now wants to destroy it. Hence, as McKay puts it, “the Veil needs guarding.”

While acknowledging that the why and the how is definitely spoiler territory, McKay says, “The biggest clue I can share is that you and your companions – that make up The Veilguard – are central to taking down a new evil threat unleashed upon Thedas. It might not just be Solas.”

McKay isn’t quite ready to reveal the party members quite yet, but does provide some hints on what to expect, including some initial info on romances.

“We spent a lot of time making our companions feel authentic based on their own unique experiences within this larger fantasy world, which in turn makes the relationships you form with them feel even more meaningful. We’ve tapped into Dragon Age’s deep lore and explored its most iconic factions to bring each of the seven companions and their stories to life,” he says.

“I won’t spoil next week’s reveal but I can say we’ve created a story where you can impact the world and the companions that surround you. Player agency is important to the Dragon Age: The Veilguard experience and allows each player to form unique personal connections with their companions of choice. And, yes, you can romance the companions you want!”

[Y]ou and your companions…are central to taking down a new evil threat unleashed upon Thedas. It might not just be Solas

McKay says the decision to pare the number of companions from nine to seven is mostly down to it being the “right number for the story we’re telling.” Each one is intended to represent a unique faction or element from Thedas, and will feature their own arc with “stories of love and loss, each with meaningful choices and emotional moments.”

He continues, “As you accompany your companions to unravel their backstory and earn their loyalty and friendship, you’ll visit more regions of Thedas across a deeper variety of biomes than any Dragon Age before it.”

McKay mostly sidesteps questions of how Inquisition’s characters might fit into The Veilguard’s story, though he does confirm that it will once again feature an original protagonist similar to The Warden, Hawke, and The Inquisitor, noting that each Dragon Game has its own standalone story with its own thread and conflict.

“Games across the Dragon Age franchise are never designed as a game-over-game continuous storyline. There are familiar arcs, factions and heroes important to the overarching Dragon Age universe that weave through the new story we’re telling,” he explains. “The previous games, characters and events aren’t the anchor of Dragon Age: The Veilguard it’s about your adventure with a brand new cast of companions that you must rally to fight against a powerful force.”

He once again teases another villain beyond Solas: “I don’t want to get too deep into spoiler territory but I can say that the Dread Wolf is not the only god players need to be worried about.”

BioWare hints at what to expect from The Veilguard’s gameplay

When The Veilguard is finally revealed on June 11, BioWare’s presentation will include 15 minutes of gameplay from the opening moments of the game, which will help set up the story. On the gameplay front, McKay says that The Veilguard’s combat was a “big area of focus” and something the team wanted to push forward. Among other things, McKay says that The Veilguard will feature an ability wheel designed to give players more direct control over their characters.

“As an RPG, strategy in combat is important as you bring two companions to every fight. Each companion brings unique powers and abilities that have a direct impact on how you choose to take down the enemies at hand,” he says. “To add another layer to that strategic element, we’re introducing a new ability wheel where you can pause the action and set up your next move – whether it’s your companions’ abilities or your own.

“The ability wheel opens up a huge amount of strategic possibilities, giving players the ability to control the flow of combat and link powerful combinations of abilities between players and their companions that can quickly turn the tide of any battle. We think we’ve found an exciting balance between fun, fluidity and strategy for every encounter.”

It all points toward a game that seems likely to please longtime fans of the series who have been waiting anxiously for a new entry over the last 10 years – and it’ll need to be. BioWare won’t say it directly, but everyone seems aware that a lot is riding on Dragon Age. Its reception will say a lot about whether BioWare is able to reestablish itself as a top-tier RPG studio alongside Larian, CD Projekt Red, and other recent success stories.

“This is a game and experience that continues BioWare’s tradition of single player RPG storytelling set in the epic fantasy world of Thedas,” McKay says. “We know Dragon Age fans and the community have been waiting a long time for the next game and we could not be more excited to share our gameplay reveal on June 11.”

Make sure to stay tuned to IGN for more Dragon Age info, as well as lots more from Summer Game Fest, IGN Live, and more.

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.

Concord’s $39.99 Price ‘Provides the Full Experience’, Sony Says

Concord’s $39.99 price point “provides the full experience,” Sony has said.

Following Concord’s divisive reveal during Sony’s State of Play showcase in May, some had wondered whether the live service hero shooter would release in free-to-play form.

