Pop News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

In case you missed it, two new amiibo have a street date of today, January 19, 2024. I know, these things pop up unexpectedly! Those two additions are Noah and Mio, two of the primary protagonists from 2022’s Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

Another Code: Recollection is the new Switch remake of the Nintendo-published DS and Wii cult-classic story-driven adventure games Another Code: Two Memories (known as Trace Memory in North America) and Another Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memories. Beyond the expected visual updates, Another Code: Recollection also completely remixes the games’ puzzles, meaning even those familiar with the originals will find themselves on new ground.

Another Code: Recollection is the new Switch remake of the Nintendo-published DS and Wii cult-classic story-driven adventure games Another Code: Two Memories (known as Trace Memory in North America) and Another Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memories. Beyond the expected visual updates, Another Code: Recollection also completely remixes the games’ puzzles, meaning even those familiar with the originals will find themselves on new ground.

MachineGames has given us our first look at its Indiana Jones game, now officially called Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (as suspected). And that's not all! We officially now know it is coming this year. Get your fedoras at the ready, our beloved professor will be whipping his way onto Xbox Series X/S and PC, including Game Pass, in 2024.

Warhammer 40,000 fans have been enjoying a wealth of content lately, from the usual licensed novels published by Black Library to the sprawling narrative RPG Rogue Trader, and even the upcoming Amazon collaboration helmed by Henry Cavill. It looks like the franchise might be showing up in an unexpected place as well: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Palworld doesn't just let you capture Pals, it also lets you trap human characters in tiny balls and then treat them like mind-controlled pets, something Pokemon has never allowed you to do.

Funko has announced an "exclusive worldwide license and distribution agreement" for its board game portfolio as a way to tackle the company's debt. This includes the studio responsible for making the original Disney Villainous.

So many famous people and characters have been turned into Funko Pops, it was only a matter of time until the focus moved to the people buying them instead. No, there isn't a limited edition Pop! that looks just like you coming to store shelves soon. However, if you want to make a figure in your image you can via Funko's Pop! Yourself program. More ways to customize your Pop! are being added all the time, and now you can equip it with Valentine's gear ready for February 14.

Pokemon kicked off what appears to be a big year on the Funko Pop! front for the franchise by teasing the addition of six new figures. Only one of the Pops had a silhouette in the promo image with the other five plinths left empty, and since many of us were raised on playing Who's That Pokemon in the ad breaks, it didn't take long to figure out the first of the six is Lucario. Likely Pearlescent Lucario since the Pokemon already has its own regular Pop, a first proper look at the new figure has now been revealed.

Checking the Fortnite Item Shop when it refreshes is one of the most exciting times of a Fortnite player’s day. With leaked and datamined skins on the horizon, the Item Shop refreshing means you might finally get to spend V-Bucks on that outfit you’ve been waiting for.

Just as we expected, AI was the running theme throughout CES 2024. In this episode, Devindra and Producer Ben Ellman chat with co-host Cherlynn Low, who’s on the ground in Las Vegas with the Engadget team. We dive into AI coming to almost every product category, new standalone AI hardware, and a surprising amount of “shush” tech. In geekier news, we dive into Micron’s new RAM format for laptops, which has the potential to reshape the notebook industry, and discuss why we all may want a rolling house robot like Samsung’s Ballie. And on a sad note, we chat about the wave of tech layoffs from Google, Amazon and others.

It looks like the upcoming open-world FPS Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is getting another delay. Originally scheduled to be released in 2022, the shooter now has a tentative release date of September 5, 2024. According to a video by developer GSC Game World announcing the release date, this is the “final” release date.

We’re still fresh into the new year, and as we make our way through January, it’s a waiting game to see some of the marketing streams pop up. While Sony and Nintendo are holding out still, Xbox is leading the new year with a Developer Direct. This is a stream focused on the development teams working on upcoming titles. Earlier this month, we got the reveal of an Xbox Developer Direct happening within the week. Today, Microsoft is again reaffirming that a Developer Direct is set to take place on January 18, 2024, at 3 PM ET. 

