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Civilization 7 introduces a few massive changes to the series, most notably the Ages mechanic that has you swap out your civilization for a new one as the game progresses through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages. Your choice of leader, though, sticks with you throughout the entire game.

While they don’t provide as many traits and units as Civilizations, Leaders still have powerful abilities that can create some excellent combinations when mixed and matched. To help you out, we’ve created this tier list of every Leader and highlighted their strengths and weaknesses. This should help you choose who you want to be the face of your empire as you build your future all the way into the Modern Age.

Civilization 7 Leader Tier List

S-Tier – Confucius, Xerxes King of Kings, Ashoka World Conquerer, Augustus

A-Tier – Ashoka World Renouncer, Benjamin Franklin, Charlemagne, Harriet Tubman, Hatshepsut, Himiko High Shaman, Isabella, Jose Rizal, Machiavelli, Trung Trac, Xerxes The Achaemenid

B-Tier – Amina, Catherine The Great, Friedrich Oblique, Ibn Battuta, Lafayette, Napoleon Emperor, Napoleon Revolution, Tecumseh, Himiko Queen of Wa

C-Tier – Friedrich Baroque, Pachacuti

S-Tier Leaders

S-Tier: Ashoka, World Conquerer

• +1 Production for every 5 excess Happiness in Cities.
• +10% Production in Settlements not founded by you.
• Declaring a Formal War grants a Celebration. +5 Combat Strength against Districts for all Units during a Celebration.

Ashoka, World Conquerer is all about keeping your own citizens happy while terrorizing other civilizations. Happiness is a very strong yield, and as long as you can keep a strong flow of excess Happiness, you will get continual benefits. Settlements not founded by you and excess Happiness result in extra Production meaning you can make a lot of Units and maintain a strong base to fuel your war efforts. Also, declaring a Formal War grants you an automatic Celebration. This gives you an instant +5 Combat Strength against Districts and All Units. This makes you excellent at putting your enemy on the back foot immediately once a war is declared.

With all the excess Happiness, you can likely get one or two extra Celebrations during a war, so you go through periods of extreme military power. The only thing to manage is, as you take over Settlements from your fellow civs, dealing with the unrest they bring. However, if you can manage that and keep everyone happy, Ashoka, World Conquerer is one of the strongest leaders in the game.

S-Tier: Augustus

• +2 Production in the Capital for every Town. Can purchase Culture Buildings in Towns.
• +50% Gold towards purchasing Buildings in Towns.

Augustus gets a lot of benefits from a relatively straightforward style of play. He is all about going wide with his Settlements and establishing as many Towns as possible, be that through settling or conquest. Interestingly though, his value comes in not upgrading Towns to City. That saves him Gold, but he gets a nice bonus to Gold and Production for maintaining as many Towns as possible.

He can turn his Capital into a powerhouse, with all of his towns feeding his central base. On top of he can buy buildings cheaper in Towns, and has access to buying Culture buildings. This can really add up, both giving him immense amounts of Production and Culture, but also saving him money along the way. It’s a nicely rounded style of play with great benefits and an easy-to-understand goal. Just get out there and settle lots of Towns – or take them by force.

S-Tier: Confucius

• +25% Growth Rate in Cities.
• +2 Science from Specialists.

Confucius is a master when it comes to expanding his Cities. The natural +25% Growth Rate in Cities is just powerful, especially early on when land-grabbing is important. You can expand your borders much faster than your opponents, absorbing key Resources before they can. And you can do it without the pain of going to war.

He also has ease becoming one of the best producers of Science in the game thanks to getting +2 Science from Specialists. This can make him particularly potent, especially in the end game where his Specilasits stack up, and he has access to much more advanced Technology than other civilizations. He may need a little help defending his lands, so a strong Civilization pairing, or making a powerful ally can go far. Outside of that though, there’s not a lot that’s going to stop Confucius from gobbling up all the land he can, all while being one of the most technologically advanced.

S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings

• +3 Combat Strength for Units that are attacking in neutral or enemy territory.
• Gain 100 Culture and Gold per Age upon capturing a Settlement for the first time. +10% Gold in all Settlements, increased even further in Settlements not founded by you.
• +1 Settlement limit per Age.

Xerxes, King of Kings is as straightforward as it gets. He has one specialty – attacking other players and taking their Settlements. It’s not complicated or highbrowed, but it is undoubtedly effective, especially if you are looking for a Military Victory.

He benefits from being the aggressor in every situation, getting free combat strength, that doesn’t require anything to activate past initiating fights in foreign territory. He’s also incentivized to take over as many Settlements as his limits will allow, though he even gets a higher Settlement limit. For doing so, not only is he advancing the Military Legacy Path, he gains Culture and Gold further fueling his military aims.

A-Tier Leaders

A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer

• +1 Food in Cities for every 5 excess Happiness.
• +10% Food in all Settlements during Celebration.
• All buildings gain a +1 Happiness adjacency for all Improvements.

While not as militarily spooky as the World Conquerer version of Ashoka, the World Renouncer is certainly nothing to sniff at. While the other version is about turning Happiness into military might, this version of Ashoka is all about turning Happiness into population.

This changes the play from trying to take over as many Settlements with your units, into going for a land grab and establishing Districts. This can be excellent in the right hands, especially those who know how to manage big populations and city construction. You can also bypass the unrest of taking over Settlements, so there is an argument the World Renouncer is as strong or even stronger. That said, it requires a little more finesse and doesn’t receive the powerful production bonuses. Either way though, as long as your population is happy, your borders should be expanding if you choose to go the World Renouncer route.

A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin

• +1 Science per Age on Production Buildings in CIties.
• +50% Production towards constructing Production Buildings.
• +1 Science per Age active Endeavors you started or supported.
• Can have two Endeavors of the same type active at a time.

Benjamin Franklin is an exceptional and versatile Leader if you intend to go down the Science route in your game. What’s nice is his specialties are in Science and Production, meaning not only can you research a lot of Technology quickly, but you can then make the product of your labor soon after too.

