My Arcade Sonic the Hedgehog Mighty Player

$120

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My Arcade Pac-Man 45th Anniversary Mighty Player

$120

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Retro gaming manufacturer My Arcade launched its Sonic the Hedgehog Joystick Player last month, and now it's joined by two more diminutive arcade cabinets--the Sonic and Pac-Man Mighty Players. These are much larger than the existing Sonic Joystick Player, clocking in at around a foot tall and 7 inches wide, making them tiny enough for a countertop but big enough to be comfortable during extended play sessions. They also feature 3.5-inch screens and come with four pre-installed games. If you're interested in adding them to your game room, they're available now at Amazon for $120 each.

My Arcade Sonic the Hedgehog Mighty Player $120

This officially licensed Sega product features a 3.5-inch color display, wood construction with an illuminated marquee, a rechargeable battery offering five hours of playtime, and a tiny control panel with various buttons and a joystick. The cabinet clocks in at 12 inches tall, 7.4 inches wide, and 5.9 inches deep, making it larger than most other products in the My Arcade lineup.

The cabinet is finished with a retro Sonic design, along with a bold blue color scheme throughout the entire unit. As for the games packed inside? Here's what you'll get:

• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2
• Sonic Spinball
• Sonic 3D Blast

See at Amazon My Arcade Pac-Man 45th Anniversary Mighty Player $120

This one gets you all of the same features as the Sonic Mighty Player (wood construction, illuminated marquee, 3.5-inch display), but this time it's all about Pac-Man. Featuring colorful artwork across the cabinet and a bold yellow across the control panel, it's a pretty great-looking product. Here's a look at its game list:

• Pac-Man (Classic and Speed-Up)
• Pac-Man Plus
• Super Pac-Man
• Pac & Pal

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These Mighty Players are a bit smaller than Arcade1Up Countercades, which typically stand over 12 inches tall, around 9 inches long, and 9 inches wide. These My Arcade Mighty Players are a bit cheaper than the Arcade1Up Countercades and their $150 price tag--however, a few Countercades are currently on sale for $130, making them worth a closer look ahead of the holidays. This includes the Class of '81 Ms. Pac-Man/Galaga Countercade and Pac-Man Countercade.

The former includes Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, and DigDug, while the latter offers Pac-Man, Super Pac-Man, and Pac-Mania. Both include a 7-inch LCD display (which is quite a bit larger than the 3.5-inch display of My Arcade), so be sure to give them a look while they're on sale.

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A tectonic shift in the political climate has given rise to a sharp increase in authoritarian practices and policies and made 2025 an unprecedented and disconcerting year for censorship, including for the video game industry. In the face of outstanding pressure on the payment processors powering storefronts like Steam and Itch, thousands of games--largely pertaining to adult subject matter that was sexual in nature and labeled NSFW--were either removed or deindexed from those respective stores. Though the uproar around these removals died down with time--partly due to loss of momentum pressuring these stores to rescind the bans, partly because certain free games were eventually reindexed on Itch--the recent release of Santa Ragione's Horses has brought the conversation back for another round before year's end.

That's because, once again, a title with a significant amount of adult content (seriously, Horses fits a lot of taboo material into a fairly brief runtime) has found itself in the crosshairs of the ongoing puritanical culture war that's raging throughout the country, as well as in the world of video games. And as it continues, the controversy around certain games and their subject matter begins to raise questions about artistic expression, who in this medium is allowed to discuss and prominently feature adult-oriented content, and what kind of conversations and explorations of these subjects will the corporate powers in control of the industry permit.

Horses is a notable development in this ongoing controversy for several reasons, not the least of which is the preventative measures taken against it. Whereas the bulk of the censorship mentioned here came well after games were released and available to play, affecting many games that had already been listed on these stores for some time, Horses has been facing an uphill battle leading to its release on December 2.

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There are a lot of quests to complete in Arc Raiders, but only a few send you beneath Spaceport's Launch Tower to navigate its dark and dreary tunnels. One of these quests, The Clean Dream, asks you to begin by searching containers and monitoring a filtration system before sending you off to a whole new map. If you're looking to tackle this quest, we've got everything you need to know below.

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• Search 4 containers in the underground tunnels

Search 4 containers in the underground tunnels

First, you're headed to Spaceport to search four containers in the underground tunnels. These tunnels run all along the center of the map, and there are a variety of ways to get down there and navigate them. However, the most common and easily-accessible entrance will be the same spot you visited during the Switching the Supply quest, which is a collapsed section a bit southwest of the Launch Tower.

This is the best entrance to the tunnels for most players.