Baldur's Gate 3's latest hotfix addresses a bug that was causing Gale to disappear from the game permanently. This comes after players would go to the camp chest to get a magical item for the wizard to snack on, only for him to leave the party forever the second they turned their back.

T-Pain has revealed that he is working on Grand Theft Auto VI.

There are so many Funko Pops that whether you're a new collector just starting out or a seasoned vet looking to branch out, I'd recommend either picking fandoms you like and sticking to them, or simply grabbing figures you like from across the board. Regardless of which of those avenues sounds more appealing, any Muppets Pops you find should be must-buys, as should any figures you find that can be used to recreate popular memes. Lucky for you, there's a new two-pack coming that ticks both those boxes.

An unannounced Halo Battle Royale was reportedly cancelled, according to XboxEra co-founder Shpeshal_Nick.

Valentine's Day is less than a month away, so if you need to buy someone a gift and you don't already know what to get, now is the time to start thinking about it. Something cliche like chocolates isn't the worst idea in the world because, well, Valentine's Day is all about cliches. Go one better than buying the first box of chocolates you see at the store this year though and make your own chocolates for the one you love. Oh, and make them Clodsire-shaped.

Looking for a spare iPad? How about a 2017 model complete with cellular capabilities for just $145? It's all real.

Just last month, rumors surfaced around the upcoming title Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League that several major villains from the Arkham series would be returning as part of post-launch DLC. These included the likes of Deathstroke and Poison Ivy, the latter of which was confirmed to be part of the main story, albeit in a seemingly very unpopular child form.

The Xbox error code 0x87e50033 strikes again, preventing gamers from playing games on the Xbox console. Thankfully there is an easy fix that will get players back on track for their gaming adventures.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League exists at a strange intersection of gaming hype. On the one hand, obviously, we are and should be excited for Rocksteady's return to the Arkham Universe that it popularized through some of the greatest superhero games of all time. Obviously. But on the other hand, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League deviates from so many of the conventions that made Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Knight so beloved. And so many of those conventions that Kill the Justice League embraces – such as a team-based, co-op infrastructure, and a live-service-inspired post-launch content plan – have crashed and burned in other superhero games, most notably Crystal Dynamic's ill-fated 2020 Avengers title.

What was once a stalwart of Ubisoft‘s release schedule, spawning well-loved games like The Sands of Time, Warrior Within, and The Two Thrones, Prince of Persia’s fortunes declined almost in parallel with the meteoric rise of Ubisoft’s biggest franchise, Assassin’s Creed.

The Pokemon Funko Pop! scene has started 2024 with a bang. Not only via the tease of a Pearlescent Lucario, hopefully available soon, but also the unveiling of three new figures, all of which are Pokemon making their Funko debuts. Luxray, Grookey, and Wooloo Funko Pops were all shown off for the first time earlier this week, and not only can you pre-order the trio at Amazon right now, but their release dates have also been confirmed.

Baldur’s Gate 3 players on Xbox have been dealing with a major bug that’s causing lost save files, but a fix is expected for next week, according to Larian Studios. The developer posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday to reassure fans that Microsoft’s firmware update should address the save file bug when it’s released on Jan. 16.

Being immortalized as a Lego set or a Funko Pop! is a sign something has truly made it, and while they might not be up there with those stalwarts of the toy world just yet, Squishmallows are nipping at their heels. The soft toys are in high-demand, particularly the licensed ones tied to popular characters, and it seems Spider-Man is about to get a few more. Three new Spidey characters, transformed into Squishmallow's Hug Mee plushes.

Echo season 1 ends with a bang, with Echo (Alaqua Cox) going up against Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) again after confronting him in Hawkeye. Along the way, she reconnected with her roots, her family, and her sense of self, putting her on the track to becoming a hero.

