The closure of Embracer-owned studios continues — this time it’s developer Piranha Bytes that’s reportedly shut down.
German studio Piranha Bytes was founded in 1997 and changed hands a number of times before it found its way to Embracer via publisher THQ Nordic in 2019. Piranha Bytes is perhaps best-known for developing fantasy role-playing series Gothic and Risen, but in recent years it released science fiction role-playing games Elex and Elex 2.
Earlier this year, Piranha Bytes acknowledged it was in a “difficult situation” amid devastating cuts and layoffs at embattled parent company Embracer. At the time, Piranha Bytes said it was trying to find a partner for its next project, apparently not with Embracer.
According to German website GameStar, Piranha Bytes shut down at the end of June. IGN has asked Embracer for comment.
Meanwhile, two former Piranha Bytes developers, Björn Pankratz and Jennifer Pankratz, have formed a new indie called Pithead Studio and kicked off a video series that promises to reveal what went down during the studio’s final months.
With Pithead Studio we have founded a new indie studio. In the future we will develop immersive and fantastic indie games.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode 5!
The lightsaber is undoubtedly one of the coolest (albeit sadly nonexistent) weapons in all of pop culture. What’s not to love about a laser sword that can cut through anything yet easily stow away in your pocket when not in use? Though as we’ve seen many times in the Star Wars universe, some Jedi and Sith aren’t content to stick to the traditional lightsaber design. The Acolyte is just the latest Star Wars project to continue that proud tradition.
From double-bladed lightsabers to lightsaber pikes to a lightsaber rifle (?), here are the strangest and most noteworthy lightsaber designs in the Star Wars franchise, including a few from the classic Legends continuity.
Lumiya’s Light-Whip
You have to give Marvel Comics credit for thinking outside the box on this one. Long before the days of villains like Darth Maul and Kylo Ren, 1985’s Star Wars #95 featured one of the most unusual lightsaber designs ever conceived. Lumiya, former protege of Darth Vader himself, constructed a whip based on ancient Sith designs. Built from a combination of unbreakable Mandalorian iron and lightsaber crystals, this weapon is the only lightsaber that creates a flexible beam. Lumiya nearly overwhelmed Luke with this deadly weapon, forcing him to wield two sabers at once to stand a chance in battle.
The Double-Bladed Lightsaber
The concept of a double-bladed lightsaber was introduced prior to The Phantom Menace, but this movie brought that weapon into the mainstream thanks to Darth Maul. Maul showed how deadly this weapon can be in the right hands, dominating two powerful Jedi at once. Similar doubled-bladed sabers have been used by characters like Savage Opress and Satele Shan.
The Lightsaber Pike
One of the more interesting variations of the double-bladed lightsaber is the lightsaber pike, a weapon used by the guards at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. With a longer hilt and shorter blades, these sabers are designed to be used more like a staff than a traditional sword. The hilts also fold in half in a switchblade-style design, one that’s started becoming more popular in the Star Wars universe.
Pong Krell’s Sabers
Star Wars: The Clone Wars introduced a corrupt Jedi Master named Pong Krell who puts his own spin on the double-bladed lightsaber design. Krell’s saber blades are longer, like Maul’s, but the hilts fold in half, like the lightsaber pike. Krell is also the rare Jedi capable of wielding two double-bladed sabers at once, a feat only possible because of his incredible strength and extra arms.
Mace Windu’s Purple Saber
Canonically, there’s only one Jedi cool enough to wield a purple-bladed lightsaber. Lightsaber crystals almost always come in green, blue or red varieties, making Mace’s saber quite the collector’s item. We can’t help but wonder what became of the weapon after Anakin sliced Mace’s arm off in Revenge of the Sith.
Count Dooku’s Saber
Count Dooku was regarded as one of the finest swordsmen in the galaxy before defecting to the Sith. His lightsaber hilt features a unique, curved design, allowing for precise motions and strikes. This enhances the fencing-inspired fighting style Dooku has perfected. His protege, Asajj Ventress, wields a pair of similar sabers, though never quite as skillfully as her master.
Darth Sidious’ Sabers
Darth Sidious’s sabers stand out both for their ornamental design and the fact that the hilts are so short. That makes sense, given that Sidious has taken great pains to conceal his Sith powers and keeps his sabers concealed within the folds of his robes.
