The Nintendo Switch 2 arrives on June 5, and there’s already a wealth of cool controllers compatible with the system. Not only can you pick up the official Switch 2 Pro Controller or the Horipad Turbo, but the handheld console offers backward compatibility with a variety of existing Bluetooth controllers. PowerA is now throwing its hat in the ring, opening preorders for its lineup of Advantage Wired Controllers for Nintendo Switch 2.

Several different designs are up for grabs (including the first Switch 2 controllers with Mario-inspired artwork), though most of them pack in the same list of features. They’re quite affordable compared to the official Pro Controller, so give them a look if you’re seeking a frugal, wired gamepad.

PowerA Switch 2 Advantage Wired Controller (White) $50 | Releases July 14

This Advantage Wired Controller is a bit more expensive than the others, as it’s equipped with a series of RGB lights. Offering support for thousands of colors and five different lighting modes, it should be a cool way to personalize this standard white gamepad.

Beyond RGB lights, this is a pretty well-rounded controller. You’ll get Hall Effect sticks to prevent joystick drift, two mappable back buttons, and an ergonomic, wired design that’s responsive and good for long gaming sessions. Of course, you’ll also get the new C button--allowing you to dive into Nintendo’s GameChat feature and hang out with friends. There’s even a 3.5mm jack and on-controller audio controls.

Since this is an officially licensed product, you’ll find Switch 2 branding on the face of the controller. Bundled with a 10-foot USB cable and a two-year limited warranty, it looks like a pretty great deal at $50.

Preorder at Best Buy PowerA Switch 2 Advantage Wired Controller (Mushroom Kingdom) $40 | Releases June 16

All the other Advantage Wired Controllers pack in the same features as the White model--minus the RGB lights. So if you’re looking for something with a bit more color (or want to save $10), the rest of the lineup is worth checking out. This Mushroom Kingdom edition features a blue, purple, and red faceplate. Characters from the series are scattered throughout the design, including Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Toad, Yoshi, and Bowser.

Preorder at Best Buy PowerA Switch 2 Advantage Wired Controller (Mario Time) $40 | Releases June 30

With black analog sticks, a black faceplate, and cool 2D artwork on the front, this could be a good choice for long-time Mario fans. Though it’s graphics are more cartoonish than they are retro, it depicts a classic 2D scene from the hit games--featuring a jumping Mario and iconic items like the Question Block and Mushroom.

Preorder at Best Buy PowerA Switch 2 Advantage Wired Controller (Black) $40 | Releases June 9

Want to keep it simple? This Switch 2 controller is entirely black. It’s not quite as festive as the other three gamepads in the lineup, but if you’re seeking a gadget that’ll blend in with the rest of your entertainment center, it’s hard to go wrong with a traditional all-black color scheme.

Preorder at Best Buy PowerA Switch 2 Accessories Slim Case: $20 | Screen Protectors: $13

Beyond controllers, preorders are also open for the PowerA Slim Case and PowerA Screen Protector (2-Pack). The former is pretty sleek, with a minimalist grey design and an interior pouch capable of holding up to 10 game cards plus your console. The screen protector pack, meanwhile, comes with a microfiber cloth and applicator for easy installation. Screen protectors are always a wise decision, especially if you plan to travel with your Switch, as they help reduce both scratches and fingerprints.

Preorder Slim Case Preorder Screen Protectors

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This year's Warhammer Skulls showcase had no shortage of announcements--from an upgraded version of Space Marine to a Boltgun sequel--but for strategy fans, the highlight here was the announcement of Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War - Definitive Edition. There's no release date for it yet, but the game will be coming to PC later this year.

This new version of the classic RTS has been updated for modern systems, and players can expect 4K support, upscaled textures, and image-based lighting to enhance the visuals. While developer Relic Entertainment is aiming to retain the classic experience of the game, there will be a few other modern touches like an improved gameplay camera alongside a HUD that has been optimized for widescreen gaming.

The modding community can also expect to be catered to, as the game has been upgraded to support 64-bit platforms. This means that 20 years of community mods will continue to be supported.

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If you're searching for Minecraft Diamonds to gear up to go and face the Ender Dragon boss, or maybe you just want to create the game's largest diamond palace, you'll want to know the best places to mine to find them. There are optimal diamond levels, found by showing your Minecraft coordinates, and these places are likely to yield a large number of the invaluable mineral.

