Category: IGN

Sons of the Forest will officially leave Early Access and launch its v1.0 on February 22, 2024. Furthermore, X-Men and Quantum Break’s Shawn Ashmore will be joining the cast to voice Timmy as the team works to “expand his role in the game and story.”

Sons of the Forest developer Endnight Games shared the news on X/Twitter alongside thanking everyone who played the game in Early Access.

“Hey Everyone, Sons Of The Forest v1.0 will release Feb 22, 2024 with Shawn Ashmore voicing Timmy as we expand his role in the game and story,” Endnight Games wrote. “We thank everyone who has joined us in Early Access and are super excited for what we have in store for v1.0 and beyond.”

For those unfamiliar, Timmy LeBlanc is the son of Eric LeBlanc, the protagonist of The Forest who crashed with his father on the island where the game takes place and was quickly kidnapped. One of the main goals of the original game was to rescue Timmy. Without spoiling anything, Timmy is back in Sons of the Forest and obviously has a bigger part to play.

As for Shawn Ashmore, he is no stranger to video games as he has previously voiced Tim Breaker in Alan Wake 2, Conrad in The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan, and Jack Joyce in Quantum Break. And that’s in addition to him playing Bobby Drake/Iceman in the X-Men franchise, Lamplighter in The Boys, and more.

Sons of the Forest entered Early Access on February 23, 2023, and tasks players with finding a missing billionaire on a remote island that also happens to be home to cannibals and other horrific dangers. This sequel is once again an open-world survival horror simulator and can be played solo or with friends.

In our Sons of the Forest Early Access review, we said it is “already a strong survival crafter sequel that takes all the things The Forest did so well and does them a little bit better.”

“Exploring a huge, beautiful, deadly island through the changing seasons is a treat on its own,” IGN’s Leana Hafer added. “The new base building mechanics could entertain me for days without ever touching the main story. And to top it all off, we have smarter and more unsettling enemy behavior paired with thoughtfully improved combat. It’s already great, and it’s still in Early Access. With some healthy performance optimization and shining up of an impactful but sloppy ending, it could become incredible.”

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition will officially become available to Netflix members for no extra cost on Apple’s App Store, the Google Play store, and in the Netflix mobile app on December 14, 2023.

Those who can’t wait to jump into Grand Theft Auto III – The Definitive Edition, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – The Definitive Edition, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The Definitive Edition can pre-register today to get ready for December 14 and play as soon as they are available.

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition had a bit of a bumpy launch, but it has since been patched to fix bugs, textures, and much more.

In our Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition review, we said there was “no question that the three games in this GTA Trilogy are all-time classics, but they’ve unfortunately been remastered with a ham-hand instead of a Love Fist.”

“New features are slight and only partially implemented, visuals are mixed, performance is inconsistent at best, some content is missing, and bugs and glitches abound. In its existing state, this collection of three classic GTA games is far from being considered definitive; it’s defective, disappointing, and surprisingly disrespectful to both the legacy of the games themselves and their many legions of fans,” IGN’s Tristan Ogilvie added.

December looks to be a big month for Grand Theft Auto fans, as it will also see the much-anticipated arrival of the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6.

The addition of these three classic Grand Theft Auto games will bring Netflix’s gaming library to over 80 titles, and all of these games are available to all Netflix subscribers without any ads, in-app purchases, or extra fees.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Cyber Monday deals are still lingering around here, from the latest and greatest deals on tech to incredible console bundle deals. If you enjoy Pokemon, though, and have been searching the internet trying to find the best discounts on everything from cards to games to plushies, we’re here to help. In this roundup, we’ve gathered all of the best Pokemon deals that have popped up during Cyber Monday at a variety of retailers. To get started looking through them, click on one of the links below.

The Best Pokemon Deals From Cyber Monday:

• Pokemon Cards
• Pokemon Games
• Pokemon Plushies
• Pokemon Collectibles (IGN Store)

Save Big on Pokemon Cards

Cyber Monday offers great deals at a variety of retailers, but some of the best deals on Pokemon cards can be found on Amazon. We’ve picked out some of our favorite deals below for you to look through.