Ahsoka Tano’s Sabers
When Ahsoka Tano first appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, she wielded a traditional green saber. But as the series progressed and Ahsoka became more confident in her abilities, she switched to the Jar’Kai style of combat, which focuses on dual sabers. Like a samurai, Ahsoka carries a standard-length blade and a shorter blade known as a shoto. Star Wars Rebels further sets her apart by making Ahsoka one of the rare Jedi to wield white lightsaber blades, with the blades also appearing in the live-action shows The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Ahsoka.
Maris Brood’s Sabers
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed introduced Maris Brood, a Jedi Padawan who falls to the Dark Side after the death of her master, Shaak Ti. Brood’s twin sabers are inspired by tonfa sticks, with a perpendicular hilt design that allow her to hold her sabers at unusual angles.
The Darksaber
The Darksaber is one of the oldest known lightsaber weapons in the Star Wars universe. Its archaic design results in a flat, angled blade that glows black and makes a distinctive hum. This blade has a long history with the warriors of Mandalore. Its creator, Tarre Vizsla, was the first Mandalorian inducted into the Jedi Order, and it’s since been used by Mandalorians like Pre Vizsla and Sabine Wren. The Darksaber also shows up in The Mandalorian’s Season 1 finale and played a key role in subsequent seasons.
Darth Malgus’ Saber
Ancient Sith Lord Darth Malgus has one of the few lightsabers that can probably kill a man even when it’s deactivated. The top of the hilt features two blade-like protrusions that make it seem as though Malgus carries an ax on the battlefield.
Darth Chratis’ Saber
Another powerful Sith Lord of the Old Republic era, Darth Chratis is notable for carrying a metal staff than can collapse in half and emit a lightsaber blade. The unusually long hilt gives Chratis extra reach in battle.
Darth Bane’s Lightsaber Pike
While the weapon the Jedi Temple Guards wield is called a lightsaber pike, The Clone Wars almost introduced a weapon even more in line with a traditional pike. This concept art shows the weapon intended to be used by Darth Bane in the Season 6 episode “Sacrifice.” It’s basically a long staff that emits a broad, tapered blade. But while Bane himself did appear in that episode, his weapon never made the cut.
The Grand Inquisitor’s Saber
Star Wars Rebels introduced the Inquistorius, an order of Dark Jedi charged with helping Vader wipe out the last of the Jedi. Each of these villains is equipped with a multi-purpose lightsaber. The hilt resembles nothing if not an identity disc from Tron, though it can also fold in half so that it looks like the hilt of a cutlass. These sabers can be used in either single or double-bladed mode. These weapons can also double as, well, personal helicopters.
Kylo Ren’s Saber
Kylo Ren wields an unusual crossguard saber that reflects his own unstable nature. The crystal powering his saber is cracked, requiring ports on either side of the hilt to vent the excess heat and plasma. The advantage is that Kylo’s saber has two extra blades (or quillons) that he often uses to his advantage in battle.
The Lightsaber Rifle
Jedi librarian Jocasta Nu may not seem capable of going toe-to-toe with Darth Vader and his Inquisitors, but she’s a surprisingly scrappy fighter when the need arises. Jocasta leveled the playing field by attaching her ordinary blue lightsaber to a specially designed rifle. That rifle uses the lightsaber as fuel for its incredibly destructive blasts. Unfortunately, the rifle can only fire so many shots before the lightsaber burns itself out.
Rey’s Switchblade Saber
In The Rise of Skywalker, Rey has a vision of herself wielding this deadly double-bladed lightsaber. This special weapon folds in half like Pong Krell and the Jedi Temple Guards’ weapons, but the twist is that it can still be used as a twin-bladed weapon even folded. Now that it’s been shown in the films (albeit as a vision), it’s only a matter of time before we see someone wielding a similar blade for real.
Vernestra Rwoh’s Light-Whip
While Lumiya has yet to make the jump from the classic Legends timeline to Disney’s official Star Wars universe, the lightsaber whip has been canonized thanks to the High Republic initiative. A young Vernestra Rwoh wields one of these weapons in the books, while a much older version of the character appears (along with her saber) in The Acolyte.
Qimir’s Modular Lightsaber
The Acolyte introduces Qimir/The Stranger, a Jedi-hating villain with a few tricks up his nonexistent sleeves. In addition to wearing a helmet and gauntlet made of the lightsaber-shorting substance known as cortosis, Qimir wields a red saber with a detachable secondary hilt. This allows Qimir to fight with a standard saber and a shorter shoto, similar to Ahsoka Tano.
