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Amazon Pokémon TCG Restock Updates: I’ve Found More Surging Sparks Packs In Tins

April 8, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably also told yourself this would be the month you don’t buy more Pokémon cards. Same. And yet here we are, staring down another lineup of Elite Trainer Boxes and tins like they’re life choices we already regret but will definitely make again.

Scarlet & Violet sets keep dropping bangers, both visually and competitively, and unfortunately for our wallets, some of these boxes are actually worth ripping open.

Pokémon TCG: Azure Legends Tin – 5 Packs

This one’s weirdly solid. You get five booster packs from a really good mix of sets — Surging Sparks, Stellar Crown, Temporal Forces, and Obsidian Flames — and one promo featuring either Kyogre, Dialga, or Xerneas. It’s basically Pokémon’s version of a loot box, and yeah, I bought two. Between the chase cards across the included sets (Pikachu ex, Terapagos, Raging Bolt, take your pick), the odds of hitting something fun are actually decent. I don’t even like tins, and I’d still grab another one.

Pokémon TCG: Stacking Tin (Q1 2025) – 3 Packs, Stickers (Random Design)

I wasn’t expecting much. I bought it for the sticker sheets and the vague promise of a Surging Sparks pack. And it delivered. Three packs, one of which might cough up something like Pikachu ex or Latias ex, and a tin I now use to hold exactly nothing. I can’t even be mad. There’s a tiny chance you’ll pull a Milotic ex or Ceruledge ex if you get lucky with the packs, and if you don’t? Well, you paid twenty bucks to roll the dice and got some vaguely useful storage in return. That’s more than I can say about half the cereal I’ve bought this year.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Paradox Rift: Elite Trainer Box – Roaring Moon

I got this one for the sleeves and stayed because Roaring Moon ex is basically what happens when a Pokémon decides it’s done playing fair. If your goal is to end games in one violent swing and look great doing it, this is your guy. Paradox Rift doesn’t have as many chase cards, but the ones it does have— like Iron Valiant ex and Groudon— feel like they were drawn by someone who knows we’ll all stare at these like cave paintings in 30 years.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Walking Wake

The Walking Wake Elite Trainer Box comes with a full-art Flutter Mane and nine more Temporal Forces packs to roll the dice again on the best art of the Scarlet & Violet era. This version leans into the ancient side of things, and I picked it up mostly to increase my odds of pulling Walking Wake ex. Is it playable? Debatable. But it looks like it wandered out of a dream I had after eating too much sushi. With vibrant blues and prehistoric drama, the vibe alone was worth the price. Also, the sleeves are clean, and I pretend I care about those.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Temporal Forces: Elite Trainer Box: Iron Leaves

Iron Leaves ex pulls off the rare combo of being both playable and beautifully drawn. It looks like it’s mid-leap out of a sci-fi anime, which is exactly the kind of energy I want from my pulls. The other heavy hitters — like Iron Crown ex and Gouging Fire ex — either hit like a truck or look like they’re about to. Raging Bolt ex steals the show, though. It’s loud, dramatic, and perfectly balanced between “meta staple” and “thunder god cosplayer.”

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box

Shrouded Fable can quietly slip in cards like Houndoom (the kind of illustration that makes you lower your voice in reverence) and Persian, which looks like it’s plotting something appropriately cinematic. The promos and sleeves are nice, but I really wanted this box for the Illustration Rares that don’t just look cool — they tell a story. Fezandipiti ex, for example, is the Swiss Army knife of support attackers, and Cassiopeia is straight-up character drama in a foil rectangle. The art direction in this set is borderline pretentious, and I mean that as a compliment.

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.

Nintendo Switch 2 Preorders Now Available in the UK: Back in Stock at Argos

April 8, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Argos is back with a fresh round of Switch 2 preorders back in stock today, April 8, in the UK, including not just the console, but games and accessories too. If you missed out last time, now’s your chance to lock one in without the faff.

Amazon UK has also confirmed it’s dropping the invitation system entirely—listings are expected to go live for purchase soon, or even later today, so it’s worth keeping an eye out. Nintendo’s own store is also expected to follow suit and will be sending out invites to buy today as well.

Unlike in the US, UK preorders are still smooth sailing—no price hikes, no delays. For instant alerts on new drops, bundles, and restocks, follow @IGNUKDeals on Twitter/X or Bluesky and stay ahead of the pack.

  • See at Argos (BACK IN STOCK)
  • See at EE (BACK IN STOCK)
  • See at Amazon (LIVE SOON)
  • See at Currys (LIVE SOON

Nintendo’s official UK preorders for the Nintendo Switch 2 are starting from today in the UK, but the console is already proving elusive. Most major retailers—including EE, GAME, and Smyths—have gone live early, only to sell out fast. Scalpers have also started to list the console above RRP on eBay. There’s turmoil in the US as well, where preorder delays and tariff concerns have muddied the waters.

Amazon is no longer accepting invites, and instead will have stock simply available to buy “soon”. But the good news, there’s no upfront cost either, so Amazon won’t charge you a penny until your order is dispatched, making it a risk-free way to secure your console ahead of launch. While Some users have reported a June 7 delivery estimate, but Amazon support has confirmed this is just a system glitch—launch day delivery on June 5 is still locked in.

And if you’re building your day-one kit, some key accessories are already up for grabs. A Switch 2 screen protector is currently 50% off, while a high-speed Samsung 256GB microSD Express card—fully compatible with Switch 2—is just £47.35, the lowest price we’ve seen. You can also preorder the new Switch 2 Camera for £49.99.

Switch 2 US Preorders Delayed Amid Tariff Uncertainty

In a surprise move, Nintendo has delayed the start of Switch 2 preorders in the United States, just days before they were set to go live. The decision comes in response to ongoing tariff concerns and what the company described as “evolving market conditions”—a direct reference to the revived threat of Trump-era import duties on electronics.

Preorders were originally scheduled to begin on April 9 in the US, but Nintendo has now put them on hold indefinitely. While no new date has been provided, the company has reassured fans that the Switch 2’s global release date—June 5, 2025—remains unchanged.

The official statement Nintendo shared with IGN: “Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will not start April 9, 2025 in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions. Nintendo will update timing at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged.”

