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I guarantee you’ll need something in today’s deals. You’ve got top-tier GPUs, fast CPUs, and desktops that could run a small moon base. On the other, there’s a humble Ethernet switch for the cost of a takeaway and an SSD enclosure that does exactly what it says on the tin. Equal parts power and practicality.
The Final Fantasy: Through the Ages collection reimagines classic Magic: The Gathering cards with iconic art and characters from all 16 mainline Final Fantasy games. Packed into Magic’s newly released Universes Beyond: Final Fantasy set, these reprints aren’t just nostalgic; they’re in high demand for collectors, with several fetching serious prices on the secondary market.
Beyond just looking incredible, many of these cards are proven staples in multiple formats like Commander. That combination of competitive relevance and collector appeal has already driven prices up, with several cards becoming some of the most sought-after in the entire set.
Whether you’re opening boosters or tracking down singles, these are the 16 most valuable cards from the Through the Ages collection right now. They’re powerful, flashy, and, for longtime fans of both games, pretty irresistible right now. Let’s take a look.
Sitting at around $10.20 market, you can get this Commander staple for as low as $9.60, but this shoots up to $49.89 for the foil print. I was hoping for a larger red creature to represent Clive, but Vial Smasher fits his fiery personality well.
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician is a Modern staple (there’s a whole deck named after him), so the Emperor art would be a nice addition to die-hard fans of the deck. You can pick this up for around $14.54 market, or as low as $11.99 on TCGPlayer right now.
I thought for sure Kefka’s Tower would be printed onto Command Tower, but it looks like Wizards of the Coast wanted to avoid Commander-only cards, which is welcome. Get this at market value for $15.55 or as low as $13.69.
A personal favorite (seriously, I adore Final Fantasy IV), Tymna, the Weaver’s design is another card that fits the flavor of the character well. Find it at market around $16.18.
One of the best Mardu Commanders around, Isshin definitely fits Lightning’s vibe in terms of combat mechanics. You can pick this up at market price for $21.93 but not much lower at the time of writing, as Lightning’s value seems to be slowly spiking as well.
If you’re playing white in Commander, odds are you’re running Akroma’s Will. The art with Noctis and Lunafreya is one of my personal favorites. It’s recently had a massive spike in price, and you can currently find it at market value for around $23.99.
Purphoros, God of the Forge is great in Commander if you’re running a tokens or blink strategy, and the Yoshitaka Amano Kefka art is a nostalgic masterpiece. Market is around $25, and that seems to be the price you’re looking at right now as well.
You’d be hard-pressed to see Thrasios played anywhere other than low-powered Merfolk Commander decks, but the Final Fantasy X cover art is the big selling point here. Get it at market for $21.26 but not much lower.
Najeela, the Blade-Blossom fits Cloud well, and the Tetsuya Nomura art alone is enough for me to pick one up. Market value is $25, and seems fairly stable right now as well, albeit the foil version fetches 10x that, with listings up to $250 at TCGPlayer right now.
I’d call this a fringe Commander staple, as big mana green decks love this massive enchantment creature for some extra ramp, and the Cloudsea Djinn art from the original Final Fantasy is icing on the cake. Find it at market for $24.66 or down to around $23 from select vendors.
Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer might be one of the most annoying one-drops ever printed, but I can’t argue against this sweet Zidane alternate art, especially as a huge fan of Final Fantasy IX. Market price is $27.70 and other vendors don’t have it for much lower. The foil version is also going for around $82.99 right now as well.
This card is another example of a fan-favorite character glued onto a multi-format powerhouse. It’s at $26.62 market value, with that being fairly stable right now as well.
Ranger-Captain of Eos sees enough Modern and Legacy play to warrant picking this one up. It’s at $29.50 market and not much lower elsewhere.
This one I’m surprised at as well, but because of how low it is. Mix Atraxa, Grand Unifier, a multi-format all-star, with one of the most iconic video game villains of all time, and you have potential for a serious price tag. Luckily it’s at a $42.78 market price, which could be worse. Find one for as low as $39.98.
From a Commander or competitive standpoint, I can’t quite figure out why this is as expensive as it is, it’s sitting at $72.19 market. But nostalgia is a hell of a drug, so you can grab one for as low as $69.74, break out the big guns as the foil version is up to $254.70 at the time of publication.
Before we jump into the most valuable card, consider these honorable mentions when picking up any singles right now as well.
Final Fantasy: Through the Ages features dozens of other cards, and the above list are some other multi-format staples like Fatal Push and Dovin’s Veto with awesome new art that won’t break the bank for a playset.
Rhystic Study has been a Commander staple since the format’s inception. The Final Fantasy X version is sitting at a market price of $103.12, but you can pick one up for as high as $125.98, or as low as $100.
Through the Ages cards can be found non-foil in both Play Boosters and Collector Boosters, with foil versions of the cards only available in Collector Boosters. But, the best avenue to get the cards you want, without spending an absolute fortune, is by purchasing singles, so hopefully this was a handy guide for you.
