Bungie's Marathon was reported to have used stolen art, but the matter has now apparently been resolved. The artist who originally brought the claims against Bungie has now announced that the issue "has been resolved with Bungie and Sony Interactive Entertainment to my satisfaction."

No further details were divulged regarding the nature of the matter and how this closure came to be. People are theorizing that the artist received a settlement payment, but that is not confirmed.

The Marathon art issue has been resolved with Bungie and Sony Interactive Entertainment to my satisfaction.

— N² (@4nt1r34l) December 2, 2025

After the art theft claims came to light earlier this year, Bungie responded to say it "immediately investigated" the concerns, and "confirmed that a former Bungie artist included these in a texture sheet that was ultimately used in-game."

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Obsidian has announced that the planned fall update for Avowed is not going to make it on time. The features planned for the update are still coming, but they are now going to be wrapped into a "larger update" instead in February 2026 to celebrate the game's first anniversary.

"This update will include everything originally planned for fall, plus additional features that will make it our biggest update yet. Stay tuned as we head into the new year for more details on what’s planned for the Living Lands," the developer said.

Avowed previously got spring and summer updates that added things like a no-spiders mode and custom map markers. The February 2026 update will include New Game Plus and Photo modes, along with a new weapon type, new character presets, more Godlike feature presets, and the ability to change your character's appearance, among other things.

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Rockstar Games launched the new version of Red Dead Redemption on modern consoles and mobile today, December 2, but the rollout did not go entirely smoothly on Xbox.

People who already own Red Dead Redemption for Xbox 360 digitally were expecting the new edition for Xbox Series X|S to automatically show up as a free download, but quickly noticed this didn't happen.

This is an issue that Rockstar is aware of and the studio is working with Microsoft to resolve it. "Thank you for your patience," Rockstar said.

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The Pokemon Company is giving away another freebie for Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Players can now claim two free Mega Stones for Mewtwo, which will unlock a side quest to catch the legendary Pokemon.

The two Mega Stones--Mewtwonite X and Mewtwonite Y--can be downloaded via the Mystery Gift function. Once equipped, they allow the legendary Pokemon to Mega Evolve into Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y, respectively.

To claim the Mega Stones, you must fire up your copy of Pokemon Legends: Z-A and do the following:

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Elden Ring Nightreign packs a solid number of nightfarers and bosses in its base game, ensuring players have plenty to do right out of the gate. But if you've seen everything in the initial release and want some fresh challenges, The Forsaken Hollows DLC adds two new playable characters, two extra bosses, and a fresh Shifting Earth event. If you're curious what you'll need to accomplish to unlock access to these additions, though, we've got you covered below.

How to start The Forsaken Hollows DLC in Elden Ring Nightreign

Before you can begin unlocking the content in The Forsaken Hollows DLC, you'll need to purchase and download it from your platform's respective storefront. Alternatively, if you've previously purchased the Elden Ring Nightreign Deluxe Edition, you'll be able to download the DLC at no additional cost.

Once you've installed the DLC, follow the steps below to unlock each bit of new content.

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A handful of new Mega-Evolved Pokemon are making their debut in Pokemon Legends: Z-A's upcoming Mega Dimension DLC, and ahead of the expansion's launch, The Pokemon Company has revealed another new one: a second Mega Evolution for Lucario.

Mega Lucario Z marks the game's first Z Mega Evolution--a new kind of Mega-Evolved form that has a shorter cooldown period, but depletes Mega Energy much more quickly. According to the official Pokemon website, "Pokemon that undergo Z Mega Evolution require less time to fire off moves after receiving the orders from their Trainer, but they also burn through their Mega Power very quickly, making them less suited for long battles."

Like the original Mega Lucario, Mega Lucario Z is a steel and fighting type. Where this form differs, however, is in its defense and speed stats. As the official Pokemon website explains, "While Mega Lucario concentrates its aura into a destructive force, Mega Lucario Z uses it to surround its entire body, cloaking itself to increase its defense, flexibility, and agility."

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Veteran games executive and former Nexon CEO, Owen Mahoney, believes the video game industry is on the cusp of a massive transformation--and that AI is at the center of it. He argues that AI is already integrated into many aspects of game development, from asset production to testing tools, and that its impact will only intensify.