We'd always recommend using Minecraft enchantments, such as Fortune, to ensure that the diamond blocks you mine give you a greater number of diamonds per ore block.

Table of Contents [hide]

• Best Minecraft diamond level

Best Minecraft diamond level

The best level to mine for Diamonds in Minecraft is y level -59.

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Following the success of the tactical RPG Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, developer Owlcat Games is back with a follow-up, and this one will let you make your presence known as an Inquisitor.

"Set against the backdrop of the Noctic Aeterna and the mystery of the Tyrant Star, players will lead a warband of diverse companions in a desperate battle against heresy and corruption--from loyal Imperial subjects, such as a veteran Guardsman from the death world of Catachan, to nefarious xenos, including a bird-like Kroot mercenary," Owlcat Games said in the official announcement.

If you've played Rogue Trader, this basic setup should sound relatively familiar. Like its predecessor (which is still getting a new expansion and additional content via Season Pass 2), Dark Heresy features turn-based combat and "choices that carry grave consequences." In Warhammer 40,000, your choices are usually "bad" or "really bad," but no one in this universe is really a good person, so you don't have to feel too guilty.

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Waiting for your favorite boomer shooter to get a sequel while currently enjoying the latest Doom game? No, it's not 1993, because Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 has been officially revealed, and it looks to deliver on all the fast-paced action, bloody dismemberment, and incredibly mean taunts that fans expect.

Malum Caedo, the Space Marine who players controlled in the first game, will return for a sequel that promises to visit "never-before-seen locations in the Warhammer 40,000 universe." Alongside returning enemies like Nurglings, newcomers like the Bloodletters and Juggernauts will also be trying their best to turn Caedo into a pile of giblets.

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E3 may be dead and gone, but the summer is still full of gaming shows, and it appears Sony might have one on tap. Jeff Grubb of Giant Bomb reported today that there may be an unspecified "PlayStation event" in June.

Grubb said he's making an "informed guess," adding that he hasn't heard specific dates or details yet. "Not sure if it's a State of Play or a big boy Showcase," he said, referencing Sony's two main types of PlayStation shows.

The latest State of Play took place in April, focused on Borderlands 4. Before that, there was a 45-minute State of Play event in February featuring the debut of Ghost of Yotei. There was no State of Play or Showcase event in June 2024, but Sony did hold a State of Play in May 2024 that showed off the ill-fated live-service game Concord and God of War Ragnarok for PC.

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Betrayal at House on the Hill is a cooperative horror game that’s earned legions of fans over the years. With modular components offering impressive replayability and a fun twist that sees one player working against their teammates, it’s a unique (and spooky) choice for game night. You’ll soon have a new way to play the cooperative horror game, as Betrayal at House on the Hill: The Evil of Pennywise expansion is arriving on August 1. Based on It: Chapter 2, it should be an excellent choice for fans of the original board game or long-time Stephen King fans.

While the Betrayal at House on the Hill: The Evil of Pennywise is not yet available to preorder, we at least know the upcoming expansion comes with new miniatures (including one for Pennywise the Clown and his grotesque, spider-like creature form), new room tiles, monster tokens, and Pennywise Encounter cards that modify how the base game. Here's a look at everything included:

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Nintendo has announced a new series of user icons that will roll out in three waves, running from May 20 through June 10. These icons feature images of classic Nintendo consoles and controllers, so if you're a fan of retro-themed gaming hardware, you'll want to check these out. Obviously, these don't offer any gameplay or subscription benefits whatsoever, but we just think they're neat.

To acquire these icons, you'll need to be a Nintendo Switch Online member, and you can redeem any My Nintendo Platinum Points for these icons during the limited time they are made available. As a reminder, Platinum Points can be earned by completing tasks related to Nintendo's mobile games and services, like signing up for a Nintendo Newsletter or reaching certain objectives in games like Super Mario Run and Fire Emblem Heroes.

A Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership is required for the Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, and GameCube icons. In total, there'll be 10 icons to collect, and the first wave is already available.