Capcom and Tango Gameworks veteran Ikumi Nakamura hasn’t been shy about her love and nostalgia for the project that initiated her into AAA development: Ōkami. And now in a new video conversation with Hideki Kamiya, the pair have opened up about Ōkami’s development, including Kamiya’s belief that its development team as a whole…could have been better.
This comes from a new entry in a video series presented by Nakamura’s new studio, Unseen, called Ask Ikumi. In it, she’s been sharing all sorts of behind the scenes game development insights both on Unseen’s project, Kemuri, and her own development experience. In this latest video, she sits down to chat with longtime colleague Hideki Kamiya, with whom she worked on Ōkami, Bayonetta, and briefly on Scalebound. Their conversation largely focuses on Ōkami’s development, and the pair has a lot to say!
The video opens with Kamiya explaining his notorious philosophy of blocking anyone who annoys him on Twitter by asking questions he’s answered before, or not addressing him in Japanese. They then launch into a discussion of Ōkami’s development. First, they discuss its original conception in a photo-realistic style. Ōkami was apparently first conceived while Kamiya was working on Viewtiful Joe, and saw work on the Resident Evil remake for GameCube being done next to him. He was impressed by the realism, and wanted to use that style for something more “light-hearted” than the horror genre. So Ōkami was conceived as a game about “healing.”
But, he says, the photorealistic style they were aiming for was a struggle to get working on PS2. With Ōkami in trouble, the team was looking for new ideas, when character designer Kenichiro Yoshimura drew main character Amaterasu with a brush. This design sparked a new visual style for the entire game. Not long after, the studio leads convened a three-day summit over a weekend to revamp the game, during which time the Celestial Brush was pitched, and Ōkami changed directions for the better.
Ōkami was supposed to be Clover Studio’s signature title…It was supposed to be a dream team with all the best staff in each section. That was the plan, but in the end, not everyone, but as the whole team, I frankly think it was weak.
But even so, Kamiya is candid that Ōkami could have been even better. For one, Ōkami was supposed to have a bigger story, but the team ran out of time and ended midway through what Kamiya wanted to do. What’s more, Kamiya has apparently been notoriously critical of the team that worked on Ōkami, as Nakamura brings up. She reminds him that at a party near the end of development, Kamiya apparently said to the whole room, “This team was the worst!” Kamiya admits it, and while he backs off his comments at the time a bit, he goes on to say he was “half right.”
“Ōkami was supposed to be Clover Studio’s signature title,” he says. “That’s why we wanted to create a dream team. It was supposed to be a dream team with all the best staff in each section. That was the plan, but in the end, not everyone, but as the whole team, I frankly think it was weak.
“It wasn’t a dream team. There was a very drastic contrast within. There were certainly people without whom there would be no Ōkami. Those members shone brightly. Some of them really shone stronger even more than ones I had worked with previously. I’m not saying this as flattery, but you [Nakamura] certainly did. Naoki Katakai and Keniichirou Yoshimura, Sawaki Takeyasu, Mari Shimazaki, Hiroshi Yamaguchi. I’m really grateful, but when viewed as a whole, it wasn’t a dream team.”
Kamiya elaborates a little further in banter with Nakamura here and later in the interview, suggesting that the issue was that the level of passion and enthusiasm for Ōkami wasn’t high throughout the entire team, but instead was rather uneven. Nakamura acknowledges she noticed this, too.
“If I think about the Viewtiful Joe and DMC teams, the passion was uniformly high,” Kamiya says. “But in Ōkami’s team there was a huge contrast.”
“Because all the users who played and enjoyed Ōkami, I’m sure they all think it was made by a great team, but actually, that wasn’t the case,” Kamiya concludes. “This is my honest opinion.”
The full conversation between Kamiya and Nakamura is fascinating and worth watching in its entirety. In it, Kamiya refers to Ōkami as a “failure” (though he seems to be referring to commercial success) and notes that Clover Studio could have continued existing if it had been successful. Nakamura also states that Ōkami has had the greatest influence on the work she’s doing now at Unseen with Kemuri. You can watch the whole video right here, and then catch up on our own interview with Nakamura from IGN FanFest earlier this year.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
It’s more bad news for Cities Skylines 2, which has now seen its console version delayed indefinitely.