For now, the preorder freeze applies exclusively to the US market. UK preorders remain on track, with no changes to pricing or availability. In fact, retailers like Amazon UK are actively sending out preorder invitations, all the while launch-day stock is already starting to dry up across major outlets.

Nintendo had announced that the Switch 2 is priced at $449.99 USD, while the Mario Kart World bundle—which includes the full game—is set at $499.99 USD. Mario Kart World will also be sold separately for $79.99 USD.

What We Said in Our Switch 2 Preview

Here’s what Logan Plant had to say in IGN’s Nintendo Switch 2 preview: “Switch 2 is a more premium product and the price tag reflects that. It’s also a better version of a great thing, and it’s trying to pull off a bunch of cool new tricks at the same time, like mouse controls. Obviously we’re both buying Switch 2 on day one, and I did really love our hands-on time with the console. But I’ll be honest and say I have some concerns about if the general public is willing to adopt a $450 Nintendo console with an $80 Mario Kart.”

“It’s a big ask for a company that traditionally targets families and younger players, and I feel like the high cost of entry limits the Switch 2’s potential to take off in the way its predecessor did. But for those of you that do decide to take the plunge, you’ll be getting what’s shaping up to be a great hybrid console that makes a ton of worthwhile improvements on the original Switch and adds some fun bells and whistles for good measure.”

35% Off NSO Expansion Pack Memberships

GameCube games coming exclusively to the Switch 2’s exclusive online library is one of the best features of the new console. To make those membership costs just that little bit easier, UK retailer ShopTo has NSO at 35% off right now, and there’s an extra 5% when you use code SPRING at checkout. As you get your Nintendo Switch 2 preorders in, this is an absolute bonus bargain to consider.

While some Nintendo Classics catalogues are unlocked with the base online subscription, you’ll also need the Expansion Pack to play GameCube titles on Nintendo Switch 2. What’s more, while you can subscribe to a monthly model for just Nintendo Switch Online, the Expansion Pack is only available on the 12-month plan, so make a note when purchasing. So, if you’re the only Nintendo Switch players in your household, you can buy the individual Online + Expansion Pack plan for £24.55 or the Family Membership for £43.55 with the promo code SPRING.

Donkey Kong Bananza Switch 2 Preorders

ShopTo is taking the sting off for UK customers by allowing you to get Donkey Kong Bananza for only £63.50. While this is still more than the £58.99 RRP for digital copies, it’s the best price possible right now for those who want to actually own their games, and hold them in their hands like a newborn bab.

This handy bargain comes as the result of using ShopTo’s “SPRING” coupon code, which allows you and other future Nintendo Switch 2 players to knock 5% off various games, consoles, gift cards, and more across your order on the website.

Once you use the code at checkout, £3.35 will be taken off so you’ll only have to pay £63.50 instead of £66.85. There is a catch, however. While you can preorder Donkey Kong Bananza to pay at dispatch normally, you’ll only be allowed to use the discount code if you pay right away.

Switch 2 UK Preorder News

If you’re not keen on paying upfront, Amazon still remains your best option in the UK. When available to buy retailers like Argos require immediate payment, but Amazon won’t charge a penny until dispatch—making it a safer bet if you’re budgeting ahead of June. How the invites work merely seems to be a ballot system where invitees are selected at random.

Argos had plenty of Switch 2 stock available to preorder on April 3, but has now paused all orders. There’s still a chance more stock will be allocated in the weeks ahead, so if you miss out on an Amazon invite, don’t give up hope. Currys, like Smyths, also briefly opened up in-store preorders for the Nintendo Switch 2—but both are now temporarily out of stock and pausing orders.

For preorders at the Nintendo Store, where access is limited to long-time Nintendo Switch Online subscribers with high playtimes and shared usage data, Amazon’s invite system is far more accessible. It appears to operate on a simple ballot, meaning anyone has a fair shot—regardless of play history or membership status. Currys and Smyths are also expected to offer more preorder opportunities later through email alerts and queue systems, similar to their successful PS5 launch approach.

With Currys and Smyths, it looks like it will simply be a case of sending out an email when preorders are opened, followed by a queued ordering system. This was the method Currys used when taking PS5 preorders, and it worked without any site crashes at least. This means you could be in for a longer wait from these alternative retailers, but it’s a lot less frustrating if you’re certain you don’t meet the strict requirements to order from Nintendo directly.

On the other hand, if you weren’t planning to have the funds for your Nintendo Switch 2 preorder taken until near-dispatch in June—which is usually the case for retailers like Amazon—Argos may not be the best option for you since we have confirmed you’ll need to pay right away.

In terms of accessories, there’s already a wave of compatible gear available. Some items have flown off shelves—like the Switch 2 Pro Controller (£74.99) and Hori’s Piranha Plant Camera (£34.99), both briefly available from ShopTo with a 5% discount using code SPRING. That brought the controller down to £71.10 and the camera to £33.10, though both are out of stock at the time of writing.

But not everything’s gone—there are still standout deals available. A Switch 2 screen protector is 50% off right now, and a Samsung 256GB microSD Express card (fully compatible with Switch 2) is just £47.35—the lowest price we’ve seen. You can also grab the new Switch 2 Camera for £49.99.

And if you’re planning to jump into online play on day one, ShopTo is offering up to 35% off the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack 12-month membership. That means access to online multiplayer and classic GameCube titles like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Pokémon Colosseum for just £25.85.

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

AU Deals: Serious Rupees off a Special Switch, Modern Star Wars, Baldur’s 3, Hogwarts, and More!

April 7, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

No need to dig through digital shelves this week; some sick deals have landed across all major platforms, with prices low enough to make your backlog quake in fear. Whether you’re into lightsabers, loot, or just causing utter chaos as a goat, there’s something here to tempt all types of bargain hunters.

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I’m celebrating S.W.A.T. 4‘s 20th birthday. My lasting memories of this Irrational Games shooter are of no checkpoints, having to abide by strict “baddies have to draw first” rules, and the randomisation of hostages and enemies (skill, numbers, arsenal, and morale). The spiritual successor to this, Ready or Not, is well worth targeting.

