Magic: The Gathering has offered Universes Beyond crossovers with other franchises for a few years now, and while some become full sets like Spider-Man and Final Fantasy, others are more squarely focused on Commander.
Fallout Commander Decks: Under $40 Each With This Bundle Deal
Amazon has all four decks for $144.99, a reduction of 11% on the $162.99 list price. That might not sound like a huge amount, but consider what that value represents when the Mutant Menace deck is selling for $70 and upwards on its own.
As for the decks, the good news is that they’re all pretty great. Mutant Menace is one of the best, powering up its spooky Mothman Commander with counters as you deal radiation to everyone else at the table, while Hail Caesar is all about being aggressive and sacrificing cards to power up Caesar himself.
Science! offers something a little different since it leans into energy counters and powering up the board with artifacts, while Scrappy Survivors is definitely popular since it’s helmed by the adorable Dogmeat and has the series’ four-legged star rummaging through your graveyard for equipment and tokens.
As a reminder, each of these decks comes with a Collector Booster Sample Pack, too. They contain two cards each, but it’s better than getting irradiated, right?
Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay.
Now, Activision has shared some data points about cheating in the beta so far, led by the statistic that 97% of cheaters were stopped within 30 minutes of when they signed in for the early-access beta. Further, fewer than 1% of people who attempted to cheat actually got into a match. Those who did were booted “within minutes.”
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“Cheaters were expected. But our upgraded systems caught them faster than ever, powered by strengthened TPM 2.0 checks and automated systems helping to eliminate a large number of attempts to cheat,” Activision’s anti-cheat team, Ricochet, said. “Those who did manage to slip through didn’t last long. Most never made it into a match.”
People may have seen clips online of people cheating in the Black Ops 7 beta, and that maybe made you think the beta was overrun with cheaters. However, Activision said, “We had already actioned on most of those accounts before they hit social media.”
“We’re watching closely, acting in real time, and learning from every attempt. And this is just the beginning. When launch arrives, every layer of protection will be in full force, and Ricochet anti-cheat’s defenses will only grow stronger,” the developer said.
Activision added that its anti-cheat efforts have included disabling the cheats provided by cheat-makers and shutting down their businesses altogether. “We have now directly contributed to the closure of over 40 cheat developers and resellers since Black Ops 6 launched. Vendors sharing clips during beta were already on our radar and we will pursue them beyond in-game enforcement,” Activision said.
Also in its post, Activision admitted that the TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot requirements for Black Ops 7’s beta can feel “disruptive,” but it’s necessary to “help ensure a secure, fair experience for every player, and we appreciate your patience and cooperation as we strengthen PC protections.”
The Black Ops 7 beta is now free and open to everyone following the early-access period. Additionally, Activision has added something fans had been asking for: a non-SBMM playlist.
Tune in to the Xbox Twitch channel on October 14 at 10am Pacific for the 2025 Gaming for Inclusion Celebrity Showcase.
Xbox Game Camp hosts 9 Special Olympics athletes for an Immersive Learning Experience featuring studio tours, leadership lunches, career panel, game development training and more.
Visit Special Olympics to learn more about their work and support their mission to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
At Xbox, we believe play can foster connection and empathy, unlock potential, and create unforgettable moments of joy for everyone. Since 2014, Xbox and Microsoft have proudly partnered with Special Olympics to empower athletes of all abilities through technology and gaming.
Our journey began with a shared vision: to break down barriers and make sure every player gets in the game, whether on the field or in the virtual world. Over the years, our collaboration has grown to include the annual Gaming for Inclusion event, an esports tournament where Special Olympics athletes and their Unified partners compete for a chance to play in front of a global gaming audience.
These events not only show the top-notch gaming skills of the athletes, but also the transformative potential of gaming to bring people together and empower individuals with intellectual disabilities. From build challenges in Minecraft Education to fierce Rocket League competitions, each milestone has celebrated ability, teamwork, and the spirit of play. We’ve hosted athletes at Xbox Headquarters, provided shoutcaster training, and continually sought new ways to make the gaming industry more accessible for people with intellectual disabilities.
Gaming for Inclusion Celebrity Showcase 2025 Airing Next Week
We’re thrilled to announce that the Gaming for Inclusion Celebrity Showcase 2025 will air next week, on October 14 at 10am Pacific on the Xbox Twitch channel.
This broadcast will feature highlights from the recently completed athlete tournament, where Special Olympics athletes and their Unified partners brought energy, skill, and teamwork to the Rocket League arena. Viewers of the Celebrity Showcase can get excited for live Rocket League gameplay, inspiring conversation and guest appearances by some of your favorite gaming creators and celebrity supporters.
Whether you’re a fan of gaming or a supporter of Special Olympics, you won’t want to miss the action, the stories, and the community spirit on display. Save the date and invite your friends and family to celebrate these incredible athletes as we power up for an inclusive future in gaming!
How to Watch:
Tune in to the Xbox Twitch channel on October 14 at 10am Pacific for the Gaming for Inclusion Celebrity Showcase 2025! This stream is also available on the XboxASL Twitch channel.
The showcase will air on Special Olympics’ YouTube immediately following the Xbox event.
Xbox Game Camp Welcomes Special Olympics Athletes for an Immersive Learning Experience
This summer, we took our partnership a step further by welcoming nine Special Olympics athletes to a bespoke Xbox Game Camp—a behind-the-scenes experience on our Redmond campus designed to inspire career ambitions in the world of gaming and technology.
During Xbox Game Camp, Special Olympics athletes experienced two days of immersive learning, exploring accessibility innovations, building professional skills, and engaging in coding and game development activities guided by industry experts. Memorable moments included interactive workshops, meetings with Xbox leadership, and behind-the-scenes tours of Mojang Studios and Halo Studios, all designed to empower Special Olympics athletes within the gaming community.
