One of the best premium phone controllers is on sale today at Best Buy. Right now you can get a Backbone One USB Type-C mobile gaming controller, compatible with Android and iPhone 16 smartphones, for only $49.99 after a savings of 50%. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for a Backbone controller and as a bonus, if you play Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, you’ll appreciate the 30-minute 2XP token that’s included. This is the black color variant with Xbox style buttons.
50% Off the Backbone One Controller (USB-C)
The Backbone One turns your iPhone into a gaming handheld with an integrated gamepad much like the ones found on the Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, or ASUS ROG Ally. You simply snap your phone into the controller and you’re ready to go. Instead of using your phone’s touchscreen, you can now use actual physical controls which includes dual joysticks, a D-pad, and programmable buttons. It makes for a more intuitive, more precise, and more enjoyable gaming experience.
In our Backbone One review, Matthew Adler wrote that “the Backbone One’s unique expanding controller connects directly to your iPhone for a low-latency gaming experience that feels great to use. Despite some lackluster buttons on the controller itself, it manages to create a seamless experience that blurs the lines between console and mobile gaming by producing a true “home screen” experience in the Backbone app. The tight integration between hardware and software makes it feel like a real platform, and one that will only continue to evolve through updates as time goes on.”
The Backbone One is compatible with hundreds games (including Call of Duty Warzone Mobile, of course) from Apple Arcade, Xbox Cloud, PlayStation Remote Play, and Steam Remote Play, as well as any mobile game that already supports other standalone controllers. Not every game is compatible, however, so if you have a particular game that you play religiously, you’ll want to confirm that it’s supported before you jump on this deal.
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.
In a rather unusual merging of two completely separate reported stories from last year, the former staff of Annapurna Interactive are seemingly preparing to take over the portfolio of shuttered indie label Private Division. At least some of the remaining Private Division employees are expected to be laid off in the process.
The portfolio includes both current and upcoming Private Division titles, such as Tales of the Shire, which releases March 25. It also includes Project Bloom, a AAA action-adventure game developed by Game Freak that was announced back in 2023 with nothing more than a concept art teaser.
As Bloomberg reports, Haveli’s purchase of Private Division included not just the portfolio, but 20 employees who remained with the label following Take-Two-implemented layoffs last spring. Remaining employees have reportedly been told to explore other employment options, with the expectation that at least some of them will be laid off as part of the deal with the unnamed new publisher.
Private Division was formerly Take-Two’s publishing label, which the company founded back in 2017. It was intended to support independent games that were smaller than the fare typically supported by the Grand Theft Auto publisher. Over the years, Private Division produced titles such as The Outer Worlds, OlliOlli World, and Kerbal Space Program 2, but game sales repeatedly fell short of Take-Two expectations. Early last year, we reported that Take-Two was slowly shuttering operations at Private Division, first by winding down operations at its supported studios and then by selling off the label.
The new owners of Private Division’s portfolio are a group of former employees of Annapurna Interactive that collectively resigned last year following a leadership dispute at Annapurna. We reported last fall on the messy circumstances, which left Annapurna seeking to restaff an entire publishing team to cover its numerous obligations and roughly 25 individuals seeking new employment.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Sony has debuted conceptual technology at CES 2025 that would essentially allow gamers to enter the worlds of PlayStation games such as The Last of Us and see, shoot, and even smell the baddies.
Footage of the Future Immersive Entertainment Concept was shared on YouTube and shows a giant cube players enter similar to the multi-person virtual reality experiences currently available. This isn’t VR, however, as the cube is instead made of incredibly high definition screens that present the game world around the player.
Looking to boost the immersion further, players are also delivered “engaging audio” and even “scent and atmospherics with interactive PlayStation game content.” The players in the video also had imitation weapons and would shoot at the screens as clickers appeared, presumably getting a whiff of rotten fungus and other offenses as they did so.
The demo was made using gameplay pulled from The Last of Us but obviously adapted to work for the Future Immersive Entertainment Concept, so unfortunately for fans is not a further look into the beloved world.
Even if it was, of course, this technology is still years away and presumably incredibly expensive, so there are myriad limitations to actually getting it into the public’s hands (or getting the public into it). Sony may showcase it with other franchises in the future too, such as God of War, Horizon, and so on.
Cast your mind back to when you first opened your shiny new Nintendo Switch.
After removing the individually wrapped controllers and clipping them onto the console itself, you delved into the box’s second layer of goodies to find the dock, the power cable… and a couple of plastic stick things.
Chinese publisher Tencent are the biggest video game company in the world. Their wholly owned subsidiaries including League Of Legends developers Riot Games, Path Of Exile developers Grinding Gear Games, and UK outfit Sumo Group. They own shares in everything from Epic Games through Ubisoft to Silent Hill 2 rebooters Bloober Team. Are you a game developer? Odds are that at least one percent of your body belongs to Tencent. Maybe one of your toes.
