Not long after Battlefield Studios patched XP farms out of Battlefield 6's Portal mode, the studio has announced a new official "casual" mode that allows players to earn progression in games with more bots than players.

The new mode, Casual Breakthrough, will include just 16 real players per lobby, who will be accompanied by 32 bots--giving eight players and 16 bots per team. Described in a Battlefield Comms X post as "a more relaxed way to play while still earning progression and completing challenges," the mode will allow players to accrue Career XP, Weapon XP and Battle Pass XP, as well as counting towards challenges. "

The mode still comes with some restrictions, meaning players won't be able to earn Dogtags or Accolades through Casual Breakthrough, and the mode also won't be reflected in career stats. XP gain will be weighted, with player actions granting full XP, and bot actions only granting reduced XP.

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Build and decorate your tavern, hire staff, stock your larder, meet the locals, be the boss and run the show! Tavern Keeper is a detailed business management simulation, a creative decoration sandbox and a bite-sized interactive story book in one. Make your way through a single player campaign across a fantasy world full of eccentric characters. From shape-shifters with imposter syndrome to skeletons in the throes of an after-life crisis, there's always a surprise around the corner and always someone needing the guidance of a Tavern Keeper like you.

Rampage through hell’s metal artists and their countless followers! Immerse yourself in a hand-animated, survivor-like experience that blends beat-driven combat with a unique 12-slot inventory system, allowing for near-infinite demonic builds. You start as a washed-up musician, stumbling across a crossroads when a hooded figure approaches and asks for your guitar. As they tune it, they ask if you still want to play a gig and hand you a contract. The moment you sign it, you're dragged to hell because the cloaked figure was none other than the Devil himself, and you've just agreed to play for him. Now, trapped in the underworld, you must carve out your legend by jamming to the music while fending off endless hordes of fanatical groupies, angry mobs, and rival musicians. Your ultimate goal? To defeat the greatest metal singer of all time, Death, and claim your place as an immortal, legendary musician!

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Manga Box Set (Hardcover)

$47.89 (was $80)

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Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Box Set is on sale for an excellent price at Amazon. Normally $80, the 1,104-page, slipcased collection is discounted to only $47.89. Nausicaa is Miyazaki's only manga series, and the hardcover box set collects the complete story arc. Amazon's current price essentially matches the best deal we've seen all year ($47.61)--and that deal didn't stick around for long. Amazon estimates orders placed today will ship within one to three weeks.

Viz Media originally printed the Nausicaa manga box set in 2012, and the publisher has kept it in print ever since. That said, the box set has been out of stock at Amazon more often than not this year. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Box Set would make an awesome gift for a Studio Ghibli fan this holiday. For a lower-priced gift, check out Miyazaki's illustrated novel Shuna's Journey, which is on sale for 50% off at Amazon.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Manga Box Set (Hardcover) $47.89 (was $80)

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Box Set compiles all seven volumes of Miyazaki's beautifully written and illustrated manga into two premium hardcover books totaling 1,104 pages. Each oversized volume has lovely watercolor cover art and endpapers painted by Miyazaki. The books are packaged in a decorative slipcase featuring original artwork by the author. In addition to the books, the box set includes a fold-out, watercolor poster of Nausicaa, the princess of the Valley of the Wind.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is best known as an animated feature film written directed by Miyazaki. The movie premiered in 1984, two years after the manga debuted in Japan. The manga was still in its early days when Miyazaki penned the script for the movie. As a result, the roughly two-hour feature film is a condensed interpretation of Volume 1 with some plot points and themes from Volume 2.

The manga concluded in 1994, a full decade after the movie's release. So if you've only watched the movie, you have roughly 1,000 pages of story to experience for the first time. Viz Media first printed the English translation in 1990, and the full story has now been available for English readers to enjoy for nearly 30 years.

The series is also available in trade paperback, but all seven volumes would cost you roughly $86 right now.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Manga

• Complete Hardcover Box Set -- $47.89 ($80)
• Nausicaa Trade Paperbacks -- ~$86 for Vol. 1-7
  • Volume 1 -- $15.25 ($17)
  • Volume 2 -- $8.55 ($13)
  • Volume 3 -- $12.18 ($13)
  • Volume 4 -- $12.91 ($13)
  • Volume 5 -- $12 ($13)
  • Volume 6 -- $13
  • Volume 7 -- $12.08 ($13)

See at Amazon Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Box Set Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Anime - Steelbook Edition (Blu-ray) $18.89 (was $27)

If you don't own the film adaptation, you can pick up Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind's Steelbook Edition for $18.89 (was $27) at Amazon. The Steelbook is actually cheaper than the standard edition right now. If you don't care about steelbook cases, Walmart has a Studio Ghibli 2-Film Box Set with Nausicaa and Princess Mononoke for $20. All of the Blu-ray editions of Studio Ghibli movies come with a DVD, too.

• Steelbook Blu-ray + DVD) -- $18.89 ($27)
• Nausicaa / Mononoke 2-Film Blu-ray + DVD Set -- $20 ($25)
• Standard Blu-ray + DVD -- $20 ($30)
• DVD -- $11

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind technically isn't a Studio Ghibli movie, as it premiered one year prior to the formation of the studio. But while Castle in the Sky is Studio Ghibli's first official movie, Nausicaa is widely viewed as a Ghibli movie these days. All of the Blu-ray and DVD releases are marketed with Studio Ghibli's name attached.

The manga and adaptation are set in a distant future where humanity has turned the world into a toxic wasteland, forcing survivors to live in domed cities that can protect them from the poisonous air and the giant mutant insects outside. Enter Nausicaa, a princess on a quest to stop a militaristic faction from gaining control of an ancient weapon that could spell the end of everything.