From hands-on learning to unforgettable conversations, Xbox Game Camp 2025 was a testament to the power of inclusion and the limitless potential of every athlete.
For more on the camp’s highlights and impact, read the deep dive recap on the Microsoft Game Dev blog.
Support Special Olympics and Inclusive Gaming
At Xbox, we’re proud to stand with Special Olympics in championing inclusion, accessibility, and the transformative power of play. Want to get involved? Visit Special Olympics to learn more about their programs and ways to support their mission.
Rewards members in select markets can donate points to Special Olympics and help advance this important work.
Let’s continue to build a world where everyone can play, compete, and belong. We’ll see you next week at the 2025 Gaming for Inclusion Celebrity Showcase!
Five years ago, Sucker Punch took us to new frontiers on “Tsushima Island”, where we were introduced to Jin Sakai, a samurai struggling between abandoning his code of honor and protecting his home from the first Mongol invasion of Japan.
Three hundred years after the events of Ghost of Tsushima, a new warrior has risen. In Ghost of Yōtei, Atsu seeks revenge on the Yōtei Six after they ruthlessly slaughtered her family. As she takes on each of her enemies with an “underdog vengeance”, Atsu traverses the open world of Ezo and adopts the spirit of the onryō to pursue justice on those who took everything from her.
Ghost of Yōtei takes players through a sensory-driven, open world that offers players a unique perspective and experience. The original score, composed by Toma Otowa, is the perfect accompaniment to immerse you in a cultural adventure as you unlock hidden levels of beauty and brutality. East meets West when the sounds of traditional Japanese instruments merge with the modern Western influences to create a one-of-a-kind score that fully captures Atsu’s journey.
Ghost of Yōtei – Official Soundtrack Listening Party | October 15
The PlayStation Studios Music team and Sony Music Masterworks are thrilled to invite you to the official soundtrack listening party celebrating the recent release of Ghost of Yōtei!
Join our 60-minute livestream on Wednesday, October 15 at 5:00 PM PT, featuring exclusive commentary, behind-the-scenes stories, and insights into the production of the game soundtrack.
We’ll be joined by four talented speakers, each offering their own unique perspective and contribution on the creative process behind the music and characters that bring Atsu and the open world of Ezo to life.
Toma Otowa
Toma Otowa is a multi-award-winning film and game composer based in Los Angeles. He has worked on such Hollywood blockbuster films as Thor: Ragnarok, Croods: A New Age, Lego Movie 2, and Hotel Transylvania 3 with veteran film composer and DEVO frontman, Mark Mothersbaugh.
Otowa’s video game work includes Resident Evil 5, Afrika, Kinect: Disneyland Adventures, Halo 2: Anniversary, Knack, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which he co-composed with Mothersbaugh.
Jason Connell
Jason Connell is a Creative Director on Ghost of Yōtei and was Creative Director and Art Director on Ghost of Tsushima, leading lighting, cinematography, and concept direction. He has more than 20 years of game development experience, over half of which have been with Sucker Punch. Alaska-bred, he loves adventuring with his wife and two children. Jason lives in a beanie 99% of the time and abuses the word awesome.
Brad Meyer
Rev. Dr. Bradley D Meyer is an Audio Director at Sucker Punch with over 27 years of experience in game audio. He’s fortunate enough to have led the team that won both the BAFTA and D.I.C.E awards for best Audio in 2020 for Ghost of Tsushima. Brad now leads the team on Ghost of Yōtei. He has lectured extensively about game audio at universities and conferences around the world. He is an ordained minister and a Doctor of Metaphysics and Immortality, and you wouldn’t know if he didn’t plaster it everywhere his name appears.
Erika Ishii
Erika Ishii (all pronouns) is a well-known figure in games, animation, and comedy. They star as main character Rook in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Sektor in Mortal Kombat 1, Valkyrie in Apex Legends, and in October 2025 will play the titular lead in Ghost of Yōtei. Erika is considered an especially chaotic regular cast member on comedy streamer Dropout’s shows including Dimension 20, Game Changer, and Make Some Noise. They have appeared with Critical Role, hosted Marvel red carpets, and recently performed as a special guest in the Off-Broadway theater production Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern. Erika is the proud co-creator of the record-breaking narrative play and storytelling collective Worlds Beyond Number, along with Aabria Iyengar, Brennan Lee Mulligan, and Lou Wilson.
Now Streaming: Ghost of Yōtei Original Soundtrack
The Ghost of Yōtei original soundtrack by Toma Otowa is now streaming on all major platforms! This symphonic odyssey intricately weaves the haunting gravity of what Atsu has lost and carves the path of who she will choose to become. Listen now wherever you get your music.
If you liked what you heard, tune in to Twitch | YouTube on Wednesday, October 15at 5:00PM PT / 8:00PM ET to join the Ghost of Yōtei soundtrack listening party! Ghost of Yōtei is now available on PS5.
Artificial intelligence has become ubiquitous in our daily lives, and the first manufacturers to integrate AI into their products have created devices with dramatically improved performance. If you need a reliable solution for keeping your floors clean without the daily hassle of manual vacuuming, Shark’s AI Ultra robot vacuum is an excellent choice that’s currently hitting a record low price for Prime Big Deal Day.