Confirming Concord launches in both physical and digital standard editions for $39.99 / £34.99 / €39.99, Pam Piscitello, director of marketing and operations at developer Firewalk, said in a post on the PlayStation Blog that this full experience includes all 16 playable characters (called Freegunners in-game), 12 maps set on various worlds, and six team-based modes.

This will expand shortly after launch with regular, post-launch updates for all players at no additional cost, Piscitello added.

“From the very beginning, we wanted Concord to be a complete multiplayer-focused experience that combines engaging gameplay, rewarding progression, and a robust roster of characters, maps, and game modes right out of the gate, while also creating a platform for us to evolve and expand the game and universe over time,” Piscitello commented.

As is the modern video game way, the more expensive Digital Deluxe Edition ($59.99 / £49.99 / €59.99) gives early access to Concord when it launches this August. That amounts to up to 72 hours of early access before the global launch on August 23.

As already announced, a pre-launch beta is set for PlayStation 5 and PC with cross-play support. Those who pre-order get early access to this. Pre-ordering any edition of Concord grants you five codes for the beta early access weekend in July.

By launching Concord on PS5 and PC simultaneously priced $39.99, Sony is replicating the release strategy employed for Arrowhead’s co-op shooter Helldivers 2, which went on to become the fastest-selling PlayStation game of all time with an incredible 12 million copies sold in just 12 weeks.

Cheaper price points and simultaneous releases on PS5 and PC may be the way forward for Sony’s live service games, if Helldivers 2 and now Concord are evidence of an overall strategy. Sony has insisted it will continue to release its big ticket single-player games on console first before coming to PC later.

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.

Counter-Strike Skin Sells for Over $1 Million

A Counter-Strike 2 weapon skin, meaning a variant color and pattern for an in-game gun, has sold for more than $1 million of real world money.

CS:GO, now Counter-Strike 2, lets players earn Weapon Cases (loot boxes) through gameplay or by purchasing them in the store, but each also requires a corresponding key to open it. These can, again, be earned through gameplay or purchased in the store.

The competitive first-person shooter is free to play but has an extensive economy surrounding the contents of these loot boxes: weapon skins. Players can buy, trade, and sell them to each other, and the rarer pieces have sold in the past for hundreds, thousands, and even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As reported by Kotaku, the StatTrak Factory New AK-47 Blue Gem pattern 661 has blown away all previous records, however, after it was sold by X/Twitter user @roflm0nster for more than $1 million. A look at the gun can be seen in the post above.

The exact amount it sold for is unknown, as the seller is “not at liberty to disclose the buyer or exact amount”, according to a post on the platform. But @roflm0nster confirmed to IGN it was a seven-figure number. “What I can say is that $1 million offers were rejected multiple times,” they said. “Make your own conclusions.”

Such high offers came in as a result of the skin being truly unique, meaning only one exists within Counter-Strike. Its existence was discovered earlier in 2024, when fans marveled at its Blue Gem coloring, which adds a metallic blue look to the gun.

“What I can say is that $1 million offers were rejected multiple times.

It’s also of Factory New condition, which is the rarest form of such a skin. A near identical version of this gun, just with the lesser Minimal Wear condition, sold for $400,000 in 2022, as reported by PC Gamer. Experts therefore valued the Factory New version to sell for up to $1 million, but it’s now gone above even that.

CS:GO is a PC classic which remains as popular as ever despite the forced transition to Counter-Strike 2 in September 2023, more than two decades after the original first released.

Image Credit: Jake Lucky on X/Twitter

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Helldivers 2 Reveals Jungle-Themed Premium Warbond, Viper Commandos — Here’s What to Expect

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has revealed the game’s next Premium Warbond, dubbed Viper Commandos and due out June 13.

In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Katherine Baskin, social media and community manager at Arrowhead, said the studio had responded to feedback on Helldivers 2’s Warbonds and had changed its approach as a result. For a start, Arrowhead has slowed down the pace at which it releases Warbonds “to give us a little bit more time to polish these designs before they’re released.” Baskin continued: “We don’t want to rush anything out of the oven before it’s fully baked.”

“It’s time to focus on quality over quantity.

Arrowhead has also changed the arrangement of items in each Warbond to make room for new item types as well as higher quality armor and weapons. “This will prevent us from simply adding more of everything, which can lead to weapons that feel redundant and uninteresting armor,” Baskin explained. “It’s time to focus on quality over quantity.”

“When we started researching items for Viper Commandos, we wanted to be sure we answered our player calls for stronger theming that coordinates across all the items, more emotes, unique armor passives, and more thoughtful designs rather than simply giving more of the same.”