Aussie bdays for notable games

– S.W.A.T. 4 (PC) 2005. Get

– Half-Minute Hero (PSP) 2010. eBay

– Stealth Inc 2 (PC,PS3/4,XO) 2015. Get

Contents

  • Nintendo
  • Xbox
  • PlayStation
  • PC
  • PC Gear
  • LEGO
  • Headphones
  • TVs

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

Over on the Nintendo Switch, Mortal Kombat 1 slices a whopping 60% off, down to just A$24. It’s the first in the series where Jean-Claude Van Damme actually voices Johnny Cage (only 30 years after they originally based the character on him). Meanwhile, Goat Simulator 3 is charging in at A$35, and yes, there was no Goat Simulator 2. Just one of many jokes baked into this gloriously chaotic goat-fest.

  • Switch Lite Console Hyrule Ed. (-12%) – A$299
  • FC 25 (-62%) – A$35
  • Mortal Kombat 1 (-60%) – A$24
  • Goat Simulator 3 (-24%) – A$35
  • Mysims: Cozy Bundle (-35%) – A$40
  • Darkest Dungeon Ii (-20%) – A$48
  • Bluey: The Videogame (-35%) – A$40
  • GTA Trilogy Def. (-60%) – A$32

Expiring Recent Deals

  • Bravely Default II (-35%) – A$52
  • Persona 5 Royal (-35%) – A$66
  • Persona 5 Tactica (-45%) – A$53
  • Kingdom Come Deliverance: Royal Ed. (-41%) – A$48
  • Sonic X Shadow Gen (-39%) – A$49
  • Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports (-49%) – A$36

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

Switch Console Prices

How much to Switch it up?

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Exciting Bargains for Xbox

Xbox Series X fans can snag Remnant II for only A$20 (-75%), a roguelike shooter where even the developers get lost in its procedurally generated worlds. And Hogwarts Legacy drops its spellbinding price by 57% to A$48. Fun fact: the in-game ghosts have their own AI routines that let them “haunt” the castle even when you’re not around.

  • Monster Hunter Wilds (-14%) – A$100
  • Hogwarts Legacy (-57%) – A$48
  • Witcher 3: Complete Ed. (-46%) – A$44
  • Remnant Ii (-75%) – A$20
  • Wild Hearts (-83%) – A$20

Xbox One

  • Ace Combat 7 (-65%) – A$35
  • Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (-62%) – A$16
  • Carrion (-75%) – A$8
  • Scribblenauts Mega Pack (-90%) – A$5
  • No Man’s Sky (-60%) – A$36

Expiring Recent Deals

  • Red Dead Redemption 2 (-78%) – A$20
  • Metaphor: ReFantazio (-33%) – A$77
  • Lego Harry Potter Col. (-35%) – A$39
  • Lords of the Fallen (-71%) – A$30
  • Sonic X Shadow Generations (-35%) – A$49
  • EA Sports FIFA 23 (-95%) – A$5
  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (-33%) – A$74
  • Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (-85%) – A$15
  • Persona 3 Reload (-20%) – A$87

Or just invest in an Xbox Card.

Xbox Console Prices

How many bucks for a ‘Box?

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Pure Scores for PlayStation

And on PS5, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is slashed to A$27 (-61%). Its saber-tastic combat system? Partly inspired by Sekiro. For just A$20, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League might not have rocked every review, but it does let you fight Superman with a boomerang. Enough said.

  • Stranger of Paradise FF Origin (-56%) – A$45
  • Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (-61%) – A$27
  • Star Wars Outlaws Gold Ed. (-60%) – A$68
  • Suicide Squad: KTJL (-83%) – A$20
  • Madden NFL 25 (-55%) – A$49

PS4

  • Hogwarts Legacy: Del. Ed. (-75%) – A$31
  • Secret of Mana (-57%) – A$26
  • Ace Combat 7 (-69%) – A$31
  • Yakuza Remastered Col. (-26%) – A$41
  • Witcher 3: Wild Hunt CE (-80%) – A$16

Expiring Recent Deals

  • Astro Bot (-24%) – A$84
  • DualSense Starlight Blue (-17%) – A$99
  • Space Marine 2 (-27%) – A$79
  • Epic Mickey: Rebrushed (-61%) – A$39
  • Helldivers 2 (-18%) – A$49
  • Death Stranding 2 (-21%) – A$99
  • Digimon World: Next Order (-84%) – A$14
  • EA Sports FC 25 (-65%) – A$39
  • Overcooked! All You Can Eat (-25%) – A$41

PS+ Monthly Freebies
Yours to keep from Apr 1 with this subscription

  • RoboCop: Rogue City | PS5
  • The Texas Chain Saw Massacre | PS4/5
  • Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth HM | PS4

Or purchase a PS Store Card.

What you’ll pay to ‘Station.

Back to top

Purchase Cheap for PC

Over on PC, Baldur’s Gate 3 sits at A$72 (-20%), and it’s worth every cent. And for something quirkier, the newly updated Braid, Anniversary Edition is just A$8 (-75%). The game’s creator, Jonathan Blow, built his own programming language just to remaster it. That’s my kind of dedication.

  • Baldur’s Gate 3 (-20%) – A$72
  • The Quarry (-85%) – A$14
  • Braid, Anniversary Ed. (-75%) – A$8
  • Batman: Arkham Asylum (-80%) – A$6
  • Deus Ex: Human Revolution Dir. (-85%) – A$5
  • Borderlands 2 (-75%) – A$7
  • Far: Lone Sails (-90%) – A$3

Expiring Recent Deals

  • Logitech G Pro Wheel (-39%) – A$1098
  • XCOM 2 (-95%) – A$5
  • XCOM: Ult. Col. (-73%) – A$31
  • SteamWorld Heist (-90%) – A$3
  • Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (-85%) – A$14
  • Sons of the Forest (-60%) – A$18
  • Red Dead Redemption 2 (-75%) – A$23

Or just get a Steam Wallet Card

PC Hardware Prices

Slay your pile of shame.

