IGN

Are you wondering if A Minecraft Movie has a post-credits or mid-credits scene? We’ll tell you right here: Yes, it has both!

Full spoilers follow…

Although the first trailer might have gotten fans riled up, and it changed release dates almost as much as The New Mutants, A Minecraft Movie (review) has arrived relatively unscathed in movie theaters, offering some family-friendly fun to the beleaguered 2025 box office.

The adventure begins when siblings Henry (Sebastian Hansen) and Natalie (Emma Myers) are forced to move to Chuglass, Idaho, after the untimely death of their mother. While both struggle to fit in, they’re soon sucked into the Overworld along with their real estate agent Dawn (Danielle Brooks), and a one-time fighting game world champion turned local failing business owner, Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa). Throughout their adventure they meet the master-builder known as Steve (Jack Black) and battle zombies, pigs, and endermen. But if you’re wondering where we leave our characters after they barely survive the evil pig Malgosha (Rachel House) and the Nether or if you should stay after the credits, we’ve got you covered with a level-up from director Jared Hess and Minecraft head of content Torfi Frans Ólafsson.

A Minecraft Movie Ending Explained

Leading into the release of A Minecraft Movie, the biggest question that fans had was how the filmmakers would adapt something so beloved and instantly recognizable that’s also an open world experience. “I think the principle that we had is that we kind of start familiar, and then expand,” Torfi Frans Ólafsson tells IGN. “The movie in its first act starts familiar with the first night, this experience that Minecraft players have where they’re just in the woods and they have no weapons and no tools, and they’re being hunted by zombies and creepers. We wanted to firmly root it and establish it in things that you know.”

As the film moves into its second act, all that changes as we meet new characters who represent different aspects of how you can play Minecraft: a modder and a vanilla (unmodified) Minecraft expert. “One of the characters, Henry, he kind of represents the modern new blood that comes in, whereas Jack Black is Steve, who knows everything about vanilla,” Ólafsson explains. “He knows everything about how it works today, knows how to make his diamond pickaxe and enchant it, and so on. The movie also kind of talks about how the modder comes in and then adds stuff to the game.”

Together the two players take down the evil Nether-dwelling Piglin Malgosha (voiced by Rachel House), her invading War Hogs, and even the kinda chill General Chungus (voiced by Jared Hess). Bringing the Nether to the Overworld might surprise some Minecraft players, but it was something that Jared Hess and the team at Mojang really wanted to bring to the screen. “One of the biggest things when I fell in love with the Piglin characters, it was like, ‘Gosh, these are so unique to Minecraft. I’ve never seen Piglin barbarian dudes that are obsessed with gold, dabble in cannibalism, live in a hot lava hellscape. But how do we bring those dudes to the Overworld?'” Hess recalls. “In the game they’ll zombify, right? We spent a ton of time with Torfi and the team at Mojang talking about it.”

Luckily the creative team had a plan to explain just how it might work. “It was like, ‘Well they could drink some nether wart.’ All right, then that’s a solution that works within the physics and kind of the lore of the game,” Hess continued.” It was always kind of problem-solving stuff to make it work for a movie, but honoring the physics and the rules of the game, and then sometimes breaking it, but not really. I don’t think we really broke any.”

After retrieving the Orb of Dominance and stopping the Nether’s encroaching invasion of the Overworld, Henry, Nat, Dawn, and Garrett decide to head back to the real world. And though Steve is loath to join them, Nat suggests that he bring some of his crafting magic back with him, which inspires Steve to return to the world he had once rejected.

Once we return to the real world we see how the Minecraft adventure has changed each of the crew for the better. Dawn and Dennis the wolf — who she met during her time in Overworld — are now running a successful cube-animal zoo. Nat is a professional martial arts teacher, Henry is finally cool at school after finishing his jetpack and showcasing it to his classmates, including the bullies. And Steve and Garrett are now running Game Over World together as the newly renamed Overworld Games, where they have a sick band and we get a great musical moment with the original song “I Feel Alive.” Performed by Momoa and Black, the song was also written by Black and features, according to Kerrang, Dave Grohl “on drums, Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, Jellyfish’s Roger Manning on keys, pop superstar Mark Ronson on bass and rhythm guitar, and background vocals from co-star Danielle Brooks.”

Could this rectify the injustice of Peaches not getting nommed for Best Original Song at the Oscars?

How A Minecraft Movie Pays Homage to a Legendary YouTuber

When it comes to Minecraft YouTubers there are likely none more iconic than Technoblade, aka Alexander. With his millions of followers and instantly recognizable pig in a crown avatar, the streamer took the gaming world by storm, but sadly passed away in 2022 after a battle with cancer. So while it might be a no-brainer that the makers of A Minecraft Movie pay homage to one of the game’s best known players, just how prominent that homage is might come as a surprise to fans.

In their quest for the Earth Crystal, Steve takes the crew to Midport village where they encounter the nightmarishly-nosed villagers and their protectors the Iron Golems. As they wander through the crowded streets, Henry sees a pig wearing a golden crown studded with gems — sound familiar? — and asks whether or not the creature is a king, to which Steve replies, “That’s a legend!” It’s a fitting tribute to the streamer and one that has already garnered emotional responses from fans and his fellow content creators.

Does A Minecraft Movie Have a Mid- or Post-Credits Scene?

Yes, it has both! The mid-credits scene of A Minecraft Movie wraps up the film’s major B-plot, which features Jennifer Coolidge as Marlene, a human woman and the Vice Principal of Henry and Nat’s new school. She falls in love with a Minecraft villager — who escapes from the very same portal which takes Nat, Henry, Dawn, and Garrett into the magical Overworld — after she hits him with her Jeep Grand Cherokee and takes him for dinner to avoid getting sued.