And now it turns out that Tencent are some kind of military operator, as well. Or at least, that’s what the US Department of Defence would have us believe: they’ve just somewhat randomly added the firm to an infamous list of Chinese military companies, together with lithium-ion battery maker CATL. This potentially makes it difficult for Tencent to do business in the States, but Tencent say that it’s all based on a “misunderstanding”.
The folks at Future Press have crafted another (presumably gorgeous) strategy guide for gamers, this time for IGN’s Game of the Year 2024, Metaphor: ReFantazio. The hardcover Metaphor: ReFantazio Official Strategy Guide (see here at Amazon) is set to release on February 28 this year with a price tag of $49.49 at Amazon, a nice little 10% discount from its $54.99 list price. Preorders are officially live, so give it a look at the link below.
Preorder Metaphor: ReFantazio Official Strategy Guide
Featuring 592 pages, the Metaphor: ReFantazio strategy guide comes complete with a walkthrough and full breakdowns of enemies, items, skills, and conversations so you can master the entire game. It even comes with a bonus poster that’s a full map of the world of Euchronia, which is perfect for plotting your playthrough.
As mentioned earlier, Metaphor: ReFantazio was IGN’s pick for 2024 Game of the Year, if you’ve yet to play it and are interested. In our Metaphor: ReFantazio review, IGN’s Michael Higham said “There’s a certain familiarity in Metaphor: ReFantazio, but Atlus takes the principles of its already excellent RPGs and refines them in a way that effortlessly ushers you through its brutal, and sometimes beautiful, new fantasy world.”
Outside of preorders, there are some great gaming deals worth checking out right now, too. If you’re looking to pick up some new games to start out the year, it’s worth having a look at Best Buy. The retailer currently has a sale on Ubisoft games right now, so you can save on everything from Star Wars Outlaws to Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown to Far Cry 6. In our Daily Deals roundup you can see even more gaming discounts, including deals on Space Marine 2 and Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics.
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
There’s a new Lenovo Legion Go on the way, and while it’s ditching the signature detachable controllers, it’s still got something unusual to stick on its CV. The Lenovo Legion Go S is a smaller, cheaper take on Lenovo’s portable gaming PC, and it’s on track to become the first officially licensed SteamOS handheld outside of Valve’s own Steam Deck range.
Microsoft has announced wave one of its January 2025 Xbox Game Pass lineup.
First up, today, January 7, Road 96 (Cloud, Console, and PC) returns to Game Pass via Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard. “Road 96 is a crazy, beautiful road-trip,” reads the official blurb. “On this risky road trip to the border, you’ll meet incredible characters and discover their intertwined stories and secrets in an ever-evolving adventure. But every mile opens a choice to make. Your decisions will change your adventure, change the people you meet, and maybe even change the world.”
Tomorrow, January 8, Lightyear Frontier (Game Preview) (Xbox Series X|S) launches into Game Pass Standard. “Start your interstellar homestead in this peaceful open-world farming adventure! Build your sustainable exofarm, grow alien crops, customize your mech, and explore a new world full of mystery with up to three friends!”
Also on January 8, My Time at Sandrock (Console) is available on Game Pass Standard. “Just like My Time at Portia, My Time at Sandrock takes place in a wholesome post-apocalyptic world 300 years after the Day of Calamity destroyed most modern technologies. Gather resources to build machines, befriend locals, and defend Sandrock from monsters — all while saving the town from economic ruin!”
Sticking with January 8, Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders (Xbox Series X|S) hits Game Pass Standard. “Join Robin Hood and his unwavering band of outlaws in 12th-century England on their mission to free Nottingham. Travel across various regions, build up a secret hideout village and help the denizens of the surrounding lands. Complete quests, construct various builds, craft a broad range of items, and freely explore locations inspired by both myth and history in this open-world RPG with base-building features.”
Rounding out a packed January 8 is Rolling Hills (Console) on Game Pass Standard. “Serve sushi as a robot chef in Rolling Hills, a life sim about running your own restaurant in a cozy village. Make new friends, purchase ingredients, enhance your shop, and improve the lives of your neighbors as you perfect your craft!”
Moving on to January 14, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers get EA Sports UFC 5 (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) via EA Play. “Unleash your fury and get unlimited access to EA Sports UFC 5, coming to Game Pass Ultimate via EA Play. Plus, members can score the Bruce Lee Bundle and play as alter egos of the father of mixed martial arts, available at no additional cost in the Perks section from January 14 to February 11.”
Here’s a big one: Blizzard action RPG classic Diablo (PC) hits Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on January 14. “Return to the legendary town of Tristram in Diablo, the groundbreaking action-RPG that defined the genre, coming to Game Pass on January 14! With its satisfying progression, deep character customization, and intense battles, Diablo delivers an unforgettable journey through a dark gothic fantasy world.”