In a note to console players, publisher Paradox said the console version was still not up to scratch and will now miss its planned October 2024 release window, itself a delayed target from earlier this year.
“Unfortunately, we have not yet met the stability and performance targets we set for the console release,” Paradox said. “Without a Release Candidate (RC), we are now unable to meet an October release window.
“While we are making slow but steady progress, there are still unresolved issues impacting the game in ways that harm the player experience we want to deliver. We expect to receive a new RC, which will undergo a thorough review in August. This evaluation will determine whether we can begin the submission process and provide a solid release date, or if further issues need to be addressed.
“We understand this is disappointing, and it’s not what we had hoped for either. However, we are committed to keeping you informed throughout this development process, even if the updates aren’t always what we’d like.
“Thank you for your understanding and support.”
We understand this is disappointing, and it’s not what we had hoped for either.
Colossal Order’s troubled city-builder sequel launched in October 2023 on PC via Steam and immediately ran into a number of issues. But Cities: Skylines 2’s problems began before its launch even arrived. Colossal Order had warned players the game would release with performance issues a week before it came out. In IGN’s Cities: Skylines 2 review, which returned a 6/10, we said: “Cities: Skylines 2 is an ambitious sequel that might have bitten off more than it can chew – be prepared to do a lot of terraforming if you don’t want your metropolis to look like a nightmare.”
Colossal Order CEO Mariina Hallikainen later admitted the lack of modding support was the developer’s “biggest regret.” Then, in April, Paradox was forced to offer refunds for the latest DLC, with Hallikainen and Mattias Lilja, deputy CEO of publisher Paradox, admitting the heavily criticized Beach Properties DLC was rushed out in a bid to improve sentiment around the disastrous launch of Cities Skylines 2. At the time of this article’s publication, more people are playing the first Cities Skylines game than its sequel on Steam.
As for the console release, the plan was to release it in the spring of 2024 after missing last year’s launch, but it was was delayed to October. There is no new release window. Back in April, Colossal Order and Paradox insisted that the team working on the console release operates separately from the PC development team, “so it will be progressing without splitting our focus or time.”
Missing October 2024 means Cities Skylines 2 will now launch on console over a year after it came out on PC, which was clearly not in Paradox or Colossal Order’s original plan. Meanwhile, both companies are battling a disgruntled player base by releasing updates aimed at improving the core PC version.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Expansion-sized Fallout 4 mod Fallout London appears to be nearing release after developer Team FOLON declared “the end is in sight” as it awaits final quality assurance tests.
In a post on X/Twitter, Team FOLON sought to clear up speculation by confirming it had sent “several builds” to CD Projekt Red-owned Steam competitor GOG and is awaiting the “final green light.”
“Once they’ve completed the process of double checking that Fallout: London and its installer work on all supported machines, we should be good to go,” Team FOLON said. “Yes, we have our own installer, and downgrader too.
“It is in all of our interests that this final QA process is carried out in full, and we are very thankful that GOG is assisting. While it may seem like not a lot is going on, we can assure you that the heads of the department have been working non-stop behind the scenes during this time to make the release build as good as it can be. The end is in sight.”
Fallout: London was previously due to arrive on April 23, 2024 but actual Fallout developer Bethesda announced a surprise update for Fallout 4, which the mod developer feared would impact its release.
“We’ve just been tweaking and testing non-stop in order to get things as stable as we can for you all in time for that release,” said Team FOLON project lead Dean Carter at the time. “But with the new update dropping just 48 hours later, the past four years of our work stand to just simply break.”
Fallout London is one of the most high-profile mods in development and will let players explore a post-apocalyptic version of the English capital. Players will engage with everything from “stuffy parliamentary aristocrats to a resurrection of the Knights of the Round Table to an uncompromising cult of revolutionaries.” It even stars Baldur’s Gate 3’s Astarion actor Neil Newbon.
Hi-Rez Studios has pulled all Dr Disrespect content from Rogue Company after the streamer was alleged to have sent sexually explicit messages to a minor.
Guy Beahm, better known as Dr Disrespect, was banned from Twitch in 2020 without explanation. Last month, following a number of reports, Beahm admitted he exchanged messages in 2017 with a minor via Twitch’s now-defunct Whispers feature that “sometimes leaned too much in the direction of being inappropriate.” Subsequent reports alleged the minor had informed Beahm they were underage, and Beahm continued to send “sexually graphic” messages to them regardless.