In an interview with The Game Business, Mahoney explains that the AAA sector is facing what he bluntly calls an "end-of-days" moment. Costs are skyrocketing, development cycles are slowing, and publishers are becoming increasingly risk-averse, adding that the industry often misunderstands where value truly comes from.

Responding to examples of failed studios with prestigious founders, Mahoney says, "The examples that you just gave were, 'We bought this company because five years ago they made some game. So, therefore they're good.' It doesn’t work that way at all," and insists that the "game companies are really just collections of people." He believes that success depends on understanding their motivation and creative drive, not past hits.

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A new report has shed more light on the CEO succession plans at Disney, with a story from The Wall Street Journal saying leading candidate Josh D'Amaro wants to focus more on gaming. The same report also suggested that Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson is not going to get the job.

It was previously reported that Disney's board considered external candidates to take over for Bob Iger, including Wilson. But the new report said Disney is likely to choose an internal candidate. Wilson, for his part, is staying on with EA amidst the company's $55 billion sale.

The new Disney CEO could be D'Amaro, who is currently the current head of Disney Experiences--a sprawling unit that covers theme parks, consumer products, cruise ships, and video games. The WSJ report said D'Amaro--who is "widely considered" to be named the next CEO--wants to give video games "a bigger role at the company." The report said D'Amaro is also looking to integrate "gaming technology" into Disney's creative processes. No further details were divulged, however.

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Battlefield 6's collaboration with Red Bull is now live, allowing players to unlock XP boosts and cosmetic items for completing challenges in the main game and Battlefield Redsec.

There are 10 new challenges available now (and three "bonus" challenges), and they're all themed around "extreme physical feats," which makes sense given Red Bull is all about extreme sports and lots of caffeine. The Battlefield 6 x Red Bull challenges will be available until December 16.

The Battlefield 6 x Red Bull collaboration is now live.

The challenges involve doing daring things like performing a combat roll after jumping off a ledge three times, sprinting for 600 seconds, getting airtime in the golf cart, and surviving for 600 seconds total in Redsec.

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Yours Truly, Princess Peach Talking Figure

$37.79 (was $50)

See at Macy's See at Target

With The Super Mario Galaxy Movie launching in theaters early next year, it's no surprise there are tons of new Mario toys launching this holiday season. One of the newest (and most unique) options is the Talking Princess Peach Doll, which launched just a few weeks ago in November, but is already seeing a discount at multiple online retailers. Fans can pick up the interactive 12-inch doll at Macy's for $37.79, saving you some cash compared to its $50 list price. It's also available for $40 at Target. We're expecting the toy to be quite popular, so if you want to pick it up as a gift or for yourself, we'd recommend checking it out soon. Note that if you buy from Macy's, consider picking up a few other things while you're there, as the retailer is offering a free Geoffrey Giraffe 9-Inch Plush on all orders of $75 or more. The offer ends on December 11.

Yours Truly, Princess Peach Talking Figure $37.79 (was $50)

This officially licensed Princess Peach toy features over 25 quotes, phrases, and music from the Super Mario video game series. The figure has multiple points of articulation for posing, and you can also press downward to cause her flowing pink dress to billow outward--much as it does when she's jumping in the games. The figure runs on two AA batteries, which are included in the package.

See at Macy's See at Target Yours Truly, Princess Peach Talking Figure

Looking to put together a collection of Mario dolls? Macy's also has the Let's Go, Yoshi 12-Inch Figure in stock and on sale for $37.79 (was $50). Consider bundling Yoshi with Peach to unlock the free Geoffrey plush offer. Unfortunately, the talking It's-A Me, Mario 12-inch figure companion to Yoshi and Peach has been discontinued--but if you really need it in your collection, you can still find it at Amazon for $66.63, which is a bit more expensive than its original $50 MSRP. You can round out the set the the 12-inch Big Bad Bowser figure, which is available exclusively at Costco, where it's discounted to $34 (was $54) until December 7.

All 12-inch Talking Mario Figures

• Big Bad Bowser -- $35 ($54)
• It's-A Me, Mario -- $66.63
• Let's Go, Yoshi -- $37.79 ($50)
• Yours Truly, Princess Peach -- $37.79 ($50) | $40 at Target

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Helldivers 2 on PC just got a whole lot smaller, with developer Arrowhead Studios announcing a new, "slim" version of the game that reduces the game's install size by 131GB.