While you're down here, you can search any lootable container--including "breach & search" boxes--to complete this part of the quest. Even if something has been opened and searched by another raider, you'll get credit for searching it yourself.

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Shooters are having a moment in 2025, with Battlefield 6 and Arc Raiders topping the charts and attracting large player counts as the year comes to an end. The former title is a return to form for a legacy franchise, while the latter leads the charge for the fledgling extraction-shooter genre.

Left in the dust in the shooter space, however, is Splitgate 2, a game that its makers thought would revitalize a genre they saw as growing stale. Developer 1047 Games released the first-person shooter in May, exuding extreme confidence in its product. Splitgate 2 tried to bank on nostalgia for old-school arena shooters, directly invoking Halo and even Titanfall. Yet, the game was also marred by contradictory decisions, adapting present-day monetization models and industry-wide fads like battle royale modes.

Splitgate 2 is a blip in the big picture of 2025, but the issues and drama surrounding the title and its release were so prolific that the game is certain to be the subject of YouTube essays and analysis for years to come. From microtransaction controversies to studio CEO Ian Proulx donning the most egregious headwear possible in a livestreamed industry event, along with developer layoffs and an extremely unusual "unlaunching" of the game, 2025 was nothing but tumultuous for the Splitgate team.

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Sony WH-1000XM5 Bundle

$248 (was $520)

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If you're shopping for last-minute gifts for audiophiles, be sure to check out this awesome limited-time deal at Amazon that drops the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones to their lowest price ever at just $248 (was $520), and includes a pair of WF-C700N wireless earbuds for free (normally $120). In total, you're saving $272 with this offer. The deal is expected to run until December 31, though inventory may run out well before then.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Bundle $248 (was $520)

This deal applies to the blue, black, silver, and pink versions of the WH-1000XM5. Regardless of which color you choose for your headphones, the earbuds are always offered in black. Oddly enough, it's possible to buy the WH-1000XM5 right now for $248 without the earbuds included. Be sure to select the bundle to get the earbuds for free. And if you only care about the earbuds, they're on sale for $90 (was $120).

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The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are extremely popular. While they're not the newest iteration of Sony's premium noise-canceling headphones (those are the WH-1000XM6), they offer impressive noise cancellation. Sound quality is excellent as well, and it can be further customized using the companion Sony Sound Connect app. They also offer up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge, and quick charging support that can restore three hours of playback in just three minutes of charging.

As for the WF-C700N earbuds, they may not be as popular as AirPods, but they're still a great option, offering IPX4 water resistance, multiple silicone earbud tips, a built-in microphone for hands-free calling, and the ability to connect to two devices simultaneously.

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Larian's Baldur's Gate 3 launched first into early access on Steam, and now the studio has teased that its next game, Divinity, could follow a similar playbook.

Larian boss Swen Vincke told GamesRadar, "We still want to do early access." He isn't 100% committing to it as of yet, but said this approach worked for its past games.

"It's been the blueprint, especially the community participation with early access, which is what interests us. It was [with] Divinity: Original Sin 1, Divinity: Original Sin 2, Baldur's Gate 3--they [the community members] were a large part of how we developed the games," he said.

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The month of December is a busy one for Arc Raiders. The major highlight of the month is the Cold Snap update, which introduces a slew of content to the game and balancing fixes across the board. However, launching right after the Cold Snap update is the first Expedition in Arc Raiders, which is essentially the game's version of a "wipe."

To find out more about Expeditions, including when the first one will begin and the requirements to embark on one, check out the guide below.

How Expeditions work in Arc Raiders

For starters, what exactly are Expeditions? If you've played a game like Rust or Escape from Tarkov before, then you can think of an Expedition like a wipe. This involves your character's progress being reset, forcing you to start over from scratch.

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Baldur's Gate 3 has built a reputation as one of the best role-playing games ever made since it released a few years ago, and with Divinity, Larian certainly seems confident it can make something even better. But how can it be so sure? Speaking to GameSpot, CEO Swen Vincke explained that the D&D tabletop roots of Baldur's Gate 3 could actually make things more difficult.

"One of the biggest struggles that we had with Baldur's Gate 3 is every single class has almost different rulesets, so getting players on board with that was quite complicated," Vincke told us.

While those with D&D experience (or a similar game like Solasta) may have felt like they were ready for Baldur's Gate 3 at launch, it does feature a number of class-unique mechanics that people have to learn. These range from the Barbarian's "rage" mechanic to the spell-slots system for magic-users, and it definitely puts D&D veterans at something of an advantage.

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Terminator: Survivors, once planned for release in 2024, has been delayed yet again and is now set to launch sometime after 2025.

