Ubisoft’s Call Of Duty Competitor XDefiant Launches On May 21

If you’re looking for the best controller for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and arguably PC, too, Microsoft’s Elite Series 2 is the answer. Though it retails for a fairly lofty $180, the Xbox Elite Series 2 is currently on sale for only $108 on Verizon’s online store. You don’t need to be a Verizon subscriber to take advantage of this deal, and it comes with free two-day shipping. Since this is the best Xbox Elite Series 2 deal we’ve seen in 2024, we don’t expect this to be available for very long.

Verizon also has great deals on the Robot White Xbox Wireless Controller ($36) and the Pulse Red edition ($39). Those controllers typically go for $60 and $65, respectively, and we rarely see them discounted to less than $45.

The Elite Series 2 offers the same great ergonomics as the standard Xbox Wireless Controller, but it has a better build quality, a textured grip, and some awesome customization features. Inside the box, you’ll find four removable back paddles, an extra D-pad, and four additional analog stick caps that can be swapped on the fly. All of the extra components are neatly stored inside the included hardshell controller carrying case.

The Elite Series 2 also has trigger locks that reduce the pull length of RT and LT, which can be useful for certain types of games like first-person shooters. You can use the Xbox Accessories App on console and PC to save profiles to your controller and remap inputs.

Super Mario RPG for Nintendo Switch is on sale for a low price at Amazon and Walmart. You can grab a physical copy of the beloved turn-based RPG for only $43 at Amazon and Walmart. This is the lowest price we’ve seen at a major retailer since the modernized Super Nintendo hit launched last holiday. It’s also a pretty great time to dive into the world of Mario role-playing games, as the Switch version of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door releases next week.

Incredibly faithful to the beloved original, Super Mario RPG is a charming Switch game enhanced with several quality-of-life changes that make it more approachable to newcomers. Mario RPG veterans will appreciate the series of post-game fights that really test your prowess. Beyond those additions and tweaks, Super Mario RPG on Switch plays very similarly as the iconic original on Super Nintendo. The excellent turn-based combat still feels great today, the characters and writing are heartfelt and humorous, and the world design still has that classic Nintendo charm.

GameSpot’s Super Mario RPG review found the modernized version of the SNES classic to be a delight. “Super Mario RPG is one of the wildest games in Nintendo’s catalog. Loaded with eccentric characters like a Santa-esque big bad, random bouts of dark comedy–Toad cosplayers tickle as a form of torture and a four-eyed dog swallows you whole and comments on the taste–and moment-to-moment gameplay that is as raucous as it is eclectic, Super Mario RPG memorably capped off the SNES lifecycle. Fittingly, the new Switch version is one of the weirdest remasters I’ve ever played. Its surface-level appearance as a modern Mario game is merely a facade. Relentlessly faithful to the original, Super Mario RPG is a bold and largely successful experiment.”

If you haven’t preordered Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for Nintendo Switch and are interested in owning a physical copy, it’s worth noting that Amazon has been out of stock for over a month, and Walmart will only be selling the game in stores and has canceled online preorders for at least some customers. However, you can still preorder a copy of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for Switch at Best Buy, Target, and GameStop ahead of its May 23 release.

Though it’s not seeing a discount, the Ultimate Journeys DVD is now up for preorder. As mentioned, this season is particularly notable to Pokemon fans, as it brings the story of Ash and Pikachu to a close. It’s a lengthy season too, clocking in at 54 episodes. You’ll also get episodes 43-54 of Pokemon: To Be A Pokemon Master, along with clean opening and ending special features. The collection releases on July 23.

If you act fast, you can grab a new Xbox wireless controller for just $36 from Verizon. Normally, a new Xbox controller costs $60, so you’re saving 40% on a new gamepad if you use this deal. The offer is available to anyone–you do not need to be a Verizon subscriber to access the discount or buy from the company’s online store. To top it off, the deal applies to the Robot White and Pulse Red controller colors.

See Xbox wireless controller at Verizon

The discounted Xbox controllers are available through Verizon’s online store, which offers free three- to five-day shipping for orders under $49, so you won’t have to wait long for your order to arrive once it ships. You’ll get free two-day shipping if you order two controllers or more. Alternatively, you can opt for in-store pick-up if the controllers are available at your local Verizon stores.

The standard Xbox controller might not have the frills of some higher-end gamepads out there, but it still ranks as one of our favorite wireless video game controllers to use on Xbox and PC, and $36 for a new one is a pretty sweet deal. Just make sure you grab Verizon’s deal soon since we expect stocks will sell out fast at this price.

If you’re looking for suggestions on other great gamepads, be sure to check out our lists for the best controllers on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Mojang, the studio behind Minecraft, has teamed up with Google for the game’s 15th anniversary on May 17. The collaboration adds an Easter egg to the Google search engine, allowing users to start mining like they would in the game.

To get the Easter egg to work, users must search for Minecraft, Minecraft Bedrock Edition, Minecraft Dungeons, Minecraft Steve, or any other version of the game. After doing that, a small Minecraft icon will appear as a button on screen. After clicking it, a hand will appear allowing users to break off specific parts of the page.

As they break off more pages, different biomes will be revealed, including places like The Nether and The End. To exit this feature, all users have to do is click the X on the bottom of the screen. This will prompt a creeper to appear and explode, which will reset everything back to normal.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Google search engine is filled with Easter eggs. For example, if users search “Pac-Man Doodle,” they’ll be able to play a game of Pac-Man, and if they search “Total Eclipse 2024,” their screen will mimic an eclipse.

For more Minecraft content, check out our guide detailing how to find the best seeds and our guide on how to make wolf armor.

Big news for Grand Theft Auto VI today, as Take-Two has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto VI will be released in Fall 2025. Previously, the game was targeting a release at some unspecified point in the year. This is likely a delay for GTA VI, as Take-Two had previously indicated a release earlier in 2025.

“Our outlook reflects a narrowing of Rockstar Games’ previously established window of Calendar 2025 to Fall of Calendar 2025 for Grand Theft Auto VI,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. “We are highly confident that Rockstar Games will deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience, and our expectations for the commercial impact of the title continue to increase.”

GTA VI is reportedly now in the final stages of development. Rockstar Games required most staffers to return to the office beginning April 15 to finish the game and to help prevent leaks. Not all Rockstar workers are happy about this, though, as some say the return-to-office mandate removes a lifeline.

GTA VI is in development at Rockstar North in Edinburgh, Scotland, with Rockstar’s teams around the world supporting the game’s development. Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two has said the developer is seeking “perfection.”

In other news, prolific voice actor Troy Baker recently confirmed he is not voicing the male lead in GTA VI.

Rockstar parent company Take-Two recently announced a cost-cutting plan that resulted in hundreds of layoffs and multiple game cancellations. The games industry at large has seen huge numbers of layoffs so far in 2024.