Gaming News

ID@Xbox Will Be at IGN Live With 10 Playable Games

IGN Live is set to be an epic event for fans of all types of games. And now lovers of indie games have something to look forward to: 10 popular ID@Xbox titles will be availalbe to play on the show floor for attendees of the event. Studios like Xbox, Sandfall, Ubisoft, and Survios have already announced their plans for IGN Live, including new looks at Anno 117, Alien: Rogue Incursion, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and more. And now ID@Xbox is joining in on the fun. Check out the titles that will be availalbe for IGN Live tickethodlers to play: Ultimate Sheep Racoon from Cleaver Endeavor Wheel World from Annapurna Interactive The Alters from 11 bit Herdling from Okomotive/Panic Truckful from MythicOwl/Pocketpair Rematch from...

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The $18 Iniu 20,000mAh 45W USB Power Bank Can Fast Charge Your Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or iPhone 16

If you're looking for an affordable power bank that will fast charge your Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or Apple iPhone 16, then check out today's deal. Amazon has the Iniu 20,000mAh Power Bank with up to 45W of Power Delivery over USB Type-C for only $18.31 after you apply promo code "E58LOYPK". This particular model has about 800 reviews on Amazon with a 4.7 star average and a Fakespot "A" rating. Iniu 20,000mAh 45W USB Power Bank for $18.31 This Iniu power bank boasts a generous 20,000mAh, or 74Whr battery capacity. If you factor in 80% power efficiency, here are the approximate number of times you can fully recharge each gaming handheld: Nintendo Switch (16Whr) about 3.7 times Steam Deck (40Whr) about 1.9 times Apple iPhone 16...

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Star Wars' Darth Jar Jar Now Available in Fortnite, but Fans Can't Believe You Must Earn 1 million XP Before You Can Buy Him

Fortnite's Star Wars season has just dropped its biggest new skin yet from a galaxy far, far away — and stunned fans by locking it behind a 1.28 million XP grind. Darth Jar Jar became available to buy from Fortnite's Shop over the weekend, but only after you earn the ability to do so. And even then, after accruing that 1.28 million XP, Darth Jar Jar still costs 1500 V-Bucks (around $13). Fortnite has locked skins behind an XP requirement before, but only done so once in recent years and not with a skin that had been anticipated as one of the key cosmetic releases of this shortened Star Wars season. Several weeks in, there's now less time for players to get the XP needed to nab Darth Jar Jar (Fortnite's Star Wars season ends on June...

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Honkai: Star Rail Lead Designer Says It Will Take 'Far Beyond Just a Few Years' to Realize Game's Full Potential

Honkai: Star Rail, launched in 2023, was an instant hit for publisher HoYoVerse, reaching 20 million downloads in just a few days and pulling in hundreds of millions of dollars in the following years. Globally, many who hopped on board the Astral Express did so in the wake of enjoying another HoYoVerse-published game: Genshin Impact. But Honkai's origins, and the roots of its global success, go much further back than that. The Honkai series has actually existed since 2011, when the tiny team at miHoYo released FlyMe2TheMoon on iOS. The studio has since exploded in notoriety and team members, including Honkai: Star Rail lead game designer Chengnan An. An joined the Honkai team for Honkai Impact 3rd, which launched in 2016 and directly...

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Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Is Out In Early Access and Climbing Steam's Charts — Here's Why

Whenever you check Steam's Global Top Sellers, you can expect a few usual suspects; the latest live-service hit, upcoming high-profile releases, or the current popular game everyone's eager to talk about. Open it up this morning, though, and you might have seen an interesting entry climbing the ranks: Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time. The latest from developer Level-5 is out now in advanced access for those who buy into the slightly more expensive version, and available for all on May 21. Announced during the February 2023 Nintendo Direct, Fantasy Life i saw a few delays and a reportedly strenuous development cycle, alongside the departure of producer Keiji Inafune. As of this writing, though, it's currently holding a #2 spot...

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Anno 117: Pax Romana – Anno Finally Goes to Rome and So Far It’s Glorious

Anno 117: Pax Romana didn't take long to convince me it would be a worthy follow-up to 2019's Anno 1800. Sitting down at the preview event for Ubisoft's latest city-builder, held in Rome's Gardens of Sallust once owned by Julius Caesar himself, the vaulted Roman brickwork surrounding me quickly melted away in a hypnotic haze of infrastructural clicking. If you enjoyed 1800's gently gripping mix of city-planning, production-chain linking, and nautical exploration, Anno 117 delivers these fundamentals in an equally satisfying manner. But as the first hour with the game passed, a question arose. Would Anno 117 be any more than that? Ubisoft Mainz certainly aspire for it to be so. Ancient Rome is to Anno what feudal Japan is to Assassin's...