The game is in development at Nacon Studio Milan. Creative director Marco Ponte said the decision to delay the game was made "after months of internal testing," along with discussions from fans. As a result of these discussions, the developer also decided to cut multiplayer co-op from the game.

"We know this may come as a disappointment, but we believe it is the right creative direction for an uncompromising vision of the world after Judgment Day," Ponte said.

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Rainbow Six Mobile will launch on February 23, 2026, Ubisoft has announced. The free-to-play first-person shooter will arrive that day across iOS and Android.

The game was announced in 2022 and conducted public tests that began in 2023, but it's now nearly ready for its global rollout for everyone. The game promises to replicate the Rainbow Six Siege experience on mobile, and Ubisoft says it was "developed exclusively" for mobile devices.

Rainbow Six Mobile features three 5v5 multiplayer modes: Bomb, Bomb Rush, and Team Deathmatch. There are 20+ operators in the game, along with some familiar maps from Rainbow Six Siege, including Bank, Border, and Clubhouse.

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Netflix and Ubisoft are making an Assassin's Creed TV series, and the cast is coming together ahead of the start of production in 2026.

So far, three stars for the Assassin's Creed TV show have been confirmed, but as of yet, no roles have been announced. For now, here's who we know will appear on the show:

• Toby Wallace
• Zachary Hart
• Lola Petticrew

Wallace is known for his roles in the movies The Bikeriders and Babyteeth, while Hart is perhaps best known for the Apple TV show Slow Horses. Petticrew, meanwhile, starred on the TV series Say Nothing.

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Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity developer Larian has confirmed that it uses generative AI in its development processes, but not necessarily in the way you might think.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Larian boss Swen Vincke said its developers use generative AI tools for things like exploring new game ideas, developing concept art, creating placeholder text, and for PowerPoint presentations. Vincke said, "I think at this point everyone at the company is more or less OK with the way we're using it." That said, Bloomberg reported that there has been "some pushback at Larian."

He also confirmed that the new Divinity game will not have any AI-generated content in it. "Everything is human actors; we're writing everything ourselves," he said.

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Infinity Ward, the developer of the popular Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series, has told fans, "Don't believe everything you read on the internet" amid a rumor about next year's game.

In a post on social media, the studio wished fans a happy holiday and teased that it's "looking forward to talking soon." In the meantime, the developer said fans should be wary of what they read on the internet. Although there was no further context provided, this may be a reference to a recent report that claimed Infinity Ward is making 2026's Call of Duty game, rumored to be Modern Warfare 4, and that its multiplayer would be a "complete copy" of Modern Warfare 2's.

Happy holidays everybody!

Wishing our community an awesome holiday season and looking forward to talking soon.

Don't believe everything you read on the Internet. See you in 2026.

— Infinity Ward (@InfinityWard) December 15, 2025

On December 13, the Call of Duty leaker GhostofHope posted, "Modern Warfare 4 Multiplayer in its current state is currently a complete copy of Modern Warfare II except for no perk charging system and less ADS/slide penalties..."

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Ubisoft has acquired the game March of Giants from Amazon Games, and this also means that creative director Xavier Marquis has returned to Ubisoft. He was the original creative director on Rainbow Six Siege and comes back to Ubisoft alongside Alex Parizeau, the former managing director of Ubisoft Toronto.

March of Giants is a 4v4 tactical multiplayer free-to-play MOBA inspired by technology from the early 1900s. The game combines elements of real-time strategy and lane-based combat. It's called March of Giants because players take on the role of a giant who is controlling troops on the battlefield.

Marquis said in a news release that, "Returning to Ubisoft brings things full circle."

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Germany's defense ministry is now funding tests to see if hissing cockroaches from Madagascar can be used as reconnaissance drones on the battlefield. It sounds like something out of a futuristic military video game, like Call of Duty.

The defense ministry has announced that it's funding research and development at SWARM Biotactics to create technology that can "steer cockroaches and send them on reconnaissance missions," CBS News reported.

CEO Stefan Wilhelm said the cockroaches are "super resilient" and can crawl through "tiny spaces," climb up walls, go into pipes, and navigate through rubble. How does this work? Neuroscientists at the company put electrodes on the critters' antennae to "stimulate the insects' natural ability to navigate." They wear little backpacks carrying batteries and chips, with the bugs controlled through a game-style joystick. The researchers claim the cockroaches are not hurt by any of this.

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Last month, Everstone Studio and NetEase Games' Wuxia action-adventure-RPG Where Winds Meet launched on PC and PlayStation 5, and it subsequently became one of the hottest games on Steam. Now, the dev team has revealed that this open-world Wuxia game has sailed past an impressive player milestone in only a month.