The Clean Navigation system of the Matrix is a marked improvement over simple robot vacuums that navigate randomly. This tech instructs the vacuum to methodically vacuum in a specific grid pattern and repeatedly passing over the same areas until all dirt and debris have been removed. Rather than rely on the hope that, over time, the robot catches all places through random movement, you enjoy deliberate coverage that systematically takes on your whole floor area one step at a time. The 360-degree LiDAR vision operates constantly to chart your home with exactness and develops a highly specific layout used during each cleaning session that the robot follows.
The LiDAR system does not merely map out: it continuously identifies obstructions and dodges them in real time. That means the vacuum adjusts to daily changes such as shoes abandoned next to the door, children’s toys littering the floor or furniture that has been redeployed. The vacuum dynamically adjusts its course instead of hitting objects time after time which saves both your possessions and the vacuum from damage.
The suction power handles different floor surfaces quite well, from hardwood, tile, through the low-pile, to high-pile carpets. Shark’s self-cleaning brushroll is worth a mention since it dynamically prevents hair wrap, a feature common with robot vacuums whereby long hair, especially, along with pet fur, wraps around the roller, leading to diminished performance. This brushroll mechanism constantly removes hair during cleaning and delivers steady performance without the need for repeated manual adjustment of cutting off wrapped hair.
The bagless self-emptying base changes the ownership experience by storing up to 30 days of dirt and debris. After every cleaning session, the robot goes back on the base and automatically empties out its dustbin, so you’re not facing daily or weekly dustbin maintenance. The true HEPA filtration inside the base removes 99.97% of dust and allergens down to 0.3 microns, which is important for homes with allergies or asthma. That means tiny particles such as pollen, dust mites, and pet dander are trapped instead of being recirculated into your air.
The 120-minute battery life spans full-home cleaning on most homes while Recharge and Resume capabilities enable full cleaning on large homes. If the battery goes down mid-session, the robot returns home, charges for a decent amount of time, then picks up cleaning from precisely the same position without a restart.
For this $229 dollar Amazon Prime Big Deal Day deal, you’re getting the top-selling robot vacuum with advanced AI navigational capabilities, self-emptying simplicity, and robust cleaning power that handles pet hair and allergens effortlessly. This is one of our top picks for that event.
Randy Pitchford is sometimes known for posting through it—most recently, trying to justify massive performance problems in Borderlands 4, a game I otherwise really like. He’s since quietened down considerably, though he did hop in briefly to play CEO tech support, ran face-first into a bug and—to his credit—didn’t try to tell anybody it’s a premium game made for premium gamers or anything.
For context: In the Borderlands 4 post-game, there’s a vendor called Maurice’s Black Market, a vending machine that changes location every week and sells a number of legendaries that are rolled on a per-player basis. However, a recent patch introduced a bug that meant players in co-op games couldn’t interact with the Maurice machines in their friends’ worlds.
It’s a so-so system—it can be disappointing to rush to your own personal Maurice box, only to find out that none of the rolls are useful—but Pitchford does make a solid argument that this system lets communities band together to share their rolls and pick a buddy to skim good legendary weapons off. But, like, in gamer vernacular.
“Bro”, Pitchford writes, “Get in a group of people who post their rolls every week and jump into each other’s games to get the gear you want. Game that shit!” When X user Gothalion points out that they cannot, in fact, “Game that shit!” Pitchford replies “Well, shit”.
And hey, if we’re giving kudos where kudos are due, that’s character development. No jabs at justification, no comparing Gearbox to the Beatles, just throwing one’s hands up and going—well, crap, I didn’t know that.
There’s good news, though. A day later, after seemingly conferring with the devs at Gearbox, Pitchford confirmed that it was a “Confirmed known bug. Fixed and will be in an upcoming patch within the next two weeks” with nary a bro in sight.
I’m personally not too wrapped up in getting the perfect gun myself—well, I have been grinding a little—but I can see the arguments for and against the way the black market in Borderlands 4 works. It’s kinda neat to have incentive to play co-op with your mates by checking in with their rolls, and it’ll be good to see this bug fixed so you can actually, uh, do that again.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
Are you yearning for the pre-Twilight saga era when the vampires had a little more bite to them? Then, you’re going to enjoy this gritty RPG where cadaverous factions are fighting for supremacy. What you need to earn your way to the throne are, of course, some Vampire’s Fall 2 codes!
Tap the cogwheel button in the top-left corner of the screen.
Press the Redeem Code button.
Enter a code into the text box.
Hit Submit to get your goodies.
If you want to get more rewards in your other favorite games, make sure to browse through the rest of our Codes section.
Twinfinite is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
If you love playing Naruto-based Roblox games with a sprinkle of inspiration from many other anime titles, Ryuken is just the experience you’re looking for. Prepare for a gripping RPG adventure in which you’ll have to train hard and use Ryuken codes to survive.
There are Ryuken codes at the moment, and here is how to use them:
Image by Twinfinite
Run RYUKEN in Roblox.
Select the Character Edit option.
Enter a code into the textbox.
Hit Use to claim goodies.
Ryuken Trello Link
If you’re having trouble learning the ropes in the game, you can rely on the Ryuken Trello board. This is the place where you can read all about the title’s Clans, Combat Styles, Proficiencies, Missions, World Events, and a whole lot more.
For many more Roblox games inspired by Naruto and other popular anime franchises, check out our Roblox Codes section and reap all the free rewards while they’re still at your disposal!
Twinfinite is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
A visual novel that describes the story of a man who wakes up and is transferred to a parallel world. The NUKITASHI war is over, and Junnosuke Tachibana, savior of Seiran Island, spends his days with his buddies reminiscing over victories past. True coexistence has now been achieved, and peace will continue for years to come—or so he believes. One fateful day, a grave data-related incident results in him breaking through the speed of light, transporting Junnosuke and his friends to a parallel world. FS representative and student council president of Minotsuki Academy. A girl with perfect looks and charisma—who leads her peers in the parallel world as well. Capable of overseeing everything from normal operations to strategic planningto direct combat and more, she is a major contender for Seiran’s strongest islander. Outside of work, however, she is even clumsier and sloppier than Asane—and that’s putting it mildly.