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Enjoy Discounts on Pokemon Games

There are a few great deals at the moment on physical Pokemon games that are worth taking advantage of if you own a Nintendo Switch. These deals can disappear fast, so grab them while they’re still discounted.

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Pick Up These Adorable Pokemon Plushies

While there aren’t many deals left post-Black Friday and Cyber Monday on Pokemon plushies, there are a couple of cute ones over at Amazon that you can still save some cash on.

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Show Off Your Love of Pokemon With These Collectibles From the IGN Store

The IGN Store is currently throwing a big Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale, and there are a couple of items in there for Pokemon fans to enjoy. Mainly, you can pick up a Lapras Funko Pop and a Piplup Funko Pop.

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If you’re curious to see more Cyber Monday deals, we have several roundups for the sale event that are worth checking out. Whether you’re looking for more gaming deals – to which I’ll point you in the directions of our Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Cyber Monday deal roundups – or discounts on board games and tech, we’ve got a massive selection of deals covered. You can also learn more from our retailer roundups for Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Costco to see the latest and greatest deals available.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.

Sony has announced the PlayStation Plus games for December 2023 are LEGO 2K Drive (PS4 and PS5), Powerwash Simulator (PS4 and PS5), and Sable (PS5).

As revealed on the PlayStation Blog, all three games will be made available at no extra cost to PlayStation Plus subscribers on December 5.

LEGO 2K Drive combines open world racing with extensive customisation as players can build their perfect car piece by piece. Driving around the world of Bricklandia, racers must complete with rivals and overcome the competition to win the coveted Sky Trophy.

In our 8/10 review, IGN said: “LEGO 2K Drive is a wild and whimsical all-ages kart racer with an incredible custom vehicle creation tool that’s just about worth the price of admission alone.”

Powerwash Simulator offers something very different, and is literally and figuratively all about releasing pressure. Players fire up a power washer and blast away every speck of dirt on various levels in surprisingly satisfying gameplay. It even has some wild and wacky collaborations with the likes of Final Fantasy, Back to the Future, and SpongeBob SquarePants.

This one earned a 7/10 from IGN. “Powerwash Simulator’s simple yet therapeutic style of gameplay provides an enjoyable way to chill out across its numerous generously sized levels,” we said.

Finally, Sable is a coming of age tale of discovery through exploration across a strikingly rendered open world desert, as players are encouraged to go on a deeply personal journey across an alien planet. We also gave this one a 7/10, saying: “Sable is a beautiful, minimalist voyage that’s hindered by bugs and bland puzzles.”

These three games will be available at no extra cost until January 1, while last month’s games — Aliens: Fireteam Elite, Mafia 2: Definitive Edition, and Dragon Ball: The Breakers — leave the service on December 4.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Black Friday is in the rearview mirror, but some of the best Cyber Monday deals are still available today. We’re working hard over here. We’ve brought you a ton of Cyber Monday offers, and one of the best deals from Xbox at the moment is still going strong. For between $490-$500, you can get yourself an Xbox Series X, Diablo 4, and another game of your choice. This bundle typically goes for around $560, so if you want a bargain then now is the time to move.

Cyber Monday Best Xbox Series X Bundle Deal

If you’re yet to play Diablo IV, then now is your chance. It’s time to suit up for the battle between heaven and hell as Sanctuary has been consumed by hatred. Diablo IV offers the most expansive array of demons, abilities, loot, and locations of any entry in the series to date.

And once you’re done with Diablo IV, you can just dive straight into the bonus game that you picked out for yourself in the bundle. You’ve got plenty to choose from, some of the highlights include Modern Warfare III, Elden Ring, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Starfield, AC Mirage, EA Sports FC 24, and many many more.

If you’re looking to shop around for your Xbox deals this Cyber Monday, then you definitely have some options. Dell are currently selling the Series X for $449.99. At face value, that’s only a $50 saving on the RRP of the console, BUT, you get an extra treat thrown in. They’re offering a bonus $75 promotional e-gift card. Once you place your order for the Xbox, you’ll get an email containing the gift card within 20 days of the console being shipped. Use it promptly though, because it is only valid for 90 days.