Whether you’re here for FF6’s Terra, FF7’s Cloud, FF10’s Tidus, or FF14’s Warrior of Light, these sets are stacked with heroes and villains from across the series. And that’s just the Commander Decks, the full release runs deep. If you managed to lock in a preorder before they vanished, congrats. Otherwise, check in with the links just above to bookmark or wishlist your favorite set in anticipation of any restocks soon.
Or perhaps, Collectors with more money than sense might be even more drawn to the Final Fantasy x Secret Lair drops. Wizards of the Coast has had a packed year of limited-time releases, and all three Final Fantasy Secret Lair sets sold out in record time, leaving plenty of fans empty-handed. That said, they’re still available through third-party sellers… if you’re willing to pay the markup.
There are three drops in total: Weapons, Grimoire, and Game Over. Each one offers Magic: The Gathering cards with exclusive Final Fantasy art and themed names. All were released in both standard and foil editions, with Japanese-language variants adding an extra layer of rarity for collectors.
Since these drops are no longer available directly from Wizards of the Coast, don’t expect to find them at their original prices. Standard nonfoil sets launched at $30, and rainbow foil versions at $40, but most listings now sit between $80 and $150 or more.
It’s a steep jump, so if you’re looking to grab one now, make sure you know exactly what you’re paying for. You can find them on eBay, but we’ve always found TCGPlayer, while also eBay-owned, to be the more secure and trustworthy option for picking up Secret Lair drops after release.
Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.
Dark and Darker is a bit of a Schroedinger’s video game, isn’t it? Seemingly fleeting back and forth between a state of being available for sale and being outright delisted. Back in March, the multiplayer extraction game was delisted from the Epic Games Store, with developer Ironmace saying at the time that the “decision appears to be based on claims made by opposing parties in an ongoing legal dispute.”
Minecraft was never designed with visuals as its key selling point. With an endless sandbox landscape and unlimited customisation, Mojang’s now-familiar pixellated graphics were never the main focus.
Today, however, that all changes, with the launch of Minecraft’s long-awaited Vibrant Visuals update on PC and a range of compatible consoles and smartphones. But not all platforms will get the upgrade, and the game’s classic Minecraft: Java Edition will also be left without.
Still, if you’re playing the main Minecraft: Bedrock Edition on PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S or certain Android and iOS devices, Vibrant Visuals is available now, as part of the game’s wider Chase the Skies update.
Chase the Skies adds ridable Happy Ghast creatures to the game’s overworld, following years of stress caused by their meaner cousins who spit fireballs in the Nether. You can also now leash a chain of camels together to create a resource-transporting caravan, and track down your friends faster with the Player Locator HUD bar.
If you play Minecraft on an older console, such as PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, or if you play on an older Android phone, you’ll need to manually switch on the Vibrant Visuals option via the game’s video settings menu. Mojang warns that “performance may degrade for these devices”.
On PC or smartphone, you’ll need the following tech specs:
• Android: Adreno 640, Mali-G68, Mali-G77, or Xclipse 530 or higher
• iOS: A12 or M1 or higher
• PC: Running Minecraft on DX12
Splitscreen multiplayer, custom Worlds and Texture Packs are not currently supported by Vibrant Visuals, either.
And what of Nintendo Switch — or Switch 2? No mention is made of Nintendo’s console platforms in today’s Vibrant Visuals launch blog, leaving fans in the dark about compatibility there.
However, on a brighter note, Minecraft is now at last listed as Xbox Series X/S optimised, some five years after Microsoft’s current console generation launched.
Vibrant Visuals finally makes good on Microsoft’s promise to launch a proper graphical upgrade for Minecraft, first mentioned back in 2017 when a fancy trailer was released for the later-cancelled Super Duper Graphics Pack. At the time, Mojang said this upgrade would arrive for Xbox One and “Project Scopio” — what became Xbox One X. Now, finally, something similar has arrived.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
Fishing, I think, is the truest of all video game power fantasies. Action hero combat, romance wish fulfilment, god like abilities, all of that sort of thing pales in comparison to the act of fishing in a game. Just you, your rod, and a whole load of open water. I love to fish in video games, despite not being someone that has a strong desire to 100% genres like collectathons, I do love getting as many fish as I can, and I love a twist on the format. Enter Out Fishing, a mysterious sounding horror fishing game.
The accessory maker formerly known as Skull & Co.
We’ve already had a look at Nintendo’s official Switch 2 carry case and scored it a super solid 8/10, commenting that it had too few cart spaces (at just six), but was nevertheless a compact and good-looking case for the money.
Now it’s the turn of Skull & Co., or ‘Savage Raven’ as the company has now rebranded, with the Switch 2 EDC Carry Case. I’ll be honest, it makes me feel a little bit like I should really be dressing up as The Crow when I’m out and about with my console rocking a name like that on its little protective jacket, but hey, this is actually a very strong alternative to Nintendo’s rather less street-wise offering. It also has two more cart spaces than that case. Upgrade unlocked!