Dear readers, we, or more precisely, I, have made a mistake. When I wrote my article about Lenovo's solar and mechanical energy harvesting keeb and mouse combo, I assumed that these devices must somehow gather its mechanical energy charge by the power of typing or the movement of daily use, as this would make some degree of sense.  No-one, least of all me, could have predicted that these prototype peripherals harvest energy by using what are essentially integrated fidget spinners.

Sony was at CES this month, and while they didn’t reveal any Pro versions of their hardware, they did take some time to talk about a Nintendo IP.

A new Baldur's Gate 3 hotfix has remedied a huge softlock that prevented players from progressing to the end of the game.

Genshin Impact reintroduces the Mistsplitter Reforged to the Weapons Banner to run alongside Kamisato Ayaka. Though highly reminiscent of the Raiden Shogun’s sword, this is indeed Ayaka’s signature weapon. And yes, Kamisato Ayato can use this sword too.

Dead by Daylight just dropped a short seven-second clip of a flashlight on a table illuminating a stack of blood-stained papers with the caption, "Learn more on January 9".

Borderlands 3 writer and Gearbox narrative director Sam Winkler has asked fans not to send him their theories and story ideas for the looter-shooter series.

Magic: The Gathering creator Wizards of the Coast has been caught out by fans for including AI art in its latest promotional marketing. 

Now the holidays are out of the way, Pokemon Squishmallows will be easier to find, right? Well, probably not. The sought-after Squishmallows were the must-have toy over Christmas, and since Pokemon and Jazwares are very selective about when they get restocked, they're still hard to find even now. One of the trickier Pokemon Squishmallows to track down is the original Pikachu, part of the first wave of plushies introduced to the collection, and you can grab it right now for a little more than $15 at Walmart.

TECNO, a global smartphone brand, is set to make a significant impact on the entry-level smartphone market in India with the introduction of the TECNO POP 8. Positioned as the fastest 8GB RAM phone in its category, the POP 8 aims to redefine performance standards, promising users a speed-driven era of innovation. The company claims the smartphone is not merely a device but a catalyst for unlocking the full potential of its users.

A listing for Samsung's upcoming 990 Evo SSD has appeared online. Though the release of a 990 Evo series SSD is not at all unexpected, its PCIe lane configuration is surprising, and it's an interesting configuration at that.

After sharp-eyed Magic: The Gathering fans cried foul over a recent promotional image's seeming use of generative AI, Wizards of the Coast initially asserted that it was fully human-made. However, just two days on Wizards has deleted the offending marketing post and acknowledged that generative tools were used in the image.

Content Warning: The following article contains mentions of themes some readers may find distressing, including those of self-harm and suicide.

Studio 67—AKA Salman Arif—describes Chicky Pop as a “minimal drop merge puzzle game”, which might just be the most poetically concise description we’ve ever read.

One of the best superhero games, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, just went on sale on the Epic Games Store, and for a few more days, players will be able to snag the fantastic title for free. 

An insider claims that the PlayStation 5 Pro is getting announced this year, but much later in the year.

It looks as though Bandai Namco is doing a lot with its horror platformer series, Little Nightmares, this year. In addition to the upcoming Little Nightmares 3, it seems a remaster of the first game is also on the way.

More than almost any other reality show from the mid-2000s, Hell’s Kitchen is regularly in the zeitgeist. Gordon Ramsay’s particularly entertaining brand of British yelling made the show a hit when it debuted in 2005, and continues to make it popular to this day. But, now that it’s been on for nearly two decades, there’s also a treasure trove of lore behind the series, including a mystery that gets rediscovered every once in a while about a secret contestant.

Destiny 2 and developer Bungie don’t have the best reputation with the MMO’s community right now, and that sentiment continues to pop up even in smaller ways. That rings true for this year’s Dawning event, too, as it seems Destiny’s snowball feature remains broken.

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2023 was a big year for the Mario franchise. There was a brand-new 2D platformer in the form of Wonder, an Illumination movie that grossed over $1 billion, an entirely new WarioWare game, a remake of the classic 1996 RPG, and a reveal for a solo Princess Peach title. But in that ocean of Mario goodness, Waluigi was left behind.