Laptop Deals

  • Apple 2024 MacBook Air 15-inch (-12%) – A$2,197
  • Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 5 (-36%) – A$879
  • Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen7 (-27%) – A$1,018

Desktop Deals

  • HP OMEN 35L Gaming (-10%) – A$2,799
  • Lenovo ThinkCentre neo Ultra (-25%) – A$2,249
  • Lenovo ThinkCentre neo 50q (-35%) – A$629

Monitor Deals

  • LG 24MR400-B, 24″ (-30%) – A$97
  • Z-Edge 27″ 240Hz (-15%) – A$279
  • Samsung 57″ Odyssey Neo Curved (-22%) – A$2,499

Component Deals

  • MSI PRO B650M-A WiFi Motherboard (-41%) – A$229
  • AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D (-7%) – A$876
  • Corsair Vengeance 32GB (-35%) – A$82
  • Kingston FURY Beast 16GB (-30%) – A$48

Storage Deals

  • Seagate One Touch Portable HDD (-24%) – A$228
  • Kingston 1TB USB 3.2 SSD (-17%) – A$115
  • SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO (-63%) – A$29
  • SanDisk 32GB Ultra SDHC (-53%) – A$9.90

Back to top

Legit LEGO Deals

  • Harry Potter Hedwig (-40%) – A$18
  • Harry Potter Mandrake (-35%) – A$65
  • Star Wars: Boarding Tantive Iv (-34%) – A$59
  • City F1 Garage (-32%) – A$89

Expiring Recent Deals

  • Jedi Bob’s Starfighter (-37%) – A$38
  • Star Wars N-1 Starfighter (-36%) – A$32
  • Harry Potter Mandrake Set (-35%) – A$65
  • Captain America: Civil War (-34%) – A$99

Back to top

Hot Headphones Deals

Audiophilia for less

  • Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro (-49%) – A$179
  • Sony WH-CH520 Wireless (-27%) – A$73
  • SoundPEATS Space (-25%) – A$56.99
  • Technics Premium (-36%) – A$349

Back to top

Terrific TV Deals

Do right by your console, upgrade your telly

  • Samsung S95D 77″ OLED 4K (-19%) – A$6,499
  • LG 43″ UT80 4K (-23%) – A$693
  • Kogan 65″ QLED (-50%) – A$699

Back to top

Adam Mathew is our Aussie deals wrangler. He plays practically everything, often on YouTube.

The Heartbreaking Moment I Knew Who Would Die in The White Lotus Season 3 Finale

April 7, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Spoilers of course follow for The White Lotus Season 3 finale, “Amor Fati.”

Man, of course it wound up being Chelsea.

It’s become a tradition at this point for fans of Mike White’s HBO/Max series, The White Lotus. You spend the whole season trying to puzzle out who’s going to die, hoping certain characters won’t be the one(s) to get it, but in the end it’s the people who definitely didn’t deserve to go… who wind up going.

That’s not to say that any of the characters on The White Lotus actually deserve death. (Although some certainly need to face justice.) Sure, someone like Parker Posey’s Victoria Ratliff is hilarious but also awful, but often creator-writer-director White manages to evoke sympathy in us for even the seemingly most loathsome characters. (Patrick Schwarzenegger’s Saxon, the protein-shake-guzzling son of Victoria, is almost tragic in his final scene with Chelsea here, for example.)

But then there are the characters you love because they’re so, well, nice compared to most everyone else. And that’s where Aimee Lou Wood’s Chelsea came in this season. As the always smiling girlfriend of Walton Goggins’ troubled Rick Hatchett, Chelsea, in all her astrology reading, chipper chattering, and undefatigable love for Rick, seemed to have figured out something about the universe that evaded most of the other characters on the show. The episode title sums it up: “Amor Fati,” which as Chelsea describes it, means “you have to embrace your fate, good or bad. Whatever will be will be.”

Of course, Chelsea absolutely should not have been the one to take a stray bullet in the White Lotus finale, and of course that’s exactly what happened to her. Just as Murray Bartlett’s Armond was accidentally stabbed in Season 1 because of a dumb feud and Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya died in Season 2 in a ridiculous fall after she managed to take out all of her would-be assassins, Chelsea didn’t deserve to die. But she did. “Amor Fati.”

‘If a bad thing happens to you, it happens to me.’

Anyway, while the big mystery of the season is always “who’s going to be murdered,” White basically showed his hand this time in the scene where Rick finally returns from Bangkok. He had headed there to try to put his inner demons to rest by confronting the man (Scott Glenn) who he thought had killed his father. Meanwhile, Chelsea had waited for him the past couple of episodes, fending off the advances of Saxon – despite being tempted otherwise at one point – because she loved him. The messed-up, kind of an a-hole (but not, and I quote Star-Lord, “100% a dick”) Rick seemed to barely notice her half the time in their relationship. But as Chelsea spotted him and ran to Rick on the beach, there was no denying that they were fated to be together. “At this point we’re linked,” Chelsea would later say, also during that Amor Fati chat. “If a bad thing happens to you, it happens to me.”

There’s something about the way White shoots that moment of Chelsea rejoining Rick on the beach. It’s just the one shot, which lasts about one second, of Aimee Lou Wood running towards the camera, but her joy at seeing him and his reaction to her cinched for me that she (and probably they) were doomed. She’s too pure to make it out of this place.

The actress telegraphed her fate a bit when IGN’s Michael Peyton spoke to her and The White Lotus cast at the start of the season: “Chelsea gone wrong could be Tanya. There is that overtrust. But she’s got more robustness, so I feel like she wouldn’t go down that route hopefully.” Uh, sorry Aimee…

By the climactic scene where the shoot-out teased in Episode 1 finally happens, we learn that Rick and Chelsea indeed are both killed. Chelsea catches that stray bullet – we don’t even see it happen, just her lying thereafterwards, and as Rick carries her body away, he’s shot from behind and falls into the surrounding pond. Both of their bodies float on the surface of the water, side by side, and yep, they’re together forever. Somehow, I think Chelsea would have wanted it that way.

Best Buy Has a Slim Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 RTX 4060 Gaming Laptop for Under $1,100

April 7, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Chec kout Best Buy’s best gaming laptop deal of the week. Right now the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 RTX 4060 gaming laptop is on sale for just $1,199.99 shipped after a $400 off instant discount. This is a great price for a 14″ gaming laptop that weighs in at about 3 pounds, boasts a gorgeous high-resolution OLED display, and features premium build quality.