In the mid-credits scene, which comes rather early, the unusual couple face down with Marlene’s ex-husband Clemente, who is revealed to be Henry’s overworked science and gym teacher. While he rails at his ex-wife, the villager reveals himself to be voiced by none other than Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows, Toast of London, etc.), whose velvety tones reveal that Nitwit, as he’s called, and Marlene are in love. And not only can he speak human, but she can now speak villager. Also, while the entire movie has only taken place over one 24-hour period, the pair are in love and are getting married. It’s a perfectly silly and satisfying way to tie a romantic ribbon around the most unexpectedly hilarious part of the movie. It was also one that Hess revealed was in his original version of the script.

FragPunk is a 5v5 tactical hero shooter featuring 13 unique playable characters, known as Lancers. Each Lancer is equipped with at least three otherworldly Abilities, so whether you want to slide around the map with an electric guitar modified into a shotgun, teleport your entire team to quickly rotate to another site, or heal your allies after a narrowly won gunfight, there’s a Lancer for you.

FragPunk’s hero roster is mostly well-balanced at the moment, allowing all Lancers to thrive in optimal situations or when handled by players who recognize a character’s weaknesses and leverage their strengths. But that doesn’t mean all Lancers are created equal. While some may flourish on Attack or Defense, or when combined with specific team compositions or Shard Cards, others stand above the rest and provide consistent value no matter the circumstances.

Determining the best characters in the current meta is especially important in FragPunk because many of the game’s Lancers must be unlocked using Gold, FragPunk Coins, or Lancer Trophies. So before you spend your hard-earned Gold on the worst character in the game, this FragPunk tier list will break down every Lancer and place them in a tier from S to B based on their ease of use, versatility, and consistency of value:

FragPunk Tier List

S-Tier Characters: Nitro, Hollowpoint, Pathojen, Spider, Kismet

A-Tier Characters: Serket, Broker, Zephyr, Sonar, Corona

B-Tier Characters: Jaguar, Axon, Chum

S-Tier: Nitro

Nitro is a Lancer limited only by your imagination, and her lack of mobility options. Nitro’s Chug Chug deploys a remotely-controlled combat drone that can dish out 20 damage per projectile, but the drone’s greatest strength is its ability to gain intel while Nitro hides in relative safety. Nitro’s The Wall ability enables you to create unique and unexpected sightlines, climb onto otherwise inaccessible areas, block incoming damage, and force enemies to reveal their location as they spray to destroy these surprisingly sturdy shields.

Nitro’s Mr. Pewpew sentry turrets can monitor most doorways and entry points, and they can also be used as a sneaky offensive tool. Use them to guard flanks, or when you know an enemy is expecting your advance, toss a turret in line of sight of your foe. This will force them to either accept the incoming damage from the turret, or they’ll turn to destroy it, opening up a brief window for you to peek and gun them down.

S-Tier: Hollowpoint

Hollowpoint is a gifted sniper that provides players with a supercharged railgun that can one-shot enemies to the body in medium-range duels, or one-tap enemies to the head from just about anywhere. Hollowpoint’s Meteora railgun is also a great recon tool because aiming down sights detects enemies in the field of view, even if they’re an invisible Zephyr. The value of Hollowpoint’s Meteora simply cannot be overstated because it essentially acts as a second primary weapon, and as a free sniper rifle that disregards the Shard Clash rule that prevents you from selecting a weapon type after two deaths using them.

Hollowpoint’s Smoke Screen is among the best vision control abilities in FragPunk because it’s forward-moving, goes through walls, pings all enemies hit by the screen, and can be stopped at will to block off sightlines. Lastly, her Paparazzi trap is especially useful because it attaches to enemies and exposes them until they remove it by holding their interact key for a brief time.

S-Tier: Pathojen

Since this tier list is focused on highlighting the Lancers that provide consistent value regardless of your team composition, weapon, or Shard Cards, Pathojen’s AOE healing field all but automatically places her in S-Tier because it’s the only healing ability in FragPunk. While many Shard Cards can grant healing, increase your team’s Max HP, or reduce incoming damage, Pathojen’s Emotional Rescue ability bypasses the RNG Gods and ensures your team can restore their HP no matter what.

On top of that, her Shroom Wall is a respectable defensive tool that grants cover, creates blockades in narrow chokepoints, and completely blocks off doorways. Finally, Pathojen’s Killer Queen ability forges a triggered or manually activated trap. Killer Queen is perfect for slowing enemy advances, it can be used offensively by tossing it toward unsuspecting enemies, and don’t forget to place one on planted Converters to ensure enemies can’t defuse for free.

S-Tier: Spider

Spider may be the most controversial S-Tier pick on this list because his strongest ability, Teleporter, relies heavily on team coordination to extract maximum value. But because the Teleporter facilitates creative plays, safe disengages and full team site rotations, Spider’s potential is simply too high for a lower ranking. Meanwhile, Spider’s Spirited Away trap is a demoralizing ability that teleports enemies to the spot where the skill was initially cast. Catching an enemy with Spirited Away almost guarantees an easy charged knife kill or one-tap, but be sure to communicate with your team when teleporting more than a single target because you’ll likely require the follow-up.

Spider Trap is also an excellent defensive gadget that nearly covers an affected enemy’s entire screen for roughly three seconds while slowing them. Hide Spider Traps near choke points leading to your teleporters to prevent enemies from camping your TP.

S-Tier: Kismet

Kismet is an elite offensive Lancer in large part because of her Walk on the Wild Side ability that makes her invisible and invulnerable for a brief period. Walk on the Wild Side is the only movement ability in FragPunk that provides both invisibility and invulnerability, but you won’t be able to see enemies for its duration. Still, it allows you to sneakily cross wide-open sightlines or long corridors, before getting to cover. Walk on the Wild Side can also be used as a get-out-of-jail-free card, when cornered or low on HP.