Although she and Junnosuke are incompatible with each other due to their history, he has no choice but to look out for her here as she can barely take care of herself. De facto second-in-charge as president of Minotsuki Academy’s disciplinary committee. Her skills range from miscellaneous duties to battlefield command, though as a dedicated worker, she ends up being pushed around by Touka in her daily life. She is a bit depressed when she comes to the parallel world, but her cheerful antics still win out. She is very close to Junnosuke and helps him in any way she can. Commander of the First Squad, possessing the highest actual combat capability in Minotsuki Academy’s FS.
Features and System Requirements:
It’s a visual novel / adventure title, mixing narrative, choices, and character-driven routes.
Some routes / scenarios are locked behind progress or requiring prior completions.
Some minor characters may not always have sprites, but more frequent / major characters do.
Screenshots
System Requirements
Recommended
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10 / 11
Processor: Intel Core i-series 6000 or higher
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX1660ti
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 20 GB available space
Sound Card: PCM (DirectSound support)
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam
Installation Guide
Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
More than 75 Lego sets are on sale for at least 30% off during Target’s Circle Week sale. The Fall 2025 edition of Target’s popular promotion kicked off today, October 5, and runs through October 11. Circle Week sales often include Lego sets based on major entertainment franchises for new all-time low prices, and that trend continues with this sale. Target has a bunch of Lego Star Wars, Marvel, Harry Potter, and Disney Lego building sets for stellar prices.
As usual, Amazon is matching most of Target’s Lego deals as part of its early Prime Big Deal Days sale, but Target does have more than a few notable exclusive sets on sale, too. Keep in mind that both retailers will sell out of some of the most popular deals before the promotion officially ends. You can see all of the Circle Week Lego deals Amazon is matching by clicking the links below. Some of Amazon’s deals require you to click a coupon checkbox to get the full discount.
Target Circle Week Lego price-matching at Amazon:
We’ve rounded up the best Target Circle Week Lego deals below. We’ve separated the the list into sections based on franchises. For each deal, we noted if the set is exclusive to Target and if Amazon or another retailer is price-matching the offer. It’s also worth mentioning that while Target advertises the sale as 30% discounts, some of the Lego sets were already on sale, and the 30% stacks on top of existing price cuts. If you don’t see the deals on Target’s online storefront, you need to log in or register for a free Target Circle rewards membership.
Lego Star Wars Deals
TIE Fighter & X-Wing Mash-up
The Star Wars Lego deals are perhaps the best we’ve seen in a Circle Week sale. Multiple Target exclusives are on sale for best-ever prices. You can even save on the 1,010-piece Wicket the Ewok buildable figure, which just launched in August, and the AT-AT Driver Helmet display model, which released in March.
The Batman and Superman figure sets below are also retiring soon.
Lego Harry Potter Deals
Target Circle Week Lego Sale (October 2025)
Lego Disney Deals
Lego City Deals
The vast majority of the Lego City deals are available at both retailers. There are several seriously big discounts on Lego City Space sets and a bunch of Lego City vehicle playsets for cheap.
HP typically keeps discounts modest on its official website to protect its brand positioning and margins. But sometimes, the company unleashes aggressive promotions through Amazon that catch everyone off guard. This Prime Big Deal Day is one of those rare moments, with deals that don’t happen under normal circumstances. The HP EliteBook 6 G1i business laptop, equipped with an Intel 12-core Ultra 7 255U processor, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB PCIe SSD, has dropped to $1,149 from $2,999. That’s a 62% reduction and it’s slashing nearly $1,850 off the price. This isn’t just a modest trim on an overinflated MSRP: This is a legitimate business-class machine with enterprise-grade specs hitting a price point that makes it competitive with mid-range consumer laptops.
The Intel Core Ultra 7 255U processor is Intel’s newest architecture purpose-built for AI workloads. This 12-core processor sports 14 threads and up to 5.2 GHz in Intel Turbo Boost Technology, supported by 12MB of L3 cache. Here, the distinguishing factor is the onboard NPU which performs the work of doing AI tasks locally without burdening the processor or sending data to the cloud. This onboard AI accelerator enables features such as Microsoft Copilot, which is able to summarize documents, rewrite text, make contextual recommendations and keep you organized without the lag and attendant privacy issues of cloud computing.
The 16-inch screen is WUXGA resolution at 1920×1200 so you get additional vertical screen real estate versus typical 1920×1080 panels. You notice more in height when editing documents or in coding when you need to see more content and less scrolling. The UWVA IPS panel provides broad viewing angles and precise color rendition and the anti-glare treatment minimizes eye strain from long use. At 400 nits, the screen is still readable in brightly lit offices or in the vicinity of windows. Low Blue Light inhibits harmful wavelengths that interfere with sleep cycle for late-night work sessions to put less strain on eyes and circadian rhythms.
32GB of DDR5 RAM allows you to keep dozens of web pages and virtual machines running at the same time without pause. DDR5 is faster in its data transmission and more effective in power compared to DDR4 and that means snappier response and more life from your battery. With the 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD, you have more than sufficient capacity for your files and media and fast read speeds that make boot times and transitions of files virtually instantaneous.