Twitch and Beahm have not responded to IGN’s request for comment.
Beahm had partnered with Rogue Company publisher Hi-Rez Studios, which is also behind Smite and Paladins, to design his own level and even a $20 character skin sold in the free-to-play third-person tactical action shooter. That premium content is no longer in the game.
A statement published to the official Rogue Company X/Twitter account has signaled the change: “Hey Rogue Company, we have disabled Dr Disrespect content previously available on game. We will provide full Rogue Buck refunds to any impacted account this week.”
In recent years interest in Rogue Company has dropped off significantly. After a Steam peak concurrent player count of 12,189 set three years ago, Rogue Company now averages just a few hundred players on Steam’s platform, with 236 concurrent players at the time of this article’s publication. Indeed, Rogue Company hasn’t seen a major update since 2023, indicating a deprioritization from Hi-Rez Studios amid the upcoming launch of Smite 2.
It’s fair to say that the decision to offer Rogue Buck refunds as opposed to real-money refunds for the Dr Disrespect content has sparked a backlash from paying customers who would rather their money back than a virtual currency they deem to be practically useless. Some have taken to Rogue Company’s Steam user reviews, which are down to ‘mixed’ for recent reviews, to complain about the situation.
“Where’s my $40? I have no need for Rogue Bucks when you guys haven’t updated the game in over a year,” said one person. “How about since we paid with real money you provide real money refunds?” said another.
Meanwhile, Beahm hasn’t issued a comment since his last stream, in which he played Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree, almost two weeks ago.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Good news, From Software fans: Future Press is set to release Bloodborne Complete Guide: 25th Anniversary Edition on September 30. You can preorder it now at Amazon for $35.44, or £49.99 in the UK. This officially licensed guide is a hefty tome, ringing in at 736 full-color pages. It gets into the nitty gritty, covering the main game of Bloodborne, plus The Old Hunters expansion. It also has lots of behind-the-scenes info we’ll dive into below.
The Bloodborne Complete Guide has all the resources you need to get the very most out of the game. It reveals all the secrets and hidden areas for you to fully explore Yarnham. It’s an excellent resource for all the items, weapons, and characters found in the game. It also dives deep into the game’s lore, much of which you might have missed in previous play-throughs.
Plus, it contains a good deal of bonus material. There’s a new, exclusive interview with Bloodborne creator Hidetaka Miyazaki. It includes a 20-page concept artwork gallery, and a dedicated Lore Index to help you tell your Vilebloods from your Scourge Beasts.
If you’re doing the math to figure out just how long ago Bloodborne came out (it was released in 2015 as a PS4 exclusive), you’re not losing your mind. The 25th anniversary in the book’s title is how long Future Press has been printing books.
Our critic gave Bloodborne a 9.1 in the review, and the game was a runner up for IGN’s Game of the Year 2015.
The weekend is here, and new deals have arrived alongside it! This weekend, you can find discounts on new games, accessories, hardware, and more. The best deals for Sunday, July 7, include Tekken 8, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Dragon’s Dogma 2, iPad Air, Persona 3 Reload, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Logitech G PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, and more.
Tekken 8 for $34.99
We’ve got a new all-time low for Tekken 8, with 50% off right now at Amazon. Tekken 8 is the latest major fighting game to be released for the current generation of consoles. Over 32 characters are already playable, far surpassing titles like Street Fighter 6 or Mortal Kombat 1. The online modes far surpass their predecessors, with good netcode and many different ways to play.
Pikmin 4 for $34.99
This week at Target, you can save on Pikmin 4, with copies available for just $34.99. As the latest title in the Pikmin series, Pikmin 4 brings loads of new features for fans, new and old alike, to discover. In our 9/10 review, we stated, “Pikmin 4 adds variety to the series’ traditional gameplay by offering options other than the grab-and-throw formula of the past, and brings an extra helping of top-tier levels after the credits roll.”
Dragon’s Dogma 2 for $55.99
For the first time since release, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is available on sale. You can save $14 off Capcom’s latest RPG for a limited time at Amazon. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review, stating, “It is a retelling and reimplementation of all of those wonderful ideas from the 2012 cult-classic, including an awesome dynamic world and some of the best combat in the genre that integrates a subtle but amazingly complex physics system.”