Hello, Goodbye provides a short-range scan that penetrates walls, and though you may be unimpressed by this ability’s range initially, its effectiveness increases as you familiarize yourself with maps and common enemy angles. Kismet’s final ability, Misery Angel, is a complimentary one that can damage enemies regardless of intervening barricades. Misery Angel is a surprisingly lethal threat that deals close to 100 damage and has a large blast radius.

A-Tier: Serket

Serket is an all-around offensive threat that provides intel, can teleport, has a forward moving smoke, and an AOE crowd control tool. Serket’s movement ability, Station to Station, casts a controllable beacon that you can teleport to for a limited time, or cancel to remain in the cast location. When controlling the beacon, any enemies in your line of sight will appear as sandstorms. On paper, this ability may seem broken, but the beacon has a low health pool and can quickly be destroyed. So while the area Serket can cover will decrease as you climb the ranks, even spotting a single enemy’s location is incredibly advantageous.

Serket’s Gold Dust Woman releases a dust tornado that moves forward and slows enemies caught in it. The tornado can also be manually stopped to temporarily block a sightline. Serket is also equipped with a projectile that pulls enemies toward the center. When caught, it’s very difficult for enemies to escape the pull, but landing it consistently has a bit of a learning curve. Outside of throwing it toward enemies you know are pushing through a corridor, Dilemma can also be used to pull enemies from behind cover before quickly lining up a shot. Though Serket may be a few steps behind her S-Tier castmates, she’s just one beacon HP or speed buff away from joining the elite Lancers.

A-Tier: Broker

Like Serket, Broker is another Lancer on the cusp of reaching the S-Tier ranking because of his excellent area denial, smoke, and explosive abilities. Broker’s Goddard’s Vengeance ability allows him to wield a rocket launcher that instantly kills enemies hit directly. While hitting a target dead-on may become more inconsistent in high-rank lobbies, it’s almost guaranteed to inflict a staggering amount of damage and the rocket can also be used to swiftly dismantle a defensive setup. So even if you don’t get your one before being eliminated, Goddard’s Vengeance will ensure one of your enemies leaves the gunfight battered and bruised.

Broker’s Smokestack Lightning is inarguably one of the most versatile smokes in FragPunk because it’s thrown and casts smokes along the flight trajectory, even after bouncing off walls. Though Smokestack Lightning is an insanely useful ability that can be used to cover or obscure just about any area of the map, the prevalence of recon abilities can quickly detect your push. Broker’s final ability, Cherry Bomb, is great for denying space, and though the bombs are easily destroyed and avoided, the info gained when enemies fire at or run through the bombs makes it worthwhile.

A-Tier: Zephyr

Were it not for the pervasiveness of traps and recon abilities in FragPunk, Zephyr and her stealthy kit would undoubtedly be S-Tier. Zephyr is an elusive Lancer whose Midnight Rambler ability grants temporary invisibility, at the cost of becoming unable to fire weapons without decloaking. Her second ability, Fade Away, casts a large zone that allows Zephyr to remain invisible indefinitely, so long as she doesn’t exit the zone or shoot her firearm. These two abilities used in concert can be incredibly lethal on sites, but her loud footsteps and traps remain a constant liability.

Thankfully, Zephyr has a built-in escape strategy in the form of her Get Back teleport beacon. Place a beacon before going for a stealthy backstab or aggressing on a site, and if your invisibility is running out, teleport back to quickly disengage.

A-Tier: Sonar

Sonar’s character design is deeply rooted in gathering information for you and your squad, but we’ve bumped her down to A-Tier because of her lack of mobility and reliance on team follow-up. Sonar’s Echolocation deploys a sensor that scans for moving enemies every few seconds. Though Echolocation is an undoubtedly powerful recon ability, it can be gamed by walking between the sensor’s scans. Nevertheless, at a minimum, Echolocation will slow enemy pushes and make their movements easier to predict.

Sonar’s Sonic Surge is another recon tool that launches a charged-up sonic wave that exposes all enemies hit and knocks them back. Because Sonic Surge can travel through walls, it’s amazing at gathering intel on enemy setups. Finally, Sound of Silence dampens your footsteps and the steps of surrounding teammates for a very brief period. The shortness of this ability’s timer makes it near useless in solo queue, but when on a coordinated squad, the silent pushes can be fight winning.

A-Tier: Corona

Corona’s kit is arguably one of the most harmonious in FragPunk because all of his abilities are meant to be used in concert. Corona’s Fast Lane is a quick dash that allows you to swiftly reposition between cover, but it’ll often be deployed just after casting Hothead. Hothead transforms Corona into a flash that briefly blinds all enemies looking at this Lancer. Corona players will time their Hothead flash, dash into line of sight, and blind all nearby enemies.

While this combo can be round winning, it tragically leaves Corona in no man’s land unless he has team follow-up. Corona’s last ability is Ashes to Ashes which creates a spell field that damages enemies, and grants Corona damage reduction and increased movement speed while in the zone. Though Corona sits in the A-Tier, he’s one of the best 1v1 duelers in FragPunk, making him a major asset in overtime matches.

B-Tier: Jaguar

Despite receiving a buff in a recent balance patch, Jaguar remains a B-Tier Lancer simply because there are Lancers that outmatch each of his abilities. Jaguar’s Live Wire trap deals an impressive amount of damage but not enough to secure kills, and it doesn’t reveal enemies unless you also use his I Can See for Miles skill. I Can See for Miles detects the number of enemies directly ahead, enemies on critical HP, or opponents affected by Live Wire or Electric Avenue.

Electric Avenue summons a cage around enemies scanned by the cast ability, but again, you’ll only be able to see the enemy inside if you use I Can See for Miles. Electric Avenue also lacks agency because it’ll automatically surround the nearest enemy in range. This isn’t always advantageous as teams can strategically bait your push before entering or exiting the cage.