His traits create a nice feedback loop around Production Buildings where constructing Production Buildings can be done fast, and he then gets extra Science for each one. He also benefits from having good relations with those around him, and can further his Science generation by entering into Endeavors.

A-Tier: Charlemagne

• Military and Science Buildings receive a Happiness adjacency for Quarters. Gain 2 free Cavalry Units, once unlocked, when entering a Celebration.
• +5 Combat Strength for Cavalry Units during a Celebration.

Military and Science are always a powerful combination, allowing you to be on the cutting edge of new warfare Technologies, and then pressing that advantage. Charlemagne is encouraged to push for Military and Science buildings to help prop up some powerful Happiness traits.

As long as he can keep his population happy, he can continually enter Celebrations, which in turn gives him free Cavalry Units. While that’s going on too, these already strong early and mid-game units gain even more strength. It’s a very horse-centric strategy, but stampeding over your fellow Civilizations is a very strong tactic in the early parts of the game. While he may struggle more in the Modern Age once the likes of Tanks and Planes are introduced, he should be established with a very strong empire by then.

A-Tier: Harriet Tubman

• +100% Influence towards Initiating Espionage Actions.
• Gain 5 War Support on all wars declared against you.
• Units ignore movement penalties from Vegetation.

Harriet Tubman is undoubtedly one of the stealthiest choices in Civilization 7. Influence can be a powerful yield, and Harriet can wield it perhaps most powerfully of all. She can cause some real trouble for other Civilizations by messing with them through means of Espionage, allowing you to disrupt or steal advantages from others.

Even if you get caught and anger a powerful force, the 5 War Support you get when a war is declared against you is an enormous drain on them, that should allow you to grind out a victory. On top of that, her armies are nimble, and able to ignore vegetation, making her hard to pin down, tricksy, and a pain to deal with when she’s defending.

A-Tier: Hatshepsut

• +1 Culture for every imported Resource.
• +15% Production towards the construction of Buildings and Wonders in Cities adjacent to Navigable Rivers.

Hatshepsut can get access to really strong spikes in Culture. It benefits her to have good relationships and establish Trade Routes for imported Resources. She gets +1 Culture for each one, so every time she enters into a trade with another civilization, it gives her a nice boost of Culture.

She’s also one of the very best at producing Wonders, but also, Buildings in general. This makes her very strong in the early Culture Legacy Paths. While she needs to be utilizing a Navigable River, most cities should be on one anyway, so this is not a difficult requirement to satisfy.

A-Tier: Himiko, High Shaman

• +2 Happiness per Age on Happiness Buildings.
• +50% Production towards constructing Happiness Buildings.
• +20% Culture but -10% Science, and these effects are doubled while in a Celebration.

Himiko is perhaps the best producer of Culture in Civilization 7. Her traits are very powerful, and the mixture it has with Happiness is a potent one. Constructing Happiness Buildings is fast thanks to the production bonus, and the Happiness Buildings only get stronger with age. She also gets a ridiculous +20% passive boost to Culture, which doubles during Celebrations, further feeding into Happiness.

However, it comes with drawbacks. She also has a -10% passive to Science, which also doubles during a celebration. This will require you to be aware of your handicap and work around it. That said, as long as you either utilize Endeavors or compensate for the Science loss with Buildings and resources, these potential peaks of Culture boosts far outweigh the negative Science nerf.

A-Tier: Isabella

• Gain 300 Gold every time you discover a Natural Wonder, doubled if the Natural Wonder is in Distant Lands.
• +100% additional tile yields from Natural Wonders.
• +50% Gold towards purchasing Naval Units, and -1 Gold maintenance cost for Naval Units.

Isabella can absolutely catapult herself early on if she can find a Natural Wonder. Especially in the Antiquity Age, if found early enough, 300 Gold is a massive boon. This allows her to buy units or buildings that should put her quite a bit ahead if done at the right time. If she is able to incorporate the Natural Wonder into her borders too, she will get massive tile Yields, making it again, very powerful the earlier you can do it.

That said, this of course is dependent on your finding and securing the Natural Wonders. She can fall victim to unlucky map placement. If there’s no nearby Natural Wonder early on, then she’s not going to be getting many benefits. That said, no matter what, she should have a strong Navy, by buying water-based Units and maintaining them with no problem.

A-Tier: Jose Rizal

• When gaining rewards from Narrative Events, gain an additional 20 Culture and Gold per Age.
• Has additional Narrative Events.
• +50% Celebration duration.
• +50% Happiness towards Celebrations.

Jose Rizal is a master of Celebrations. The 50% Celebration Duration and +50% Happiness towards Celebrations tandem is very strong. This can help him make massive gains with powerful Celebration effects, especially if he moves in the direction of Culture. He will have Celebrations often and have them active for longer. That’s excellent.

He also gets nice boosts of Culture and Gold for the Narrative Events he participates in and thankfully they happen more frequently to him than over civs. While these likely won’t sway a game on their own, they are a nice garnish on the Celebration synergy available to him.

A-Tier: Machiavelli

• +3 influence per Age.
• Gains 50 Gold per Age when your Diplomatic Action proposals are accepted or 100 Gold when they are rejected.
• Ignore Relationship requirements for declaring Formal Wars.
• Can Levy Military Units from City-States you are not Suzerin of.

Machiavelli is a great option for those who like to get positively devious. He has a powerful synergy of Influence and Gold that makes him a threat at all times. While he may not be on the offensive every second, his ability to ignore Relationship Requirements to declare wars means even allies aren’t safe from a stab in the back.

Even his apparent power level can be deceptive, as thanks to his ability to gain a lot of Gold from Diplomatic Actions made with his Influence, he can buy meaningful military force quickly. On top of that, he has the very powerful ability to levy units from City-States he isn’t Suzerain of. He’s not best at taking on strong armies and has to be considered in his actions, but he excels at a smash-and-grab playstyle, even at the expense of his friends.