The launch of AMD's 8000-series desktop APUs is drawing closer. Motherboard BIOS' are ready, samples are out and about, and that means tis the season to be leaky.

Jack Black has joined the cast of the in-development live-action Minecraft movie. Rumors about this casting popped up yesterday, January 2, with Deadline reporting that Black would play Steve (the Minecraft guy with the teal shirt and blue pants). Notably, Black starred as the villainous Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie last year, giving us the instant-classic «Peaches,» too. 

Plenty of battle royales are out there, and we continue to see new games released regularly. However, few seem to hit their strides and manage to gain a massive audience. One of the few games that have helped pave the way for the genre has been Fortnite, a game that captivated players worldwide. We’ve continued to see Epic support this title and deliver thrilling new events, crossovers, and maps. However, some fans always would like to step back to the good old days. Fortnite OG offered just that as it stripped back the game to its early years. 

Withers and Mizora are basically immortal in Baldur's Gate 3. Withers is an old god so, yeah. Mizora is a devil holding Wyll hostage with a nasty contract. They're not exactly lowly goblins you find on the road, they're the closest the game has to 'essential NPCs'. But that hasn't stopped players from figuring out how to cut their time in the Sword Coast short.

While other manufacturers seem happy to sit on their laurels for a few years at a time, Nacon’s RIG are committed to incremental improvements in the line, steadily upgrading, enhancing and adding to the range. The 600 Pro HS is the latest in their mid-range line-up, bringing wireless connectivity via a USB-C dongle, while packing in Bluetooth as well. It’s a headset that ultimately fits most people’s needs, all at a very tempting price.

The sunny landscapes of Baldur’s Gate are a welcome sight after all that darkness in Act 2. Exploring the area will result in some random encounters, even with newborn Mind Flayers.

Less than a day after Steamboat Willie officially entered the public domain, several virtual adventures starring the world's most famous mouse have begun popping up online.

With 2024 finally here and the holiday season at an end, Fortnite has removed all Winterfest-themed items and cut off access to daily presents. But oddly, the Grappler has also been vaulted.

The fate of Rubicon rests in your hands. No pressure. Armored Core 6 is far more than just fun mech battles. It has a deep and branching story, with three whole different endings to unlock depending on the choices you make from mission to mission.

Final Fantasy 7 fans have only just now realised that Cloud Strife's original blocky design bears a striking resemblance to Teen Gohan from Dragon Ball Z.

ABC's multi-city New Year's Eve special and new music from the K-pop act TVXQ are some of the new television, movies and music headed to a device near you.

Two members of the Galaxy S24 lineup could sell in even higher volume than the Galaxy S23 series, according to one tipster, as he bases the latest rumor on Samsung’s recent activity of having ordered additional quantities of the Galaxy S24 Plus and its top-end Galaxy S24 Ultra. The Korean giant may also introduce a price cut to get more eyeballs on its products, and since it is announcing the three new models earlier, it might take away some market share from the iPhone 15 family.

Most TV shows set in the world of Pokémon focus on trainers and their magical pets ripping and running from one region to another in pursuit of becoming legendary battling teams. But fighting for glory is the last thing on anyone’s mind in Pokémon Concierge— Netflix’s new stop-motion animated series from Dwarf Animation Studio and director Ogawa Iku.

Everyone who’s ever wished Pokémon were real will get a kick out of Netflix’s Pokémon Concierge, where the lovable pocket monsters are rendered in the softest sweetest stop-motion style. From dwarf studios — known for the adorable Rilakkuma and Kaoru — the anime follows Haru, an anxious young woman who takes a job as a resort’s newest concierge. She’s in charge of making sure the Pokémon are having a good time.