$400 Off Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 RTX 4060 Gaming Laptop

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is one of the thinnest and lightest laptops in its class, weighing in at only 3.3 pounds and measuring 0.63″ thin. Unlike most other laptops in this price range, the G14 boasts a CNC machined aluminum chassis that makes it feel very premium. It features a 14″ 2880×1800 OLED display, AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor, GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and a 1TB M.2 SSD. Despite the slim profile, the G14 is equipped with a powerful AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor with a max turbo frequency of 5.2GHz and 8 cores (16 threads).

The discrete graphics is a slightly throttled GeForce RTX 4060 GPU with 90W TGP (115W TGP is the normal unthrottled TGP). It should play undemanding or older games just fine on the 2880×1800 display, however you’ll most likely have to drop the resolution to 1080p to play newer, more demanding games at a comfortable framerate. The RTX 4060 supports DLSS 3.0 for a welcome FPS boost to any game that is compatible with the technology..

Best Buy is an authorized Asus reseller, so you’ll be getting the same 1 year warranty as buying from Asus direct. This laptop is also currently in stock and will be delivered to you within a week.

Looking for more suggestions? Check out the best gaming laptops so far in 2025.

Why Should You Trust IGN’s Deals Team?

IGN’s deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don’t try to trick our readers into buying things they don’t need at prices that aren’t worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN’s Deals account on Twitter.

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.

Blue Prince Review

April 7, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

I’m not entirely convinced Dogubomb didn’t develop Blue Prince as a personal gift to me, specifically. This exceedingly clever puzzler mixes together a shortlist of my top game genres and concepts: First-person puzzling with a straightforward facade that hides a seemingly bottomless pit of secrets, roguelite runs that perfectly balance permanent improvements with the growth of your own skills, drafting mechanics that capitalize on the best parts of deckbuilders without the baggage that comes with actually being one, and even tile-based map building reminiscent of my favorite board game, Carcassone. Even if there are things in that pile of Tom Stuff that don’t excite you as much as they do me, the combination comes together beautifully. I’m still rabidly peeling back the layers of this onion after dozens of hours, but I’m already certain Blue Prince has secured its place as an all-time puzzle great.

You play as Simon, a teenage boy who has inherited the stately mansion of his well-respected and somewhat eccentric great uncle, but may only claim that inheritance if he can figure out how to navigate the ever-shifting halls of the estate in order to find a hidden 46th room. It’s a fairly simple setup at the start (apart from the whole M.C. Escher shifting house thing), and while there are plenty of helpful tips scattered around for you to find, you are largely just set loose to see what you can piece together for yourself. It’s a great foundation, because while you don’t always know what the next step may be, your goals are always clear enough that I never felt like I was just wandering around in the dark.

You probably will feel like you are wandering around in circles from time to time, though. The meat of Blue Prince is the drafting mechanic you use to explore the house: You start each day with a limited number of “steps” that are spent whenever you go through a door, and each time you open a new one you are given three options for which of the mansion’s many unique rooms will be on the other side. That means you are filling out the nine-by-five room floorplan differently every single time, connecting doorways and trying not to hit dead ends as you find helpful items and invaluable clues along the way. It may sound like nothing too outside the box, but it’s a real delight to slowly gain mastery over this system.

Some rooms are just simple hallways, while others play more varied roles that are split into colored categories based on type. For example, purple bedrooms often give you additional steps when entered, yellow shops can sell helpful items if you’ve picked up enough coins to buy them, and red rooms have negative effects (like obscuring your draft options) that could throw a wrench in your plans. Certain rooms may only appear when specific conditions are met, too, such as when you are drafting on the edges of the house or once you get deep enough in. It was fun to figure out which should be my go-to rooms early on in order to set myself up for success later, gathering items like keys to unlock doors or gems that can be spent to draft special rooms, and then using that prep work to make targeted dives toward a room or lead I was eager to hunt down.

It’s a real delight to slowly gain mastery over the drafting system.

The actual “puzzles” take on a variety of different forms within those rooms, but all of them are as entertaining as they are devilish to solve. Some have very straightforward math or logic problems, there are a few literal puzzle boxes to find, and others require a slightly more complicated combination of button pushes or lever pulls to solve whatever that room is doing. But fully self-contained challenges like that are side dishes to what Blue Prince truly has to offer, and the most interesting stuff feels closer to incredible first-person puzzle games like Return of the Obra Dinn or Outer Wilds. It asks you to really look at the world around you, take notes on what you find, and then use that knowledge to make connections where you can – and it does so in that expert way where something can feel completely cryptic at the outset and then brilliantly achievable when you finally crack it. That might mean looking through documents to find the combination to a safe, decoding why certain objects are where they are, or using the function of a specific room to get past an obstacle somewhere else.

That last part can lead to the only real point of frustration I found with Blue Prince, however, which is that the best-laid floorplans of house mice and men can come crashing down with a few bad draws. Don’t get me wrong, there are very real and effective ways to help mitigate the randomness of which rooms are offered to you – both in terms of learning what to prioritize and when you should or shouldn’t take risks, as well as in permanent upgrades I won’t spoil that can make future runs more consistent. But, plain and simple, sometimes you will need a room that lets you turn left, do everything in your power to set yourself up to get it (including collecting dice that let you reroll the rooms you draw), and still be as stuck as Zoolander when you’re ultimately given your options. Those bad breaks are infrequent, but it still stings when an otherwise-good run ends because you just never saw the room you were looking for.

(Tangentially, I also really wish you could save and quit mid-run without having to cut your progress short by ending your current day entirely, or at the very least that opening the menu stopped the in-game clock from ticking. Runs can often stretch over an hour, which makes dipping in and out of Blue Prince a hard proposition – though this is only really a problem since I was playing on a desktop PC, as consoles and even the Steam Deck would let you suspend it if you need to go do something else.)

There is so much to discover that any given run is rarely a waste of time.

Thankfully, any pain from that randomness is mitigated by the fact that there is just so much to discover here that a given run is rarely a waste of time. You may not have been able to draft that specific combination of rooms you were after or reach that certain square you wanted to, but odds are you still entered some new rooms along the way, and doing so almost always added to the growing list of mysteries I have jotted down across a pile of handwritten notes. “Beating” Blue Prince took me about 15 hours, and getting to that 46th room is absolutely a satisfying puzzle to solve on its own, but I also have far more goals now than I did when I first set out. There are safes to open, doors to unlock, books and letters to read, clues to decipher, and loads of lore to uncover.