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WizKids Offering Refunds For Baldur's Gate 3 Minis That 'Missed the Mark'

Last week, WizKids' Baldur's Gate 3 miniatures arrived, and they didn't exactly garner rave reviews. The public response seems to have been heard, and now WizKids is offering refunds to anyone who feels dissatisfied with their minifig boxes. "As a company, WizKids seeks to create products that enhance and add to the enjoyment of game play," the company said in an announcement. "We want our customers to build long-lasting, fond memories around game nights with friends and family using our products. "Unfortunately, we missed the mark on this goal with the D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Boxed Set. If you purchased this set through our online stores, we will be offering a full refund to those who are unsatisfied with...

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Lego Just Shut Down A Brilliant-Looking Bionicle Fan Project After 8 Years

The Lego Group has forced an intrepid team of developers to shut down their impressive-looking Bionicle fan project, after eight years' work. Bionicle: Masks of Power was set to have been an open-world action RPG inspired by Horizon: Zero Dawn, featuring the fan-favourite masked warriors from Lego's legendary toy series. Successive trailers for the game had hyped up Bionicle fans for the release, and all looked fine from The Lego Group's side — until, in the last month, something appears to have changed. In a blog post confirming Bionicle: Masks of Power's shock cancellation, its developers Team Kanohi said that they had recently been contacted by The Lego Group and told to shut down the project "in its entirety" and remove the game...

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How the Creators of The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 Became the Masters of Choice and Consequence

CD Projekt Red has a reputation for making special games. The Witcher 3, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, is still frequently cited as one of, if not the best, RPG ever made. Meanwhile, Cyberpunk 2077 has (thanks to some substantial upgrades) blossomed into one of the deepest, most robust examples of open-world roleplaying. These two games alone have made the studio one of the most famous and respected in the world, not to mention its other, equally fascinating releases. But what is it that CD Projekt Red does that makes its games stand apart from their peers? While there are many elements that come together to ensure a CDPR game’s quality, it’s how the smaller pieces connect to create a coherent and convincing whole that really...

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Fans Discuss Marathon Developer Bungie's Future After Yet Another Plagiarism Row Rocks Studio: 'Make No Mistake, This Is An Existential Struggle For B

As Destiny 2 developer Bungie scrambles to recover its reputation after yet another independent artist accused the studio of "lifting" their artwork in Marathon, the community around the developer is wondering what's next. Last week's accusation prompted an "immediate investigation" and acknowledgement from the studio that a "former Bungie artist" had indeed used Fern Hook's work without compensation or credit. Then, on Friday night, Marathon game director Joe Ziegler and art director Joe Cross apologized on a painfully uncomfortable livestream that featured no Marathon art or footage at all as the team was "still scrubbing all of our assets to make sure that we are being respectful of the situation." Since then, players have been...

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Stellar Blade Devs 'Closely Discussing' Mysterious PC Region Lock Issue With Sony

After Stellar Blade's Steam rollout was mysteriously blocked in countries like Egypt, Vietnam, Estonia, and Cuba, developer Shift Up said it was "closely discussing the region locked issue" with publisher Sony. While there's still no formal explanation on why sales have been blocked in over 100 countries around the world, it's thought the list broadly matches that of places where PlayStation Network is not available — although neither PlayStation nor Shift Up has explicitly confirmed that. Instead, the developer insisted it was "doing our BEST to resolve most of it as soon as possible." "PSN connecting [is] entirely optional and NEVER required," the studio added. In the same message, Shift Up sought to assuage fears that adding DRM...

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AU Deals: Price Slayings on Doom Dark Ages, Oblivion Remastered, Space Marine 2, Outlaws, and More!

Strap in for a ripper round of savings that’ll leave you over-encumbered in no time, like a stroll through an Oblivion market. From slashing prices on open-world epics to trimming the tag on sports sims, these deals breathe fresh life into your gaming roster without shredding your budget. Let’s kick this off right by saving a bundle now. This Day in Gaming 🎂 In retro news, I’m celebrating the 13th bday of Max Payne 3, a bullet-riddled Brazilian holiday that, I think, delivered Rockstar’s finest ever third-person shooting. From the neon-soaked favelas of São Paulo to the rain-slicked rooftops of downtown, this one taught a new generation of gamers how gloriously satisfying it is to dodge incoming hailstorms of lead and drop one-liners...

