If RPS is going to wave around Amazon Prime Day recommendations, they might as well be for hardware we’d actually use, and ideally for kit that at least one of us owns ourselves. So it is with the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds, true wireless earbuds that have supplanted my Sennheisers as my pocketable sound providers of choice – and are currently 26% off at both Amazons UK and US.
Fans of Animal Crossing and comfortable clogs rejoice — Nintendo’s adorable life-sim series is coming to a pair of feet near you, thanks to a range of officially-licensed Crocs.
The shoes will go on sale later this summer with a platform clog design for adults and a classic kids clog design for children. Each is adorned with an Animal Crossing background, featuring fruit trees and a sandy shoreline.
And, of course, each can be customised with additional character charms, featuring Tom Nook, Isabelle and KK Slider, if you’re willing to pay extra for the privilege.
The Animal Crossing Platform Clog for adults will cost $69.99, while the smaller Kids Animal Crossing Classic Clog will cost $54.99. Both are set to go on sale next month, on August 26.
Two packs of additional “jibbitz” charms will also available, priced at $16.99 — each. The first includes the three fashionable Sable sisters, plus a backpack and shirt. The second includes musuem owner Blathers, stargazing owl Celeste, scallop-loving Pascal, a fossil and a seashell.
Alternatively, you can pick up charms featuring villagers Rosie, Marshall or Bunnie for $4.99 each.
“Animal Crossing lets players enjoy a relaxing, slow-paced life while interacting with a cast of unique animal characters,” Nintendo wrote, describing the introduction of this newly-licensed shoe range. “Since its debut in 2001, the games have been enjoyed by millions of players worldwide becoming a cherished title for fans of all ages. Now, for the first time ever, Crocs is partnering with Nintendo to debut a special collection launching Tuesday, August 26, 2025.
“This new collection features elements inspired by the lush, natural setting from the game. From the green tone that represents the land to the sole and strap inspired by the sea, see if you can discover all the Animal Crossing moments throughout the design of the shoe.”
What next then for Animal Crossing, beyond shoes? Nintendo wound down ongoing support for Switch game Animal Crossing: New Horizons several years ago, despite its huge popularity. But with Switch 2 now released, a further sequel toetally feets inevitable. A shoo-in, if you will?
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Presumably because it’s so expensive to push Leonardo DiCaprio around in a rented gondola, this year’s Amazon Prime Day has brushed away its final lingering shreds of respect for the singular word “Day,” and in fact runs from this morning – July 8th – all the way to July 11th. At this current rate of expansion, it will therefore be just seven short years before the entire solar calendar is engulfed, with even hours being replaced as a unit of measurement by the duration of Lightning Deals. “Want to get an Amazon Fresh Refrigerated Beverage after our deals writing shift, Dave?” “Yeah sure, I clock off in three Lightning Deals’ time.”
My small act of civil resistance against this temporally disrespectful future is to uh, have unknowingly booked three of the four days off before Amazon announced the dates. But while I’m here, I’m still on cog-in-machine duty, which is why I’m now informing you that a couple of (actually good) Samsung NVMe SSDs are going cheap. They are. I’m sorry.
Releasing on Switch 2 (and Switch) next month.
In case you missed it, Marvelous and XSEED are bringing Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar to the Switch 2 and Switch next month.
It’s already released some trailers and today it’s followed this up with a five-minute overview trailer – introducing players to their new life in Zephyr and the bazaar, where they’ll use all the services to grow their farm and make the community thrive once again.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
A great fit.
Nintendo has revealed it’s teaming up with Crocs, a “global leader” in casual footwear to release a special Animal Crossing-themed line. This new collection will launch next month on 26th August 2025 and will include both adult and children footwear. Here’s the full rundown:
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
While Fourth of July discounts just wrapped up, an even better sale has gone live today, in the form of the Best Buy Black Friday in July sale. This sale is set to act as a competitor to Amazon Prime Day, which begins this week as well. If you’re looking to save on the latest electronics, Black Friday in July is a sale you’ll want to check out.
Right now, there are deals live across video games, accessories, laptops, Apple products, appliances, cell phones, headphones, and more. The best deals we’ve seen so far mostly fall under video games, with $20 off some major Nintendo Switch games now available. One of our favorites is Splatoon 3 for $39.99, especially considering the game just received a Nintendo Switch 2 patch.