It's a story with quite a few similarities to Princess Mononoke--another Studio Ghibli film with a strong message regarding mankind's attempts to dominate nature constantly--and like that beautiful fantasy movie, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind has gorgeous visuals and fantastic character designs. So it makes perfect sense why the two are paired together in the Walmart-exclusive 2-Film Set.

For even more on Nausicaa, check out the official art book for the movie and the collection of watercolors illustrated by Miyazaki while working on the manga and adaptation. There's also a 214-page picture book adaptation for middle grade readers.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Companion Books

For even more on Nausicaa, check out the official art book for the movie and the collection of watercolors illustrated by Miyazaki while he developed the manga and adaptation. There's also a 214-page picture book adaptation for middle grade readers and the a collection of the original storyboards for the movie. The picture book is in English, but the storyboards are in Japanese.

• Watercolor Impressions (Hardcover) -- $27 ($35)
• Official Art Book (Hardcover) -- $26 ($35)
• Picture Book (Hardcover) -- $25.49 ($30)
• Original Storyboards (Paperback, Japanese) -- $40

See at Amazon See Nausicaa books at Amazon Shuna's Journey by Hayao Miyazaki (Hardcover) $13.81 (was $28)

Nausicaa is Miyazaki's only manga series, but he has authored a small number of other original stories, including Shuna's Journey. The illustrated novel was published in Japanese in 1983 and translated to English in 2022. You can buy a hardcover edition of Shuna's Journey for $13.81 (was $28) at Amazon. Miyazaki wrote and created the watercolor illustrations for this book. If you love Ghibli films, chances are you'll love Shuna's Journey.

See at Amazon Studio Ghibli Books

We've rounded up more notable books written by Miyazaki as well as some of the best companion books for Studio Ghibli fans below.

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 Edition

$65 | Releases January 15, 2026

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch Edition

$53.90 (was $60) | Upgrade to Switch 2 Edition for $5

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons, one of the defining games of the Nintendo Switch era, is getting a Switch 2 Edition with upgraded performance and new content on January 15, 2026. Up until now, Switch 2 upgrades for first-party games have retailed for $10-$20, but New Horizons is only a $5 upgrade. Nintendo is also releasing a new physical edition of Animal Crossing: New Horizons for Switch 2. Like all first-party titles, the full game file is stored on the Switch 2 card. You can preorder New Horizons for Nintendo Switch 2 for $65 at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and GameStop.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 Edition $65 | Releases January 15, 2026

The Switch 2 edition of Animal Crossing: New Horizons features an enhanced resolution and faster loading times. The game will also take advantage of Switch 2 hardware, as it supports mouse controls with the right Joy-Con to help you express your creativity more fluidly, and you can also use CameraPlay and GameChat to interact with fellow islanders. Another new feature is the megaphone, as by using the Switch 2 microphone, you can call out to nearby residents and have them respond to you in kind.

Online support is also being expanded from eight to 12 players, and a free update will add the Resort Hotel, Slumber Island, and even Lego furniture to the game. Players will also be able to visit a resort hotel run by Kapp'n and his family, and by helping out, you can acquire retro Nintendo hardware and toys to decorate your home with. Just like in the GameCube iteration of Animal Crossing, you will be able to play retro games inside your villager's home--if you have a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Nintendo has confirmed support for Game Boy, NES, and SNES Switch Online games.

Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch Edition $53.90 (was $60) | Upgrade to Switch 2 Edition for $5

Like all first-party Switch games with Nintendo Switch 2 Editions, owners of the original physical or digital version of New Horizons can upgrade to Switch 2 for a fee on the eShop. You could buy a physical copy for $54 at Amazon and then purchase the $5 Upgrade Pack. At the moment, this method saves you about $6, but your game box won't match your other Switch 2 games.

See at Amazon Animal Crossing: New Horizons: The Official Complete Guide $55

It's worth noting that the official Animal Crossing: New Horizons strategy guide is still in print. Published by Future Press in June 2023, this 688-page hardcover guidebook is the most comprehensive resource available for Nintendo's idyllic island life sim. While it naturally doesn't include the new content from the upcoming 3.0 update, it does cover everything in the game at this time, including the Happy Home Paradise expansion. Just make sure you buy The Official Complete Guide, not the original Companion Guide from 2020. The newer guide includes roughly 250 pages of fresh information and updates throughout.

Featuring high-quality pages and vibrant imagery, this book will help you make the most of your island getaway with tips, explainers, and fun diagrams. It's also a neat collectible and display piece for big Animal Crossing fans.

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Nintendo Switch 2 owners looking for games to play this holiday have multiple exciting recent and upcoming Nintendo exclusives to check out. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, the latest Dynasty Warriors x The Legend of Zelda hack-and-slash game, releases November 6 exclusively on Switch 2. On November 20, Kirby Air Riders and the physical edition of Hades II--a timed Switch 2-console exclusive--arrive in stores. The big game for December is the long-awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which will be available for both Switch and Switch 2.

Nintendo Switch 2 Games at Amazon

All new and upcoming Switch 1/2 games in one place.

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Switch and Switch 2 owners should also check out Nintendo's two major October releases, Pokemon Legends: Z-A and Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2.

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Step into a vibrant pixel-art world where strategy and creativity collide! In this city-building deck-building game, every card is a piece of your puzzle. Place buildings on a dynamic hexagonal grid, optimize your resource generation, and manage prices to maximize your profits.