Wi-Fi 6E goes beyond the 6GHz frequency, giving you faster speeds and less congestion compared to regular Wi-Fi 6. This is significant in busy office spaces where dozens of devices are all fighting for bandwidth. Bluetooth 5.3 gives good connections for wireless peripherals with better range and lower power usage. Port selection includes two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports that support 40Gbps data transfer, USB Power Delivery 3.0 for power, and DisplayPort 2.1 for connecting high-res external displays. You also get two USB Type-A ports at 5Gbps for older devices, HDMI 2.1 for simple display connections and an RJ-45 Ethernet port for direct network connections.
For $1,149, this is business-class build quality made affordable for more than corporate buying departments.
For years, the developers of Final Fantasy have fretted that a big audience will no longer show up for turn-based games: that to make a flashy, expensive RPG these days, it’s all about the action. Perhaps that’s true when you need a game to sell in the tens of millions, but within the same period of time that both Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth have failed to meet the company’s lofty expectations, turn-based RPGs in general have been on such a hot streak that they’re making their action contemporaries look dusty by comparison.
While in Tokyo last week for TGS I played three turn-based RPGs, and I only realized in hindsight that the genre unintentionally represented most of the demo time I was able to squeeze in when not filming interviews for the PC Gaming Show. All three were fun, completely different, and embody the hot streak that turn-based RPGs have been on for at least the last year.
I’m specifically thinking of more Japanese-style RPGs, here, though of course if we jump back to 2023’s Baldur’s Gate 3 turn-based games don’t need much defending. But after all the talk back then about BG3 raising the bar for RPGs as a whole, I’ve been delighted this year to see JRPGs of many styles and budgets reaching for new, clever ideas.
(Image credit: Capcom)
Take Monster Hunter Stories 3: at the same time as Final Fantasy’s been transitioning into all-out action, Capcom has been experimenting with this little side series to see how well it can retrofit action into a turn-based combat system. This time around, it’s confident enough in the game to go much bigger with it, and even in the tutorial I found myself puzzling my way through which weapon to attack which monster part with while summoning the right monster sidekick to fight alongside me.
The core audience will still be Monster Hunter players, but I’m willing to bet Capcom hooks a whole lot of Pokémon folks, too, who just love catching and training up a crew to fight for them.
The biggest surprise of TGS for me was Annapurna Interactive’s People of Note, an indie RPG from a western studio that pastes the timed button presses of rhythm games on top of turn-based combat. In practice it plays much differently from Clair Obscur—there are multiple layers of music nerdery at work here: the common “turn order” UI shows you the literal tempo of the fight, and different abilities can change the musical genre of the battle, giving one of your characters or an enemy a buff.
Despite the developers saying you don’t need a music degree to play People of Note, it gets surprisingly deep surprisingly quickly—if you have a Pavlovian response to the term “time signature” I think you’ll find yourself drooling uncontrollably while playing this game next year.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
A couple days before TGS I chatted with the longtime Japanese indie developer behind Stray Children, a follow-up to the odd but charming Moon: Remix RPG—a game that heavily influenced a young Toby Fox. Since Fox released Undertale, he ended up befriending Moon creator Yoshiro Kimura, and in turn some of Undertale has seeped into Stray Children, which is coming out in English at the end of October.
Stray Children is coming to Steam and Nintendo Switch on October 30, 2025! – YouTube
The official tagline is that it’s a “bittersweet, fairytale RPG,” and the 2D perspective makes it look like an old school JRPG at a glance. But I’ve played about the first hour of the game, now, without any sign of a random battle. From its trailer, what combat does exist in Stray Children looks closer to Undertale’s minigames than your standard turn-based battles. It may not even really be fitting to call Stray Children a turn-based RPG at all—but it’s very much playing with the form, presentation and expectations of ’90s Japanese RPGs to do something very different.
Just a couple weeks ago, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter—a remake of a turn-based game in a long-running series—launched to rave reviews. Our friends at GamesRadar+ called it “a masterclass in how remakes should be done,” calling out how it modernizes the presentation with slick camera angles and more expressive characters while sticking to its turn-based combat.
Our own Sean Martin agreed, writing just this weekend: “It’s become all too common for publishers to trot out a simple aspect ratio shift or minimal changes before slapping the ‘remake’ badge on a classic game. Here, however, you’ve got a remake that transforms the original Trails in the Sky into full 3D third-person, essentially the equivalent of a modern Trails game, with all of the series’ QoL and combat mechanics included.”
(Image credit: Falcom)
1st Chapter takes a similar approach to last year’s celebrated Metaphor: ReFantazio, adding snacky real-time battles on the field while saving the turn-based mode for the main course. But I think it’s more notable for flying in the face of common wisdom. Like Sega’s Like a Dragon series, Nihon Falcom’s Trails series has built a relatively small but extremely dedicated audience by releasing at least one monstrously long RPG every year, without fail, with modest graphics and intricate plotlines that are enriched by the context of having played a dozen or more of them in succession.
All the reasons they shouldn’t be hits are why they’ve grown steadily more beloved every year.
(Image credit: Kepler Interactive)
The list of turn-based games killing it right now goes on: We can finally play Final Fantasy Tactics on PC and it’s a stellar remake, there’s a new Digimon RPG and it’s actually rad, and of course one of the most popular of the year, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, came from a team that very much called its shot. A month before release, producer François Meurisse told us that the game’s director was “starving for new turn-based RPGs when he started development” and figured other people must be, too. The developers were also happy to admit that its timing-based blocks and parries were pulling from existing turn-based RPGs, but presenting those bursts of action in a new way.
Clair Obscur’s success will no doubt inspire loads more developers to make that same bet, and I hope as a result we see Japanese developers as big as Square Enix rethinking whether its triple-A games have to default to action. And while I try not to wield my position of influence irresponsibly, if about 20 million of you out there buy Monster Hunter Stories 3 next year and leave Capcom a Steam review saying “Bought this so you’ll make a new Breath of Fire,” you’d be doing me—and the world—a service.