B-Tier: Axon

Axon is one of the most aggressive Lancers in FragPunk, but like Zephyr, his kit is heavily reliant on the enemy team being distracted or lacking recon traps. Axon’s Electric Guitar deals a hefty, yet inconsistent amount of damage, but you’ll need to get into close-range engagements for it to be effective. Sticky Fingers are Axon’s grenades which can stick to targets or bounce off the environment, making them decent when you know an enemy’s precise location, but they rarely get value otherwise.

Axon’s final ability, Super Freak, is unquestionably the most niche in FragPunk because it makes him immune to flashes. While many believe Super Freak becomes near useless when facing off against a squad with no blinds, that isn’t necessarily the case. Super Freak can still get value if you throw flashes and quickly swing toward your enemy to blind them without getting flashed yourself. Despite Axon being one of the more fun and high-octane Lancers in the cast, a skilled marksman like Hollowpoint will decimate him on maps with long sightlines, so stick to running him on maps with tight flank routes.

B-Tier: Chum

To be clear, Chum is still a perfectly viable pick in B-Tier, but his reliance on his bestie Chomper places him at the bottom of the list because Chomper can be destroyed relatively quickly. Chomper is a deployable friend who can patrol a given area, enter Explosive Mode to chase down enemies, or enter Smoke Mode to release a controllable stream of smoke.

Chomper enters Explosive Mode when fed Chum’s Explosive Bait trap, and enters Smoke Mode when fed Smoke Bait. Smoke Bait can also be thrown to create a smoke cloud when the projectile hits the ground. Smoke Mode Chomper can be rather effective, but you’ll become vulnerable while controlling him, so be sure to get coverage from your teammates. Lastly, Chum’s lack of mobility options make him one of the easiest Lancers to isolate unless you keep Chomper by your side and limit your playmaking.

For more FragPunk guides, check out our explainer of FragPunk’s ranked mode, plus How to Get Ultimate Material, and How to Slide in FragPunk!

Warning: this article contains basic plot spoilers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

This year’s CinemaCon has been especially eventful, including the reveal of the title of Tom Holland’s next Spider-Man movie and an extended look at James Gunn’s Superman. CinemaCon has also given us a closer glimpse of Marvel’s upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Along with finally seeing Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer in action, this new Fantastic Four footage dropped a major bombshell. Vanessa Kirby’s Susan Storm is pregnant.

Anyone familiar with the Fantastic Four comics will know that this is a big deal for the team. Marvel Studios is about to introduce arguably the most powerful mutant in existence. And maybe his super-genius sister for good measure? Let’s take a closer look at why Sue’s pregnancy has major implications for the MCU and the Marvel movie multiverse.

The Children of the Fantastic Four: Who Are Franklin and Valeria Richards?

There’s a reason the FF are known as “Marvel’s First Family.” They’re a loving (if somewhat dysfunctional) family first and a superhero team second. That family element only becomes all the more pronounced once Reed Richards and Susan Storm become parents. In the comics, Reed and Sue currently have two children. Their elder son Franklin was introduced in 1968’s Fantastic Four Annual #6. Franklin’s younger sister Valeria followed in 2002’s Fantastic Four #54.

As you might expect from parents whose bodies were inundated with cosmic radiation, Franklin and Valeria are both far from ordinary children. Franklin is easily one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. He has the ability to warp reality and matter at will, a power that even allows him to create entire pocket dimensions out of nothing. This power also manifests in other ways, giving Franklin everything from telepathy and telekinesis to the ability to project his consciousness across the astral plane.

Essentially, Franklin is the one being on Earth whose power is so great it rivals that of cosmic entities like the Celestials and Galactus. And he’s destined to only grow more powerful with age. The FF have met multiple adult versions of Franklin from the future, suggesting that he’ll one day grow to become an immortal defender of the entire Marvel Universe.

That’s a tough act to follow, but Valeria has never had much trouble holding her own in the Richards clan. She doesn’t have any superhuman abilities (not yet, at least), but her mind more than makes up for that. Despite her young age, Valeria is every bit as brilliant a scientist as her father. She’s a skilled inventor and an integral member of the Future Foundation, a team spearheaded by Reed that brings together the most brilliant young minds in the Marvel Universe.

As they’ve grown older, Franklin and Valeria have begun to take a more active role in the Fantastic Four’s adventures. They even have their own superhero codenames (Franklin is Powerhouse and Valeria is Brainstorm). Whatever the future holds for the Marvel Universe, Franklin and Valeria will be there to shape it.

It’d be difficult for any TV series, let alone an anime series, to be greeted with higher expectations than Lazarus. And, as Lazarus proves, it’d be equally difficult to live up to those expectations. The series comes from Shinichirō Watanabe, creator of the undisputed anime masterpiece Cowboy Bebop. With action overseen by John Wick director Chad Stahelski and a soundtrack featuring original compositions by the tantalizing trio of Kamasi Washington, Floating Points, and Bonobos, it would seem Lazarus promises nothing but slick and exciting visuals, storytelling, and atmosphere. In the first five episodes, only some of those promises are fulfilled. The opening chapters of Watanabe’s mildly compelling mystery anime remain watchable not because of the style on display or how much we care about the characters, but because of its heightened, apocalyptic stakes.

The beginning of Lazarus gives you no time to breathe: It instantly hits you with bucket loads of context and double-exposed imagery that define its vision of the future. The year is 2052, and a miracle painkiller called Hapna has exploded in popularity across the globe, ending humanity’s relationship to pain and putting a large chunk of the population in a perpetual sleepwalk. Believing this was a mistake, the drug’s creator, Dr. Skinner, announces that within 30 days, everyone who has ever taken Hapna will die. The sensory overload and intrigue surrounding this information is almost enough to paper over the clunky dialogue and poor acting (in the English version, anyway) that relays it.

Dropping such a nuclear event in the first episode is a bold decision. My brain was flooded with curiosity as to how the world would react and questions of how this was even possible, and why someone would decide that genocide on this level was the answer. It’s completely ridiculous, but Dr. Skinner’s speech announcing his intentions is packed with enough shock, intrigue, and mystery that it propelled me through the next four episodes – despite some of the less interesting turns they take.