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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Achievement Stats Suggest Not Many of You Have Completed the Main Questline — Are You Getting Sidetracked Li

A month after launch, a small percentage of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered players have completed the main questline. But for a game like this, that’s not particularly surprising — fans are saying they’re way too busy doing other stuff. I’m one of those fans! I’ve been playing and enjoying Oblivion Remastered since it shadow-dropped on April 22, and upon leaving the sewers and handing over the Amulet of Kings to Jauffre at Weynon Priory, I’ve done everything BUT the main questline. I’ve joined the Fighters Guild, explored Cyrodiil, and completed loads of side quests. I’ve even tried to brute force my way out of the map, as one player managed to do. Why? Well, the side quests in Oblivion are brilliant fun (I won’t spoil any...

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Every Doom Game Ranked

Doom. Four letters, two gunbarrels, one space marine and boatloads of demon guts is all it takes to change the face of gaming forever. Id Software’s seminal series is ground zero for first-person shooters, PC gaming, online multiplayer, community modding, speedrunning, and so, so much more. Video games are still living in the shadow of this infernal masterpiece three-decades later. The FPS genre has evolved a lot since the days they were called “Doom-likes,” and so has the series itself– with varying degrees of success. How does your favorite title rank among the seven (or so) main entries in the franchise? Which Doom games cover themselves in guts and glory, and which are cursed to wallow knee-deep in the unalived? We promise not to...

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What Happens When a Game Developer Makes a Walking Dead Game In Fortnite? A New Path Forward for Game Studios

Between layoffs, studio closures, and funding drying up, it’s fair to say that the games industry has been having a rough time. Enrique Fuentes, CEO and co-founder of Teravision games, experienced that turbulence much too closely for comfort when he and his team released Killer Klowns From Outer Space, an asymmetrical horror game based on the 80s movie of the same name. The game was well received (IGN gave it a 7, calling it “as silly and entertaining as the movie that spawned it.”) and trailers for the title racked up hundreds of thousands of views online. But the team found itself in a difficult spot after launch, the same difficult spot that many in the games industry found themselves in. “As you know, 2024 was a pretty tough year...

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Fortnite's AI Darth Vader Has Only Been Live For An Hour And Already Epic Has Patched Out Him Saying 'F**k'

AI Darth Vader has been out in Fortnite for roughly an hour, and already people have managed to get the Dark Lord of the Sith to swear. Fortnite's new AI buddy has a death grip on all manner of cool and strange features, including the ability to serenade you, join and leave squads at will, respond intelligently to the player, issue cued and impromptu dialogue, summarize gameplay events, and warn the player if something's about to go down. Within an hour of the feature going live, however, Fortnite players have popped up all over social media sharing reports and videos of Vader being manipulated into saying the kind of things very much associated with the Dark Side. “What freaking f*cking food is that, Darth Vader?” streamer...

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Red Dead Redemption 2 Reportedly Set for Nintendo Switch 2 by End of 2025 — and There's a Rumored Next-Gen Upgrade Patch, Too

A Nintendo Switch 2 port of Red Dead Redemption 2 could be out by the end of 2025, and there are reports of a next-gen upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series X and S. That's according to GameReactor, which reports sources "close to Rockstar" have said a Switch 2 version of Rockstar's Wild West romp is on the way, along with a "next-gen upgrade patch" that will also improve the game for current-gen systems (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S). Though details are sketchy, GameReactor's sources assert the port and the upgrade patch could be out as early as later this year. It echoes similar claims made by Nintenduo, which reports the Switch 2 version of Red Dead Redemption 2 should be released in Take-Two's current financial year, which...

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10 Final Fantasy MTG Cards to Consider During TCGPlayer's Mayhem Sale

With perfect timing for the launch of the Magic: The Gathering’s Final Fantasy set, TCG Player’s Mayhem sale is offering more with each purchase by offering store credit back in return (including Pokémon TCG as well). The sale runs for one day only, May 16, from 9 AM to 11 PM. With that added store credit, you’ll then get to unlock money off future purchases. Earn enough, and you could even end up buying some free cards from this gorgeous set. Still, while the above are incredibly pretty, several of the singles from the Final Fantasy MTG sets can be quite expensive (like with any TCG), especially with several borderless or Surge Foil cards skyrocketing towards $600. So if the expense of buying these pricey options are putting you...