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The Witcher 3 released 10 years ago, and CD Projekt Red is celebrating with the release of a gorgeous new controller. The Witcher Special Edition Xbox Controller is now available for purchase exclusively at the Xbox Store--though we’re sure it’s going to quickly become a hot commodity. Along with a standard controller, you’ll also find an Elite Series 2 edition that packs in a bunch of additional features.

The Witcher Special Edition Xbox Controller $80

Featuring a gritty design filled with blacks and greys and a few red accents, The Witcher Special Edition Xbox Controller looks quite impressive. In the center of the faceplate you’ll find Geralt’s wolf medallion--complete with glowing red eyes. You’ll also find Glagolitic script littered throughout the gamepad, which is the same script used in The Witcher video games.

Tons of Easter eggs are hidden within the design, so you’ll have plenty to keep your eyes busy during loading screens. One of the coolest touches, however, is the triggers--these are different colors as a tribute to Geralt’s silver and steel swords.

Beyond the unique graphics, this is your standard Xbox controller. It’s equipped with a Share button, support for multiple devices (Xbox, PC, mobile), and boasts an ergonomic design that helped land it at the top of our list of the best Xbox controllers.

See at Xbox Store The Witcher Special Edition Xbox Elite Series 2 Core $170

Need something a bit more robust and better suited for competitive play? Step up the the premium Witcher Special Edition Xbox Elite Series 2. It features the same striking design, anchored by Geralt’s wolf medallion just below the Xbox button.

Along with all the capabilities of the standard Xbox gamepad, this one gets you adjustable thumbsticks, shorter hair trigger locks, a rubberized grip texture, and several interchangeable components. It also benefits from a rechargeable battery that gets up to 40 hours of battery life--an upgrade from the base controller, which requires AA batteries.

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Microsoft has been going all-out with special edition Xbox controllers. Earlier this year, we saw the launch of the Doom: The Dark Ages Limited Edition Xbox Wireless Controller. Featuring bloody graphics and a color pattern inspired by the Doom Slayer’s armor, it quickly sold out at most locations (though a few spots still have it in stock). We’ve also seen a Starfield Xbox Controller and Redfall Xbox Controllers--all of which sold out fast. If these new Witcher controllers follow the same pattern, expect them to disappear soon.

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With the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023, Nintendo introduced a more playful and expressive Donkey Kong that differed from the Rare-created version of the character that lasted for almost three decades. Then, this year has seen the redesigned Donkey Kong not only featured in Mario Kart World, but also a brand-new adventure with Donkey Kong Bananza. That said, Donkey Kong's old look hasn't been barreled up for good.

On Instagram, Nintendo of America shared a new photo (the third one below) of Shigeru Miyamoto posing with the Rare-designed Donkey Kong at Super Nintendo World in Universal Orlando. The brand-new theme park just opened to the public. As such, one might expect the Donkey Kong costume to sport the character's refreshed look, but that's not the case.

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A post shared by Nintendo of America (@nintendoamerica)

One major reason for the old look might be because Super Nintendo World features a Donkey Kong Country section. Donkey Kong Country is the 1994 SNES game in which Rare crafted its take on the iconic character. So, it makes sense a theme park based on that world features the same version of Donkey Kong. Nintendo also released Donkey Kong Country Returns HD earlier this year for Switch.

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Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's collector's edition sold out quite quickly upon release earlier this year, meaning many fans missed out on being able to get their hands on it. All is not lost, however, as the studio is launching a new product that includes all the physical merch from the CE, but not the game or the in-game cosmetics.

The Monolith Set, as it's called, includes a steelbook case, Monolith music box, and the Expedition Journal art book. It'll go for £99.99 / $119.99, but shipping costs and import fees are going to make it more expensive, due in part to the tariff situation between the US and China.

Expeditioners,

Earlier this year, our Collector’s Edition sold out way faster than we expected. We know a lot of you missed out, so we’ve spent the time since then putting something together with @Laced_audio.

Presenting: the Monolith Set.

It includes all the physical merch… pic.twitter.com/VwUushch9M

— Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (@expedition33) May 22, 2025

Fans in France, however, can purchase it from a local provider, Pix'n Love, to secure lower shipping costs. The company also confirmed that it's limiting purchases to two per customer to help fight against scalpers.