Sonic the Hedgehog will be kicking off a very busy 2024 for him and his friends with additions to the blue blur's already pretty extensive Funko Pop! collection. Technically, Sonic is closing 2023 with new Pops as the figures revealed before Christmas are now available to pre-order. Super Shadow, Metal Sonic, and even Ring Scatter Sonic. They're all available now, and the only catch is they won't be in your hands until at least the end of February.

This past week, Blizzard revealed new Hero Talent Trees in a First Look at the new system coming with the The War Within expansion. Our Preservation guide writer, Voulk, offers an early review of the Chronowarden Hero Talents for Preservation applauding the exceptional temporal theming but cautioning about an overabundance of spell hooks. First Look at Hero Talents in The War WithinHero Talents Overview

One of 2023’s biggest cinema trends was the way accomplished filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Greta Gerwig, Wes Anderson, Christopher Nolan, and many more delivered some of the most creatively and commercially successful work of their careers. There was just something in the air this year, as one major artist after another took big swings that connected.

Now that I’m over 150 hours into Baldur’s Gate 3, still actively playing it on my Steam Deck or PC almost every single evening, you’d never guess that I initially gave up on the game 10 hours in. Yes, I was playing on the easiest setting. Yes, I have played Dungeons & Dragons multiple times before, and I understand how D&D works. None of that was a problem for me. But I found myself in a frustrated rage because Baldur’s Gate 3 has multiple complicated aspects to its turn-based combat that are never explained.

Want to give your daily Wordle a boost with our tips and tricks? Or maybe you'd really like someone to tell you exactly what the answer to the December 24 (918) game is without making you work for it. Whichever way you want to play, you'll find all you need and more (even a clue written especially for today's puzzle) right here. 

Monster Hunter World is enjoying a monstrous resurgence on Steam this week.

Baba Is You, the stunning puzzle game about rearranging rules, has a new follow-up that riffs on 2018’s very best tactical roguelike, Into The Breach. 

A big part of Baldur's Gate 3's charm lies in its characters, who are as strikingly emotive as they are simply interesting to listen to. Whether it's the party members you spend every night at camp with or the oddballs you stumble across in town. So, months after release and as we cap off the year, fans are looking back at their favourite dialogue from all corners of the game.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet The Indigo Disk has proven to be the big update fans have wanted. It continues to add more hidden treasures and neat features that enhance players’ enjoyment of the game—including the Item Printer.

Twas the What We Played before Christmas, and so we’ve spiced up this edition by also sharing what we’re hoping to have dropped in our laps on Monday morning (depending on which Christmas traditions you adhere to).

Epic Games just sent out the latest Fortnite player survey and it hints at possible collaborations with some highly-requested series like Five Nights at Freddy's, The Boys, and even some Nintendo properties.

While Baldur's Gate 3 is appreciably big in size—its three acts spanning a lot of square miles —its sheer largeness comes more from the amount of pieces on the board. A tool recently discovered that the thing has around 1,800 characters and over 110,000 lines of text.

The Marvels is out now on the big screen – and the Captain Marvel sequel has a lot to unpack. For starters, it's not just Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) who takes center stage this time around. She's joined by Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and Kamala Khan, AKA Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) after they discover that they switch places every time they use their light-based powers. 

Do y’all remember Twilight and its death grip on what felt like every bookstore, movie theater, and mall in America in the early 2000s? At the time, critics regarded it poorly — like so much other entertainment aimed at young women. Now, in 2023, Twilight is having a pop culture resurgence as fans embrace it unironically and otherwise, with a sort of joyous abandon usually reserved for Disney adults and Christmas people.

In LEGO Fortnite, Rollers are the scourge of the Grasslands. They’ll surprise you by jumping from the earth and will keep rolling after you. Thankfully, they tend to pop up one at a time. One unfortunate player, however, stumbled across an army of them.

Dungeons of Hinterberg is on the way from Microbird Games, combing the alpine beauty of the Austrian alps with skiing, snowboarding, and dungeon crawling to fight monsters. Luisa is the main character, who embarks on an adventure to fight the monsters armed with a sword and magic. In the latest developer diary, the overworld of Kolmstein is shown.