A-Tier: Trung Trac

• Gain 3 free Levels on your first Army Commander.
• +20% Commander experience.
• +10% Science in Cities in Tropical Spaces. This bonus is doubled while in a Formal War you declare.

Trung Trac is the master of utilizing the powerful new Army Commander units. These units let you command multiple units at once while providing them with powerful bonuses. While they aren’t necessarily the strongest to begin with, the more levels they get, the more of a deciding factor they become. Trung Trac not only gets 20% Commander Experience, but her Commanders spawn with three free levels. This can make for some pretty sizeable spikes in military power that can influence wars. If her Commanders get really powerful and get multiple Commendations too, her armies will be some of the most powerful on the map.

She also gets a nice boost to Science on Tropical Spaces, a whopping 20% boostwhen at war, supercharging the formidable Science and Military combo. That said, it’s map-dependent, as she will need access to those Tropical tiles.

A-Tier: Xerxes, The Achaemenid

• +1 Trade Route limit with all other leaders.
• +50 Culture and 100 Gold per Age when you create a Trade Route or Road.
• +1 Culture and Gold per Age on Unique Buildings and Unique Improvements.

Xerxes, The Achaemenid has access to a nice variety of yields and benefits. The 100 Gold and 50 Culture he gets from creating Trade Routes and Roads are excellent and can provide you with massive spikes of both if you set up multiple around the same time. Considering he gets access to one extra Trade Route too for each Leader, there is a nice synergy here.

That’s only helped by his buff to Culture and Gold on Unique Buildings and Improvements. Make no mistake, this is a massive amount of both, and when utilized properly, it’s very, very strong.

B-Tier Leaders

B-Tier: Amina

• +1 Resource Capacity in Cities.
• +1 Gold per Age for each Resource assigned to Cities.
• +5 Combat Strength on all Units in Plains or Desert.

Amina is definitely a decent Leader who does well with Resources. Resources are powerful in Civilization 7, so having access to more is not a bad thing. While the +1 capacity is nice to have, the +1 Gold per Age for each Resource assigned to Cities is an excellent Gold generator.

Of course, you will need to get access to as many Resources as possible while housing them too, so that is where your game plan should be focused. Her Units getting a +5 Combat Strength on all Units in Plains or Desert is a bit situational, but it could come in clutch in the right circumstances.

B-Tier: Catherine the Great

• +2 Culture per Age on displayed Great Works. Building with Great Works slot gain 1 additional slot.
• Cities settled in Tundra gain Science equal to a percentage of their Culture per turn.

Catherine the Great is generally a great producer of Culture. Displaying Great Works is a part of the Culture Legacy Path, so her getting access to extra slots to display them can be useful when trying to run through that as fast as possible. The Culture boost for doing so will also feed more Great Works, making a nice feedback loop.

That said, she can be a little situational. Her cities being on Tundra do make for excellent Science output in tandem with her Culture generation. That said, if you can’t settle on Tundras or their barrenness ends up hurting you in terms of resources, she can be a little trickier to utilize.

B-Tier: Friedrich, Oblique

• Army Commanders start with the Merit Commendation, granting them additional Command Radius.
• Gain an Infantry Unit when you construct a Science Building.

The Oblique version of Friedrich is likely his better option, though he’s still far from the best in the game. That isn’t to say he isn’t without merit though. Army Commanders are strong Units and the Merit Commendations provide the most powerful effects among them. Starting with one of those is a good way to boost your army’s power early on. The additional Command Radius is as powerful as any buffs and debuffs, allowing you to affect more Units.

He also can get an Infantry Unit when constructing a Science Building, which is a nice incentive to put your Gold and Production into those. That said, he has no access to Science, Influence, or Culture buffs. Even for a scientific-focused Civilization, he can end up hurting his viability a bit as he will likely lag behind other specialists.

B-Tier: Ibn Battuta

• Gain 2 Wildcard Attribute Points after the first Civic in every Age.
• +1 Sight for all Units.
• Gain a unique Endeavor called Trade Maps that allows you to gradually see other Leaders’ Explored area.

Ibn Battuta could become a powerful Civilization if played correctly, though he is so versatile, his strengths may not be apparent to those not sure how to utilize Attribute Points. Getting 2 of these after the first Civic in each Age means that he is flexible, and can spec himself into the situation he finds himself in. That said, with that flexibility comes more choice and complexity that might be a little unwieldy for new players.

Likewise, his visibility of the map granted from stealing other Explored areas and the extra sight from units is something that can be powerful in experienced hands. However that value might not be apparent to those less versed in how to make use of that information. He brings a lot to the table and is very flexible. Just be sure you know how to utilize that.

B-Tier: Lafayette

• Gain a unique Endeavor called Reform, which grants an additional Social Policy slot. Supporting this Endeavor also grants the other leader an additional Social Policy Slot.
• +1 Combat Strength for every Tradition, but not Policy, slotted into Government.
• +1 Culture and Happiness per Age in Settlements, doubled in Distant Lands.

Lafayette has access to some nice traits, though they aren’t the most eye-catching in isolation. Him being able to use Reform to get additional Social Policy Slots is nice, and can help provide yield boosts. The +1 Combat Strength he gets from Traditions too is nothing to sniff at. That said, even with yield-focused policies, he may struggle to keep up with more specialised Leaders.

The +1 to Culture and Happiness per Age, which is doubled in Distant Lands, is a completely unconditional buff though. That’s nice to have. This all comes together to make him a good Civilization, with a nice selection of good traits, though nothing here is entirely compelling here on its own.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Emperor

• Gain a unique Sanction called Continental System that reduces the Trade Route limit of the targeted Leader to all other Leaders. Causes massive Relationship penalty, and costs more to reject.
• +8 Gold per Age for every Leader you are Unfriendly or Hostile with.
• Can reject endeavors for Free.

Napoleon, Emperor is for those who like being a bit of a brat. He gets benefits from being a troll, gaining a very good +8 Gold for every Leader he is Unfriendly or Hostile with. That can be a lot if he’s annoying everyone. His Continental System Sanction messes with other civilizations’ ability to trade, making it an excellent option to tick off his neighbors.