Quick look: Prime Big Deal Days PlayStation Game Deals
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 / Death Stranding 2 / God of War Ragnarok / Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
A few of PlayStation’s 2025 games are up for grabs for new all-time low prices. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is on sale for the first time. You can snag Hideo Kojima’s new open-world adventure for $50 (was $70) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. Sports fans can save over 50% on MLB The Show 25, as the PS5 physical edition is down to only $30 (was $70). MLB The Show is one of the rare first-party PlayStation series that’s also available on Nintendo Switch and Xbox. The Xbox edition is also $30, while the Switch version is $40. Speaking of Nintendo Switch, Lego Horizon Adventures is up for grabs for only $20 (was $60) on Switch and PS5.
If you’re enjoying Ghost of Yotei and don’t yet own Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut, the enhanced version of Sucker Punch’s open-world samurai adventure is down to $30 (was $70) at Best Buy.
We put together a longer list with links to each retailer. Some of these deals will sell out before the weekly sales officially end, so make sure to check other retailers if a game you want is out of stock.
We’ve rounded up the best deals for Sunday, October 5, below, so don’t miss out on these limited-time offers.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach for $49.99
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – PS5
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Death Stranding 2: On The Beach has hit a brand-new all-time low price today on Amazon, sitting at $49.99 for a physical copy. Months after the events of the first game, Sam Porter Bridges sets off on a new journey to link together the continent of Australia in hopes of connecting it to the recently established UCA. The sequel upgrades gameplay tremendously, with a fantastic narrative and score that are sure to be memorable for any player.
Split Fiction for $29.99
Split Fiction – Xbox Series X
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Xbox fans, the best deal of the weekend is for you. Split Fiction is available for just $29.99, and it’s hard to beat that price. This is still one of the best games of 2025, and it’s perfect for both hardcore players and even those who rarely play games.
Apple 2024 MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop with M3 chip
Apple 2024 MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop with M3 chip
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Amazon has the M3 MacBook Air available for just $1099, marking a $600 discount. This laptop packs in 24GB of unified memory, 512GB of SSD storage, and a 15.3-inch display. Powered by the M3 chip, this is a laptop that is capable of anything you throw at it.
Best Buy has this Razer Huntsman V2 TKL Wired Keyboard available for $89.99 today. Usually priced at $149.99, this is a really solid deal for an excellent keyboard. The TKL design removes the numpad, so you can keep as much desk space as possible.
Crucial 1TB Gen 5 SSD for $79.99
Crucial P510 1TB Gen5 NVMe SSD
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Today, you can save 20% off the Crucial P510 1TB Gen 5 NVME SSD. This is an excellent and speedy drive that can quickly transform your read and write speeds in an instant.
God of War 20th Anniversary DualSense Pre-Orders Now Open
God of War 20th Anniversary DualSense PS5 Controller
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Amazon opened pre-orders this week for the God of War 20th Anniversary DualSense. This limited edition controller is an essential addition to any God of War fan’s collection. The best part? You will get your controller in just a few weeks, as the release date is set for October 23.
Sam’s Club Membership for $15
Sam’s Club – 1 Year Membership
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Sam’s Club is an excellent place to shop, as you can purchase items in large quantities at a cheaper price than you normally could at other stores. Memberships are normally $50, but this weekend, new members can sign up for a membership for just $15.
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) (Renewed) for $139.99
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) (Renewed Premium)
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While the AirPod Pro 3s just released, Amazon has premium renewed Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) on sale for $139.99. This is a great deal if you’re someone who needs to upgrade your earbuds but doesn’t want to shell out a full $250. The AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) are a huge upgrade over the first generation AirPod Pros, featuring better sound quality and support for hearing health functionality.
Save on the LEGO Star Wars Paz Vizsla and Moff Gideon Battle Set
LEGO Star Wars Paz Vizsla and Moff Gideon Battle
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You can score this LEGO Star Wars Paz Vizsla and Moff Gideon Battle Set for $17.49 today at Target with Target Circle. If you’re a Star Wars fan, this cheap set is a fun way to add to your collection. Four different minifigures are included with this 289-piece set.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – Songs From The Video Game Vinyl Up for Pre-Order
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – Songs From The Video Game 3xLP Vinyl
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Initially announced earlier this year, the second 3xLP Death Stranding 2: On The Beach vinyl is up for pre-order at Mondo. This package includes 22 songs from the game, featuring artists like CHVRCHES, Low Roar, Gen Hoshino, and more. Currently, the 3xLP is set to ship out in February 2026, so secure your copy today!
Beats Studio Pro for $169.99
Beats Studio Pro – Wireless Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones
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Amazon has the Beats Studio Pro available for $169.99 today. These headphones are excellent at this price point, offering two listening modes: ANC and Transparency. You can expect up to 40 hours of battery life, with support for fast-charging for a quick four hours of listening time.
Having worked from home most of my adult life, I am familiar with the appeal of never having to leave my house. My commute to work is about ten steps long and I can do it in slippers if I like. I don’t have to take out a second mortgage if I want a coffee or a slice of cake. Best of all, I don’t have to deal with *shudder* other people beyond the occasional email and phone call.
That said, I’m aware that it’s good to go outside once in a while. So I understand the motivation behind Rust‘s latest update, which aims to shake up the meta to encourage players to stop loafing around in their houses and get back to the office—the office in this case being abandoned monuments to civilization where players can horribly murder one another.