The game’s community had called on the developer to slow down when it came to significant balance changes as well as Warbond releases, feeling Arrowhead had sometimes gone too far with nerfs and failed to include meta-affecting weapons and gear in the Warbonds.

To that end, Viper Commandos revolves around an up close and personal playstyle, which for any existing Helldivers 2 player may sound a little frightening. The new primary is a new version of the Liberator called the AR-23A Liberator Carbine. It has a modified, shortened form-factor that handles differently from the original, with a bit higher recoil, but faster handling designed for spraying and praying up close.

There’s also the new SG-22 Bushwhacker triple-barrel, sawed-off shotgun with two different firing modes, including one that fires all three barrels at once. This shotgun is the first in Helldivers 2 to be classed as a secondary weapon, which should open up the loadout meta a bit.

There are two new armor items, both of which feature the Peak Physique passive, which improves melee damage and weapon handling. They both also feature bare arms, so you can really show off your guns.

Another first for the game is new skins for your hellpods, Exosuits, and Pelican-1, “inspired by the classic woodland and tiger stripe camouflage patterns.”

The new utility item is the throwing knife. “Imagine mowing down a crowd of Terminids and running out of ammo with only one bug remaining, no time to reload, so you dive backward and throw a hunting knife into its carapace right before it descends on you,” Baskin said, hyping it up.

There’s also a new booster called Experimental Infusion, which gives your stims the added bonus of boosting your movement speed and reducing the damage you take for a short time. And, as you’d expect, there are new capes, player cards, and emotes.

As with previous Premium Warbonds, expect Viper Commandos to cost 1,000 Super Credits. While you can earn Super Credits from gameplay and the Warbond itself, you can also buy them for real-world money. Via the in-game shop, 1,000 Super Credits costs $9.99. Premium Warbonds do not expire, so you can work your way through them at your own pace safe in the knowledge their items will remain available.

The announcement of Viper Commandos comes as many within the Helldivers 2 community speculate that Arrowhead is set to add a third enemy faction to the game. The suggestion is the Illuminate are set to enter the galaxy-wide war, adding a new front to the battle against the Terminids and Automatons.

Last month, Arrowhead revealed it is in the process of setting the studio up so it can “make more and better stuff” in the long-term. In an introductory post on reddit, CEO Shams Jorjani, who recently replaced previous Arrowhead CEO and current Chief Creative Officer Johan Pilestedt, said the studio has had to adjust to the enormous success Helldivers 2 has brought to the company.

PlayStation 5 and PC co-op shooter Helldivers 2 is the fastest-selling PlayStation game of all time, having shifted an incredible 12 million copies in just 12 weeks since going on sale earlier this year. Amid the huge revenue Helldivers 2 has generated, Arrowhead itself has suffered a number of crises, including launch server problems and, most recently, a battle with Sony itself over the console maker’s controversial attempt to force Steam players to account link to PlayStation Network.

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.

Big EA Sports FC 24 Patch Adds Euro 2024 Mode Ahead of Tournament Kick-Off

EA Sports has added the Euro 2024 mode to FC 24, letting fans play through a virtual version of the tournament ahead of the real deal.

Title update 15, out now for FC 24 across PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, is called the Festival of Football update, and adds the aforementioned Euro 2024 mode as well as a new skill move and celebration. There are 27 new Star Heads, including Rodri, Sven Botman, Pedro Porro, and Eberechi Eze.

The Euro 2024 mode lets you play in the final, semi-final, and group stage matches in nine authentic stadiums. You can choose from any of the 24 qualified teams or rewrite history with any other European national team already in the game. The Match of the Day fixture is updated with every real-life tournament matchday up to the Final match. Check out how it looks in the image below:

Meanwhile, online friendlies let you challenge friends using any of the 24 qualified teams or from any other European national squad available in the game. Online Friends cross-play is available for players on the same platform generation. Lead Your Nation mode lets you play the tournament as a real footballer or with a custom player.

As for Ultimate Team, Festival of Football kicks off Season 7. Expect live items “that will bring a dynamic element to your team, reflecting the real-world performances and fervor of these tournaments,” EA Sports said.

The new skill move is the Double Touch Lane Change. Expect it later in the calendar, EA Sports clarified. And the new celebration is a recreation of Chelsea and England star Cole Palmer’s chilly celebration following his stunning season. It’s unlocked in the Football Ultimate Team Season 7 Festival of Football ladder.