The difficulty comes in managing that dislike. This means it will be very hard to enter into Endeavors, or even keep Open Borders with those around you. Of course, it will also paint an enormous target on your back. Since he provides no buffs to his Units militarily, that’s a dangerous game. So, if you’re going to be a jerk to everyone, make sure you have the army to back it up just in case the consequences of your actions catch up to you.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Revolutionary

• +1 Movement for all Land Units.
• Defending an enemy unit provides Culture equal to 50% percent of its Combat Strength.

Napoleon, Revolutionary is an interesting Leader. All of his land units get +1 movement which is helpful when trying to both traverse large areas, as well as being nimble when maneuvering around enemy units.

However, how you utilize his other trait is likely going to be what decides if you do well with him or not. Culture equal to 50% of enemy Combat Strength when defending can be very spikey, giving you a lot of Culture if you find yourself defending multiple times per turn. However, to make the best of this, you need to find yourself in this position relatively often. That means you’re going to want to be provoking enemies, but holding your ground. It’s a pretty unique playstyle and may be a bit awkward for some. But if used well, it could be a big source of Culture. Just expect to be putting other resources into maintaining your army as you continually take hits.

B-Tier: Tecumseh

• +1 Food and Production per Age in Settlements for every City-State you are Suzerain of.
• +1 Combat Strength for all your Units for every City-State you are Suzerin of.

Tecumseh has the potential to be very good, but it will need time and setup. He is all about becoming the Suzerain of City-States. If you can rack up three or four of these, that’s a significant bonus to Food and Production, as well as Combat Strength.

The issue is that becoming a Suzerain takes a lot of Influence and he doesn’t have an inherent trait that helps. So he will need a good pairing with a Civilization, Policy, and Buildings/Districts to facilitate this. On top of that, it will just take time for you to get the Influence you need and convince these states they should come under your wing. However, if you have the infrastructure for it, the rewards can be pure and consistent value.

B-Tier: Himiko, Queen of Wa

• Gain a unique Endeavor called Friend of Wei that can be performed in an Alliance to grant you and your ally +25% Science.
• +4 Science per Age for every Leader you are Friendly or Helpful with.
• Can support Endeavors for free.

Himiko, Queen of Wa is the opposite of Napoleon, Emperor. She is all about being everyone’s best friend, and if you can maintain that, you will reap enormous benefits. The +4 Science per Age for every Leader you’re Friendly or Helpful with is only helped by the Friend of Wei Endeavor. Multiply that by several allies, and that’s serious Science production.

However, you do have to be a little careful with it too. Make sure being nice to everyone doesn’t come at the cost of your defensive military. Your Technological advances and sunny demeanor may make others jealous, so don’t get caught out thinking everyone is your friend. That can go out the window quickly when they want what you have.

C-Tier Leaders

C-Tier: Friedrich, Baroque

• Gain a Great Work when you capture a Settlement for the first time.
• Gain an Infantry Unit when you construct a Culture Building.

Friedrich, Baroque has two traits and neither is particularly strong or distinct. Gaining a Great Work for capturing a Settlement for the first time is decent, but is unlikely to outright help you win games. In a field of very strong Leader traits, this feels merely ‘fine’.

Gaining an Infantry Unit when building a Culture Building is also useful, and can help fuel your military ambitions, but it’s not exactly going to make up for having no yield bonuses here. There are just many stronger options when it comes to Culture and your Military.

C-Tier: Pachacuti

• All Buildings gain a +1 Food adjacency bonus for Mountains.
• Specialists adjacent to Mountains do not cost Happiness maintenance

Pachacuti is not a bad Leader. In fact, in some games, he can be exceptional. The problem is, he can also do next to nothing if the map hasn’t favored you. To excel, you need Mountains. If he can settle near them, then he will get good access to a good amount of Food and have little drawback from Specialists. That can be really good, especially when paired with Civilizations that utilize Mountains too.

The problem is, that’s a strict requirement. Without Mountains, he provides little else, so if you spawn on a map with none around you, you’re out of luck. Of course, you can start over, or move the map sliders in your favor before picking him, but if you want a neutral experience where you start and play on a normal map, know you’re rolling the dice when you start.

Patrick is a a freelance journalist with over 13 years of experience who loves going deep on games and getting into their systems. His four-figure hours into both Overwatch 2 and Destiny 2 are a testament to that.

I want to say I have self-control, but when Amazon drops prices on Pokémon cards and limited edition gear, my budget takes the hit. These deals hit that magical combo of actually useful and just tempting enough to justify with “well, it is on sale.

Pokémon TCG, DOOM Xbox Controller, and a Last of Us Vinyl Set

I think today’s lineup is especially worth a look. There’s a Charizard box packed with collectibles, a DOOM Xbox controller that looks like it could double as a weapon, and a Last of Us vinyl set that might just make you cry on your living room floor. Been there.

Pokémon TCG Charizard ex Super Premium Collection

Xbox Wireless Controller – DOOM: The Dark Ages LE

The Last of Us 10th Anniversary Vinyl Box Set – 4LP

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together Elite Trainer Box

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The Last of Us – Joel With Hatchet Bust

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Mass Effect Merchandise

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Pokémon TCG: Shining Fates Collection Pikachu V Box

The Pokémon range of Squishmallows makes for some of the best franchise plushies around, and Amazon has made them better by letting you buy certain 14-inch ultra-soft Pocket Monsters for as low as $6.06, in a price cut on certain ones.

That lowest price tag in particular is for Marill, arguably the best bargain among the bunch due to the Gen-2 Water-type’s popularity. Originally, $17.49, that is a huge 65% saving before taking taxes plus shipping & handling, into account.

The next best is for Bellibolt, the EleFrog Pokemon, who is now available to buy and squeeze for only $8.47, after having 66% taken off its original $24.99 price tag. Then, there’s the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet players’ favourite Fire-type starter, Fuecoco—also on sale for $9.23 after having 63% taken away. For the Kanto purists, the 14-inch Clefairy can now be bought for only $10.13 after a 59% reduction.

