EA has revealed a first look at the gameplay for EA Sports College Football 25, showcasing several new features ahead of the game’s release in July. This year’s take on college football puts a fast-paced emphasis on the sport, includes all 134 FBS schools, and the return of popular modes Dynasty and Road To Glory.

Some of the new features that fans can expect include a “Wear and Tear System” for your players, and you’ll need to actively manage the health of your team by monitoring athletes and using strategic substitutions to keep them in fighting shape. Game-altering homefield advantages will also play a crucial part in buffing your team and EA says its new Pre-Snap Recognition feature makes the decision behind every snap matter more, motivating you to make the right decision and read the field during crucial moments.

The game is also aiming to be more authentic than ever before as it seeks to replicate the atmosphere of colleges during big football events. There’s an expanded focus on sights, sounds, fight songs, mascots, commentators of games, and several other unique touches will help to bring each college to life. On the commentary side, Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will call the games, while Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer, and David Pollack will lead the play-by-play analysis of other games.

EA Sports College Football 25 launches on July 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with three days of early access available for Deluxe Edition buyers, and EA Play subscribers can get a 10-hour trial starting July 16. This year’s cover stars include Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, and Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter.

Dune: Part Two released on Blu-ray earlier this week, and fans who haven’t picked up a copy yet can take advantage of a nice deal on a 4K two-film collection containing Parts One and Two of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation for a nice discount. The Dune 2-Film Collection on 4K Blu-ray is available to purchase for $45 while supplies last.

Dune 2-Film Collection Special Features

Aside from its great price and the two films, this bundle comes with over an hour of bonus features. You’ll get a variety of featurettes, including:

• Creating the Fremen World
• Chakobsa Training
• Worm-Riding
• Deeper into the Desert: The Sounds of Dune

That’s a pretty great lineup of extras–if you’re a big Dune fan, they’re likely worth the price of admission.

While this bundle is the most enticing Dune deal available right now, it’s not your only option. You’ll find standalone copies of Dune and Dune: Part Two on 4K Blu-ray discounted, clocking in at $21 and $30, respectively. Dune: Part One is part of Amazon’s gigantic Blu-ray sale that lets you get three 4K Blu-rays for $33. So if you’re looking to add more to your collection than Dune, be sure to check it out.

Summer Game Fest is promising the unveiling of the “next iteration” in a big 2K Games franchise next month, coming shortly after Take-Two Interactive mentioned as such in an earnings briefing. No clues were dished out, but that’s not stopping speculation.

The official Summer Game Fest account on X (formerly known as Twitter) specifically stated the title will come from “one of 2K’s biggest and most beloved franchises.” Go ahead and count out Grand Theft Auto VI, for a few reasons. First, it’s under Take-Two’s Rockstar Games label instead of 2K. Additionally, the game has already been revealed and Take-Two has set a Fall 2025 release window for the anticipated game.

According to Insider Gaming, Borderlands 4 from Gearbox seems like the safest bet to show up at Summer Game Fest. In fact, Borderlands 4 and Tiny Tina’s Wonderland 2 leaked late last year on a game developer’s LinkedIn profile. That wasn’t the first rumor about Borderlands 4, either, and there’s also a Borderlands movie premiering in theaters this August.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick also discussed the Borderlands and Tiny Tina franchises on the earnings call earlier this week. “… [Gearbox founder Randy Pitchford] is a hit maker,” Zelnick said. “And it’s very hard to make a new hit, and Tiny Tina was a new hit. And of course, Borderlands just goes from strength to strength. So we’re thrilled to have Gearbox in the family.” Earlier this year, Take-Two acquired Gearbox for $460 million.

Another possibility is a new entry in the BioShock series. In 2019, 2K Games announced the next BioShock was in development at Cloud Chamber, which has studio offices in California and Canada. The last installment in the franchise was BioShock Infinite in 2013, which was over a decade ago.

One other guess that seems more unlikely is Mafia 4. Summer Game Fest will kick off Friday, June 7.

Artist and writer Junji Ito is a horror icon, with decades of weird, mind-bending stories full of upsetting imagery. Ito’s recent popularity has resulted in a Netflix series adapting some of his stories into anime, and another series, based on his excellent collection Uzumaki, is supposed to be dropping on Adult Swim, uh… sometime.

While you wait, you can preorder Alley, the latest collection of Ito stories to make their way to the U.S. Snag it on Amazon and you’ll get it at a discount when it releases on July 23.

Amazon is currently offering Alley at $22.50, 10% off its list price of $25. It’s Prime-eligible, and you’ll automatically get the lowest price offered between when you preorder and the book’s release.