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The Epic Games Store continues to give away a free game each week, and this week is another nice find with a price that can't be beaten. Every Thursday at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET, Epic offers at least one free PC game (and sometimes even as many as two or three). All you need to do to claim the free games is create a free Epic account and enable two-factor authentication. You have a week to add the freebies to your library before the new one(s) take their place. At this point, Epic has given away hundreds of free games, and there's no sign that the program will stop any time soon. We keep this article up to date weekly to highlight both the current free games and next week's offerings.

If you're looking for more freebies, you can check out our list of the 25 best free PC games to play in 2025, or for more options, the 25 best free games to play in 2025 on multiple platforms.

Current free games at EpicDeliver At All Costs

This week, you can grab three games for free: Deliver At All Costs, Sifu, and Gigapocalypse. Deliver At All Costs is a day-one release from Konami, and this game is all about delivering packages by any means possible--even if said means involve causing wanton destruction.

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There are very few games I've spent more time in over the past several years than Sea of Thieves. Part of that is because there's still, quite surprisingly, no other game attempting the same style. There are other pirate games, but the piracy setting is really just a wrapper--a well-suited one, no doubt--but one could see a Sea of Thieves-style game existing in other frameworks, too. In fact, when Rare was first creating the game, it had considered several other settings before landing on an open-world pirate sandbox, no pun intended.

The first time I interviewed Rare for GameSpot, I asked about the lack of copycat games, and how interesting that is in an industry that loves to chase successful trends. Three years since then, it's still true. While a few games have received some Sea of Thieves comparisons as of late--namely Jump Ship, Wildgate, and Sand--none of these are really attempting to fill the same space as Rare's multiplayer adventure game. I caught up with Sea of Thieves' creative director Mike Chapman to once again pose this question, and this time drilled down more to the point: What the heck would make a game a "Sea of Thieves-like" anyway?

"I actually think about that all the time, Chapman revealed. "I think if you'd asked me seven years ago, I'd have thought, 'Oh, if we're any kind of successful, there are going to be other games in this space, certainly a pirate game, or very close to it.' It feels like [games such as Jump Ship, Wildgate, and Sand]--which look great, by the way--they take one dynamic from Sea of Thieves and really focus in on it. I loved all the previews of Wildgate, for example, but it's kind of like this really tight competitive loop. It's like one aspect of Sea of Thieves, whereas I think what gives Sea of Thieves this incredible life and allows us to keep evolving it is that it's not any one thing. I think it's almost like the genre that we've created, that we're playing in, and that other people aren't playing in."

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Ten years before The Last of Us became a hit HBO series, the original game ended on a bleak note as Joel made a decision about Ellie's future that left a lot of blood on his hands. Joel's actions have been the subject of a lot of fan debates, and a major catalyst for the story of The Last of Us Part II and The Last of Us Season 2. Now, The Last of Us director Neil Druckmann is weighing in on one of the ending's unanswered questions: Could the Fireflies really have created a cure by sacrificing Ellie?

"Could the Fireflies make a cure? Our intent was, 'yes, they could,'" said Druckmann during his appearance on the Sacred Symbols podcast (via IGN). "Now, is our science a little shaky that now people are now questioning it? Sure. Our science is a little shaky and people are now questioning it. I can't say anything. I can say our intent was that they would have made a cure. That makes the most interesting philosophical question for what Joel does."

The reason why Joel didn't allow the Fireflies to create the cure is that they would have had to euthanize Ellie, whom he loved like a daughter. Rather than let that happen, Joel slaughtered all of the Fireflies in the hospital--an action that came back to haunt him in more ways than one.

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Pokemon TCG Pocket's next expansion will introduce Pokemon Sun and Moon's extradimensional Ultra Beasts to the free-to-play mobile game, and players won't have to wait long.

The Extradimensional Crisis expansion will arrive May 29 and introduce over 100 new cards to Pokemon TCG Pocket, including new Trainer, Pokemon EX, and, for the first time, Ultra Beast cards. While there don't seem to be any specific new rules around what are basically Pokemon's version of aliens, each Ultra Beast card is clearly labeled as such.

That will allow them to interact with other cards in certain ways, like the Trainer Lusamine, who can take energy from the discard pile and attach it to an Ultra Beast.