There’s also over $200 in savings on the Lenovo Legion Go S. This handheld PC packs in the Ryzen Z2 Go, 32GB of LPDDR5X memory, 1TB of PCIe Gen4 SSD storage, and room for expansion with a 1TB microSD card slot. That’s not to mention the 8″ screen equipped with VRR, a 120Hz refresh rate, a 500 nit peak brightness, and more.
Finally, a four pack of AirTags is sitting at a new all-time low sale price. These are incredibly helpful for finding your wallet, purse, bag, or even pet! This deal puts each AirTag at $17, which is significantly lower than the $29.99 asking price for a single unit normally.
While the Best Buy Black Friday in July sale has some great offers, the longest Prime Day ever is set to begin tomorrow, July 8. If you are looking to save the most money this year, waiting for Prime Day to see what deals are available is likely your best option. This sale from Best Buy is set to be live for the rest of the week, so you can always come back and shop if you don’t find something better at Amazon. It’s expected that we will see some significant discounts on both video games and technology this year, among numerous other products.
Update: Reassessing staffing, but the studio is not shutting down.
It’s been another tough week for the video game industry and the fallout from Microsoft’s layoffs led to funding cuts at John and Brenda Romero’s studio, Romero Games.
Now, following some claims the independent studio had completely shut its doors, Irish publication The Journal has got apparently got an official confirmation about this in a statement from Brenda Romero (thanks, Push Square).
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
As Pokémon TCG collectors race to secure the hottest new cards from Prismatic Evolutions, Journey Together, Destined Rivals, and the upcoming Black Bolt and White Flare sets, the often overlooked Paradox Rift expansion is quietly taking a back seat. That cooling attention is having ripple effects, especially for high-rarity cards. While Special Illustration Rare (SIR) ex cards are seeing a notable drop in value, several Illustration Rares are climbing fast, in part due to shifting collector interest and low inventory levels in my opinion.
I think this shift echoes the rise of Groudon IR from earlier this year, where unexpected demand met low availability. Now other Illustration Rare cards are following suit, gaining ground while their flashier SIR counterparts take a dip. Here’s a look at the top climbers and crashers from Paradox Rift that collectors and players should keep an eye on as we move from the Scarlet and Violet era and toward Mega Evolution.
Altaria ex is down 25% and now sits at $37.13. It’s got some defensive tools and a bit of healing, but I just don’t see it showing up in many decks. Collectors seem to be moving on from it too, which helps explain the drop. Gholdengo ex has fallen 21% to $23.77. I actually really like the discard mechanic on this one, but it’s being overshadowed by newer SIRs that are getting more attention.
Steelix has dropped 19% to $25.20. It’s a nostalgic pick for sure, but Earthquake hitting your own bench hurts, and the retreat cost makes it clunky to play. Roaring Moon ex is down 16% to $46.98. It still hits hard, but the buzz around it has definitely cooled. Garchomp ex has also taken a hit, falling 19% to $26.64. It’s still useful for energy acceleration and sniping, but with so many new cards dropping, it’s getting left behind.
Groudon is up 13% and now going for $75.99. It hits hard, charges fast, and looks awesome. No surprise it’s still trending up. Morpeko is the biggest climber, up 43% to $31.99. Its ability is pretty niche, but the art is fun and people seem to love it right now.
Plusle has jumped 32% to $29.50. It’s good in damage-stacking builds and pairs perfectly with Minun, which is also on the rise. Minun is up 16% to $22.98. Its Buddy Pulse ability adds some nice pressure, and people clearly want the pair together. Iron Valiant ex is up 9% to $20.36. It’s great for decks that focus on spread damage and is the only ex SIR from this set that’s currently climbing.
I’ve been closely tracking the Pokémon TCG market, and right now we’re seeing a clear split between two major sets. Surging Sparks is going through a sharp correction, with top cards like Pikachu ex – 247/191, Hydreigon ex – 240/191, and Milotic ex – 237/191 dropping 51%, 34%, and 26% respectively. Even chase cards like Pikachu ex – 238/191 and Latias ex – 239/191 are down over 20%. But this isn’t a crash, it’s a natural correction driven by rising supply.