Watanabe opts for a cold visual approach with Lazarus, with desaturated colors and metallic production design. That chilliness – also reflected in the steely, detached members of the Suicide Squad-like team looking to get a cure from Dr. Skinner – means that the plot and action need to deliver in order for the show to remain engaging. On this front, the results are mixed.

The style of action on display is apparent from the scene that introduces Axel, an inmate being recruited for the dangerous mission at the center of Lazarus. Taking advantage of the situation, Axel uses his almost superhuman kung fu and parkour skills to escape, something he apparently has done over 100 times. The 2D animation is slightly aided by CG in these fight scenes, to great effect. It puts us extremely close to the action – with punches flying right past us – while still letting us understand what’s happening on screen, thanks to the added mobility of the camera in CG. Even when the combat on Lazarus feels a little familiar – Stahelski’s blessing and curse, having now reshaped action filmmaking twice over as a stunt performer and coordinator in The Matrix movies and the architect of the John Wick franchise – the way it’s presented still feels intense and spectacular.

Yet there’s still room for Lazarus’ action to improve in future episodes. Axel and his colleagues are so capable at hand-to-hand combat that there’s no tension or peril in these scenes – despite the unerringly good soundtrack’s best efforts to establish those feelings. As such, I’m thankful for the one thrilling sequence that bucks this trend, involving a helicopter and a Green Goblin-esque glider.

A bigger problem is just how functional the characters are. They’re a group of hyper-competent spies who are too cool to seem like they care about their assignment – which is, as a reminder, to prevent the deaths of billions of people. Lazarus frustratingly shies away from emotion in the middle of this doomsday scenario in favor of a cool factor that never actually feels that cool. Axel is meant to be the character we see this new world through, but he seems to find everything so easy, like he knows he’s going to survive no matter the challenge. I want to feel the effect of each hour passing, bringing us closer to doom. I want to understand the exhaustion and panic that must come with being tasked to save the world. Instead, Axel treats everything like a game – which could make for an interesting character arc past these five episodes, if Lazarus hadn’t sacrificed my investment in him as a person from the get-go. (A similar constraint affects the side characters as well.)

Watanabe has something to say through Lazarus, but it’s watered down and held back in these five episodes. The message about the way modern society sees and deals with pain is limited to monologues at the start of each episode, in which various characters detail their first encounters with Hapna. In a short span of time, a lot is said about how people desire numbness, and how readily available and monetized it is. But these first passages of Lazarus only touch on these topics briefly, leaving the big questions posed in the premiere – about Skinner’s motivations and how the world at large might react to its impending doom – to be answered (or not) by the episodes to follow.

It’s been a wild 48-hour news cycle if you follow economics at all, and wilder still if you’re a Nintendo fan.

On Wednesday, we learned that the Nintendo Switch 2 would cost $450 in the United States, a painfully high price that analysts say was partly due to expectation of tariffs, and partly due to other factors like inflation, competition, and component costs.

Then, last night, the Trump Administration announced wide-reaching 10% tariffs on essentially every country, with much higher tariffs on numerous nations such as China, the EU, Japan, Vietnam, Canada, Mexico, and many, many others. In response, China announced this morning a 34% reciprocal tariff on all U.S. goods. And just hours ago, in the wake of all this, Nintendo announced it would be postponing Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the U.S. while it evaluated the impact of tariffs on its console plans.

It’s an unprecedented situation for everyone, both within and outside of gaming, and one that analysts, experts, and the general public are still trying to make sense of. Which is why just a short 30 minutes before Nintendo dropped its shocking pre-order news, I was on the phone with Aubrey Quinn, a spokesperson for the Entertainment Software Association, to discuss the impact these tariffs would have on the industry writ large.

The ESA, like everyone else, is still trying to figure out how all this is going to play out. Broadly, she says, they have some expectations. They knew tariffs of some sort were coming – both due to Trump’s past actions in his first administration and his repeated discussion of them on the campaign trail. And, once implemented, Quinn says they expected there would be risk of retaliation from other countries like China, as well as even more future tariffs and levies from the U.S. But the jury is still out on how this will ultimately play out.

What the ESA does feel confident saying, though, is that these tariffs will have a negative impact on video games:

“We really are, at this point, just watching and trying not to have knee-jerk reactions, because we don’t think that what President Trump announced this week is the end of the story, but what was announced this week and the tariffs as outlined, we do expect these tariffs will have a real and detrimental impact on the industry and the hundreds of millions of Americans who love to play games,” Quinn says. “And so our goal is to work with the administration, to work with other elected officials to try to find a solution that doesn’t damage U.S. industries, U.S. business, but also American gamers and families.”

When Quinn says there will be a detrimental impact, she doesn’t just mean the cost of systems, though she says it’s “hard to imagine a world where tariffs like these don’t impact pricing.” She says consumer spending will also be impacted, which will in turn impact company revenue. If companies see their profits drop, that will in turn impact jobs, as well as investment in research and development, and even what the next generation of consoles looks like. “The entire consumer ecosystem is connected,” she says.

So what’s the ESA doing about it? Well, a few things so far, but Quinn acknowledges it’s been difficult to get started. Even though the tariffs didn’t come as a surprise to anyone, she says the Trump Administration hasn’t been back in office for long – really just two months. Trump’s cabinet and administration is almost entirely made up of new people, too, so the ESA hasn’t been able to leverage relationships from his last term in office. And some of them were only appointed weeks ago.

“But yes, the short answer is we know who the conversations need to be happening with, and we are working on making connections and making sure that they understand that we are eager to work with them to find solutions that this is about public, private sector conversations happening, so we can understand and make sure that they see the impact and the risk of impact to business, to consumers, and really everything that’s happening within the US borders,” she concludes.