It’s impressive how all of these optional puzzles are woven into and around the path of the “main” one – some are hiding in plain sight from the first minute, just waiting for you to realize they are important, while others drop an unassuming string of crumbs in your way that lead down a deep and unexpected rabbit hole when followed.

Blue Prince was an incredibly difficult game to talk about with friends who were also playing because the randomness of the drafting mechanic, combined with your own personal sense of curiosity, can send two players down very different paths. One time when I was around five hours in, I excitedly mentioned I’d unlocked something to a friend who had already played 40, only to learn they hadn’t even found that thing yet. And yet, this fractal abode doesn’t frustrate by randomly withholding things either, because clues can often be found in multiple forms or places; Once again, you’re always making progress toward something.

As you do get deeper, Blue Prince’s initially light-touch story also begins to shift more directly into the spotlight. Discovering more about both your character’s great uncle and the larger history of their family starts off as a little fun set dressing, but it eventually becomes as rich and compelling a reason to keep playing as any puzzle. The worldbuilding here is doled out with a patience I’m not used to seeing, with tons to learn about your relatives, the manor, and the nation it’s located in, but none of that is ever forced down your throat. That made anything I could glean about important historical events or complex geopolitics feel like a win that would almost always help me solve future mysteries, not just some “lore” to read about in books or letters and then move on from.

Still avoiding spoilers like laser tripwires in a Mission Impossible trap, that story and its themes smartly tie into your actions in a way few games are able to pull off so successfully. Piecing together the messy history of an extended and sometimes estranged family is rarely a linear process – Simon wanders through the house he has suddenly inherited finding bits of information told from conflicting points of view, and often in the entirely wrong order. Trying to make all of the right connections as he goes from a boy simply solving a fun puzzle so he can win a prize to one who understands the real reward this mansion holds reflected my own journey with Blue Prince, which is the sort of subtle brilliance you don’t see in many games.

Where to Watch Daredevil: Born Again – Where to Stream and Episode Release Schedule

April 7, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

In the mid-2010s, three seasons of Daredevil introduced audiences to the underbelly of Hell’s Kitchen for one of the best-reviewed Marvel series of all time, which why it was such a shock when Daredevil was cancelled by Netflix in 2018.

While Charlie Cox’s Daredevil has made brief appearances in more recent, lighter MCU projects, namely She-Hulk and Spider-Man: No Way Home, few people expected the supe to get another instalment of his own solo show. Well, we were wrong. The hero has, in fact, been born again, and while he may returning be on the relatively chaste Disney+, Marvel has promised more grit and action than ever.

If you’re wondering where to stream Daredevil: Born Again online or want a full look at the episode release schedule, check out the details below.

Where to Stream Daredevil: Born Again

Charlie Cox’s Daredevil may have originated on Netflix, but the masked hero is returning on Disney+. For reference, the original Daredevil show started airing in 2015, while Disney+ launched in 2020. Now you’ll find the original Daredevil, as well as new episodes of Daredevil: Born Again, on the Disney-owned service.

Disney+ subscriptions start at $9.99, and while the service doesn’t offer a free trial, it is part of the new streaming bundle with Hulu and Max.

Daredevil: Born Again Episode Release Dates

Daredevil: Born Again premiered on March 4 with its first two episodes. Episodes will be released weekly on the same schedule, each Tuesday at 9pm EST/6pm PST, for a total of nine episodes in the first season. The only interruption to that schedule was another double-episode drop at around the mid-season point. Episodes vary in length, reportedly from 39 minutes to upwards of an hour.

Here’s the full episode release schedule:

  • Episode 1: “Heaven’s Half Hour” – March 4, 2025
  • Episode 2: “With Interest” – March 4, 2025
    • IGN’s Premiere Review
  • Episode 3: “The Hollow of His Hand” – March 11, 2025
    • IGN’s Episode 3 Review
  • Episode 4: “Straight to Hell” March 18, 2025
    • IGN’s Episode 4 Review
  • Episode 5: “Sic Semper Sysema” – March 25, 2025
  • Episode 6: “Isle of Joy” – March 25, 2025
    • IGN’s Episodes 5 & 6 Review
  • Episode 7: “Excessive Force” – April 1, 2025
    • IGN’s Episode 7 Review
  • Episode 8: “Art for Art’s Sake” – April 8, 2025
  • Episode 9: “Optics” – April 15, 2025

What Is Daredevil: Born Again About?

Daredevil: Born Again is a sequel to 2015’s Daredevil show, with most characters (and their associated plot points) carrying over to the new series. It’s unclear how exactly Born Again fits into the MCU timeline, but since the solo series, Charlie Cox’s Daredevil has had a primary role in The Defenders, with smaller appearances in She-Hulk and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Daredevil’s primary antagonist, Wilson Fisk, appeared in the Disney+ show Echo.

IGN recently did a deep dive into Frank Miller’s original Born Again arc, which serves as inspiration for the new show’s title, though the show will not be a direct adaptation. Instead, here’s Marvel’s official synopsis for Daredevil: Born Again:

Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), a blind lawyer with heightened abilities, is fighting for justice through his bustling law firm, while former mob boss Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) pursues his own political endeavors in New York. When their past identities begin to emerge, both men find themselves on an inevitable collision course.

Will There Be a Season 2?

Daredevil: Born Again was actually originally planned as a 19-episode season, but this is the streaming age, so now that season is split in two. The first season is nine episodes, while the second season will feature the second half (another nine episodes) of the original arc. There’s no word on when the second season will arrive on Disney+.

What About the Rest of ‘The Defenders’?

Daredevil was once part of The Defenders, which ran for one season after Daredevil as well as the Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist TV shows. With the return of Daredevil, we might see comebacks from the rest of The Defenders. As of now, Marvel’s head streaming, television, and animation has simply stated they’re “exploring” the idea in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 Cast

Daredevil: Born Again was created by Dario Scardapane, Matt Corman, and Chris Ord. Dario Scardapane serves as showrunner, while Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead act as lead directors. The show stars the following actors, which include both new and returning cast members from the original show:

  • Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock/Daredevil
  • Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk/Kingpin
  • Margarita Levieva as Heather Glenn
  • Deborah Ann Wolf as Karen Paige
  • Elden Hanson as Franklin “Foggy” Nelson
  • Wilson Bethel as Benjamin “Dex” Poindexter/Bullseye
  • Zabryna Guevara as Sheila Rivera
  • Michael Gandolfini as Daniel Blake
  • Ayelet Zurer as Vanessa Marianna-Fisk
  • Arty Froushan as Buck Cashman
  • Clark Johnson as Cherry
  • Nikki M. James as Kirsten McDuffie
  • Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/Punisher

Several cast members have already been confirmed for Season 2, including Matthew Lilliard.