EA Sports FC 24 Title Update 15 Patch Notes:

Ultimate Team

Addressed the following issues:

  • Addressed instances of Loan Player matches exceeding 99 when combined with a duplicate Loan Player.

Gameplay

Made the following change:

  • Added the new Double Touch Lane Change Skill Move which can be performed while standing or jogging.
  • Check out our Pitch Notes to learn more about this Skill Move.

Addressed the following issues:

  • In certain situations where the Goalkeeper was rushing out, CPU AI controlled players would attempt to perform a chip shot and miss the net unintentionally.
  • In some stadiums, ball kids could miss their throws to the intended player.

Career Mode

Made the following changes:

  • Added Double-PlayStyles+ Player Items in the Youth Academy.
  • Check out our Pitch Notes to learn more about this Youth Academy update.

Addressed the following issues:

  • In Manager Career, Player Items on International Duty could not be removed from the Starting 11 or Substitutions.

General, Audio, and Visual

Made the following changes:

  • Added a new signature celebration.
  • Updated some ad boards, kits, and UI elements.

Addressed the following issues:

  • Addressed instances of players being able to Matchmake with different Matchmaking settings.
  • Addressed instances of instability issues that could have occurred.
  • Addressed instances of placeholder images.
  • Addressed instances of incorrect or placeholder text.

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.

Square Enix Shadow Drops Octopath Traveler 1 and 2 Alongside Surprise Update

Square Enix has made the Octopath Traveler series available on all console platforms as well as Xbox Game Pass as part of a multi-pronged shadow-drop.

Octopath Traveler, first released on Nintendo Switch in 2018, is now available to buy on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 for the first time. Octopath Traveler 2, which launched on Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC in 2023, is now available for the first time on Xbox Series X and S and Xbox One, including launching straight into subscription service Xbox Game Pass. Both Octopath Traveler games are now in the Game Pass library across Xbox and PC.

Octopath Traveler is a well-received role-playing series with a unique HD-2D art style, with 2D characters in 3D worlds. Both games are a standalone experience set in different worlds with eight distinct protagonists, each with their own stories to explore and Path Actions to use.

IGN’s Octopath Traveler review returned a 9.3. We said: “Octopath Traveler’s beautiful style and outstanding take on traditional turn-based combat make it a game that pushes JRPGs forward rather than simply paying homage to the greats.” IGN’s Octopath Traveler 2 review scored a 7: “Octopath Traveler 2 is a very enjoyable JRPG sequel that feels a little too safe and familiar,” we said. Square Enix said the Octopath Traveler series has sold over four million copies worldwide.

Team Asano, the Square Enix group led by Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler designer Tomoya Asano, released a surprise free update for Octopath Traveler 2 that includes Extra Battle mode, which becomes available after defeating the final boss in the final chapter. The Extra Battle mode lets players test their skills against newly added tough opponents, including the main characters of Octopath Traveler, Square Enix said. This mode is available on Xbox consoles from launch and has been added to the PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC versions today, June 6, via an update.

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.

MultiVersus Update to Bring Performance Improvements, Iron Giant to Return ‘Shortly’

Player First Games has clued players into how upcoming patches will flesh out its Warner Bros.-themed platform fighter, MultiVersus, with more enhancements, options, and the return of the Iron Giant.

The developer detailed its plans on social media today, promising to deliver improvements based on player feedback in the near future. Included in the list of soon-to-be changes are performance improvements, End of Game stats, and the option to turn off team colors. Additionally, Player First clarifies that the option to purchase extra lives in-game is unintentional and has been addressed.

Meanwhile, the studio explains that its work on Iron Giant is still underway, but it plans to reintroduce the character “shortly.” The Iron Giant was removed June 3 following complaints that the character offered players an unfair advantage. It’s not currently clear in what order the new fixes and improvements will roll out outside of the promise that fans can expect to see them in “upcoming patches.”

MultiVersus relaunched last month following the end of its open beta last summer. Since the Warner Bros. fighter has returned, Player First has introduced new characters like Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th), Agent Smith (The Matrix), and the Joker as well as additional game modes like Rifts. The studio is also working on bringing back some missing features that were previously present in the beta.

For more, you can read up on the player who managed to walk away victorious after their main character, Iron Giant, was pulled mid-tournament. You should also check out our 8/10 review, where we said, “MultiVersus may not be a must-play at social gatherings, but its refreshing team-based battles make it a great platform fighter online.”

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.

Sony Appears to Remove 8K Tag From PlayStation 5 Boxes

Sony appears to have removed the 8K tag from PlayStation 5 boxes that has been clearly visible on the front of them since launch.

