A new report claims that one of the ideas Microsoft is considering for Xbox Game Pass is a new "pick-your-own" plan that would allow players to create their own specific version of Game Pass featuring content and services they are interested in. At the same time, Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma teased that further integration of Discord could be on the way for Game Pass.

Windows Central reported that the long-term goal for Microsoft is to make Game Pass "more flexible," and that lines up with what Sharma previously said. In a memo to staff, Sharma said her long term goal was to "evolve Game Pass into a more flexible system." In her memo, she said this will take time, as Microsoft conducts tests to find out what works best.

How a potential "pick-your-own" plan might work in practice, including limitations and prices, remains to be seen. And there is no guarantee that such a program would ever be released. It could be something Microsoft is only experimenting with, or intentionally leaking to gauge interest.

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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is now the No. 1 movie globally after surpassing a giant movie from China. Nintendo's animated movie has now grossed $752 million globally, which puts it ahead of the previous No. 1 movie, Pegasus 3 ($641 million).

The Chinese movie was released in February in China, and if you've never heard of it, that makes sense. It's made 99.8% of its money from the Chinese market, with only $1.37 million from the US.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, meanwhile, has made money in most major markets globally, including $358.7 million from North America alone. Some of the movie's top international markets include Mexico ($49.6 million), the United Kingdom ($38 million), Germany ($30 million), Spain ($17.4 million), and France ($12.7 million).

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IO Interactive has shared new details on its upcoming James Bond game 007 First Light, including a new mode that looks inspired by one of Hitman's best post-launch ideas. Called Tac-Sim, players will get to take on missions with various parameters, each one designed to test their 00 agents with increasingly challenging objectives. The mode sounds similar to Hitman's Escalation Contracts and Freelancer, and for added incentive, it includes an online leaderboard to see how you stack up against your fellow agents.

Completing a Tac-Sim will also reward players with experience points that can be spent on gadget upgrades, outfits, and new weapons. To keep things interesting, "Game Changer" modifiers will task players with completing certain sub-objectives, like finding secret notes, taking on powerful enemies, and not firing any rounds. IO Interactive says that it plans to expand on Tac-Sim over time, creating new post-launch content for the game.

Hitman's extra modes helped add hours of replayability to all three games in the World of Assassination trilogy, while Freelancer mode introduced roguelike elements to the experience that reinvigorated Hitman 3 at the time. It's not unsurprising to see these ideas resurface in 007 First Light, as it shares an open-ended approach to its mission structure that looks like it was directly inspired by Hitman.

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Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has reacted to the critical reception to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, saying the negative opinions of the movie from critics were "truly baffling."

As translated by Nintendo Patents Watch, Miyamoto told NDW that critics were "even harsher" on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie than they were for 2023's The Super Mario Bros. Movie. He laughed and said he found this to be "rather odd."

"We stepped in from another medium and did our best to help energize the film industry. And yet the very people who are supposed to champion the film industry are the ones being so negative; it's truly baffling," he said.

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If you are diving into Pokemon Champions - the brand new battling bonanza on Switch - you will absolutely need to get to grips with Mega Stones. Introduced in Pokemon X & Y, and brought back recently in Pokemon Legends Z-A, these fancy rocks are the key to Mega Evolution and are utterly essential in the current Champions meta. So, here’s everything you need to know.

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• What are Mega Stones in Pokemon Champions?

What are Mega Stones in Pokemon Champions?

Mega Stones are held items in the Pokemon video games that allow specific Pokemon to Mega Evolve. This temporary transformation physically alters the Pokemon’s appearance, and changes things such as stats, typing, and their ability.

Several Mega Stones were first introduced in Pokemon X & Y back on the 3DS, before the titles Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire added more. While Mega Stones were in Pokemon Sun & Moon, the mechanic didn’t return until Pokemon Legends Z-A for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Pokemon Legends Z-A introduced multiple new Mega Stones, and the Pokemon Legends Z-A: Mega Dimension DLC added even more.

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Pragmata is a game chock-full of secrets. From exclusive rewards for completing Red Zones to alternate paths you can take across each and every sector, you only get a taste of the complete game if you follow the main story's path. Of course, regardless of how much time you put into your first playthrough, the story eventually comes to an end. While you might think that's the end of your adventure with Hugh and Diana, there are a couple of additional ways to continue playing. One of these ways is through Unknown Signal--an extension of your save file in Pragmata.

Unknown Signal acts as a type of secret ending in Pragmata, but there are some things you need to know before you take it on.

What is the Unknown Signal feature in Pragmata?

To unlock Unknown Signal, you need to have beaten the Pragmata main story at least once. After seeing the credits roll, you'll get a couple of in-game messages at the main menu that explain the next steps you can take with the game. One of the new features you have access to is New Game Plus, which restarts the main story but allows you to keep all of your upgrades and gear. The enemies will be much tougher in this version of the story, giving you a new challenge to overcome.