Quinn points to the recent news that the ESA had already joined a coalition of trade associations to reach out to U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer and express their concerns prior to the tariff news earlier this week. And they’re asking for meetings with a number of legislations and members of the administration to discuss similar topics.

Is it working, I ask? Are they being heard?

“Yes. I can tell you conversations are happening with… I don’t want to say every level,” she responds. “I’ve not met with Trump, right? So I don’t want to say every level of government, but certainly we’ve met with members of the administration. We’ve met with employees at the White House, we’ve met with employees at USTR [the office of the United States Trade Representative], so yes, we are having conversations and we’re also doing that in partnership with other associations to make sure that… This isn’t a video game issue. I represent the video game industry, so I’m very aware of the impact on the video game industry, the potential impact, but it’s not a video game industry. This is going to affect all consumer products from food to fashion to electronics.”

So what can consumers do about it if they’re concerned? Reach out to their representatives, Quinn responds. Write letters, call, send emails, tweets, whatever it looks like to let their elected leaders know they’re concerned. “I think the more members of government, elected officials, and their staff who hear that their constituents are concerned, the more likely we are to be heard and to potentially make an impact.”

Nintendo announced its hold on Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders due to the tariffs just minutes after our conversation had concluded. When I reached out to Quinn for further comment on that, she said the ESA doesn’t comment on what individual companies will do. But I did mention the Nintendo Switch 2’s already-high pricing at the end of our conversation, and Quinn had this to say:

“You know what? It’s been interesting with media coverage around video games and tariffs because just unfortunate coincidental timing that the Switch [2 reveal] was the same day as President Trump’s announcement. There are so many devices we play video games on. There are other consoles, but as I was saying, VR headsets, our smartphones, people who love PC games, if we think it’s just the Switch, then we aren’t taking it seriously. This is going to have an impact.

“And even American-based companies, they’re getting products that need to cross into American borders to make those consoles, to make those games. And so there’s going to be a real impact regardless of company. This is company-agnostic, this is an entire industry. There’s going to be an impact on the entire industry.”

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.

Blogroll image credit: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images

FromSoftware unveiled a new exclusive for Nintendo’s new console during this week’s Switch 2 Direct. The Duskbloods had an ominous trailer, showing lots of action, horrors, and magic. In a new interview, we’re now learning much more about FromSoft’s plans for this multiplayer experience.

Nintendo posted a three-part interview series with The Duskbloods director Hidetaka Miyazaki, going over what The Duskbloods is, and how it’s different from other FromSoftware games.

Despite the multiplayer PvPvE focus, Miyazaki has assured fans that FromSoftware will keep making single-player focused games. But with The Duskbloods, the studio is experimenting, with everything from general game type to having a cute hub keeper.

Here are some of the major takeaways we’ve learned about The Duskbloods from this new set of interviews.

The meaning of ‘The Duskbloods’

While the name, aesthetic, and constant mention of blood might bring to mind another FromSoftware title, Miyazaki said The Duskbloods refers to the Bloodsworn themselves. These Bloodsworn—the characters players control—are people who have achieved superhuman abilities through special blood, similar to vampires.

“We tried to extract the sort of romantic aspects we found interesting from concepts such as vampires and ‘blood’ and reinterpreted them as the Bloodsworn,” Miyazaki said.

The Duskblood is a collective term for these characters, who all partake in a bid for First Blood, which flows during an event known as the “Twilight of Humanity.”

There’s no set time or place for The Duskbloods

Because the Twilight of Humanity takes place across different times and locales, there is no “fixed era or location” to pin down when or where The Duskbloods takes place.

“There are more traditional Gothic- or Victorian-style maps as well as those depicting the closing years of the early modern period, like the one glimpsed in the trailer with the train running through it,” Miyazaki said.

You can choose between different characters

In a manner that sounds similar to the upcoming Elden Ring Nightreign, players can choose from “over a dozen” characters in The Duskbloods. Each character can also be customized, and you’ll swap between those options in a main hub area.

While characters will each have their own abilities, it sounds like some skills are universal. The Bloodsworn fighters are essentially superhuman, so they can sprint, super jump, and double jump. Additionally, every character is equipped with “some means of attacking from a distance,” which Miyazaki said he feels is one of The Duskblood’s “unique aspects” when compared with previous FromSoftware games.

Progression doesn’t rely solely on victory

A key component of The Duskbloods is the PvPvE set-up. Online matches support up to eight players, vying for a win. Miyazaki said online matches are “generally” last player standing, but there are “certain cases where victory conditions differ.” He gave the example of players being tasked with teaming up to take down a powerful boss, or “other special circumstances.”

“Regardless of whether it’s PvP or PvE, the idea is to provide players with an experience that allows them to learn and hone their skills as they play,” Miyazaki said. “We’ve therefore designed the PvE boss encounters to present a tough challenge and a sense of accomplishment upon defeating them.”

Obtaining “Victory Points,” which ultimately decide the outcome of a match, can happen in a few different ways. Direct combat is one, but engaging in more “opportunistic behavior” is also an option. And Miyazaki noted that when players return to the hub after a match, they receive a reward whether they won or lost.

Events can shake up the match

There will be world events through the event system, which has the potential to shake up a match. This can range from special enemy spawns to additional objectives, all with bonus rewards offered.

Miyazaki drew attention to a portion of The Duskbloods trailer, where a giant stone face loomed in the sky. “This is one example of the events that can occur in a match,” Miyazaki said. “In this case, the appearance of this stone face affects the environment and changes match rewards, which can have an immediate impact on player motivations and objectives.”

Players will have personal objectives and roles, too

While First Blood is something worth chasing, Miyazaki said there will also be “personal objectives” to provide separate rewards for players.