Xbox Game Pass Wave 1 January 2025 lineup:
Road 96 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – January 7 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Lightyear Frontier (Game Preview) (Xbox Series X|S) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Rolling Hills (Console) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
EA Sports UFC 5 (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) EA Play – January 14 Game Pass Ultimate
Diablo (PC) – January 14 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
As always, a number of games leave Game Pass as new games arrive.
Leaving Xbox Game Pass on January 15:
Common’Hood (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Escape Academy (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Exoprimal (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Figment (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Insurgency Sandstorm (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Those Who Remain (Cloud, Console, and PC)
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.
Boasting the voiceover talents of Doug Cockle (The Witcher III), the new trailer showcases a boatload of gameplay highlighting the glorious violence and stunning 2D visuals. As for the game itself, users will be treated to either a standard digital edition or a deluxe edition, the latter of which will come with two sets of cosmetic DLCs in the form of the ‘Augur of the Draugr’ set and the ‘Hair to the Throne’ cosmetic pack,
Coming Soon to Game Pass: Diablo, EA Sports UFC 5, and More
Megan Spurr, Senior Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass
Welcome to our first “Coming Soon” announcement for 2025! And special welcome to all you new friends that picked up gaming hardware the last few weeks. Let’s get you prepped for what to install or play next. To the games!
Available Today
Road 96 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – January 7 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Returning to the Game Pass library, Road 96 is a crazy, beautiful road-trip. On this risky road trip to the border, you’ll meet incredible characters and discover their intertwined stories and secrets in an ever-evolving adventure. But every mile opens a choice to make. Your decisions will change your adventure, change the people you meet, and maybe even change the world.
Coming Soon
Lightyear Frontier (Game Preview) (Xbox Series X|S) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Start your interstellar homestead in this peaceful open-world farming adventure! Build your sustainable exofarm, grow alien crops, customize your mech, and explore a new world full of mystery with up to three friends!
My Time at Sandrock (Console) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Just like My Time at Portia, My Time at Sandrock takes place in a wholesome post-apocalyptic world 300 years after the Day of Calamity destroyed most modern technologies. Gather resources to build machines, befriend locals, and defend Sandrock from monsters — all while saving the town from economic ruin!
Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders (Xbox Series X|S) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Join Robin Hood and his unwavering band of outlaws in 12th-century England on their mission to free Nottingham. Travel across various regions, build up a secret hideout village and help the denizens of the surrounding lands. Complete quests, construct various builds, craft a broad range of items, and freely explore locations inspired by both myth and history in this open-world RPG with base-building features.
Rolling Hills (Console) – January 8 Now with Game Pass Standard
Serve sushi as a robot chef in Rolling Hills, a life sim about running your own restaurant in a cozy village. Make new friends, purchase ingredients, enhance your shop, and improve the lives of your neighbors as you perfect your craft!
EA Sports UFC 5 (Cloud and Xbox Series X|S) EA Play – January 14 Game Pass Ultimate
Unleash your fury and get unlimited access to EA Sports UFC 5, coming to Game Pass Ultimate via EA Play. Plus, members can score the Bruce Lee Bundle and play as alter egos of the father of mixed martial arts, available at no additional cost in the Perks section from January 14 to February 11.
Diablo (PC) – January 14 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Return to the legendary town of Tristram in Diablo, the groundbreaking action-RPG that defined the genre, coming to Game Pass on January 14! With its satisfying progression, deep character customization, and intense battles, Diablo delivers an unforgettable journey through a dark gothic fantasy world.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks
New year, new Perks! Check the Game Pass section on your console, Xbox mobile app, or Xbox app on PC on a regular basis to find new in-game content, consumables, and offers included with your Game Pass Ultimate membership.
First Descendant Season 2: Ancestors Bundle – Available now Play the next-generation looter shooter, The First Descendant, and elevate your experience with the exclusive Season 2: Ancestors Bundle! Customize your Descendants and weapons with unique styles and enhancements!
Vigor: Coast Guardian Pack – Available now Beneath the shimmering northern lights on the frozen coast of Anniken, a silent lighthouse overlooks the Outlands. Gear up and carry the legacy of this iconic landmark into every battle with the Coast Guardian Pack.
Apex Legends: Feelin’ Lucky? Weapon Charm – Available now Add some flair to your arsenal with the Feelin’ Lucky? Weapon Charm. Equip this to your favorite weapon and battle for glory, fame, and fortune in style.
Metaball: Punk Pack – January 7 Metaball is a free-to-play, crossplay-enabled multiplayer sports game with fast-paced action. The Punk Pack unlocks seven colorful and cool legendary outfits!
Leaving January 15
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon, so be sure to show them some love and jump in before they go. Remember to use your membership discount to save up to 20% to keep them in your library.
Common’Hood (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Escape Academy (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Exoprimal (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Figment (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Insurgency Sandstorm (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Those Who Remain (Cloud, Console, and PC)
We’ll be back to our usual twice monthly announcements, so keep tuned here and to Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox on social for all the updates on when “coming soon” turns into “available today” to play. Be back soon!