An important thing to keep in mind is that Amazon has seemed to have made it very hard to find these deals when you’re browsing directly, with some plushies’ lower product pages only appearing with very particular searches. With that, we’d recommend clicking through our dedicated catalogue above so you can go to each page directly, buy quickly, and save without none of the fuss.

If you’re still after the generally best Squishmallows in the entire Pokemon range—like Gengar and Snorlax—most seem to be available to still buy on Amazon as well. Some have even had a price cut as well, but only $4 at the most, compared to the other four above.

Still, they’re worth the investment if you want some squeezable and comfortable cushions added to your living space with some Pokemon flair.

Around 50% of the Marill, Fuecoco, and Clefairy Squishmallows have already been claimed at the time of writing. As more become aware of these massive offers, grab yours quickly before you lose out on this very limited-time deal.

Ben Williams – IGN freelance contributor with over 10 years of experience covering gaming, tech, film, TV, and anime. Follow him on Twitter/X @BenLevelTen.

The Easter season of savings is in full swing, and I’ve found a banger line-up of game bargains across every major platform. Whether you’re building out your backlog or chasing a couple of cult favourites you missed at launch, there’s never been a better time to snag some digital delights. Get scrolling to get saving!

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I’m celebrating the 17th bday of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2, the first game I ever reviewed for IGN AU! I’m all about its co-op PvE mode, called Terrorist Hunt, that my mates and I sank about a hundred hours into. Whether you do it via two-player split or 4P over Xbox Live, the concept is simple: survive a butt-clenching, one-shot-one-kill onslaught against thirty AI scumbags. I still play this on my XSX and it remains an absolute (flash)banger.

Pulsar made a great impression with the Xboard QS, which featured expansive physical customization and a build quality strong enough to be classified as a weapon. Along with some of my favorite mechanical switches, Pulsar proved to be a real player in the boutique (and expensive) keyboard space. The PCMK 2 HE, however, takes on a different design philosophy with a lighter, slimmer build and makes the move to magnetic switches to stand among some of the best gaming keyboards recently released. It costs a pretty penny at a base price of $160, especially considering its wired-only connectivity limits versatility, but everything else around it is fantastic and shows that Pulsar isn’t just a one-hit wonder.

Pulsar PCMK 2 HE – Design and Features

The PCMK 2 HE rocks a simple design, and it’s a clean and attractive aesthetic with the black and white color scheme that contrasts really well. The QWER, ASDF, Escape, and Enter keys come in the opposite color of the rest of the keycaps (depending on which primary color you choose to buy), and the backlit Pulsar logo above the arrow keys shines brightly. That logo is also a magnetic tab that you can remove, and even get customized for a little extra. The legend on it indicates whether or not Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, or Game Mode is active via the backlighting as well.

The exposed keycaps on the aluminum top plate lets them pop and the RGB backlighting flow nicely across the board. These double-shot PBT keycaps don’t have transparent lettering so the lighting doesn’t help with visibility, but there’s a decent brightness that helps the customizable colors still jump out. The dampeners and foam layer make up the rest of the keyboard, however, the keystrokes aren’t exactly soft or quiet. I’m fine with it since the keys have a light and bouncy feel that works well for gaming and long-term typing, although it does sound more “clacky” than most other magnetic keyboards. The bottom is encased in a transparent plastic so it’s not a fully aluminum chassis and doesn’t feel quite as sturdy as it could have been, but the see-through look is pretty sweet.

Pulsar collaborated with Gateron for its magnetic switches, which have a really smooth linear feel – at just 30g +/- 7 on the initial actuation force, it’s one of the lightest switches I’ve used. In moving to magnetic Hall Effect switches, it affords the keyboard another layer customization that you just can’t get from mechanical keyboards. Popular manufacturers like Logitech and Razer are jumping onto it now, and Pulsar is up there with the big names not just with how well the switches themselves perform, but because of how easy it is to get the most out of them.

Pulsar PCMK 2 HE – Software and Customization

As with other boutique-style keyboard makers, Pulsar uses a web-based configurator instead of a downloadable software suite to customize the keyboard’s settings. It’s called Bibimbap and makes tweaking things a breeze, similar to what Keychron offers as I saw with the K4 HE that I also reviewed. You just go to the Pulsar software URL (it’ll say “download” but it doesn’t actually download a client) and select the keyboard from the Connect menu. From there, you can mess with things like the customizable actuation point, RGB lighting profile, key assignments, macros, and much more.

Almost every feature included is configurable on a per-key basis, and while RGB isn’t going to necessarily shine through the keycaps, the degree to which you tweak the color spectrum, effects, and indicator lights on the magnetic tab is extensive. Having adjustable actuation points, thanks to the magnetic switches, comes in clutch as well, and that’s simply done in the Performance tab in the software – it can be as short as 0.1mm or as deep as 4.0mm and anywhere in between in 0.1mm increments.

Because this is a magnetic keyboard with features like Rapid Trigger and Quick Tap, I do need to address the ever-present elephant in the room. Quick Tap, being the name for SOCD (simultaneous opposite cardinal direction) input in this case, is a contentious feature that allows immediate input recognition even with the opposing direction still being held. In a shooter, holding A to strafe left while tapping D to strafe right without letting go of A creates a jiggle-strafing movement that is physically impossible otherwise. And this technique makes you an extremely tough target to hit. While every magnetic keyboard has some form of SOCD now, it doesn’t mean you’re safe to use it – you will get kicked from Counter-Strike 2 matches, for example, so be mindful of that. Rapid Trigger isn’t as problematic, it just recognizes any upward movement as a reset point, making repeated tapping faster.

Looking to upgrade your mouse, too?

In case building your own rig is too much work right now or simply not a priority for you, you can always opt for one of the best prebuilt gaming PCs. You’ll miss out on the satisfaction of building your PC from the ground up, but all that time you saved skipping research, having to wait for components to arrive, building your machine, and inevitably problem-solving when something goes awry can be spent actually playing PC games.