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for $29.99
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the latest title in the long-running RPG series. Right now, you can save $40 off this title, which marks the lowest we’ve seen it thus far. Kiryu Kazama returns following the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, uniting with Ichiban Kasuga in a wild adventure you won’t forget anytime soon. This is a great deal you shouldn’t pass up on, though newcomers should aim to play the previous titles in the series before jumping in.
Persona 3 Reload for $29.99
Persona 3 Reload is already one of the biggest 2024 releases so far. The remake brings in new gameplay features, new voice actors, and an impressive slew of technology, including ray tracing. It’s on sale right now at Amazon for $29.99, which marks a new all time low for the title. If you’ve never experienced the story of Persona 3, this is the definitive way to do so.
Apple iPad Air (5th Gen) for $399.99
Currently, Best Buy has the 5th Generation Apple iPad Air on sale for $399.99. This device features a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display, 64GB of storage, Wi-Fi 6 capabilities, a 12MP camera on both the front and back of the iPad, and more. This is all powered by an M1 Chip, which is still a powerful chip despite its age. You can choose from five different colors, from Blue to Starlight to even Purple.
Neon Genesis Evangelion Complete Blu-ray for $30.66
It’s no secret that Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the most beloved anime of all time. The series has inspired countless creators across every industry imaginable, and it still holds strong today with its storytelling, themes, and messages. You can score this Blu-ray for just $30.66, which includes the complete 26 episode TV series, the Evangelion: Death (True)2 recap movie, and The End of Evangelion film.
Logitech G PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for $59.99
This Logitech G PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is perfect if you’re in need of a new keyboard. As a TKL model, this keyboard does not feature a numpad, so the design is smaller than that of a traditional model. The GX Blue Click switches provide a tactile response with ratings for professional performance and durability – this keyboard will last a long time.
Super Mario Odyssey for $34.99
Super Mario Odyssey is still one of the best games available on Nintendo Switch. From the stunning Kingdoms to the numerous new gameplay elements, this is a title any Switch owner should have in their collection. Odyssey is best known for its Capture mechanic, which allows Mario to use Cappy and take over different enemies and objects in the environment. This title doesn’t go on sale too often, so pick up a physical copy at a discount this week!
Ryzen 9 5900X for $279
The Ryzen 9 5900X is one of the most powerful processors that you can buy on the market right now. With 12 cores and 24 threads, you can expect top of the line performance in any game, regardless of the demand. Its top speed of 4.8 GHz is excellent for any device. The 5900X features AM4 support, so almost all modern AMD motherboards will support this chip.
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 for $24.55
For only $24.55, you can own the first three Metal Gear Solid titles on Nintendo Switch. This package also includes Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Prior to the Master Collection, there was no method to play the Metal Gear Solid titles on most modern consoles, but you can now experience Hideo Kojima’s series from the very beginning on the go.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD for $39.99
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is the long-awaited remaster of the classic Wii game. Set at the beginning of the Zelda timeline, Skyward Sword takes Link to the skies as he traverses across the world to save his childhood friend Zelda. You’ll uncover the Master Sword was created as part of this journey, among other things. For $39.99, this is an excellent title to add to your Switch collection.
Octopath Traveler II for $24.99
Octopath Traveler II was one of the standout RPGs of 2023. Featuring eight different characters, this HD-2D release depicts an expansive story told from the perspectives of these characters. Each traveler has unique abilities, making for a new and exciting experience with each story. This is one RPG you do not want to miss, especially for this price. You can get a free PS5 upgrade, too.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD for $9.99
If you picked up Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble last week, you might be close to finished with the main levels if you’ve played quite a bit. For more Monkey Ball fun, this sweet discount on Banana Blitz HD is a great option! Over 100 levels are available to play through, with ten different multiplayer games you can start up with your friends. Join AiAi and the others and score at the top of the leaderboards!
The weekend is here, and new deals have arrived alongside it! This weekend, you can find discounts on new games, accessories, hardware, and more. The best deals for Saturday, July 6, include Dragon’s Dogma 2, iPad Air, Logitech G PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy, and more.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 for $55.99
For the first time since release, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is available on sale. You can save $14 off Capcom’s latest RPG for a limited time at Amazon. We gave the game an 8/10 in our review, stating, “It is a retelling and reimplementation of all of those wonderful ideas from the 2012 cult-classic, including an awesome dynamic world and some of the best combat in the genre that integrates a subtle but amazingly complex physics system.”