Fans on PC have long complained about the PC version's huge install size (and other technichal issues), which since the game's launch in 2024 has ballooned to 154GB. That's much larger than the close-to-22GB size of the console versions.

Arrowhead stated in a new blog post its long-term goal has always been to reduce the PC install size, but that now, with help from Nixxes Software, that goal has become a reality "much sooner than expected." Helldivers 2 on PC now only takes up 23GB--an 85% size reduction.

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Lego Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket & Baby Groot (566 Pieces)

$34 (was $60) | Retiring soon

See at Walmart See at Target Check stock at Amazon

Guardians of the Galaxy fans can get an excellent deal on Lego's buildable Rocket Raccoon figure. Normally $60, the 566-piece Rocket and Baby Groot building set is discounted to only $34 in Walmart's extended Cyber Deals event. Target also has a deal on this set that drops the price to $34.49. Amazon price-matched Target earlier this week but has since sold out.

Rocket and Baby Groot is one of the Lego Marvel sets that is retiring soon. The Lego Store already cleared out its remaining inventory with a $42 deal, so the deals at Walmart and Target could be the last for Rocket and Baby Groot.

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This week, Five Nights At Freddy's 2 is heading to theaters to see if it can scare up a box office return comparable to the original film's $297.1 million worldwide take. Apparently, it's already scared returning star Matthew Lillard enough to believe that the sequel could have gotten bumped to an R rating.

"It's funny, Matthew Lillard saw the movie the other day and he called me and he was like, 'It's so scary… Is this still PG-13?,'" related director Emma Tammi during an interview with Dexerto. Tammi noted that the sequel does have a darker tone than its predecessor, but she wanted it to be PG-13 so younger fans could watch it as well.

"I think the audiences that maybe wanted the first one to go to scarier places will be really satisfied," added Tammi. "We wanted to be inclusive of the younger audiences, and at the same time, we don't want to limit how dark and scary it can feel for the older audiences."

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Lego Wicked: Glinda & Elphaba Visit Munchkinland (744 pieces)

$48 (was $70)

See at Walmart

Wicked: For Good hit theaters last month, and if you're seeking an affordable way to bring the magical musical into your home, Walmart has you covered. The Lego Wicked: Glinda & Elphaba Visit Munchkinland set is currently on sale for just $48 (was $70). This set is only sold by Walmart and the official Lego Store--and since the latter still has it for $70, this is a pretty enticing offer. The offer is part of Walmart's extended Cyber Monday sale this week, but it won't be around for long and could sell out fast.

Lego Wicked: Glinda & Elphaba Visit Munchkinland (744 pieces) $48 (was $70)

This fun playset lets you build a mini munchkin house, complete with accessories like flowers, a bubble pedal, and a tiny version of the Yellow Brick Road. You'll also get three minifigures for Elphaba, Glinda, and Boq. While the front of the building features an exterior based on that of the film, the back of the set lets you dive into a variety of rooms. From a reading den and bedroom to a removable kitchen sink, this relatively small playset is packed with cool features.

At 744 pieces, experienced builders should have no problem snapping this together in an afternoon. Instructions are included, though it's also compatible with the Lego Builder app, which provides a more detailed (and interactive) guide. The set stands over 8.5 inches tall and 9 inches wide once completed.

See at Walmart

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, but several items are still on sale at Walmart. Be sure to check out its full catalog, but we've pulled together a few great Lego deals--including additional discounts for Lego Wicked sets. For example, Lego Wicked: Welcome to Emerald City is just $80 (was $100) and comes with five minidolls. And if you don't mind venturing over to Amazon, you can pick up the tiny Lego Wicked: Glinda's Wedding Day set for just $34 (was $40). Outside of the Wicked collection, sets from Lego's other lines like Star Wars, Marvel, Technic, and more are also on sale. Some notable offers include the Lego Star Wars Executor Star Destroyer model for $40 (was $70) and the Lego Technic: NEOM McLaren kit for $45 (was $77). You can also score a deal on the soon-to-be-retired Lego Icons: Blacktron Renegade set, which is down to $59 (was $100) and may be one of the last opportunities you'll have to pick it up. Check the links below for more Lego deals at Walmart.