“The current progression meta has grown stale, moving too fast and becoming too easy over the years,” Facepunch writes in a Steam post, citing the abundance of the scrap resource as a cause. “We don’t believe this has been overwhelmingly negative, but it has detracted from world PvP, especially in and around monuments.”
To counter this, Facepunch is implementing a “new layer of progression to the workbench system”. Players can still craft a workbench as normal, but to upgrade it to levels 2 and 3, they’ll require blueprint fragments. These fragments are elemental resources that cannot be crafted and can only be found inside monuments—explorable landmarks that contain rare resources.
You can’t expect to rock up to a monument and start hoovering up blueprint fragments like a cleaner at the patent office, either. “Blueprint fragments are tied directly to puzzles and high-end loot, encouraging players to push deeper into monuments and hackable events,” Facepunch points out.
(Image credit: Facepunch Studios)
To further enhance this, numerous monuments have been adjusted to make them more interactively engaging via expanding the keycard puzzle system Rust employs. Some monuments like the dome, the ferry terminal, and Radtown have been given “basic” green keycard puzzles. Others, like the nuclear missile silo, have had their keyboard puzzles upgraded from blue to red. “The silo has always been a high risk vs reward location,” Facepunch notes. “This change aligns it with other high-tier areas.”
The overall intent, Facepunch says, is straightforward. “Get players back out of their bases, contesting monuments, slow down progression and clashing over territory.” With the blueprint fragment system implemented, the studio believes this will create “a soft progression gate that pushes players into early fights and slows down clan snowballing.”
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
While the meta is Facepunch’s primary target, the update also makes several other changes too. Loot crates at various monuments have been shuffled around to refresh exploration for veteran players. Drones now have a storage slot that lets them carry and drop a single stack of any item (such as explosives). The medieval arsenal of Rust’s primitive mode has been rebalanced, while primitive players can now craft a nasty-looking spike trap. Finally, a new type of crate has been scattered across Rust’s shorelines to give rookie players a starting resource boost.
This will likely be Rust’s final patch before the long-awaited Naval update arrives in November. This nautical overhaul will let you play Facepunch’s survival sim as a scrapyard Sea of Thieves, constructing your own ramshackle vessel complete with handcrafted cannons, before taking to the ocean as a post-industrial pirate.
Cutting the cord on cable TV has never been easier, but choosing the right streaming device can feel overwhelming with so many options flooding the market. Amazon launched its Fire TV Stick lineup years ago to compete directly with established players like Roku and Google’s Chromecast, and the battle for your living room has been fierce ever since.
Here’s the twist: while Amazon’s own Fire TV Sticks are hitting record low prices during Prime Big Deal Days, the retail giant is pushing Roku devices even lower to clear out remaining inventory from its biggest rival. The Roku Streaming Stick HD has dropped from $29 down to $17, the Streaming Stick 4K fell from $49 to $29, and the Streaming Stick Plus landed at $24 instead of $39.
Understanding the Differences in Roku’s Lineup of Streaming Sticks
The entry-level Roku Streaming Stick HD is the least costly model at $17, ideal if you’re working with an older TV that tops off at 1080p resolution or just don’t worry about 4K content. It streams high-definition content effortlessly on all major platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and thousands of other channels. Its included Roku Voice Remote allows you to search for shows by speaking instead of painstakingly entering using an on-screen keyboard, averting frustration when you’re trying to locate that one film whose name you just couldn’t quite manage to recall. It hooks up via HDMI and is powered from your TV’s USB port or from the included adapter.
Upgrading from the base model to the Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $29 unlocks significant visual gains if you own a 4K TV. This model is HDR (High Dynamic Range) and Dolby Vision capable, two technologies that achieve massive picture quality improvements beyond resolution bumps. HDR provides greater dynamic range between blacks and whites which results in more realistic pictures with higher-contrast levels. Dolby Vision does one better and adjusts brightness and colour dynamically on a scene- or even frame-by-frame basis, and it looks fantastic in supported content from services like Apple TV Plus, Netflix, and Disney Plus. Long-range Wi-Fi in the specs means that this stick should maintain stable connections even if your router is in another room or on another floor, reducing infuriating buffering that ruins key narrative points.
The Streaming Stick Plus at $24 is a tempting compromise with 4K and HDR support but no support for Dolby Vision, so it is relatively less capable in its ultimate picture quality compared to the Streaming Stick 4K, but importantly still much more capable compared to the HD-only base model. There is only real-world practical differentiation in the non-Dolby Vision versus HDR pictures largely on high-end TVs with excellent panel technology, so if your 4K TV is an economy or mid-range model from several years ago, you’re unlikely to see much differentiation in the pictures versus the Plus model and the full 4K model. The Plus model does, however, come with the Voice Remote and has the same massive library of streaming services, free live TV services in the form of the Roku Channel, and private listening in the form of the Roku smartphone app.
Each of these three models gives you access to the Roku platform which is still one of the best streaming interfaces. Installation takes just a minute or two: stick the stick in your TV’s HDMI port, connect it to your network and start viewing. compact size makes these sticks disappear completely behind your television with no apparent clutter.
With these aggressive discounts and the fact that non-Prime members have access to these deals, now is truly the perfect time to upgrade your streaming setup.
Good morning, weekend wanderer of the World Wide Washout. Or if it isn’t morning where you are, good afternoon. Or if it isn’t afternoon, good evening. If it’s neither morning, afternoon nor evening, then you are clearly in outer space. I hear life up there can be dull. Perhaps these articles will break the monotony.