On the flip side, Crown Zenith is heating up fast. Cards like Giratina VSTAR – GG69/GG70, Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR – GG68/70, and Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR – GG67/70 have surged 17%–24% in just days. Even Mewtwo VSTAR – GG44/GG70 and Arceus VSTAR – GG70/GG70 are gaining ground. With the Scarlet and Violet era wrapping up and Mega Evolution returning soon, Sword and Shield sets like Crown Zenith are entering that sweet spot where older modern sets start gaining long-term value. I’m buying into both while the market is still adjusting.
Japanese Pokémon TCG booster boxes have far better odds at pulling chase cards, have far less bulk and are often half the price of English booster boxes. This also mean said chase cards are worth significantly less, but Japanese cards are far easier to get perfect grades in given they’re always busting out of booster packs in perfect condition. Want a Pokémon card collection on a budget? Go for Japanese cards.
While it’s easy to envy those with deep pockets grabbing the priciest Pokémon TCG cards, there’s something way more exciting about pulling a massive hit straight from a booster pack, especially with sets like Destined Rivals, Prismatic Evolutions, Twilight Masquerade, and Surging Sparks still in print. Right now, cards like Umbreon ex – 161/131 are leading the market at over $1,000, followed by heavy hitters like Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex – 231/182, Greninja ex – 214/167, and Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex – 230/182, all pushing $300+. The iconic Pikachu ex – 238/191 has cooled to around $295 after peaking last year, making it a solid buy.
More fan-favorite chase cards include Cynthia’s Garchomp ex, Roaring Moon ex, Latias ex, and Team Rocket’s Moltres ex, all hovering between $195–$260. And then there’s the Eeveelution invasion. Prismatic Evolutions is packed with top-tier art like Sylveon ex, Espeon ex, Leafeon ex, Vaporeon ex, Jolteon ex, and Glaceon ex, all sitting comfortably above $230. Each card is absolutley stunning, pumped with nostalgia and some competitive utility to boot (Although I’d suggest getting the standard ex cards for you deck). The odds of pulling them are slim, Prismatic Evolution is notoriously unforgiving with pull rates. Buying singles might be the smarter move if you’re after specific cards, but I also don’t like having fun.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior”. Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
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It’s the day before Amazon Prime Day 2025, and we’re already seeing some early deals. Ryzen 5 5500 is a killer budget CPU with 6 cores and 12 threads, which is more than enough for gaming and multitasking. Pair that with the LG 32” curved QHD monitor at 180Hz for under $200 and you’re basically upgrading your setup at half price. Toss in a Samsung microSD for storage expansion for your Steamdeck or Rog Ally X, a beefy 4TB Crucial SSD for speed and space, or even the HP Victus laptop with a solid CPU-GPU combo. Here’s all of today’s epic deals:
If you’re shopping for Pokémon or Magic: The Gathering cards, tech, and books this week, there’s plenty worth checking out. Prime members aged 18 to 24 can claim six months of Amazon Prime for free, which includes fast shipping, streaming, and monthly gaming perks. Pokémon collectors can find better prices on sealed products at TCG Player, including blisters and premium collections that beat Amazon by a few dollars. Japanese booster boxes are also a smart buy if you’re after clean pulls, less bulk, and more Pokécoins in your pocket.
Magic: The Gathering fans should look to TCG Player for most sealed product deals, especially with Amazon pricing above MSRP in several cases. Preorders for MTG’s Marvel Spider-Man and Edge of Eternities sets are live, with TCG Player often offering the lowest prices. There are also solid deals on essentials like a 10ft power strip and a retractable 67W USB-C charger from Baseus. If you’re catching up on The Silo Saga or The Witcher series, boxed sets are discounted and worth adding to your shelf.
If you’re still on the hunt for a Switch 2 console, here’s an opportunity you might want to consider. AliExpress has the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Tour Console Bundle available for $498.95 after you apply a $100 off coupon code “AEUS100” in your shopping cart. This console ships free from a local US warehouse.
This is a genuine gaming console that has been imported from another country (usually Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, or Mexico). Region locking is determined by your account, not by console, so all of these systems will play in the US without any problems. You’ll also be able to select English as your default language just like any console you buy here. Although the console itself is region unlocked, the Mario Kart World Tour game voucher is region locked. In order to redeem the download voucher on a US-based Nintendo account, one of the reviews mentions a workaround:
This one is a no-brainer. If your 18-24, snap up this 6-months free deal for Amazon Prime. It includes the free and fast delivery Amazon is known for alongside unlimited streaming, free delivery on GrubHub+, free Prime games every month and loads more.