More Lego Deals at Walmart

• Lego Icons: Blacktron Renegade (1,151 pieces)-- $59 ($100)
• Lego Ideas: Red London Telephone (1,460 pieces)-- $79 ($115)
• Lego Marvel: Rocket & Baby Groot (566 pieces) -- $34 ($60)
• Lego Star Wars: Executor Super Star Destroyer (630 pieces)-- $40 ($70)
• Lego Technic: NEOM McLaren (704 pieces) -- $45 ($77)
• Lego Wicked: Elphaba & Glinda Figures (558 pieces)-- $44 ($55)
• Lego Wicked: Elphaba's Retreat (228 pieces)-- $23.79 ($28)
• Lego Wicked: Glinda, Elphaba & Nessarose at Shiz University (304 pieces)-- $21 ($30)
• Lego Wicked: Glinda and Elphaba Visit Munchkinland (744 pieces)-- $48 ($70)
• Lego Wicked: Glinda's Wedding Day (476 pieces)-- $34 ($40)
• Lego Wicked: Welcome to Emerald City (945 pieces) -- $80 ($100)

While Wicked: For Good is currently in theaters, the upcoming Blu-ray release is already available to preorder. You can secure your copy of the standard 4K Blu-ray edition at Amazon and Walmart, or you can opt for one of the retailer-exclusive versions. Walmart has a unique Limited Edition Steelbook version for $38, while Amazon has a very pricey exclusive Wicked: For Good Gift Set for $230 that includes the 4K Blu-ray, a special case, a collectible gold Emerald City statuette, and certificate of authenticity. Release dates for have not been announced.

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Mina the Hollower, the next game from the creators of Shovel Knight, is "make-or-break" for indie developer Yacht Club Games, according to studio head and co-founder Sean Velasco.

In a new Bloomberg interview, Velasco said in order for Yacht Club Games to remain independent, Mina the Hollower needs to be a success, and if it could sell 200,000 copies, "that would be really, really great." The studio recently underwent layoffs and put a second in-the-works project on hold until Mina the Hollower releases.

"It's make-or-break for sure," Velasco said. "If we sold 500,000 copies, then we would be golden. If we sold even 200,000, that would be really, really great. If we sold, like, 100,000, that's not so good."

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The Arc Raiders Achievement/Trophy for killing another player in PvP combat is titled "Crossing The Threshold," and after 120 hours of intentional pacifistic gameplay, when I saw that alert come across my screen, I felt like I had done exactly that: I'd waded into uncharted territory. More than that, I'd found myself in a world I didn't even want to be in. I'd prided myself on never killing another player in the game. Through dozens and dozens of rounds, I'd gone well out of my way to avoid such an outcome, often being slow to shoot first, even to my own detriment. I put my trust in other players, and sometimes it would prove unwarranted. Mostly, I'd resorted to diplomacy, often talking my way out of problems with other players I'd encounter. I had so many big ideas about what it takes to return to Speranza without blood on one's hands. To me, Arc Raiders was this exciting social experiment. How long can I effectively talk down other players who means me harm? In the end, the answer was about 122 hours of play.

The fateful encounter occurred on Stella Montis, which will be no surprise to some Arc Raiders veterans. This newest map, and the first to take place entirely indoors, is an ultra-tense setting where you are either diligently checking your corners or you're soon bleeding out on the ground. Even in solo queues, where Arc Raiders remains mostly the bastion of good-natured and helpful PvE-only players, it feels like Stella Montis is kill-or-be-killed more than the game's other maps.

I was minding my own business, cautiously looting but certainly not planning to hurt anyone, when I heard some gunfire nearby. Hiding behind some lockers, I had a clear view of this fight, except for when it wrapped into the next room via the open doors leading to a hallway. I was still within range to hear the proximity chat of those who were scrapping, and witnessed with my eyes and/or ears a scuffle that took the lives of at least two players, whose flares shot toward the ceiling from inside the hallway. I crouched a safe distance away from the noise, then continued exploring other rooms.