According to the official social media account for Where Winds Meet, the first month saw 15 million players. "You followed the winds, tested your blades and proved that the best stories are the ones we tell together," reads the statement from Everstone.

15 Million Wanderers have joined the Jianghu!
You followed the winds, tested your blades,
and proved that the best stories are the ones we tell together.
Thank you for being here! pic.twitter.com/xRpSYpVXgT

— Where Winds Meet (@WhereWindsMeet_) December 14, 2025

No specifics were shared regarding how much playtime each of those people put in or any other details. The mobile launch of Where Winds Meet only occurred near the end of its first month of availability.

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Pedro "Flute Guy" Eustache has become one of The Game Awards most-beloved returning figures, known for playing his outlandish collection of flutes with incredible passion and panache. After another stellar performance at The Game Awards 2025, Eustache has taken to social media to show off all the different instruments he played in this year's show.

While Eustache's stage presence is the main element that has made him so popular with viewers of The Game Awards, his unusual collection of instruments has also tickled the internet's fancy over the years he's been a part of The Game Awards Orchestra. This year, he has named all the different instruments he played in the famous Game of the Year medley, which include a handful of curiously custom-made or customized instruments.

Hi gamers of the world!
THANKS FOR YOUR OVERWHELMING SUPPORT AFTER THE @THEGAMEAWARDS 2025!
MUCH LOVE! GOD BLESS YOU!
As promised, here’s a short video showing the flutes I played in the GOTY -by the amazing @lornebalfe.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR COMMENTS!
Enjoy pic.twitter.com/U7t2czkEPp

— Pedro Eustache (@EustachePedro) December 15, 2025

Showing them off in the order they were played during the medley, Eustache's first two instruments are western concert flutes with swapped-out headpieces--the first from a traditional Armenian shvi, and the second a 3D-printed head based on the Armenian blul. Eustache also demonstrates the strange flute he played during the Clair Obscur section of the medley, simply calling it a "PVC-based flute." Geoff Keighley revealed after the show that Eustache built this instrument just for TGAs.

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Cult of the Lamb's first major paid expansion Woolhaven is just around the corner, with developer Massive Monster announcing that the DLC will arrive on January 22 for all platforms.

The $17 Woolhaven expansion has been in the works for two years, marking Cult of the Lamb's biggest content update since launch. The DLC will add new dungeons, buildings, weapons, characters, quests, and even entirely new systems to shake up the gameplay. This includes an all-new ranching system, which will let you tame and raise beasts that can be used as mounts or as emergency food, depending on how dire your situation gets.

Continuing the story of the main game, Woolhaven adds a whole new region to explore as you journey to the titular Woolhaven, which also happens to be the lambs' ancestral home. Keeping your flock safe in Woolhaven will be even more of a challenge than in the base game, faced with the ice and snow of Yngya, the God of Winter and the forgotten God of the Lambs.

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In November, a modder going by the name Froddoyo released Project Misriah, which used Valve's Counter-Strike 2 as a medium to recreate Halo 3. The mod was well-received by fans, but apparently not by Microsoft itself. Microsoft filed a takedown request with Valve, and the latter complied.

Froddoyo described Project Misriah as "a workshop collection of Halo ported maps and assets that aims to bring a Halo 3 multiplayer-like experience to Counter-Strike 2." It also directly lifted character models, maps, gameplay mechanics, and sound effects from Halo 3, which may have contributed to Microsoft's desire to have the mod removed.

Froddoyo shared the takedown on X, and wrote, "It was fun while it lasted. Make sure to give your thanks to Microsoft!"

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The full release is a month away, but a new demo for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is now available for Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S. Square Enix notes that save data will carry over, meaning you can begin Cloud's journey in Midgar immediately.

On X, the official Final Fantasy account announced the holiday surprise for Final Fantasy VII Remake. The demo features the first chapter for the RPG, and by playing, you can grab Revival Earrings and Survival Set for the full game when it launches January 22. The post also reminds Switch 2 and Xbox owners that the full trilogy is coming to both platforms. Previously, the first two parts have been PlayStation console exclusives.

The Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade demo is out now on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox!
Start the trilogy today and transfer your save data to the full game from launch on January 22nd. pic.twitter.com/fexcWAWDtX

— FINAL FANTASY VII (@finalfantasyvii) December 16, 2025

Final Fantasy VII Remake will receive a ridiculously easy mode for Switch 2 and Xbox, offering a way to never die in battle. This is part of the Streamlined Progression options for the game. Meanwhile, Switch 2 owners should be aware that Final Fantasy VII Remake will take up 90 to 99 GB of storage. Considering the hybrid console only comes with 256 GB of internal storage, some game shuffling might be needed.

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