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sale officially runs from October 7 to October 8, but a few of the discounts will be available for a little longer this year–including a five HP wireless printers that will be on sale for less than $130 from October 5 until October 11. The most affordable option is the HP Envy 6155e Wireless Color Printer for $100 (was $197), and there are models like the HP Envy Inspire 7255e Wireless Printer that are great for printing your own photos at home–and you can grab it for just $130 (was $210). Here’s a closer look at the lineup to help you find the right one for your office before the discounts disappear. Once you’ve browsed the HP wireless printer deals, be sure to check our deals hub for even more discounts available in Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sale.
This multifaceted device is capable of printing, scanning, and copying documents. It supports HP AI to properly format web pages and emails, making them easier to print than usual. A 2.4-inch color touchscreen is used to control the device, though you can also use the HP app on your smartphone. It doesn’t feature an auto document feeder like more expensive products, and print speeds are on the slower side of things (10 pages per minute black, 7 pages per minute color), but its ability to print, scan, and copy should make it a versatile choice for most home offices.
The HP Office Jet Pro 8125e is a bit more robust than the 6155e. It’s also a printer, scanner, and copier, but it moves much faster at a rate of 20 pages per minute black and 10 pages per minute color. It also has a large 225-sheet input tray and an auto document feeder, so the extra $10 might be a good investment if you deal with large batches of files.
If you’d rather print photos than documents, take a look at the HP Envy Inspire 7255e. It lets you print traditional, square, and panoramic photos, and you can even print additional text or notes on the back. It’s said to print “true-to-phone” quality images, and the majority of user reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Other notable features include the ability to print up to 15 pages per minute and a separate photo tray.
Only worried about black and white documents? Consider the fast HP LaserJet M110w. It’ll print up to 21 pages per minute and is best used for homes that need to print up to 1,000 pages a month. That’s probably excessive for most users–but if you’re running a small business, it might be a good fit.
The MFP M140w is a bit more expensive than the M110w, but it’s ability to also scan and copy should make it mighty appealing for an extra $10. Beyond that added functionality, it’s essentially the same printer as above. Keep in mind that it’s still just a black and white printer, making it a better choice for businesses or schoolwork than it is for creative purposes.
When the original Bloodlines throws John DiMaggio at you right there in the tutorial you know you’re in for some quality voice-acting. The whole cast was stacked with actors familiars from games and TV like Grey DeLisle, Steve Blum, Fred Tatasciore, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Dee Bradley Baker—the list goes on.
Bloodlines 2 may not have Bender from Futurama in it, but the recent voice cast reveal does highlight a few familiar voices. Like Jane Perry, who you may know as Diana from the Hitman series, Selene from Returnal, or Rogue from Cyberpunk 2077, playing the refined Lou Graham.
Or Bethan Dixon Bate, who I spent dozens of hours with across the Vermintide games where she plays Sienna, and who also played Vlaakith in Baldur’s Gate 3 and Princeps Orla Gemnon in the Warhammer TV animation Kill Lupercal. She’s Mrs. Amelia Thorn in Bloodlines 2, running a cafe called Wake the Dead whose sign warns customers DO NOT ASK FOR PUMPKIN SPICE.
If you played The Chinese Room’s previous horror game Still Wakes the Deep you’ll have heard Alec Newman as its protagonist Cameron “Caz” McLeary, though he was also Adam Smasher in both Cyberpunk 2077 and the anime spin-off Edgerunners, and Paul Atreides in the TV version of Dune. He’s Gideon Hall in Bloodlines 2.
One more I was surprised to see: Richard Brake, who you may know for TV and film credits like the Night King in Game of Thrones and Joe Chill in Batman Begins—he was also Corporal Dean Portman in the Doom movie—playing the Nosferatu Willem Axel. (That’s the guy wearing a bomb vest.)
The other thing this trailer shows off is lip-syncing that looks better than what we’ve seen in previous promotional material for Bloodlines 2. The characters still emote in a much more subdued way than they did in the first game, but that seems like a deliberate decision to keep things low-key, at least in the scenes shown here.
Whether it’s actually any fun to play remains to be seen. We’ll find out when Bloodlines 2 launches on October 21.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
Remember how the upcoming extraction shooter Arc Raiders was meant to launch in 2022? Good times! And quite different times, because back then the game was PvE, seeing you and a few friends take on some nasty bots. Three years on, the game has shifted into a PvPvE experience, and the reason for 1. such a lengthy delay, and 2. a complete change in what players actually do is a simple one: the game was “not fun.”
This isn’t me being snarkily mean or anything, these are the words of Embark Studios’ CEO Peter Soderlund himself. Speaking to Edge (via GamesRadar), Sonderlund spoke of what it took to get the game to where it is now, explaining, “We loved every aspect of what we were trying to design. But we came to the conclusion, after quite a long time: ‘Guys, this game is not fun.’”
To be specific, it apparently was more a case of not being fun enough than outright bad or boring. This then led to the team going back to figure out what the game’s fundamentals were only six months before its supposed launch, and lo and behold, the PvPvE gameplay it now has was born.
Embark devs features an array of PvP pedigree, including some that have worked on both Battlefield and Star Wars: Battlefront (shame there’s not a third Battle game to list here), but many apparently felt ready to move on from PvP as a format. So the ‘vE’ element really helped to mix things up, especially because the game also took some cues from Shadow of the Colossus with its massive enemies to take down, although in this case they’re big ole robots instead.
And now, all this time later, there’s less than a month to go until we find out whether it ultimately works for the masses or not. I’m not big on shooters, but I’ll admit the vibes have piqued my curiosity at the very least. My biggest concern, and perhaps the game’s too, is it being an extraction shooter. Those that love ’em, love ’em, but they’re truly only really for the sickos right now. Let’s see if Arc Raiders can take the genre to the mainstream!
Published: Oct 6, 2025 06:10 am