TCG Player is showing Amazon up this week with cheaper deals on the Prismatic Evolutions Super Premium Collection undercutting the big box retailer by a few dollars. It’s also the cheapest place to grab 3-pack blisters for Destined Rivals too. I’ve also included eBay links with the products, as it’s always worth seeing if one can pick up a cheeky bargain before going all in.
Japanese Pokémon TCG booster boxes have far better odds at pulling chase cards, have far less bulk and are often half the price of English booster boxes. This also mean said chase cards are worth significantly less, but Japanese cards are far easier to get perfect grades in given they’re always busting out of booster packs in perfect condition. Want a Pokémon card collection on a budget? Go for Japanese cards.
The Pokémon TCG market is currently experiencing a split trend: Surging Sparks cards are undergoing a steep price correction due to increased supply, with notable drops such as Pikachu ex (247/191) falling 51% to $56, and Hydreigon ex dropping 34% to $49.60—creating a buying opportunity for collectors. Meanwhile, Crown Zenith cards are rising in value, with key VSTAR Secret Rares like Giratina and Dialga seeing double-digit gains, driven by strong demand and the set’s transition into “legacy” status as the Sword and Shield era ends.
We’re seeing TCG Player destory Amazon pricing on sealed Magic: The Gathering product at the moment too. This is great for us, but perhaps Amazon should use their weight to look after their customers with predatory over MRSP pricing? Atleast with TCG Player you’re getting market value, with some product scating very close to the recommended retail price.
It’s hard work trying to get a preorder in for anything MTG Spider-Man related at big box stores outside of a Play Booster Box, but TCG Player have the stock, and in most cases, the cheapest pricing for preorders. There’s every chance Amazon will get more stock allocation before release, but if you don’t want to miss out on launch, I’d highly reccomend securing preorders with a reputable seller on TCG Player. If this set is anything like MTG: Final Fantasy, launch day stock is going to be none existent.
MTG: Edge of Eternities preorders are the exception to the rule in this weeks MTG deals round-up. Amazon comes in cheaper on most preorders, with TCG Player taking the cheapest spot on the Play Booster Box and Commander Deck bundles. I’ve included eBay links too, which is always a wise choice to check for cheap preorders before putting your money on the table.
This is the core of Sapkowski’s epic—Blood of Elves, The Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of Swallows, and Lady of the Lake—finally bundled in one set. If you’ve only seen the show or played the games, this is where the real magic lives. The writing is sharp, the world-building deep, and Geralt’s story hits harder on-page.
If you’re into post-apocalyptic chaos with a side of smart storytelling, 28 Years Later delivers. Danny Boyle is back behind the camera, teaming up again with Alex Garland, and it shows. This isn’t just another zombie flick, it’s a brutal, atmospheric return to the world of 28 Days Later, packed with tension, grim visuals, and a few twists that hit harder than a crowbar to the face. The 4K UHD Steelbook looks sharp on the shelf, and the digital copy is a nice bonus for rewatching during late-night doomscroll breaks. Horror fans, this one earns a spot in your collection.
Baseus has launched a new line of Enercore wall chargers aimed at travelers, with the standout 67W model now available for $36.99 on Amazon for Prime members using the code “GOHTHZJQ.” This charger features a unique built-in 32-inch retractable USB-C cable, foldable prongs, and two extra USB-C ports, making it compact and versatile. Despite being capped at 67W, it can fast charge devices like the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, Asus ROG Ally, and iPhone 16 at full speed
Season 2 of Silo, the hit Apple TV+ series based on Hugh Howey’s Wool, continues the gripping story of a dystopian world where humanity survives in a giant underground silo governed by strict rules—chief among them: never talk about the outside. As the original sheriff breaks this cardinal law, Juliette, a fearless mechanic from the silo’s depths, steps into a role that challenges the system at its core. Fans can now dive deeper with The Silo Saga Omnibus, which collects Wool, Shift, Dust, author essays, and new short fiction, offering a definitive look into Howey’s acclaimed sci-fi universe.
This surge protector is the kind of gear you don’t think about until you need it, and then you’re glad you grabbed it. With 8 AC outlets and 4 USB ports (including 2 USB-C), it’s built to handle your whole gaming setup, plus a few extra devices. The flat plug fits neatly behind desks, and the 5-foot braided cord is sturdy enough to take a beating.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior”. Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