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Fortnite's Darth Vader AI Will Support Your Combat And Wellbeing, But Don't Ask Him About the Younglings

Darth Vader has arrived in Fortnite, and your AI buddy has a death grip on all manner of cool and strange features, including the ability to serenade to you (provided you only expect him to sing Star Wars and Disney-related songs). As summarized by Epic Games partner Shiina, the Darth Vader AI can join and leave squads at will, respond intelligently to the player, issue cued and impromptu dialogue, summarize gameplay events, and warn the player if something's about to go down. Darth Vader will also apparently urge you to seek professional help "if he realizes that your well-being is at risk," saying: "You are valued, Trooper. Seek assistance from the authorities. Your well-being is paramount." If you've got a sweet spot for Vader...

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Ranking the Jedi Who Survived Order 66

This month marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, the concluding chapter in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. The film was released on May 19, 2005, and it would end up being the final Star Wars film guided by George Lucas before he sold Lucasfilm to Disney seven years later. Fans knew going into Revenge of the Sith that this was where we’d see Anakin Skywalker turn to the Dark Side of the Force and become Darth Vader, but a big question was what exactly happened to all the other Jedi. The film’s answer was Order 66, a diabolical part of Palpatine’s plan in which he would have all of the Clone Troopers who had fought with the Jedi throughout the Clone Wars suddenly turn on those Jedi and...

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Stellar Blade's Steam Rollout Mysteriously Blocked in Over 100 Countries

Stellar Blade's Steam rollout has been mysteriously blocked in countries like Egypt, Vietnam, Estonia, and Cuba. While there's been no formal statement on why sales have been blocked in over 100 countries around the world, it's thought the list broadly matches that of places where PlayStation Network is not available. But here's the confusing thing: Stellar Blade doesn't require players to sign up to PSN to play, which has left players wondering why on earth sales have been restricted. It's possible the block comes not because Stellar Blade requires a PSN connection, but because it offers an optional one. Though not confirmed by either developer ShiftUp or Sony itself just yet, some are speculating that it may be because players are...

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Doom: The Dark Ages Owes a Lot to Eternal’s Marauder

When director Hugo Martin explained that the mantra for Doom: The Dark Ages was “stand and fight” during Xbox’s Developer Direct earlier this year, I was instantly enticed. It's an idea in direct opposition to id Software’s previous game, Doom Eternal, a shooter built on hyper-kinetic, perpetually mobile firefights. There is, however, a single enemy in Eternal that does demand you “stand and fight” – the Marauder. Perhaps the most controversial enemy ever featured in a Doom game, it’s hated by many… and loved by me. And the moment I realised that the trick to Doom: The Dark Ages’ combat was reacting to bright green lights – the very same thing that’s key to killing a Marauder – I knew I was all-in. Don’t worry, The Dark Ages doesn’t...

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Take-Two Boss Strauss Zelnick Says He's 'Thrilled' With Civilization 7 So Far Even Through More People Are Playing Civ 6 and Even Civ 5 on Steam

Civilization 7 has had a rough launch on Steam — that much is clear. The strategy sequel has struggled for players on Valve’s platform ever since its launch in February. Reaction is ‘mixed,’ according to Steam user reviews. And despite a number of patches issued by developer Firaxis to reverse the sentiment, Civilization 7 finds itself in the unenviable situation of having fewer players on Steam than Civilization 6 and even the 15-year-old Civilization 5. Civ 7’s Steam performance does not paint the entire picture, of course. The game also launched on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch (a Nintendo Switch 2 version that makes use of the new Joy-Con mouse controls will soon release). But Civilization’s bread and butter is PC, and...

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Anime Saga Codes (May 2025)

Last Updated May 16, 2025 - Added new Anime Saga codes! Anime Saga codes will have you stocked up on Gems, Gold, and Trait Rerolls. These will help you summon new units, buy materials and items, as well as craft new items, and evolve your team. If you're looking for all the latest active Anime Saga codes, IGN has you covered. Working Anime Saga Codes (May 2025) In the list below, you'll find all working and active Anime Saga codes. Be sure to redeem them before they're expired! InBugSagaWeTrust - Rewards (must be level 10 to redeem) BugSaga: 3,500 Gold, 500x Gems, 5x Trait Rerolls 50KActive: 3,500 Gold, 800 Gems, 2x Trait Rerolls 1MVisits - 5,500 Gold, 8x Trait Rerolls, 800x Gems Release - 3,500 Gold and 1000x Gems Expired Anime...