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Microsoft's newest update for PC has freshened up the settings widget within the Game Bar, offering players better access to adjustments for audio levels and screen brightness. In addition, not only are these improvements available in compact mode, but these quick settings provide a toggle for going into compact mode or back into desktop mode.

The Xbox app update on PC also features streamlined ways to see an on-screen keyboard, tinker with Bluetooth-connected devices, and turn on airplane mode through the Game Bar's settings widget. This comes shortly after Wi-Fi and battery status icons were added to compact mode, as Microsoft continues to make the Xbox app more handheld friendly. Then there are the photo leaks of an Xbox-branded ROG Ally 2 that corroborate earlier reports of Microsoft partnering with Asus on a handheld device.

The overhauled settings widget within the Game Bar offers quicker access to changing screen brightness and audio levels on the Xbox app for PC.

These new features are part of a larger Xbox update that also saw Retro Classics arriving for all Game Pass membership tiers. The catalog includes well-known titles like Pitfall and Commando--as well as original PlayStation game MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat.

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There are few more iconic video game characters than Pac-Man. One of the earliest and most recognizable video game mascots, Pac-Man was a massive and ongoing success, as cabinets remained mainstays in arcades and restaurants for decades after its original release. Bandai Namco is celebrating the anniversary of the game on May 22, 2025--a full 45 years after its first release in Shibuya, Tokyo.

Since then, the simple character has gone through several redesigns and revisions, from 3D platformers to pinball and even a kart racer. Bandai Namco has made the character broad and flexible, with oddball experiments like 2005's Pac Pix living alongside respectful homages like the breakout hit Pac-Man Championship Edition, which played very much like the original with new mechanics and mazes to test the skills of even the most dedicated Pac enthusiasts. But the original Pac-Man, along with Ms. Pac-Man that followed, is still the purest distillation of the idea, a game that has been ported countless times and been played throughout the years.

To mark the occasion, GameSpot spoke with Cyrus Rosenberg, SVP of licensing and business development at Arcade1Up, which has made a point of producing nostalgic, arcade-accurate scale cabinets of some of the most beloved classic arcade games around, including Pac-Man. The company has produced multiple cabinets based on Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man, so we spoke with Rosenberg about working with the Bandai Namco license to create cabinets that replicate the feeling of plunking a quarter into an arcade machine in the corner of a pizza parlor.

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Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford has reacted to the backlash to his comments about how "real fans" would find a way to put together $80 to buy Borderlands 4.

In a post on social media, Pitchford said, "Nobody likes being taken for granted and it was not my intent." He added that he feels "humbled by the love and support" that people have shown to the developers as the team works to get the game finished and in players' hands.

"Regardless of where the price lands, it's going to be worth it and then some," he said.

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Embracer Group, the Swedish gaming behemoth that employs thousands of people around the world, has announced that it plans to launch 76 more games in the semi-near future. The company also confirmed that it's getting a new name--going forward, Embracer Group will be called Fellowship Entertainment.

As part of the company's latest earnings briefing, it said these 76 games will be a mix of new IP, sequels, and remasters. Some of them include Metal Eden, the Gothic remake, Reanimal, Wreckreation, the next SpongeBob game, Norse: Oath of Blood, Killing Floor 3, and the recently delayed Marvel 1943: Ryse of Hydra.

For Ryse of Hydra specifically, Embracer said this game is likely to bring in a lot of revenue but won't be as profitable due to "shared economics with several other partners" as a high-profile licensed game.

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Bungie has been the center of several controversies lately, and last week, it was accused of using stolen art assets in its upcoming extraction shooter Marathon. While Bungie has responded to the accusations--saying that a former artist was responsible and that it was investigating further--there have also been recent allegations that the studio's work culture has become tainted by toxic leadership.

Speaker to former IGN editor Destin Legarie--who now runs the independent games coverage channel Save State Plus--former Bungie employees spoke out about the state of the studio, claiming that leaders were quick to shut down ideas and would publicly berate staff. It's also claimed that Bungie's leadership brought up the idea of adding a subscription service to Destiny, but this idea was strongly rejected by the developers.

Another example of the corporate culture at Bungie was that the studio's management allegedly expressed concerns over armor sets that could be earned in Destiny 2's PvP mode Trials of Osiris, because its design looked too good and could "impact" sales of cosmetic DLC.

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