Cyber Monday is the perfect chance to pick up all your Xbox needs. If you’re shopping for someone else, then check out our Xbox Gift Guide for a cheat sheet on what to buy them. However, if you want to pick up some Xbox merchandise for yourself, head over to the IGN Store to view our Xbox Collection.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Professor Layton and the New World of Steam comes out in 2025 on Nintendo Switch, Level 5 has announced.

The game’s official website is now updated with the new release window, alongside a brand new trailer showing off the hotly anticipated adventure.

“Professor Layton and the New World of Steam”
is sheduled to release in 2025!

The latest trailer gives footage that Professor Layton and Luke are trying to solve a puzzle!

Click here to see the full video → https://t.co/ot0DBAK507#ProfessorLayton #L5vision pic.twitter.com/LHkhPmDHsU

— Layton Series (@LaytonSeries) November 29, 2023

The website also includes a new description of the game:

This game depicts the world one year after the events of Professor Layton and the Unwound Future.

The story takes place in Steam Bison, America.

There, the power of highly advanced steam engines has ushered in a new world, greatly surpassing even London’s technological development.

Due to a mysterious incident in Steam Bison, a new adventure for Professor Layton and Luke begins.

There are character bios, too:

• Professor Layton: Hershel Layton, Professor of Archeology at Gressenheller University. On the side, as an authority on riddles, he has worked with Luke to unravel mysteries all around the world. Since Luke has left for America, he has been acting on his own.
• Luke: Luke Triton, Professor Layton’s self-proclaimed first apprentice. Due to family reasons, he is living in the United States. His love of riddles remains unchanged, and thanks to his innate creativity, he keeps solving everyday mysteries around town. He has gained some popularity as “Detective Luke.”

What’s interesting is Level 5 lists Professor Layton and the New World of Steam as coming out in 2025 on Nintendo Switch. Nintendo is expected to launch its next-generation console, perhaps called Nintendo Switch 2, at some point in 2024. Will Professor Layton and the New World of Steam also launch on that console? If it’s coming out in 2025, you’d expect so. It’s worth remembering, though, that Nintendo has said it will continue to release games for the near seven-year-old Switch into 2025.

Professor Layton and the New World of Steam is the 10th entry in the Layton franchise, and the eighth starring Hershel Layton himself. We haven’t seen the good professor in a starring role since 2014’s crossover with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. The last proper Layton game was Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy, which was a 3DS release in 2017 and a Switch port in 2019.

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.

Sonic Superstars launched on October 17. Super Mario Bros. Wonder launched three days later, on October 20. Both 2D platformers went up against each other in an old-school video game rumble that rekindled memories of the Sega versus Nintendo playground battles of the 90s. Well, it seems this time around, there was a clear winner.

While Super Mario Bros. Wonder broke sales records, becoming the fastest-selling Mario game of all time with 4.3 million copies sold in just two weeks, Sonic Superstars sales failed to meet Sega’s expectations. Or, as Sega boss Haruki Satomi put it in a recent financial report, Sonic Superstars had a “slightly weaker start than we had anticipated”.

Why? In an investor-focused Q&A, Satomi admitted other games had a “significant” impact. Satomi didn’t name names, but it’s clear Super Mario Bros. Wonder played a part. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Nintendo Switch owners preferred Super Mario Bros. Wonder on their console, and on other platforms, Sonic Superstars failed to generate the interest Sega had hoped for. It’s worth noting that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launched on PlayStation 5 on 20 October, also just a few days after Sonic came out, and sold millions of copies. And there will have been plenty of people still busy playing through games that came out not long before Sonic, such as Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Cyberpunk 2077 DLC Phantom Liberty, Starfield, EA Sports FC 24, and Mortal Kombat 1.

Here’s the question Sega was asked: “What do you see as the reason for the lower-than-expected start of Sonic Superstars?”

And here’s the answer: “We believe that the impact of other companies’ major title released at the same time is significant, but we plan to expand the promotion towards the holiday season, especially in overseas market. Both the Metacritic score and user score are higher than Sonic Frontiers, and we would like to continue to sell firmly.”