Apple iPad Air (5th Gen) for $399.99
Currently, Best Buy has the 5th Generation Apple iPad Air on sale for $399.99. This device features a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display, 64GB of storage, Wi-Fi 6 capabilities, a 12MP camera on both the front and back of the iPad, and more. This is all powered by an M1 Chip, which is still a powerful chip despite its age. You can choose from five different colors, from Blue to Starlight to even Purple.
Logitech G PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for $59.99
This Logitech G PRO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is perfect if you’re in need of a new keyboard. As a TKL model, this keyboard does not feature a numpad, so the design is smaller than that of a traditional model. The GX Blue Click switches provide a tactile response with ratings for professional performance and durability – this keyboard will last a long time.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy for $34.99
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy combines Ace Attorney 4-6 into one package! This collection features 16 episodes in total, which can easily provide dozens of hours of fun. Some of the new features exclusive to this remastered collection include the Orchestra Hall to listen to in-game BGM, the Art Library to view illustrations, and the animation studio, where you can utilize character animations to create your own scenes!
Ryzen 9 5900X for $279
The Ryzen 9 5900X is one of the most powerful processors that you can buy on the market right now. With 12 cores and 24 threads, you can expect top of the line performance in any game, regardless of the demand. Its top speed of 4.8 GHz is excellent for any device. The 5900X features AM4 support, so almost all modern AMD motherboards will support this chip.
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 for $24.55
For only $24.55, you can own the first three Metal Gear Solid titles on Nintendo Switch. This package also includes Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake. Prior to the Master Collection, there was no method to play the Metal Gear Solid titles on most modern consoles, but you can now experience Hideo Kojima’s series from the very beginning on the go.
Octopath Traveler II for $24.99
Octopath Traveler II was one of the standout RPGs of 2023. Featuring eight different characters, this HD-2D release depicts an expansive story told from the perspectives of these characters. Each traveler has unique abilities, making for a new and exciting experience with each story. This is one RPG you do not want to miss, especially for this price. You can get a free PS5 upgrade, too.
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD for $9.99
If you picked up Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble last week, you might be close to finished with the main levels if you’ve played quite a bit. For more Monkey Ball fun, this sweet discount on Banana Blitz HD is a great option! Over 100 levels are available to play through, with ten different multiplayer games you can start up with your friends. Join AiAi and the others and score at the top of the leaderboards!
For today only (July 5), Best Buy is offering a 2TB Samsung 980 Pro PS5-compatible solid state drive (SSD) for only $134.99 shipped. SSD prices are still trending upwards for 2024, so it’s much more difficult to find a PS5 compatible 2TB M.2 SSD for the same low prices we saw last year. This is the best deal we’ve found so far on one of the most popular and reliable brands around.
Samsung 980 Pro 2TB PS5 SSD with Heatsink for $135
The PS5 is an outstanding gaming console, but the 1TB SSD is a real bottleneck. Games like Gran Turismo 7, Elden Ring, Call of Duty, Final Fantasy 16, and NBA 2K24 each take up 100GB or more all by themselves. If you buy a lot of AAA titles, your drive will fill up very quickly. In addition, if you want to expand the PS5’s internal storage without compromising on speed, any old SSD just won’t cut it. You’ll want to pick up an PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 solid state drive with a minimum rated 5,500MB/s read speed.
Samsung SSDs need no introduction. They’ve made some of the most popular and reliable PS5 SSDs on the market. The 980 Pro has been out for a while now and has vetted many times over as an excellent candidate for your PlayStation 5’s storage expansion. It is fully PS5 compatible in terms of form factor and performance, with speeds of up to 7,100MB/s. This particular model is preinstaslled with a rugged heatsink that’s a lot better than the flimsy paper-thin graphene “heatsinks” you’ll find on some other SSDs at the same price.
If you have a gaming PC instead of a PS5 console, this SSD would also make a great boot drive. There are faster drives out there, but for OS and general app performance, you won’t notice any real world performance difference compared to this drive, which is already far faster than any traditional platter hard drive. The capacity is also ideal. For most people, a 2TB SSD should be enough to cover your OS, apps, and games. Sure a 4TB SSD would be even better, but they’re very, very expensive.
If you want more options, check out our picks for the best SSDs of 2024.