It’s unclear whether these fully tie into another system Miyazaki also mentioned, called “roles.” While online, roles offer players unique circumstances and opportunities to interact with each other. He outlined a few examples, like the “Destined Rival,” which tasks a player with finding and defeating another player. Doing this will count as a personal goal, separate from the overall victory conditions.

Roles can be assigned to characters through customization, so players can roleplay a bit and, as Miyazaki said, add to the “drama” of these engagements.

Lore will be delived through customization

FromSoftware is no stranger to putting some deep lore in its games. And there will, of course, be lore in The Duskbloods.

“One thing I love doing in any game I direct is leaving fragments of lore and worldbuilding details, allowing the player the fun of using their imagination to make connections,” Miyazaki said. “The Duskbloods is no exception to this.”

However, for The Duskbloods, Miyazaki said the team is going about it a little differently from previous games. Fragments are found in character customization items, the “blood history and fate.” Customizing characters, analyzing and altering their blood history and fate, will reveal more information about the world and its story.

“Focusing these elements on the concept of ‘blood’ or ‘blood history and fate’ allowed for a deeper exploration of customization and is another reason we placed the Bloodsworn as the protagonists,” Miyazaki said.

FromSoftware is certainly painting an interesting picture, but we’ll have to wait a little bit to see the image fully realized, as The Duskbloods is currently planned to be a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive sometime in 2026.

For now, you can check out more info about the Switch 2 by reading over our first-hands on with Nintendo’s newest console, or read up on the sudden delay of Switch 2 pre-orders here.

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Considering what it offers, Disney Plus is one of the best streaming services on the block. From classic Disney animated films to the latest Marvel shows and Star Wars movies, excellent kids’ programming like Bluey, and so much more, Disney Plus puts an incredible range of high-quality viewing options at your fingertips. And with so much to check out, including season 2 of Andor on April 22, you’ll want to find a plan that best suits you. We’re here to help.

At the moment, one of the best Disney Plus bundle deals available is the massive Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle. This starts at $16.99/month to get you all three streaming services with ads. It’s one of the best bundles available at the moment, but we’ve included more Disney Plus bundle deals worth exploring below. If you’re looking for more streaming deals from other services, check out the best Hulu deals and bundles and the best Max deals.

How to Get the Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max Streaming Bundle

The Disney Plus, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle can be purchased through any of the three streaming services and starts at $16.99/month for the ad-supported tier or $29.99/month for ad-free access across the three platforms.

If you currently own all three and want to cut down on costs, this is a great way to bundle them together and save big on what you’d pay for them separately per month – 43% on the ad-supported plan and 42% on the ad-free plan.

What Is the New Paid Sharing Plan on Disney Plus?

In an effort to crack down on password sharing, Disney has unveiled a paid sharing plan for individuals outside of your household. Basically, anyone using your account that’s not within your household will have to be added as an “Extra Member” to your account. This costs an additional $6.99/month for the ad-supported Basic subscription and $9.99/month for the Premium ad-free plan, and only one Extra Member slot is available per account. You can learn more from Disney’s paid sharing explainer here.

What Are the Different Disney+ Subscription Tiers?

Disney+ is available in a couple of different tiers. You can get the least expensive option (called Disney+ Basic) for $9.99/month, which gives you access to everything except the ability to download select shows to watch on the go. This tier is ad supported. If you want to get rid of ads and be able to download certain shows, you can spring for the $15.99/month or $159.99/year Disney+ Premium package.

What Are the Different Disney+ Bundles?

Want a way to save on your Disney+ membership? Bundles are a great, affordable way to go. As far as bundles go, there are two ad-supported bundles and two ad-free bundles. Here’s the breakdown:

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic is $10.99/month and comes with subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu. This plan lets you stream on multiple devices at once and comes with ad-supported versions of both services.
• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium is $19.99/month and comes with Hulu and Disney+ with no ads. It also includes Disney+ Premium features like the ability to download shows to watch on the go.
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Basic adds ESPN+ (With Ads) to the mix alongside Disney+ (With Ads) and Hulu (With Ads), bumping up the price to $16.99/month. You can also download and watch select content on ESPN+ at this level.
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ Bundle Premium is $26.99/month and comes with ESPN+ (With Ads) and ad-free versions of Disney+ and Hulu. You can also download select content across all three streaming services.

Disney+ Gift Cards

If you want to help someone out and give them a gift that will keep on giving, gifting a one-year Disney+ card is a great way to go. It provides all the great things Disney+ offers and it costs a fraction of what it would take to buy even a small sampling of those movies physically.

What Can You Watch on Disney+?

There is a bonkers array of shows and movies you can watch on Disney+. Let’s start at the top and simply talk about the verticals on offer here with the base subscription.

Here’s what you get:

• Disney
• Pixar
• Marvel
• Star Wars
• National Geographic

Disney on Disney+

On the Disney front, you have awesome classic movies like The Sword In The Stone, Robin Hood, 101 Dalmations, Hercules, and Sleeping Beauty, modern classics like The Princess & The Frog, Tangled, and Frozen, and a wide range of animated shows, including Phineas & Ferb.

You also gain access to a ton of vintage content like Escape to Witch Mountain, The Apple Dumpling Gang, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Love Bug, and a whole lot more. The Disney Junior section is home to absolutely top tier animated shows like Bluey (which, for my money, is worth the price of admission on its own).

There’s way more on offer, too, including a ton of Muppet movies, new live-action films and adaptions, nature programs, documentaries, Pirates of the Caribbean, and musical programs featuring Taylor Swift (like her wildly popular The Eras Tour), Elton John, Ed Sheeran, and more.

Pixar on Disney+

When it comes to computer generated films, Pixar stands alone. Kicking off the revolution with Toy Story, Pixar has consistently put out fantastic films, and they are all here. From the Toy Story series to Finding Nemo, Cars, and more recent hits like Inside Out 2, there is a ton to love.

Beyond even that, there are incredible shorts like Bao and Party Central, as well as a wide range of originals and series based on major films, such as Dory’s Reef Cam, Forky Asks A Question, Cars On The Road, and more.