Satomi fleshed the idea out a little bit in another statement. “I would like to explain a little about the initiatives of our mainstay IPs,” he said. “As for Sonic, we have released Sonic Superstars and Sonic Origins Plus. Sonic Superstars was released in October, which is a slightly weaker start than we had anticipated, but in reality, when Sonic IP sells the most is mainly November to December, and more than 90% of this title’s marketing cost will be spent in the Thanksgiving and holiday season from November onwards.

“Although in the financial results announced today, we are forecasting this title’s sales slightly weaker with the view of the status of start mentioned above, we plan to continue our marketing efforts to sell on the same level as Sonic Frontiers. Also, we are planning to release the third movie within the next year.”

The third Sonic movie may prove key to the video game’s success. Nintendo has said in recent financial reports that the blockbuster success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie boosted sales of all things Mario, including Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Perhaps excitement around Sonic the Hedgehog 3, due out December 2024, will have a similar knock-on effect.

Until then, Sega has work to do to convince fans to pick up Sonic Superstars. IGN’s Sonic Superstars review returned a 7/10. “Sonic Superstars has a mix of both interesting and ill-advised new ideas, making it an enjoyable Sonic game but not exactly a Super one,” we said.

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.

Buying new video games, hardware, and accessories for your preferred console doesn’t need to make a massive dent in your wallet. In fact, deals happen all the time for items like these, so you can save money while investing in your favorite hobby.

TL;DR – Our Favorite Video Game Deals

These sales even occur outside of events like Prime Day, Black Friday, or publisher events like Nintendo’s eShop sale in the summer or PlayStation’s Days of Play. And while we’ll always keep you up to date on those sales and what’s included in them — especially since Cyber Monday deals have arrived — here, we’ll provide you with year-round deals that are worth taking advantage of. Whether you play on PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, or PC, you’ll find the very best deals listed below. And if you’re curious about what you can expect from some of these publishers over the holiday season, make sure to check out our breakdowns of PlayStation’s Cyber Monday deals, Xbox’s Cyber Monday deals, and Nintendo’s Cyber Monday deals.

How to Avoid Xbox Game Pass Price Hike ($44.99 for 3-Months of Ultimate)

By securing 3-months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $44.99, you can actually avoid the Game Pass price hike. We recommend securing your current subscription for as long as possible. You can stack up to a maximum of 36 months of Game Pass, meaning you have the option to accumulate 3-month subscriptions up to 12 times.

Admittedly, this approach might put a strain on your wallet, totaling $539.88 if you purchase the 3-month package from the link above. However, when you compare it to the new cost of Game Pass Ultimate for 36 months at $16.99 per month, amounting to $611.64, you’ll realize you’re saving $71.76 on your subscription for the next three years. Otherwise, secure your membership for at least a year to lock in at least some savings overall.

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Amazing PS5 SSD with Heatsink for Just $58

Could your PS5 use more storage? Prices have been plummeting since Sony started letting people upgrade their SSDs. Right now you can get a TeamGroup T-Force A440 Pro 1TB for $58. It’s hard to beat the recent Prime Day we had, and this doesn’t match the best 1TB deal at $50 during that sale, but it’s pretty close.

More PS5 SSD Deals:

• ADATA 2TB Premium SSD for $129.99
• Crucial P5 Plus 2TB (No Heatsink) for $149.00
• Silicon Power 4TB XS70 for $219.99
• Silicon Power 2TB XS70 for $114.99
• Silicon Power 1TB XS70 for $69.99
• SAMSUNG 980 PRO 1TB SSD for $76.79
• XPG GAMMIX S70 Blade 1TB SSD for $59.99
• Corsair MP600 PRO LPX 2TB for $119.99

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Perfect Steam Deck or Switch SD Card for $23

The best Steam Deck SD card should be fast, reliable, and as future-proof as possible. Therefore, you’re going to want to opt for the latest in SD card tech, which is a micro SDXC UHS-I U3 A2 V30 memory card. That’s a lot of random letters, so to save you a bit of time we’ve left our top suggestions and deals here for your convenience.