The half-baked prebuilt systems of yesteryear are no more, cutting far fewer corners for a long-lasting gaming PC that can take on all the action you throw its way. With the latest and greatest graphics cards and processors becoming pricier than ever, you may even save money by opting for something from Alienware, MSI, or HP. Plus, most options are easy enough to open up to upgrade components down the road, including our favorite gaming PC, the Legion Tower 7i.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Gaming PCs:

Buying a gaming PC is a bit more involved than a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S. You’ll need to determine the types of games you want to play and how you want to play them – even the best budget gaming PCs won’t be running Cyberpunk 2077 at the highest settings. Finding the proper processors, storage, memory, cooling, and other hardware and ensuring all the components work well together can make or break the rig. Luckily, many manufacturers take care of a good chunk of that guesswork so you don’t bottleneck the system.

Whether you’re looking for something more affordable for indie games, want a compact option to save space in your studio apartment, or are after a top-tier rig to tackle the action in 4K, we’ve got you covered. One of the five pre-built gaming PCs we’ve selected will align perfectly with your needs.

Contributions by Danielle Abraham and Georgie Peru

Looking for additional savings? Check out the best gaming PC deals happening right now.

The State of Gaming PCs in 2025

Right now, we’re in the middle of the next generation of PC hardware launching. Nvidia and AMD have released their respective new graphics cards, and we’re still hot on the heels of the AMD Ryzen 9950X3D and 9800X3D. While we haven’t had the chance to review any prebuilt gaming PCs with the new hardware – yet, at least – there are a couple things to keep in mind.

Most gaming PCs on this list have since been updated to support the new graphics cards, and even if they weren’t, that doesn’t mean they’re not worth buying anymore. Because while the RTX 5080 is an extremely powerful graphics card, it’s really just a few percentage points ahead of the RTX 4080 Super. So, if you can catch a deal on an RTX 4080 Super gaming PC, you should jump on it – all you’re missing out on is multi-frame generation and an extra 10fps in some games.

Gaming PCs also remain one of the best ways to get your hands on one of the new graphics cards, too. PC manufacturers usually pay bulk prices for graphics cards, so you can usually get a full system for just a bit more than the standalone graphics card costs right now. While this sucks for anyone who just wants to upgrade their PC with a new GPU, its actually great for people who don’t already have a PC to slot a graphics card into.

1. Lenovo Legion Tower 7i

Best Gaming PC

2. HP Omen 45L

Best Current-Gen PC

3. iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh Gaming Desktop

Best Budget Gaming PC

4. Asus ROG NUC

Best Mini Gaming PC

How to Choose a Gaming PC

Prebuilts are the most surefire way of getting into gaming and arguably the most cost-effective hardware you can buy. With a system, you’re not only getting the hardware inside, but time savings of having to track down the best processor to best RAM for your system and putting it all together yourself and praying it actually boots up correctly.

That said, just like building your own PC you want to make sure you’re spending your money where it’s needed most. Firstly, you should prioritize getting the graphics card you need for the gaming monitor or the gaming TV you’re gaming on. There’s no need for anything better than an Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti if you’re just playing games on a 1080p display.

Likewise, you should only need an Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5 processor with at least four cores to play most modern games comfortably at any resolution.

System memory and solid-state drives can be the biggest money sink for any system. Those comfortable with upgrading their system after it arrives should choose a configuration with the smallest storage and RAM capacities possible, as buying these components yourself can often be more cost-effective.

If that last suggestion resonates, perhaps a barebones system is what you seek. Those can be much cheaper since they come with all the major hardware – such as the CPU, GPU, and power supply – installed, but they usually lack storage, memory, and an operating system as a trade-off.

Lastly, if you want more control over what exactly is going into your build, go with a boutique PC builder. Origin, Maingear, DigitalStorm, Falcon Northwest, PC Specialist, and many more companies offer excellent PC building services that let you pick exactly which components go into your gaming PC. From there, they build your system with the sort of cable management some can only dream of while ensuring it all works properly out of the box.

In case this all sounds a little overwhelming to you, NZXT has its own PC building service called BLD. Instead of picking every part that will go into your PC, you chose the games you’ll actually play and the service gives you several configuration options that will be able to run the games for a smooth experience.

Similarly, iBuyPower offers an Easy Builder service that operates in very much the same fashion. Users can select games that they play from a small pool that includes Fortnite, GTA V, Apex Legends, WoW, League of Legends, Overwatch, and Battlefield V. From there, users can select whether they play at a 1080p or 1440p resolution, as well as their budget, and the system will spit back a few configurations to choose from.

Prebuilt PCs also come with several features and pieces of software you might find convenient. Many gaming PCs in this category come with some sort of overclocking support and even a one-click button to boost your system’s performance. Of course, it’s easy enough to download a piece of overclocking software like MSI Afterburner or EVGA Precision X. Additionally, your machine may come with system monitoring software that makes downloading and updating drivers a breeze.

Gaming PC FAQ

Should you buy a gaming PC or a gaming laptop?

Unless you’re looking for an all-in-one portable package, a gaming PC is usually better than even the best gaming laptops. With a desktop, it’s much easier and less expensive to upgrade parts, and they tend to last longer before going obsolete. For more on gaming PCs vs. gaming laptops, check out our guide.

Is it easy to upgrade your prebuilt gaming PC?

It depends. Most PC manufacturers have figured out users absolutely hate proprietary parts. While you might still find no-name motherboards installed into the heart of your PC, they should all at least fall in line with the standard size and layout of Mini ITX or Micro ATX motherboards. The best gaming PCs should allow you to easily swap out the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage on your system with just a few simple tools or just a screwdriver.

Better yet, systems that tout tool-less upgradability don’t require you to undo screws or anything to replace any of the major components. One of the things you’ll likely find on most modern chassis are thumbscrews, which can be removed after a few quick twists with your fingers rather than a screwdriver. Additionally, tool-less SSD and hard drive caddies make expanding and replacing your storage just a little bit easier.