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Nintendo might have to prepare itself for a lawsuit that could have far-reaching implications for companies aiming to secure a tariff refund from the United States government.

According to new court documents (via Aftermath), two Nintendo customers have filed a proposed class action complaint in the United States District Court's Western District of Washington, with the aim of forcing Nintendo to pass a portion of their tariff refunds back to them. Following the US trade court's ruling that US President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" global tariffs were illegal, thousands of companies found themselves eligible to receive a refund from the US government.

Several companies like FedEx and UPS are already planning to pass these refunds back to their customers, but what about Nintendo? The gaming giant has said nothing so far, but the brewing lawsuit from plaintiffs Gregory Hoffert and Prashant Sharan could soon change that. In a formal complaint written by their lawyers, Hoffert and Sharan allege that Nintendo could receive a "windfall" if they apply for a tariff refund.

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YouTube star Markiplier's video game movie, Iron Lung, was a smash hit at the box office, bringing in more than $50 million on a relatively minuscule budget. But when is it coming to home video? It's been out of theaters for some time already, prompting fans to wonder about the long wait.

Markiplier, whose real name is Mark Fischbach, said in a newly released video (via Bloody-Disgusting) that the digital release of Iron Lung has been "taking so long" because he's been at work trying to make a deal "so that other people can benefit from it."

From the start, Markiplier said he viewed Iron Lung as a sidequest and not something he was doing for money. When the film became a success at the box office, he promised to distribute the profits to the crew, and now he's hoping to make the film's digital release something other people benefit from instead of himself first and foremost.

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Rambo: Five-Film Collector's Edition (4K Blu-ray)

$99 | Releases May 26 exclusively on Amazon

Preorder at Amazon

Decades after he first wandered into the wrong town, Rambo remains a cinema icon with evergreen movies. If you're a fan of the battle-scarred character and want to grab those films on Blu-ray, check out this preorder for Rambo: The Complete Collection. This Amazon-exclusive bundle of all five movies in 4K launches on May 26. Priced at $100, the collection showcases Rambo's adventures in the best quality and includes digital streaming codes for each movie.

Rambo: Five-Film Collector's Edition 4K Blu-ray Set (Amazon Exclusive)

$99 | Releases May 26

Preorder at Amazon

The first three films now support Dolby Vision, HDR10, and a custom-tuned Dolby Atmos soundtrack unique to this collection. The entire set comes in a collector's edition box featuring iconic shots of Rambo and several memorable quotes. Special features haven't been listed in detail, but distributor Lionsgate says the bonus disc includes deleted scenes, exclusive featurettes, trailers, and more from all the Rambo movies. It's unclear how many of these features have been lifted from previous DVD and Blu-ray releases, but the franchise has included several informative and entertaining behind-the-scenes documentaries over the decades.

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Animal Crossing New Horizons Hori Collection

See at Play-Asia

Animal Crossing New Horizons came out in March 2020, leaving an increasingly painful six-year gap for those of us who can't get enough of being financially abused by Tom Nook. Just when it seemed that Nintendo was good and fine with letting the game fade into a memory, the company unexpectedly dropped a 3.0 update chock-full of new features, which was very smart timing for the game's release on Switch 2.

While it's not the new game Animal Crossing fans are hoping for, it's a great reason to pick up your Switch again (or replay the whole game on Switch 2). If the new content has you deep in the throes of nostalgia, you might be thrilled to learn that Hori also has a a brand-new line of New Horizons accessories coming, including Switch 2 controllers, carrying pouches, and the cutest game card holders you've ever seen.

While these items are specifically for the Japanese market, you can preorder them now via Play-Asia. The collection will be released on June 30, with pricing starting at $10. Read on for some of our favorite picks.

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May 4 is still a few weeks away, but thanks to a new deal at Amazon on some of its Star Wars Lego sets, you can start celebrating the greatest sci-fi film ever made right now. If you've been waiting for a deal on some of these, you can save up to 26% off some core classics like the Millennium Falcon, the TIE Bomber, and R2-D2. Some of these prices are record lows, so it's a great time to fill in those holes in your collection.

We'll highlight a few of our picks, beginning with the beloved R2-D2, an icon that no Star Wars Lego collector should be without. Measuring 9 inches high, 6 inches wide, and 4 inches deep, R2 has a movable head that can be rotated 360 degrees, an attachable periscope and tools, and a detachable third leg. The set also comes with a 25th anniversary minifigure of Darth Malek from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. This set is ideal for builders 10 years of age and up.