More Micro SD Card Deals

• 256GB Samsung Evo Select A2 Card for $19.99
• 1TB Teamgroup Pro A2 Card for $49.99
• 128GB TeamGroup Go A1 Card for $8.99
• 128GB Amazon Basics A2 Card for $17.38

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Tears of the Kingdom Is On Sale Right Now (Save $20)

This is an excellent price for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, saving you $20. It’s available at Walmart for $49.99. Make sure to jump on this offer quickly, though, as prices fluctuate all the time. You can also pick up Dying Light 2: Stay Human for Xbox Series X at a discount on Amazon for $21.29, 65% off its usual price of $59.99. Check out even more deals below.

More Video Game Deals:

• Marvel’s Midnight Suns Enhanced Edition (PS5) for $28.34
• Atomic Heart for $45.00
• A Plague Tale: Requiem for $50.62
• Sonic Origins Plus for $34.84
• Yakuza: Like A Dragon – Xbox Series X for $19.00
• Mortal Kombat 1 – PlayStation 5 for $57.92
• Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition – PlayStation 5 for $42.57
• Diablo IV – Xbox Series X for $54.99
• Super Mario Odyssey – US Version – Nintendo Switch for $49.98
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – US Version – Nintendo Switch for $54.98

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Get 39% Off the Anker 737 Power Bank

If you’ve been looking to pick up a power bank to use with your favorite devices, you can never go wrong with options from Anker. To see even more excellent power bank options, check out our picks below.

More Power Bank Deals

• Baseus 65W Power Bank for $47.99 (clip the 20% off coupon)
• Anker 537 Power Bank for $59.99

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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Official Guide for $27 (Save $18)

With these, you’ll have a detailed overview of Hyrule, a helpful walkthrough to get you through the game, and much more. Not only that, but they have gorgeous covers as well, especially the Collector’s Edition. The Standard Edition has an MSRP of $29.99 but is on sale for $18.74, and the Collector’s Edition normally runs for $44.99, but you can get it for $26.85. Plus, if you want to complete the set, the Breath of the Wild guidebook is also down to just $23 right now as well.

With how expensive gaming is getting in 2023, we’re trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We’ve got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as Switch and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand new offers. If you’re trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.

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Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

Nintendo has released update 3.0.1. for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which acts as the Switch game’s first patch following the recently released major 3.0 update.

Detailed on Nintendo’s Support website, version 3.0.1 isn’t as big as the previous update — which removed the controversial bagging strategy after nearly a decade — but does include several fixes for changes made in it.

This includes a fix for the anti-bagging measures accidentally triggering, as Nintendo points out it’s “fixed an issue where the player was unable to acquire a strong item even though they did not take an Item Box by stopping or going in reverse during a race, or take an item countless times from an Item Box in same location, when the communication is unstable during an online match.”

Bagging essentially involved starting slow and driving through Item Boxes over and over to stockpile overpowered items. The update stopped this from being possible, but seemingly stopped some players who were genuinely struggling from gaining good items too.

Also included in this latest update is a fix for the glider not opening on Vancouver Velocity, an inescapable crevice on Rome Avanti, and a bizarre issue where a Mii racer’s head would get extremely large or small when playing the highlight reel. The full patch notes are available below.

Here are the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe update 3.0.1 patch notes in full:

Fixed Issues

• Fixed an issue where the player was unable to acquire a strong item even though they did not take an Item Box by stopping or going in reverse during a race, or take an item countless times from an Item Box in same location, when the communication is unstable during an online match.
• Fixed an issue where the glider did not open when getting on a glide ramp that is past the suspension bridge in Tour Vancouver Velocity.
• Fixed an issue where the player might fall into a crevice in the cliff and not be able to move in Tour Rome Avanti.
• Fixed an issue where the player would be floating in mid-air after driving out of the course without being carried back in by Lakitu in GC DK Mountain.
• Fixed an issue where the player would sometimes not be able to move when riding on the statues in Wii Daisy Circuit.
• Fixed an issue where actions and expressions did not match for some characters that were added in the Booster Course Pass.
• Fixed an issue where a Mii’s head would get extremely large or small when playing the highlight reel.