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While many of the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals have vanished, a few are still around. One such offer is at Displate, which is offering up to 44% on select metal posters. The price cut applies to dozens of pieces in Displate's product catalog, which offers metal prints based on everything from video games and movies to TV shows and anime. To cash in on the deal, add any eligible product (or products) to your shopping cart, then use promo code CYBER at checkout. The amount you'll save is directly related to how many items you have in your cart: 35% for one or more prints, 41% for three or more, and 44% for five or more. The savings ends at 11:59 PM PT, so be sure to swing by the retailer and check out the offer while you can.

See deals at Displate Displate Cyber Monday Discounts

Use code CYBER at checkout.

• Buy 1-2 -- Get 35% off
• Buy 3-4 -- Get 41% off
• Buy 5+ -- Get 44% off

Need help sifting through Displate's gigantic catalog? Here's a look at a few of our favorites. Keep in mind that pricing varies based on how you customize the poster (size, matte, gloss, frame, etc.), but your standard 17.7 x 12.6 inch matte poster starts at $32.49 (was $50) when using the promo code. Note that all of the products below are officially licensed.

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YouTube has published its list of the top trending topics of 2025, and once again, gaming and pop culture were popular choices for what people watched on the video-streaming website. Out of the trending topics--which aren't ranked in any particular order--US YouTube viewers devoured any content related to the Switch 2 console, Roblox, and the RPG-strategy game Cookie Run Kingdom. Other topics of interest in the US included KPop Demon Hunters, Labubu collectible dolls, and the hit anime series Blue Lock.

Roblox user-generated experiences and the Switch 2 continued to be popular topics on YouTube worldwide, especially in countries such as Korea, Germany, Mexico, France, Japan, and the United Kingdom. YouTube says that it determined the top trends for the US and other regions through "a variety of signals," including views, uploads, and creator activity around the topics. Only the topics that were determined to have had conspicuous popularity this year--either because they were new to 2025 or because they saw significant increases in their user-interest metrics--were eligible for the list.

YouTube Trending Pop Culture Topics in the US for 2025

• Squid Game
• User-Generated Roblox Experiences: Grow A Garden, Dandy's World, Forsaken, Steal A Brainrot
• KPop Demon Hunters
• Brainrot
• Labubu
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Cookie Run Kingdom
• Blue Lock
• Katseye

While Roblox has seen its popularity reach new heights in 2025, that has also brought new scrutiny to the game-creation platform, following accusations that it is infested with child predators who prey on its young userbase. Recently, Roblox Corporation CEO David Baszucki unveiled an initiative to introduce a new face-scanning feature to increase child safety, but an interview with The New York Times yielded some questionable responses from him.

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Mark Cerny--best known as the lead architect of the PlayStation Vita, PS4, and PS5--recently appeared on Simon Parkin's My Perfect Console podcast to choose five games he would preserve on a fictional console. While much of the conversation naturally touched on his long history with Sony, one of the most surprising and heartfelt moments came when he talked about his love for Nintendo's Pikmin.

Despite his deep ties to PlayStation, Cerny made it clear that Pikmin left a lasting mark on him. Cerny described playing the original Pikmin as a truly "transformative" experience. He explained how emotionally invested he became in Captain Olimar's struggle to survive and return home.

"I had this thing where I tended to play smaller, lighter games for about 10 years, so I don't know, Portal or Plants vs. Zombies or Flower or Katamari Damacy. Pikmin, I just [picked] out of that list because I thought it was such an emotionally involving story," Cerny explained. "Poor Captain Olimar, he crash lands, and he's got 30 days to reassemble his ship, or he'll run out of oxygen and die, and he's sending letters home every day."

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Nintendo has provided game file sizes for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on Switch and Switch 2, letting console owners know how much space they need to download the first-person adventure game. On Switch 2, Metroid Prime 4 comes in at an estimated 31.6GB, while the original Switch version only takes up 26.3GB, per the Nintendo Store. Intriguingly, though, the eShop accessed via Switch 2 showcases the Switch edition as taking up 28.9GB.

Regardless, it makes sense Metroid Prime 4 has a bigger download size on Switch 2, since the game offers 4K visuals in quality mode docked and 120fps in performance mode docked. There is also HDR support and mouse controls, courtesy of the Switch 2 Joy-Con controllers. Both versions will launch this Thursday, December 4.

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