Marvel on Disney+

The MCU has become a true juggernaut, and there are many viewers who subscribe to Disney+ purely for access to nearly the entire MCU lineup of films and shows.

Whether you are a fan of the blockbuster action films, you are an appreciator of the classic 90s runs of “Saturday morning” cartoons like X-Men, or you are currently vibing to the funky theme of the 1981 Spider-Man series, there is a ton of Marvel to enjoy on Disney+. And with new movies and shows being added to the MCU all the time, including most recently Deadpool & Wolverine and Your Friendly Neigborhood Spider-Man, there is always more coming.

Star Wars on Disney+

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a film that changed everything. The original Star Wars is a seminal sci-fi fantasy work that inspired generations of creators, but there is still nothing quite like that far away galaxy. Disney+ grants access to all things Star Wars, including the remastered versions of the original trilogy (hopefully some day they’ll add the theatrical cuts, too), as well as the prequels and sequels.

You can also stay up-to-date on all the latest shows, including The Mandalorian and the critically-lauded Andor, which some viewers say is “the best Star Wars has ever been.” There are also fantastic short series like Star Wars Visions, and longer-form series like The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, Young Jedi Adventures, and a whole lot more.

Take a look at our list of Disney+ alernatives for additional streaming services. To play while you watch, see our roundup of the best LEGO Disney sets. For more deals, dive into our Daily Deals page.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.
Original story from Brian Barnett.

No matter which platform you prefer, there’s an excellent variety of video game deals to check out right now. Whether you’re gaming on PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or PC, we’ve rounded up the best offers to help you get more for your money, including the excellent new PS5 Slim and Astro Bot bundle. And while not a deal, we’ve also included where you can preorder Elden Ring Nightreign, in case you’re itching to return to The Lands Between. Best Buy’s also offering a free $10 gift card with your purchase on that one — what can be better than that?

PS5 Slim + Astro Bot Bundle

Preorder Elden Ring Nightreign

Best PC Game Deals

Humble Choice April 2025

Best Physical Video Game Deals

If you’re looking to save on physical games right now, there are plenty of deals worth checking out across PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. We’ve included just a few of our favorites above, but if you’d like to see more game deals for each platform, check out our individual roundups for these consoles: the best PlayStation deals, the best Xbox deals, and the best Nintendo Switch deals.

Best PlayStation VR 2 Deals

Best Xbox Accessory Deals

Best PS5 SSD Deals

Best Gaming PC Deals

Do you prefer to play on a dedicated PC tower? Navigating the options online can be quite the ordeal. Desk space, portability, and price point are often factors in the decision. However, there are some great PC deals that pop up every now and again that are worth jumping on. One of our favorite deals at the moment is on the Alienware Area-51 RTX 5080 PC for $4,649.99. To see even more PC deals, check out our roundup of the best gaming PC deals.

Today’s deals are all about keeping your game library full and your storage problems in check. We’ve got serious discounts on recent releases like College Football 25 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, a clearance price on Advance Wars 1+2, and rare price drops on official storage for Xbox and PlayStation consoles. Humble’s Spring Shonen manga bundle is also still going strong, and if you like high-stakes demon battles and beautifully absurd haircuts, you’re going to want in on that.

Gaming And Manga Deals for Today

I think what makes today’s lineup so solid is how much value you’re getting without compromising on quality. These are recent titles and brand-name accessories — not knockoffs or old stock. Catch up on campaigns, back up your growing digital backlog, or read your way through Kodansha’s finest chaos backwards, there’s something here that earns the cart space.

College Football 25 Standard Edition – Xbox Series X

Seagate – Game Drive for PlayStation Consoles 2TB External USB 3.2 Gen 1 Portable Hard Drive

Humble Spring Shonen Special By Kodansha

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp – Nintendo Switch

Atomfall Merchandise

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Standard Edition – PlayStation 5

Seagate – 1TB Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S Internal NVMe SSD – Black

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Prismatic Evolutions Booster Bundle

Pokemon TCG: Stacking Tin (Q1 2025)

Humble Choice April 2025

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet – Paldean Fates Booster Bundle

PureArts Assassin’s Creed Preorders

Pokemon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box

INIU Portable Charger, Slimmest 10000mAh 5V/3A Power Bank

INIU Power Bank, 20000mAh 65W USB C Laptop Portable Charger

Great On The Go Humble Sale

INIU Portable Charger, 22.5W 20000mAh

Metaphor ReFantazio – Gallica – Statue

INIU Power Bank, 25000mAh 100W USB C Laptop Portable Charger

INIU Portable Charger, Smallest 22.5W 10000mAh Power Bank

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Surging Sparks Booster Bundle

Insignia – 55″ Class F30 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV

Outright Games Game On! Bundle

Insignia – 65″ Class F50 Series LED 4K UHD Smart Fire TV

Death Stranding 2 – DHV Magellan – Model Kit

LG – 65” Class UT70 Series LED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV (2024)

Samsung – Galaxy Watch Ultra Titanium Smartwatch 47mm LTE

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

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates Booster Bundle

Best of Boomer Shooters 4: Badda Bing Badda Boom

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box

Street Fighter TCG Alpha Warriors Dreams Preorder

Pokémon TCG: Paradox Clash tin: Iron Leaves ex or Walking Wake ex

Pokémon TCG: 3 Booster Packs & 1 Random Foil

Earlier this year, Dell rebooted the legendary Alienware Area-51 lineup of prebuilt gaming PCs, but until recently you could only configure it with one graphics card option – the RTX 5080. That’s no longer the case. Starting now, you can choose to equip your Alienware Area-51 with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU and – finally – an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU starting at $5,499.99. Better yet, you won’t have to wait months for your system to arrive; Dell estimates an early April ship date.

Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 Prebuilt Gaming PCs Are Available