There are a bunch more Ito books available with all sorts of stories, and they’re all available on Amazon–many at a discount. For anyone just getting into Ito’s work, you’ll want to start with Uzumaki, in which a whole town slowly descends into madness as they obsess over spirals. Tomei should be on your radar next, about a woman who compels an intense love in people who meet her that always turns horrific. Finally, grab Gyo, a book centering on the very strange story of ocean creatures gaining robotic legs and invading the surface world.

Best Junji Ito Deals on Amazon

According to a new report, Microsoft will put this year’s new Call of Duty on Game Pass, though there continue to be numerous unanswered questions about all of this.

The Wall Street Journal reported this, though the story had no information about whether or not there may any additional fees, or if the price of Game Pass will go up. The Verge previously reported that Microsoft was thinking about raising the price of Game Pass Ultimate once again.

The site also reported that the new Call of Duty game, which could take place during the Gulf War, is expected to launch in late October. It’s expected to be available for separate purchase across Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.

Video game analyst Daniel Ahmad said on social media, “This is the right move for Microsoft because it’s a multiplatform title that is being sold for $70 outside of the subscription and because it’s a live service title with in-game purchases.” Ahmad added, “That model can also work for other first-party games.”

Microsoft paid more than $74.5 billion to acquire Activision Blizzard and the Call of Duty franchise. This was by far Microsoft’s biggest acquisition ever.

Ever since Microsoft’s deal to buy Activision Blizzard was announced in January 2022, many have wondered if new or catalog Call of Duty games would arrive on Game Pass. That still hasn’t happened, though. The Call of Duty franchise is a sales juggernaut, with its games regularly ranking as among the best-selling games of the year. Putting new Call of Duty games on Game Pass could interrupt this in some way, many have theorized, and Microsoft itself was said to be debating what to do.

The new Call of Duty game for 2024 has not yet been announced, but a reveal could happen anytime now, if historical trends follow. 2023’s Modern Warfare III, for example, was announced in August 2023, though many believe this year’s game will be announced sooner. In fact, the mystery event following the Xbox Games Showcase in June could be for the next Call of Duty.

For more, check out GameSpot’s rundown of everything we know about the next Call of Duty. Whatever the game turns out to be, it will join Call of Duty: Warzone, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, and Call of Duty: Mobile on the market at the same time.

If the full reveal of Assassin’s Creed Shadows has you excited for the next entry in Ubisoft’s long-running stealth-action series, several cool books focused on the Assassin’s Creed universe are on sale for solid prices at Amazon.

One of the most compelling books on sale is the Assassin’s Creed: Atlas. This hardcover volume clocks in just shy of 200 pages and is filled with previously unpublished maps, drawings, and unique facts about locations featured throughout the series. Typically sold for $40, you can pick up the book for just $20.

For something a bit more comprehensive, look at Assassin’s Creed: The Essential Guide. This is another hardcover book, but it’s over 200 pages long and encompasses everything from story timelines and character profiles to concept art and more. It’s also dirt cheap at $19 (down from $35).

If you want to go back to where it all started, the 15th Anniversary edition of The Making of Assassin’s Creed is on sale for over $20 off.

You’ll even find a 10-book collection of Assassin’s Creed novels that should really keep you busy. At $58, you’re getting each novel for less than six bucks a pop.

Best Assassin’s Creed Book Deals

You have a lot to choose from when it comes to Assassin’s Creed Shadows. We’d recommend taking a look at GameSpot’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows preorder guide for a full breakdown of current offers, though here’s a quick look at most of the editions below. The only edition you won’t find in the list is the GameStop-exclusive collector’s edition, which big Assassin’s Creed fans will want to check out before preorders sell out.

Several official Final Fantasy trading card game starter decks, booster boxes, and anniversary collections are discounted on Amazon right now. While these discounts are great for anyone looking to get into the Final Fantasy TCG or expand their existing card collection, they’re also worth checking out for fans who don’t plan on playing a TCG, since each card features art from throughout the series, making them a fun collector’s items.

For those who want to dip into the game for the first time, picking up one of the pre-made starter decks is a great choice. There are quite a few premade decks available at Amazon, with the most affordable being the Final Fantasy Type-0 themed deck that you can snag for $15 (typical price on Amazon: $20). The Final Fantasy XII, XIII, and XIV starter decks are also good options, as each is available for just $20. And if you want a bundle made for two players, there’s the $35 Final Fantasy XV Two-Player Starter Set, which comes with two decks based on the characters Noctis and Ardyn from Final Fantasy XV. Each Final Fantasy TCG starter deck includes 50 cards, a fold-out paper playmat, and a rulebook.