As spotted by Digital Foundry’s John Linneman, new PS5 boxes now only include the 4K/120 fps and HDR tags and no longer shout to the world that Sony’s latest console is capable of outputting to 8K.

IGN has reached out to Sony for a comment, but we have confirmed in the meantime that the PS5 boxes on the PS5 pages of PlayStation Direct are also missing the 8K tag.

Prior to PlayStation 5’s launch in 2020, Sony noted that “PS5 is compatible with 8K displays at launch, and after a future system software update will be able to output resolutions up to 8K when content is available, with supported software.”

Since then, there has been virtually no true support for 8K titles, except for a game known as The Touryst. Additionally, the adoption of 8K TVs is not quite at a level where it has been a priority for console makers.

Sony wasn’t alone in highlighting 8K back in 2020, as Microsoft also touted that Xbox Series X was able to support the resolution. However, Xbox head Phil Spencer cautioned that 8K is “aspirational technology” and that we’re “years away from 8K being – if it ever is – standard in video games.”

For more on PS5 and its potential to output to 8K, check out our breakdown of what would really need to happen for games to make the jump to that next resolution.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

This Anker 25,6000mAh USB PD Power Bank Includes a Wall Charger for Only $49.99

Amazon is offering Amazon Prime members an older generation Anker PowerCore 737 25,600mAh USB Power Bank, which also includes a 65W USB PD wall charger for only $49.99 shipped after you clip a $10 off coupon on the product page. That’s over 50% off its original $110 MSRP. This is close to the highest capacity power bank you’re allowed to bring on airplane carry-on, and it also boasts 60W of USB power delivery to charge your Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or ASUS ROG Ally gaming handheld.

Anker PowerCore 737 25,600mAh Power Bank for $49.99

Includes a 65W USB PD wall charger

The Anker PowerCore 737 can be used like any other power bank; it does a fine job of charging any of your standard mobile electronics. It has two USB Type-A ports and one USB Type-C port. This is one of the largest capacity power banks that can be brought onto an airplane as carry-on. It can charge a Nintendo Switch OLED over 5 times, iPhone 15 Pro Max over 5 times, Steam Deck over 4 times, and an ASUS ROG Ally over 9 times. The power bank is physically larger than smaller capacity ones and weighs in at 1.3 pounds.

The USB Type-C port supports up to 60W Power Delivery. That’s enough to charge the Steam Deck (35W) and Nintendo Switch (18W) at their maximum charging speed. It’s also very close to the maximum charging speed of the ASUS ROG Ally, which caps at 65W. The two USB Type-A ports support up to 18W of total charging, which is enough to fast charge a Nintendo Switch.

What’s unique about this deal compared to some other similar deals we’ve posted is that this one also comes with a USB Type-C wall charger that supports 65W of Power Delivery. There’s no need to buy another wall charger or scavenge one from another power bank you might have sitting around.

The Anker 737 is our pick for best Steam Deck / ASUS ROG Ally charger

We picked the newer Anker 737 as our favorite portable charger for the Steam Deck and ASUS ROG Ally portable gaming handhelds. Both the ROG Ally and Steam Deck suffer from a short battery life when gaming on the go. For instance, when playing most games at 60 FPS, you’re likely looking at four hours of battery life, at most. We even found games like God of War or Spider-Man would tap out in under 2 hours on the Steam Deck. At the end of the day, you’ll never get the full potential out of your Steam Deck or ROG Ally if you’re not equipped with a decent portable charger.

The Alters: Exclusive Playable Demo Announcement and Trailer – IGN First

Developer 11 Bit Studios has announced an upcoming playable demo of The Alters, the team’s alluring and unique new survival game. Check out the stellar new trailer above, and then play the demo for yourself on Steam on June 10 until June 17.

So what is The Alters? Well, we encourage you to watch our recent hands-on preview below, but in short, you play as Jans. But not just one Jans. Lots of Jans. See, you’re a miner on a hostile planet who must pull in versions of yourself from other realities in order to survive. But they’re not mere clones. Rather, they’re you but they’ve lived their own completely unique lives, and as such they’ll bring different looks, skills, and personalities to your tall task at hand.

Our exclusive month-long IGN First coverage starts now with the demo announcement trailer at the top of this page, and it continues tomorrow with exclusive gameplay footage from the very demo you can play for yourself on Monday.

And be sure to check back all June long for lots more coverage of The Alters as our June IGN First “cover story”! Check out more of The Alters on their Steam page.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.