Get a 512GB SanDisk Micro SDXC Memory Card (Nintendo Switch Compatible) for Just $21.53

April 7, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Looking to upgrade the storage capacity of your Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or ASUS ROG Ally? Here’s a great deal on a very well-rated SanDisk memory card. Walmart is offering a 512GB Samsung ImageMate Pro Micro SDXC Card for just $21.53. An SD card adapter is also included. Despite the low price tag, this is actually one of the faster Micro SD cards we’ve seen. It’s compatible with most gaming handhelds including the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and ROG Ally.

Note: Availability is based on region. Some zip codes might have more in stock than others.

512GB SanDisk ImageMate Pro Micro SDXC Card for $21.53

If you’ve started compiling a collection of digital games, you probably already know just how limited the Switch’s base storage capacity is. The Switch and Switch OLED have 32GB and 64GB of internal storage, respectively, some of it reserved for the OS. Some games require a huge portion of that space. Examples include Tears of the Kingdom which takes up 16GB of space, Monster Hunter Rise 20GB, Breath of the Wild 13.5GB, and Persona 5 Royal 14GB. There’s only one memory card expansion slot in the Switch so you’ll want to make sure you get the biggest card you can afford, although most people won’t need more than 1TB of additional storage.

The SanDisk ImageMate Pro is compatible with virtually any device that accepts the Micro SDXC card standard, including the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and the ASUS ROG Ally. It’s faster than the average Micro SDXC card with a speed rating of U3 / A2 / V30. In terms of actual numbers, it boasts up to 200MBps sustained read speeds and 140MBps sustained write speeds. This card would make an ideal memory storage option for devices that need fast and high-capacity transfers, like a smartphone, 4K DSLR or action camera.

Check out all of the best Nintendo Switch deals for sales on other games and accessories.

This card won’t be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2

This card will not be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 console, which will require the newer Micro SD Express card format. If you’re looking to pick up one of those card ahead of the Switch 2 release, there are a couple of options already available for purchase on Amazon.

Why Should You Trust IGN’s Deals Team?

IGN’s deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don’t try to trick our readers into buying things they don’t need at prices that aren’t worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN’s Deals account on Twitter.

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.

These Recently Retired LEGO Sets Are Still Available at Amazon, But Not for Long

April 7, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

LEGO has a seemingly endless amount of sets. The toy company has collaborated with practically every major franchise and puts out a number of new builds each month. Unfortunately, LEGO doesn’t just continue making every new set forever. Alongside every addition to the LEGO family comes the departure of several others. Sets get retired just as fast as new sets arrive to replace them. If there’s a LEGO build you love, it could potentially disappear forever within a year if you don’t pick it up before its expiration date.

While there are still ways to buy LEGO sets that have long been retired, your best bet is to pick them up while they are still available at major retailers and haven’t been marked-up by resellers. Depending on the popularity of the set, you can sometimes find them at Amazon even months after LEGO removes them from its website. I’ve gathered some of those options right here to give you a chance to pick them up before they’re gone forever.

Retired LEGO Sets Still Available at Amazon

Some really cool sets were retired near the beginning of 2025, including builds that have been consistently popular but have just outlived their shelf life. The LEGO Taj Mahal for example is one of the best LEGO Architecture sets we’ve ever seen come out of that line, depicting one of the seven wonders of the world. There’s also the Sonic Green Hill Zone set that IGN actually had the chance to build back in 2022 when it first came out. It’s a fun tribute to the iconic video game level from the series. It is one of our favorite Sonic the Hedgehog LEGO sets and is great for any fan of the franchise.

If you want to keep better track of what LEGO sets are retiring, I’d recommend checking out the Brick Economy website, which includes the full list. This is a great resource for collectors so they can keep tabs on any of the more expensive sets they have their eye on. One of the best times to buy a LEGO set at a discount is right before it gets retired.

Which LEGO Sets Are Retiring Soon?

It’s fairly easy to find out what LEGO sets are retiring soon thanks to LEGO’s “Last Chance to Buy” page that features all of them. Unfortunately, LEGO does not put the actual date that a set will be retired on this page, so it’s hard to decipher when exactly each option will be officially removed. The safe assumption is that if it’s on this page, it could be gone by the beginning of the month as the new sets become available.

Below I’ve gathered some of the most intriguing sets that are getting retired. There is a slew of Nintendo LEGO sets as well as some Star Wars and Marvel options worth a final look.

Why Tron: Ares Looks Like a Truly Baffling Sequel

April 7, 2025 Ogghy Filed Under: ENTERTAINMENT, IGN

Tron fans have reason to be excited in 2025. Following a long dormant period, the franchise is racing its way back into theaters this October with a new sequel called Tron: Ares. The third Tron movie stars Jared Leto as the titular character, a program who ventures into the real world on a high-stakes yet very mysterious mission.

But is it safe to call Ares a sequel? Visually, this new movie is clearly cut from the same cloth as 2010’s Tron: Legacy. The newly released trailer makes that much apparent. And with Nine Inch Nails stepping in for Daft Punk, it’s obvious the electronica-heavy score remains as big a priority as ever.

But in other ways, Ares is looking less like a direct sequel and more like a soft reboot of the franchise. Where are all the surviving characters from Legacy? Why aren’t stars Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde returning for Ares? Why is Jeff Bridges of all people the one Tron veteran confirmed for the cast of Ares? Let’s take a deeper look at how Legacy set itself up for a sequel, and why Ares seems to be ignoring that setup.

Garrett Hedlund’s Sam Flynn & Olivia Wilde’s Quorra

Tron: Legacy mainly revolves around the shared struggle of Garrett Hedlund’s Sam Flynn and Olivia Wilde’s Quorra. Sam is the son of Bridges’ character, Kevin Flynn, the CEO of telecom giant Encom who disappeared in 1989. In Legacy, Sam ventures into the digital landscape known as The Grid to find his father and prevent Kevin’s creation CLU from leading a digital army into the real world.