Final Fantasy TCG Starter Decks

While a starter deck is a great entry point to the Final Fantasy TCG, a few are priced much higher than the rest–notably the Final Fantasy VII deck for $44. If you plan on spending that much, you might as well pay just a few bucks more for one of the big Final Fantasy TCG Anniversary Collection Sets, which feature over 240 cards per box. Each Anniversary Set covers a specific Final Fantasy TCG expansion or card run, like the $49 Opus 2022 Anniversary Collection, or the $65 2024 Anniversary Collection.

Final Fantasy TCG Anniversary Collection Sets

If you want to go all-in, there are also Final Fantasy TCG booster display boxes available that net you over 430 cards per box. The cards are spread across 36 booster packs from specific expansion sets. While these sets tend to be the most expensive Final Fantasy TCG offerings on Amazon, a few are relatively affordable right now. The Opus 3 booster box is down to just $57 (normally $60), while the Opus 5 box is $60 (down from $80). Other booster boxes go for quite a bit more, like the $120 Opus 7 box or the $130 Dawn of Heroes box–but considering you’re getting over 400 cards per box, those prices are pretty reasonable.

Be aware that stocks and prices may fluctuate, so make sure you grab them while they’re still available.

Final Fantasy TCG Booster Display Boxes

After finding success as a stellar run-and-gun game featuring challenging and expressive bosses, Studio MDHR’s Cuphead went on to earn three seasons as a Netflix animated series. The 36-episode series was well-reviewed, offering a fun new take on the adventures of Cuphead and his brother Mugman while keeping all the classic cartoon charm intact. An upcoming book, The Art of the Cuphead Show, takes a closer look at the Netflix adaptation, and it’s currently available for preorder at Amazon. Whether you’re a fan of the show or the original game, consider giving it a closer look ahead of its September 3 release.

Dark Horse Books is the publisher behind The Art of the Cuphead Show, so we’d expect it to be produced to high standards and filled with high-quality artwork. If it’s anything like The Art of Cuphead, an art book focused on the video game that was also published by Dark Horse Books, it’ll be a real treat. The Art of Cuphead is a phenomenal gaming art book; if you’re a fan of the game and don’t have it on your shelf, you can grab a copy of Cuphead’s art book at Amazon for $33 (was $50). Flipping through The Art of Cuphead would be a good way to bide your free time while you wait for The Art of the Cuphead Show.

The Cuphead art books are far from the only books Studio MDHR’s popular game has spawned over the years. If there are young Cuphead fans in your house, you should check out the Cuphead middle grade novels and graphic novels. There are even Cuphead Show books for beginning readers and a Little Golden Book.

More Cuphead books

If you want to add some Cuphead collectibles to your shelf, Youtooz has a series of vinyl figures that look pretty awesome. We’d also recommend checking out the adorably chunky Club Mocchi Mocchi Cuphead plush and Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game, a fun family-friendly board game for kids and adults.

Cuphead figures and plushies

As part of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Microsoft announced the modular $300 Proteus Controller, a Designed for Xbox controller created by peripherals company ByoWave. The controller comes as a kit with multiple “snap and play” parts that can be configured to fit disabled gamers’ needs.

The kit comes with a number of pieces that can be connected in various configurations, with ByoWave’s store page claiming over 100 million variations can be achieved on the controller. Each kit comes with two Power Cubes–the building blocks of a controller that each house a battery and allow for Bluetooth connectivity–and two Analog Cubes, which provide the left and right analog sticks.

The controller is designed to work out of the box with the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10 and 11. The Proteus is expected to start shipping in Fall 2024, and is retailing for $300, though ByoWave is offering a discount to $255 for a limited number of preorders.

In the same blog post for Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Microsoft also announced it would be releasing an firmware update for its Adaptive Controller to add support for more accessibility peripherals. “Each port now supports up to 12 buttons, a second stick, and a hat switch,” Xbox says of the update, which will start rolling out to Xbox Insiders soon, with a general release over the next few months.

Hades 2 released in early access last week, and now has received its first patch. Supergiant Games is already proving the utility of its early-access period, with a majority of Patch 1’s changes implemented as a result of player feedback–including one major quality-of-life change.

The first patch makes resource-gathering far less of a chore, which will be a relief to everyone who found the original process too grindy. “You now can gather from any resource point once you have unlocked the corresponding Gathering Tool,” the patch notes read. “You now can Prioritize any available Tool in the Training Grounds to make its resources appear as often as before, while resources for Tools you do not Prioritize will appear far less often.”

Now Playing: Hades II – Official Early Access Release Gameplay Showcase Trailer