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The post Minecraft: Vibrant Visuals and Chase the Skies Drop Out Now appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Pik-Sen Lim, an actress known for roles across British and Malaysian television, has died at age 80.
Per Malay Mail, the Penang-born actress appeared in numerous roles over the years, including appearing on Doctor Who as Chin Lee in The Mind of Evil. Lim also gained international fame for her role as Chung Su-Lee in Mind Your Language, a British comedy from the 1970s.
She also appeared in series like Coronation Street and Spearhead, as well as American TV shows like Vampire Academy and The Nevers. On the film side, Lim played the Killer Cleaner in Johnny English Reborn.
Lim also played an important role in video games, as the narrator for the opening cinematics of Dark Souls 1 and Dark Souls 3. These cinematics laid the groundwork for the story ahead, and are often remembered and quoted in the Souls and FromSoftware fandom.
Actor Daniel York Loh posted a fond remembrance on Instagram, recalling seeing Lim on Mind Your Language before eventually working with her on stage plays, readings, and workshops.
“She was so affectionate, so witty, so brilliantly scabrous and absolutely honest about the rubbish this industry deals actors of our heritage – unlike a fair few others who actually try and cape it,” said Loh. “We’ll miss you so much but thank you, Pixi, for blessing our lives with your unique presence.”
Photo by: Jose Haro/Peacock via Getty Images.
Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.
I find Fortnite’s desperation to be the everything game both fascinating and overwhelming. There’s always something new for you to do around the corner, some new game mode that’s attempting to tap into current trends of whatever it is that kids are into at any given moment. Currently, on the younger audience side of things with Lego Fortnite, Epic Games are launching Expeditions, a new wave-based mode that looks like a bit of a blend between a hero shooter and Left 4 Dead.
Preorders for the upcoming Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet expansions, Black Bolt and White Flare, are starting to roll out at major US retailers ahead of the release next month on July 18.
Walmart has confirmed its listings will go live on June 18 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET. Amazon and Target are also expected to follow up with wider availability soon, potentially even around the same time, so keep an eye out and bookmark the following links if you’re looking to secure early stock.
Amazon’s listings are up but not live yet, so bookmark each so you’re ready to lock in your preorder ASAP when each set goes live.
You can also see our full list of trusted retailers just below that will likely host preorders between now and release on July 18.
Best Buy is also putting restrictions in place for those looking to preorder, so make sure to check the following on your Best Buy account, as well as every other retailer:
Like previous sets, Black Bolt and White Flare will likely sell out incredibly quickly, so it’ll be a massive task to find the expansions in stock.
I’ll be keeping track on retailers and updating this article as preorders go live, as I’ll be looking to pick up a few sealed boosters myself.
The everything below also be found at The Pokémon Center, although its currently out of stock, and its queue system when new stock is added can take a rather long time with no guarantees.
Pokémon TCG’s release schedule is looking chock full over the next few months, alongside the split explansion set Black Bolt and White Flare, there’s also Destined Rivals that recently released at the end of May.
Black Bolt and White Flare will have a staggered release between July 18 – August 22, and you can find all the relevant dates to note down just below.
A new card style, called Black White rare, will also debut. These cards will feature full artwork in either black or white monochrome, depending on the expansion.
Players will also be able to access Scarlet & Violet: Black Bolt and White Flare digitally starting July 17, 2025, through the Pokémon TCG Live app on iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows. The digital release allows players to collect and battle with new Unova-region cards and earn in-game login bonuses.
Checking these prices against TCG Player secondary market values, a lot of these products aren’t far off the mark. Make no mistake, they’re still way off MSRP, but finding Pokémon products on shelves that haven’t been marked up past the point of anyone caring is a positive.
Still refusing to pay over MSRP for new sets? Well played, I’m proud of you. Here’s some single card highlights for you to shuffle through instead. Spoiler, there’s plenty of deals to be had.
It’s hard to stick a pin on Destined Rivals single card values right now, and the dips in value seem to match the little bits of stock distributors release to stores.
Looking at the tracking charts for each of these cards, we can see mostly plummets from day one, then either upticks or cards for sale that exceed the original value at launch.
It’s crazy, but we now know how low these cards can go. Sure there’s always attempts at market manipulation, but I wouldn’t buy any cards on the rise right now.
Having keeping an eye on the market since launch, Journey Together singles are now more affordable than ever.
Many of these cards have stabilized, with the main chase card – Lillie’s Clefairy ex SIR, settling at around $150.
If you were planning on getting into Journey Together at some point to collect the illustration rares and SIRs, now is a great time to jump in.
There’s so many great cards in this set that aren’t Umbreon ex SIR, all of which are a damn sight more affordable right now.
Because I hate anything popular (Yes, I know I’m a massive fan of the most popular IP on earth), my two favorite cards are Dragapult ex SIR and Roaring Moon ex SIR.
The former is now down to a respectable $125, with the latter holding it’s value well since launch, floating towards the $200 mark. These prices and below are great deals for these cards, so don’t miss out.
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.
Additional contributions included by Robert Anderson.