Update 3.0.0 of Mario Kart 8 also added the final wave of Booster Course Pass tracks alongside a Music button that lets players listen to the game’s songs without playing, a feature that lets players who aren’t friends join each others’ rooms, and more. You can read the full patch notes below.

In our 9/10 review of the game, IGN said: “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still a gorgeous game and the overhauled Battle mode is a great reason to pick it up.”

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Unlike Black Friday, which in recent years has stretched to absurd lengths that essentially encompass all of November, Cyber Monday is what it says. Well, mostly. A couple of Cyber Monday and Black Friday have stuck around (not many), but we’ll take the few that we have left.

The Spider-Man 2 PS5 slim bundles are by far the most popular Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals in gaming offer this shopping season, and both are thankfully still available and in stock for now. Check out everything left on sale just below or follow @IGNDeals for even more updates on the best deals this holiday season.

Cyber Monday PS5 Console Deals

• See PS5 Slim Bundle Deal at Walmart

PS5 (the slim variant) has been the hottest item of the 2023 Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales for gamers. The $499 bundle offer with Spider-Man or Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 has been the talk of the metaphorical town — and for good reason. It’s a great deal and still available post-Black Friday and Cyber Monday (for now at least). But we still hear one big question every time we talk about it: what about PS5 slim digital? Well, we can now answer that, as it’s now available to buy for $449.99.

There’s no preorder period or chasing down stock, it’s just available – huzzah! There aren’t any special digital PS5 bundles out at the time of writing, so there’s no free game, unlike the PS5 slim disc version. We’ll leave the relevant links for you on where to buy the PS5 slim digital edition as well just below.

PS5 Slim Digital Edition Is Now Available

PS5 Cyber Monday Game Deals

Final Fantasy 16 for $40 at Best Buy (Physical Copy)

While many of the PS5 Cyber Monday and Black Friday discounts have expired for video games, there’s still some discounts to consider going into the holiday season — especially for those who love a digital sale.

If you bought any of those discounted PlayStation Wallet Top Up cards during the recent sale as well, these deals will be even more relevant for you if you’ve still got spare credit to use. PlayStation currenlty has its new ‘End of Year’ sale on, with up to 75% off select games (and there’s also up to 80% off select indie titles as well). These new digital deals are available until December 21.

PS5 Digital Video Game Deals

Best PlayStation and PS5 Holiday Gift Ideas for 2023

As we near the end of the year — and more importantly, the holiday season — there’s no better time to start looking at gifts for the PlayStation fan in your life. Whether it’s brand-new games, apparel, or collectibles and toys, we’ve scoured the internet for what is sure to be the most popular gifts this season, so check out the many great PlayStation gift recommendations below to make your shopping this year a breeze.

PS5 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Shopping Tips

Many of these tips are applicable no matter what you’re shopping for on Black Friday.

• Plan Your Spending – It’s important to acknowledge that many of us have substantial video game backlogs. Just because you spot a game you desire on sale, doesn’t mean you should rush to buy it. Set a budget and stick to it. Only invest in games you genuinely intend to play in the near future.
• Create a Wishlist – A practical approach to keep your Black Friday spending in check is by crafting a wishlist of games or items you’re interested in purchasing, and then adhere to it. Resist the temptation of deals that don’t align with the items you would have bought otherwise.
• Compare Prices – It’s not uncommon to be enticed by what seems like an excellent Black Friday deal (for instance, The Last of Us Part 1 for $39.99). However, it’s wise to double-check by looking at other popular retailers to see if they offer a matching or even better sale price before hitting the buy button.
• Act Swiftly on Exceptional Deals – When you stumble upon a truly remarkable deal on a PlayStation game or accessory, don’t hesitate. Retailers have limited stock, and the best deals are likely to sell out before Black Friday concludes. Seize the fantastic deals promptly.
• But, Don’t Worry if You Miss Out – If you attempt to purchase an outstanding deal and discover that it’s sold out, don’t be disheartened. Often, the very same Black Friday deal may resurface on Cyber Monday. And even if it doesn’t, the next Prime Day will arrive sooner than you think.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.