Everyone knows the iconic TIE Fighter, but true Star Wars ship fans also love the TIE Bomber, which made its first appearance in The Empire Strikes Back. Measuring 15.04 inches long, 10.32 inches wide, and 2.78 inches high, the bomber has a cockpit that opens so you can insert a minifigure and a warhead bay that holds four droppable torpedos, as well as a handy little cart to transport them with. You also get three minifigures with weapons, including Darth Vader, Vice Admiral Sloane, and a TIE Bomber Pilot, as well as everyone's favorite walking battery, the Gonk droid. Builders nine years old and up can take this one on.

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March 2026 was a pretty great month for new releases, and according to new data by Circana, games like Crimson Desert, MLB The Show 26, and Pokemon Pokopia contributed to a bumper sales period.

Circana's Senior Director, Mat Piscatella, revealed that video game spending in the US reached $5.3 billion in March 2026, a 12% increase when compared to March 2025. New releases such as Crimson Desert, MLB The Show 26, and Pokemon Pokopia were some of the biggest winners, and video game hardware spending grew by 69% to $500 million when compared to a year ago. The Switch 2 remains the second fastest-selling hardware platform in the US, since Circana began tracking in 1995.

"Nintendo Switch 2 drove the overall gain, while PlayStation 5 spending increased by 3% compared to March 2025," Piscatella wrote. "Nintendo Switch 2 was the best-selling hardware platform across units and dollars for both March and the 2026 year-to-date, with PS5 ranking second across both measures and time periods."

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Nintendo was a trailblazer of the platformer genre, but violence has always been baked into its formula. One of the very first things you do, in the very first Super Mario Bros. game, is stomp on a Goomba. Yoshi games have typically skewed to the younger side of Nintendo's target audience, but they're often still recognizable as traditional, if gentle, platformers. Yoshi's next game, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, is so gentle it has eliminated combat almost entirely. You can't die. You mostly don't eliminate enemies. But in its place, Nintendo has found an inventive new hook focused on creative play.

The eponymous Mysterious Book here is Mister Encyclopedia, aka Mr. E, a talking compendium of all the various flora and fauna that inhabit this land. His pages have gone blank, and he asks for the Yoshis' help restoring them. That framing makes your job squarely about research and observation, which in turn makes the proceedings mostly peaceful and playful.

To aid in the research, Yoshi's 2D moveset is even more generous than usual. You can still grab things with your tongue, but it's multidirectional. You can aim eggs using the right stick. You can flutter-jump seemingly endlessly, which keeps you at a steady height but can't keep reaching perpetually higher. And you can use a tail-swipe move to have a creature ride on your back, or switch between them. You're always Yoshi, but which rider is with you can have different effects. With this suite of moves in tow, you can open up the book and peer into its pages, using Mr. E's magnifying glass monocle to identify which creature habitat you want to examine. Then your chosen Yoshi will jump into the book and start poking around.

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Roblox has a tricky tightrope to walk between making its online sandbox safe and keeping it fun. On one side, players rail against changes locking off social settings and requiring privacy-threatening age checks, and on the other side Roblox is beset by lawmakers claiming the platform isn't doing enough. It's a balancing act, but at the moment Roblox doesn't seem to be pleasing anyone.

Roblox has long faced controversy fuelled by its young-skewing player base, from accusations of child labor exploitation to a bombshell Bloomberg report that alleged Roblox had become a hotbed for child predators. The company has faced legal action from many states across the US and internationally, including from LA, Australia, Texas, Louisiana, California, and more.

The company's responses to such accusations haven't always made for great PR, from CEO David Baszucki's notoriously poor handling of a New York Times interview to studio head Stefano Corazza saying Roblox was doing a good thing by allowing 15-year-olds to work. While defensiveness has often been the company's go-to response to accusations around safety, the mounting pressure has now seen Roblox pull the trigger on a number of sweeping platform changes.

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Lee Cronin's The Mummy Limited-Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray)

$38 | Release date TBA

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Most people think of an enjoyable romp starring Brendan Fraser or a forgettable box office flop when they hear The Mummy. But this year, director Lee Cronin is aiming to make you feel pure terror with his reimagining of the cult-classic horror franchise. Preorders are now live for Lee Cronin's The Mummy, and you can choose from 4K steelbook, standard 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD editions ahead of its release later this year. The Blu-ray launch date isn't locked in yet, but we have seen the cover for one edition, the spooky steelbook that reminds you some things should stay buried.

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Last week, a new trailer for the upcoming Street Fighter movie celebrated the Capcom franchise's return to the live-action limelight for the first time in over 15 years. This week, it's the current game, Street Fighter 6, and rumors of its next batch of DLC fighters that has fans riled up--rumors which include Final Fantasy VII's Tifa Lockhart, which would make her Street Fighter's first-ever guest character from a non-fighting franchise.