Should you buy a gaming PC or a console?

When comparing a gaming PC vs. console, there appear to be more similarities than differences these days, but one still comes out on top: the gaming PC.

Not every aspect of a gaming PC beats consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Consoles are much easier to use. You’ll also find that even the most expensive consoles are cheap compared to a quality gaming PC with a good graphics card, although there are good budget GPUs. There are some great handheld gaming PCs and mini PCs that are more affordable, but they’re better for indie games or older cross-platform console titles.

Where a gaming PC pulls ahead is in its gaming library, peripherals, upgradeability, and overall performance. There’s no denying that there are a massive amount of PC games, and of course, a gaming PC has cross-platform compatibility with popular console titles. Beyond gaming keyboards and gaming mice, you’ll find a wealth of other peripherals, from racing wheels to controllers, that all work seamlessly with a PC. You can also enjoy better visuals and a higher performance ceiling, and it’s easy to upgrade components. That makes a well-equipped PC the clear winner.

Can you find a good gaming PC for under $1,000?

Yes, it’s absolutely possible to find a great gaming PC for under $1,000. You just need to manage your expectations. Less powerful hardware will usually come in these ultra budget-friendly desktops, meaning gaming performance is more limited. Even still, you should have no problem running many of your favorite games in 1080p or sometimes even 1440p at respectable frame rates. Your PC may struggle during more graphically intensive games running at their top settings, but the savings you enjoy might be worth the trade-off.

Should you build your own gaming PC?

Building your own gaming PC has many benefits. First and foremost, you get to customize your PC to your own specifications, including only the components you want and need. Rather than purchasing a prebuilt desktop that may not be tailored to your requirements, you can select all of the individual parts that make up a gaming PC.

However, you will need some knowledge of how to build PCs, or at least be able to closely follow an in-depth YouTube video. This is where things get a little tricky. If you’ve never built a custom gaming PC before, you will need to do some research. From understanding how each component interacts with each other, to how to hold a stick of RAM or a CPU so you don’t damage it, there’s quite a large learning curve.

If you do decide to build your own gaming PC, you will likely find that you can save some money over the long run compared to buying a prebuilt machine. Choosing your own parts means you can keep an eye on sales and offers to get the best deal possible.

But building a gaming PC isn’t for everyone. If you aren’t rigid on the specifics and don’t have a particular build in mind, it can be less troublesome to let someone else do it for you. You also get the added reassurance that the PC will be professionally built, and there’s no chance your warranty can be void.

After you’ve scored an awesome gaming PC, be sure to grab the best gaming accessories for the ultimate PC battle station.

Jacqueline Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN. When she’s not helping her friends and family buy computers, you can usually find her tinkering with her own PC.

Image Credit: Annalee Tsujino is a multi-disciplinary designer and illustrator. Check them out on Instagram @antsu_illustrations.

Season 7 of Netflix’s Black Mirror arrived last week, bringing with it the usual dose of dark sci-fi cautionary tales… with some hopeful fantasy mixed in as well. But it’s one episode in particular, “Bête Noire,” which has had some Black Mirror fans questioning, well, reality.

Some spoilers follow for Black Mirror’s “Bête Noire”!

In the episode, a character named Maria (Siena Kelly) works in R&D for a food company, designing new recipes in what seems like a pretty great gig. But when a troubled classmate (Rosy McEwen) from her past shows up out of the blue and takes a job at the company, Maria finds herself in an increasingly desperate situation. It seems that the classmate, Verity, has the ability to simply alter reality by the force of her will. And nobody seems to realize this strange fact expect for Maria.

That takes us to the fun/scary moment in the episode where a workplace conversation turns to what the name of an old fast food restaurant chain was. Some say it was Barnies while others say it was Bernies. Maria is certain she knows the answer because her husband used to work there and still has the hat! But when she googles it to prove that she’s correct… the search results say otherwise. Is it The Mandela Effect or… The Verity Effect?

With this scene, Black Mirror seems to be switching reality on its viewers a bit as well because there are reportedly two different versions of the episode available on Netflix, and which one you get when streaming the show appears to be random.

As reported by Games Radar, fans have realized that in one version of the scene, Bernies was the original name of the restaurant, while in the other version the OG name is Barnies.

So my friend and I were watching the new Black Mirror episode “Bête Noire” and we noticed that there was a stark difference between our episodes… even the viewers are getting gaslit at 16:40! #BlackMirrorS7 pic.twitter.com/G2Ne1SuvJV

— Vastolorde | AKIO 🫡💖🇺🇸 (@actualakio) April 10, 2025

We’ve reached out to Netflix to ask about this matter, but haven’t heard back. That said, the Netflix and Black Mirror X accounts seem to be having some fun with the whole thing:

barnies https://t.co/TaS4MzrXam

— Black Mirror (@blackmirror) April 11, 2025

And by the way, the main character in the Season 3 episode “Shut Up and Dance” worked at… Barnies. But we’re not sure which reality he lived in, so that doesn’t really solve anything here anyway.

Mass Effect is one of the most beloved RPG series of all time, with many fascinated by the characters, locations, and secrets hidden throughout its universe. If you’re a huge fan of the games looking for more, Fanatical just relased a new bundle featuring 11 different Mass Effect graphic novels and art books. You can score almost $140 worth of items for just $8.99 with this bundle.

Mass Effect Comics & Art Book Bundle Available Now at Fanatical

After about six hours of side scrolling through the dark fantasy dystopia of Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, I find myself equal parts captivated by a detailed world I’ve only just begun to understand, and worried the combat that takes place within it could wear thin throughout the supposed 40-hour runtime. The story has been really compelling so far, full of body horror monsters, an extremely dark society controlled by the creepiest people imaginable, and decisions that are designed to make you squirm. But in between visits to the nearest town and chatting with my growing party back at camp, I’ve been blowing my way through fights that aren’t very novel or challenging – and while it’s too early to say for sure, that already seems like kind of a big problem for an action-RPG with soulslike sensibilities.