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Marathon Developer Bungie Launches 'Thorough Review' After Once Again Being Found to Have Used Work From an Uncredited Artist

Destiny 2 developer Bungie is once again battling accusations of plagiarism after yet another artist accused the studio of "lifting" aspects of their artwork, this time for its upcoming sci-fi shooter, Marathon. After numerous artists and a writer came forward claiming Bungie used their work without authorization or credit, yet another artist is claiming their work was used in the environments of Marathon. In screenshots taken from Marathon's alpha playtest accompanying the tweet, artist Antireal alleged they could see distinct icons and graphics they designed, some of which were originally shared on social media years ago in 2017. "Bungie is, of course, not obligated to hire me when making a game that draws overwhelmingly from the...

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Fire Force: Reignition Codes (May 2025)

Last updated May 15, 2025: Checked for new Fire Force: Reignition codes! Need some more rerolls in Fire Force: Reignition? We've got you covered. Below, we've compiled all of the free redeemable codes currently active in the Roblox action RPG, so you can get your hands on free rerolls and other goodies instantly. Active Fire Force: Reignition Codes (May 2025) Below are all the active Fire Force: Reignition Codes as of May 2025: MOMMY - 1x Ability Reroll, 60x Reroll Token (NEW!) 55KLIKES - 50x Reroll Token REIGNITION2 - 1x Ability Reroll, 100x Reroll Token, 1x Generation Reroll REIGNITION - 4x Ability Reroll, 100x Reroll Token, 2x Generation Reroll All the codes above have been tested as working at the time of submission...

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Epic Says Apple Has Blocked Fortnite's Return to the U.S. App Store — and Now Tim Sweeney Is Tweeting Tim Cook to Complain

Epic’s long-running battle with Apple over the future of Fortnite on iOS devices has taken another turn, with Epic accusing Apple of blocking its Fortnite submission so it can’t release the game to the U.S. App Store. Earlier this month, Epic boss Tim Sweeney said Fortnite would return to the U.S. iOS App Store and iPhones in a matter of days after a significant court ruling. On April 30, a U.S. Federal District Court in California found that Apple wilfully violated a court order in the Epic Games v. Apple case that required Apple to enable developers to offer their customers alternative ways to make purchases outside apps. In January, IGN reported on how Sweeney had spent billions of dollars fighting Apple and Google over the way...

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Sony Live Service Woes Continue as PlayStation Executive Jade Raymond Exits Fairgames Developer After External Test Sparked Concern

Jade Raymond has left Haven Studios, the Sony-owned developer behind online multiplayer shooter Fairgames, with the game reportedly delayed following an external test in yet another blow to PlayStation's live service ambition. According to Bloomberg, Raymond exited the company she founded several weeks after an external test of Fairgames apparently didn’t go down well. The game was due out fall 2025 but is now delayed to spring 2026. As Bloomberg put it: Sony is sticking with Haven and Fairgames for now, with new co-studio heads Marie-Eve Danis and Pierre-François Sapinski in place. It’s yet more trouble for Sony’s embattled live service ambition, which now appears to be in full retreat. While Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2 was a...

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AU Deals: A Freebie Dead Island 2, The Hottest Prices for Clair Obscur, Personas, Sonics, and More!

Thank your own personal deity--possibly Prince Ahzrak--it's Friday! The sales shelves are stacked, the discounts are deep, and there’s no better time to finally tick off a wishlist title you’ve been eyeing since launch. Whether you’re a couch co-op diehard, a story-driven solo adventurer, or just here for sweet, sweet freebies, this end of week haul is stuffed with titles worth our hard-earned dollarydoos. This Day in Gaming 🎂 In retro news, I'm celebrating the 12th birthday of Deadly Premonition, a so-bad-it's-great cult hit. Basically, this was an incredibly low-budget Japanese Twin Peaks with ropey visuals, controls, script, voice acting—you name it, they SMSed it in. Considering all of this, you should definitely treat yourself to...

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Take-Two Feels 'Reasonably Confident' It Won't Be Affected by Tariff Changes

We've been writing a lot lately about the ways in which the ongoing tariff chaos in the United States might impact the games industry, from consoles to accessories to software. And while some folks seem to be fairly concerned over how this might impact both consumers and business, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick seemed relatively unphased by the idea of tariffs on today's Q&A call with investors. Toward the end of the call, Zelnick was asked whether he was concerned specifically about potential console price increases and their impact on the overall gaming ecosystem. This was referring to the recent price bump on Xbox Series consoles, and the expected PlayStation 5 increase that may follow. Zelnick believes that confusing as the tariff...

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