As Sam reunites with his father, he also meets Quorra. Quorra is a member of a race known as ISOs, digital lifeforms who appeared spontaneously in The Grid. Quorra is proof that life finds a way, even inside a computer simulation. In the end, Sam defeats CLU and returns to the real world with Quorra in tow. The world’s first digital lifeform has been transformed into flesh and blood.

Legacy’s ending lays a pretty clear path for a sequel. Sam himself is finally ready to embrace his responsibility as Encom’s largest shareholder. Rather than simply play annual pranks on the Encom board, Sam is prepared to lead the company into a brighter and more open-source future. Quorra is by his side, serving as living proof of the true wonders that await in the digital realm.

Legacy sets up an ongoing storyline for both Sam and Quorra. In fact, the home video release even includes a short film called “Tron: The Next Day,” showing Sam returning to Encom to begin shepherding the company into a new era.

But despite that, neither Hedlund nor Wilde seem to be returning for Tron: Ares. They’re both very conspicuous by their absence in the sequel. On some level, it’s not surprising that Disney would want to pivot to a different, more standalone direction for Ares. Legacy grossed $409.9 million worldwide on a budget of $170 million (not including marketing costs). If not an outright failure, it wasn’t quite the smash hit Disney was hoping for. Like 2012’s John Carter and 2013’s Lone Ranger, Legacy is one of a number of underperforming live-action movies from an era before Disney really started to lean on Marvel and Star Wars. The studio may have decided that Legacy didn’t strike enough of a chord with moviegoers that directly continuing the plot made much sense.

Still, as we’ve explored, Sam and Quorra are too central to the narrative of Tron to just completely ignore. Are we meant to assume Sam gave up on his mission to build a better Encom? Did Quorra grow tired of the real world and return to The Grid? The absence of these characters leaves a major void in the franchise, and we hope Ares finds some way of at least acknowledging Sam and Quorra’s importance, if not bringing them back in unannounced cameo roles.

Cillian Murphy’s Edward Dillinger, Jr.

Hedlund and Wilde aren’t the only Legacy actors whose absence in the Ares cast is baffling. There’s also Cillian Murphy, whose character was clearly being set up for much bigger things in a third Tron movie.

Murphy very briefly appears in an uncredited role in Legacy, playing Edward Dillinger, Jr., the son of David Warner’s Edward Dillinger from the original Tron. The younger Dillinger is introduced as the head of Encom’s software development team, and a fierce opponent of Sam’s commitment to free, open-source software.

It goes without saying that Murphy wasn’t cast just to appear in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo role. Dillinger was obviously intended to play a bigger part in a future sequel, where he likely would have become the main human antagonist, just as his father was in Tron. Dillinger’s role likely would have coincided with the return of the Master Control Program, the sinister entity that served as the main digital villain of the first movie.

Judging from the Tron: Ares trailer, the MCP itself may be back in play. Ares and his fellow programs are marked by glowing red highlights, which is the calling card of the MCP, just as CLU’s faction was orange and Tron was blue. That suggests a sinister undertone to Ares’ mission. We don’t know if he’s meant to be hero or villain. He doesn’t seem to understand much about his mission either. But if the MCP is back, why hasn’t Edward Dillinger returned, too? Why is Gillian Anderson’s new character suddenly the focus of the Encom board?

That said, we do know that Evan Peters is playing a character named Julian Dillinger, so at least it appears that the Dillinger clan has a part to play in this story. And it’s always possible that Murphy (who, again, wasn’t actually credited in Legacy) is still secretly returning for the new film.

Bruce Boxleitner’s Tron

Arguably the most baffling omission of all from the Tron: Ares cast is Bruce Boxleitner. If this is a Tron movie, where is Tron himself? In the original movie, Boxleitner played both Encom executive Alan Bradley and the heroic security program Tron. Boxleitner reprised the Alan role in Tron: Legacy, while it was eventually revealed that CLU’s bodyguard Rinzler was a reprogrammed Tron. When last we saw Rinzler in Legacy, he had fallen into the Sea of Simulation, which wiped away his new programming and restored the hero within.

Sadly, it doesn’t appear that Boxleitner is returning for Ares for either role. We can deal with Alan being written out of the picture, but is the plan really to make a Tron movie without its namesake? Or is it possible that Tron has been recast with a younger actor? Perhaps that’s who Cameron Monaghan is playing?

Whatever is going on here, we would hope that Ares intends to follow up on Tron’s open-ended fate from Legacy. This character deserves redemption after what he was subjected to by CLU. And a Tron sequel needs to include Tron in some capacity.

Why Is Jeff Bridges in Tron: Ares?

Perhaps the single most baffling announcement regarding Tron: Ares is the news that Bridges is returning to the franchise. Sure, he’s the most recognizable and bankable star among the Tron: Legacy cast, but there’s the little problem that both of his characters were killed off in that sequel. In the climax of Tron: Legacy, Kevin Flynn sacrifices himself to destroy CLU and give his son and adopted daughter the chance to escape back to the real world.

So why is Bridges of all people back for a third movie? It’s hard to say. We can briefly hear Bridges’ voice in the trailer, but there’s no indication of whether he might be playing a still-living Kevin Flynn or a version of CLU. Did Flynn’s digital archenemy somehow survive their shared death in Legacy? Did Flynn keep a backup of CLU handy? Or has Flynn himself somehow transcended the limits of flesh, achieving immortality in The Grid?

That’s a mystery that will no doubt be solved in Ares. We’ll also find out whether Ares himself is working with Flynn/CLU or carrying out the Master Control Program’s agenda. But whatever the film reveals, there’s no getting around the fact that it’s pretty weird to have a Tron sequel that resurrects Bridges’ character(s) but ignores all the important players who actually survived the events of Legacy. As much as we’re looking forward to Tron: Ares, the sequel also leaves us more than a little perplexed.

But, hey, at least that NIN score is sounding pretty swell.

In other Tron news, find out about the series return to the gaming realm with the Metroid/Hades hybrid Tron: Catalyst.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

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