Ah, yes. The ol’ “is this a soulslike?” question. Is every game in 2025 technically a soulslike? I dunno – at this point, probably. Do genre labels matter even a little bit? Absolutely not. Well, regardless, Mandragora definitely borrows certain ideas you’ll recognize, like save points that respawn enemies, highly deadly bosses, and a leveling currency that can be permanently lost upon death if you fail to retrieve it. But it’s also got a bit of 2D platforming and exploration, dense skill trees for each of its six character classes, and some pretty in-depth equipment and crafting systems that place it pretty squarely in the action-RPG space. (No, not an ARPG, because those are… you know what, nevermind.) It’s a good mix that stands out as its own kind of thing, but the important part is that you’re going to be swinging melee weapons, dodge rolling away from attacks, slinging spells, and swinging across gaps with a grapple hook.

As you do so, you’ll get to know Faelduum, Mandragora’s pessimistic and creepy world that’s been overrun by evil creatures who have left humanity cowering behind city walls. You play as an inquisitor who gets involved in a witch hunt and is sent out into the world in search of evils to kill, all while the creepy voice of a monster you sympathy murdered whispers things in your head (long story). I don’t know where this is all going just yet, but I’m intrigued by its setup, and that’s despite the fact that I’m pretty over edgy fantasy settings in general.

This has got to be my 30th soulslike in the past couple of years, many of which really love the whole creepy fantasy vibe, so I was worried Mandragora would be more of the same – but that fear has been unwarranted. I’ve been impressed with the depth of Faelduum, the cast of characters who occupy it, and the troubling choices I’ve been asked to make within it. I’m very curious why witches in this universe traded in their pointy hats and broomsticks to appear as overly large flesh monsters, or why the entire world has been consumed by evil creatures while humans hide in ruined, deeply unjust cities, or why the heck my character has been absorbing dark energy called Entropy into his body, which really seems like something that’s probably not going to work out for him later on.

The environments can admittedly look a bit generic on the surface when running from place to place, but Mandragora uses a really neat painterly art style during cutscenes or when talking to other characters, with animated portraits you’d expect to find hanging in the halls of Hogwarts. I’m also genuinely interested in the characters I’ve met, like the reckless treasure hunter and incorrigible lady’s man who’s been making my maps or the kind-hearted blacksmith who builds weapons he’d never have the heart to use himself. Their dialogue has been pretty decent, and I’m excited to see where the larger story goes as a result.

However, when it comes to the action itself, so far I’ve mostly been fighting a whole lot of sluggish soldiers and pushover rats, which have me dodge rolling back and forth each time they take a swing, then getting a few hits in before doing so again. Not only does there not seem to be much to the combat, I’ve already seen repeated boss fights after just a handful of hours – usually not a great sign for overall enemy variety. That said, I’ve also only played as one of the six classes as of now (a dual-bladed agility-focused warrior) and perhaps I simply chose one of the more milquetoast characters or haven’t hit the point where they start to become interesting. With dense skill trees filled with powers to unlock and lots of equipment left to loot and craft, there’s plenty of time for me to potentially fall in love with these 2D bouts.

As a side scroller, there’s also a fair bit of platforming and secret hunting to be done, but those sections have mostly worked as the most minor of breaks in between combat sequences. There’s been little in the way of puzzles to solve or any memorable sections where dodging traps and perilous pitfalls was front and center in these early hours. Of course, there are clear metroidvania-style tells that I still need to obtain some special tools or abilities to unlock more options, like the grapple hook it feels very obvious I am eventually going to get, so here’s hoping that whatever lies ‘round the bend will add a little more depth to this aspect of Mandragora.

As we didn’t get review code until close to launch, the PlayStation dashboard estimates I’m only 20% through the campaign, and the description on its Steam store page claims the story is 40+ hours long, so only time will tell if the platforming and combat can rise to the same level as the story and art. As of now, I’m certainly enjoying myself enough to keep pushing through and see how things develop at least, and if Mandragora’s RPG menus filled with an insane number of possibilities are any indication, there’s quite a bit left to see before my final review next week.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members just got a new perk: the ability to stream some games directly to their consoles, no download necessary.

This news came in an Xbox Wire news post today, in which Xbox announced that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Member are now able to stream games from the Game Pass catalog, as well as “select games they own” on their Xbox Series X and S and Xbox One consoles via cloud streaming.

In the past, this was already possible to do on smart TVs, PCs, smart phones, and Meta Quest headsets, but this is the first time the feature has been available on consoles. Effectively, it lets users avoid spending time download games and using up precious hard drive storage space for games.

Xbox’s instructions for accessing this feature are as follows:

To start streaming from an Xbox console, go to My games & apps > Full library > Owned Games.

• Cloud playable games will display a cloud badge on the game page.
• Use filters to find games more quickly. Choose Filter > Ready to play > Cloud gaming.
• To start playing, select the game and then choose Play with Cloud Gaming.
• Start streaming directly from the Store app after buying select cloud playable games.

Conversely, users can play any game that’s installed on their Xbox consoles via streaming on devices with supported web browsers, via this link. Per Xbox’s post, this feature no longer works on the Xbox mobile app, but is still available on phones via the browser link. Xbox is also in the process of bringing this feature to Samsung and Amazon Fire smart TVs, and Meta Quest headsets.

Finally, Xbox announced that beginning this month, Xbox and Xbox 360 backward compatible games will support remote play as well.

All of this, Xbox says, is part of an effort to free up storage space on Xbox consoles. The Xbox Wire post touts a new feature in the console’s settings that will offer recommendations for cleaning up hard drive real estate. It can be found in the My Games & Apps > Manage menu.

Xbox has admittedly been making efforts to to expand storage space in recent years in the wake of bigger and bigger install sizes across games like Call of Duty and Baldur’s Gate 3. We broke down some of the best storage options for the Xbox Series X and S if you still need more even with these changes, especially if you’re not interested in shelling out for one of the fancier new Xbox models that comes with more built-in storage than the originals.

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.