Per WCCFTech, a post on the Street Fighter subreddit surfaced that highlights series veteran Vega, also known as Balrog or "Claw," as a potential inclusion in SF6's Year 4 Character Pass. The post features a comment by user RnK_Clan not only listing Vega, but also naming Gouken, Mike Haggar from Final Fight, and Tifa as the other three characters.

RnK_Clan speaking to the Year 4 Pass lineup is notable, as they previously correctly predicted Fatal Fury's Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui appearing in 2024's Year 2 Pass. No other details about the rumored batch of DLC was shared by RnK_Clan, and an attempt for comment from Capcom has gone unanswered as of this writing.

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More trouble is brewing at MindsEye developer Build A Rocket Boy (BARB), but it has nothing to do with the studio's debut title. A group of employees led by the IWGB Game Workers Union have initiated legal action in response to Build A Rocket Boy leadership's decision to install surveillance software on employees' devices without their knowledge. According to the workers' union, after 40 employees filed a grievance demanding the removal of the software (called Teramind), it was removed from employee devices in March. But now, those workers want to know exactly how much data was collected without their consent--and what was done with it.

"[Build A Rocket Boy] failed to meet the aggrieved workers' other demands for transparency and accountability, refusing to explain what data was collected, how it was used, and why the software was installed in the first place," reads a press release from the IWGB Game Workers Union. "Now, IWGB members are escalating the matter through ACAS and the Information Commissioner's Office."

Build A Rocket Boy was founded by former Rockstar boss Leslie Benzies in 2016, with former Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard becoming co-CEO in 2024. The studio's debut release, the very clearly GTA-inspired MindsEye, quickly became one of the worst-reviewed games of 2025. The game's difficult launch was followed by claims of employees being subjected to excessive crunch time in an attempt to fix the game's many issues, followed by layoffs that employees say weren't handled properly.

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An Xbox higher-up has responded to a rumor regarding the next-generation platform Project Helix, clarifying a key detail about the machine, which can play both console and PC games. But his answer didn't clear everything up.

A claim by leaker KelperL2 said Microsoft would sell Project Helix chips to companies like ASUS and MSI, thereby allowing people to buy a version of the system that runs on the Helix guts. This led to speculation that Project Helix was not in fact a first-party Xbox console and might be more akin to a third-party device like the Rog Ally X from Asus.

But that isn't necessarily completely true, according to Xbox next-gen VP Jason Ronald. He said on social media, "Project Helix will be available as a 1st party Xbox console."

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Thanks to the enduring memory demands of the AI boom, fast storage in the form of SSDs has become more and more expensive with each passing week. That has made repurposing your existing hardware more important than ever, which is where a recently discovered method for using the Xbox storage expansion card on PC might come in handy.

The small form factor SSDs that Microsoft manufactures with Seagate for the Xbox Series X and S aren't proprietary, instead using a format that has been used with digital cameras for some time. These cards are called CF Express Memory Cards, and their popularity outside the Xbox ecosystem means there's a plethora of options for adapters on PC. Not all of them work, but one Reddit user has found at least one that turns the storage card into usable, albeit slightly slow, storage for your PC.

The adaptor in question plugs into one of your PCI-e ports on your motherboard, and gives you a slot that fits the Xbox expansion card. Plug it in, and your PC should immediately register that as a new SSD ready for use. The speeds aren't fantastic, thanks to the limited bandwidth of the adapter, but it's still drastically faster than a SATA hard drive and should be perfect for normal gaming use, whether that's just storage or running games off of it directly.

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Starting today, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers enjoy something few ever get to experience in the age of the subscription model: a price drop. It's been six months since the price of Game Pass Ultimate went up to $30 a month, but under the new Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma, the cost is unexpectedly falling back down to $23 a month. It's not without caveats--this tier no longer includes Call of Duty entries on their respective launch days--but for the likely millions of players who subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate and don't play Call of Duty, this is only a good thing.

This news comes less than a week after an internal memo written by Sharma spoke to how the price of Game Pass had risen too much. In the wake of today's official price reduction, the "leaked" internal memo feels more like an intended tease, otherwise known as a controlled leak. That's all fine by me. It's a tried-and-true means of communicating your brand's ideas to the public, and it's at least interesting to begin to see what shape Xbox will take under Sharma. But controlled leak or not, today's headline feels like it guarantees another major change is coming, and it's that next one that worries me.

Since 2017, Game Pass has changed many times, but one figurative line it hasn't crossed yet is the involvement of specific types of ads. There are many ways these could be implemented, from picture-in-picture or banner ads to video ads that interrupt gameplay, and more. Plenty of games, even some in Game Pass, do use ads, but they're usually of the sort that players don't balk at. I don't want my time with NBA 2K to be interrupted by an ad for the new Jordans, but I don't mind that there's a Jordan store inside the series' social hub, The City.

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