Ubisoft is celebrating its 40-year anniversary today, March 28, 2025. Below, we look at how Ubisoft helped to establish the modern game industry, and where it may go from here.

In 1986, Zombi was released for the Amstrad CPC computer. The first-person adventure game heavily borrowed from George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, to the point that knowledge of the film’s plot was necessary to complete the game. While it received decent reviews, Zombi’s only remarkable quality is being the debut game of a French developer called, at the time, Ubi Soft.

Four decades later, and Ubisoft has shed both the space in its name and its somewhat humble beginnings to be one of the biggest names in the entire video game industry. Ubisoft franchises are some of the best-selling in history, from Assassin’s Creed to Just Dance; the company has dealt with some of the biggest IPs around, from Star Wars to Avatar; its list of subsidiaries spans the globe, from Abu Dhabi to Toronto. Anyone who has played a video game in the past 20 years or so has likely touched an Ubisoft game.

Pokemon Go players who want an alternative to their Go Plus devices may soon have an in-game item that lets them automatically throw Poke Balls and unleash Pokestops while searching for creatures to recruit.

PokeMiners (via IGN) uncovered the existence of the new Explorer Gadget during its latest datamining efforts in Pokemon Go. Players could already access automatic Poke Balls and Pokestops with some pricey physical accessories like the Go Plus. This gadget, however, appears to be a fully in-game device without any need for extra peripherals.

Assuming the report is accurate, it seems very likely that the new device will be monetized by Pokemon Go's developer. It would make the game a lot easier for casual players--the only real question is how much would fans be willing to pay for this perk? It has yet to be officially announced, so for now we can only speculate as to whether it will be a one-time purchase or if the developer has subscription plans in mind.

In the earliest days of PC gaming, before everything got homogenized with Windows and Mac, the Commodore 64 reigned supreme. It still has a passionate homebrew community making their own original C64 games to this day--and if you're interested in checking out the classic console, its games, or the homebrew scene, you'll want to check out this awesome deal on the THEC64 Mini replica console. The device captures the look of the original C64 and is capable of playing official and homebrew games on moderns TVs. It typically costs $120, but you can buy it for $85 during Amazon's Big Spring Sale event, which runs until March 31. At that 29% discount price, it's certainly worth picking up for those curious about what the Commodore 64 developer community is like today.

THEC64 Mini - Black Edition is actually a follow-up to another THEC64 Mini console that focused on retro games. It sets itself apart not just with a matte-black finish on a 50% scale replica of the original, but also with a library of 25 pre-loaded "modern" C64 games made by developers after the console's heyday. These are all of the games you will have access to:

1. A Pig Quest
2. Caren and the Tangled Tentacles
3. Galencia
4. Good Kniight
5. Grid Pix
6. Guns N Ghosts
7. Hessian
8. Hunter's Moon Remastered
9. It's Magic 2
10. Joe Gunn: Gold Edition
11. Knight N Grail
12. Metal Warrior Ultra
13. Mille & Molly
14. Nixy and the Seeds of Doom
15. Ooze: The Escape
16. p0 Snake
17. Pains N Aches
18. Planet Golf
19. Rocky Memphis: The Legend of Atlantis
20. Runn N Gunn
21. Sam's Journey
22. Shadow Switcher
23. Spinning Image
24. Steel Ranger
25. Yeti Mountain

Those aren't exactly games that are household names to your modern gamer, but you'll have a great idea of what the Commodore 64 homebrew game developer community is like after playing them. The mini console even lets you load your homebrew programs from a USB stick or code games in BASIC on the hardware and share them online. Another major benefit of this hardware is that it supports USB game controllers and outputs at 720p resolution in US and European display modes, making it one of the simplest ways to play Commodore 64 games on modern televisions.

If you're looking for a more comfortable, ergonomic way to play your Nintendo Switch 2 in handheld mode, this Amazon Spring Sale deal on the Gammeefy JC400 Switch 2 Controller might appeal to you. While the thrid-party grip is usually priced at $47.49, it's down to $40 during Amazon's sale, which runs until March 31 (unless it sells out first).

While it's wonderful to have the option to play Nintendo Switch 2 in docked, tabletop, or handheld mode, the Joy-Con 2 controllers aren't very ergonomic. That makes third-party products like the Gammeefy JC400 useful, as they make handheld mode play significantly more comfortably. You simply have to slot your Switch 2 into the controller without its Joy-Con 2s attached, and you can start playing.

In addition to its ergonomic design, which offers a full-size grip on each side of the controller, the Gammeefy JC400 Switch 2 Controller also features Hall Effect joysticks that are less prone to stick drift. They can also be customized with unique lighting via a dedicated app called KeyLinker, and the controller has a claimed battery life of around 10 hours.

If you're looking to check out Sarah J. Maas's epic romantasy saga, A Court of Thorns and Roses, ahead of books six and seven launching in the next few months, you're in luck. The A Court of Thorns and Roses Paperback Box Set is currently available for just $50, down from its usual $95 retail price, thanks to Amazon's ongoing Spring Sale. The set includes paperback editions of the first five novels in the popular series, making it an easy way to catch up on the story thus far. It is also a part of Amazon's Buy Two Get One Free deal on select books, movies, and other items, allowing bookworms to get more bang for their buck while stocking up on summer reading. Just make sure you grab it soon; Amazon's Spring Sale only lasts until March 31, and there's a chance it could even sell out before the event is over.

The A Court Of Thorns and Roses Paperback Box Set includes:

1. A Court of Thorns and Roses
2. A Court of Mist and Fury
3. A Court of Wings and Ruin
4. A Court of Frost and Starlight
5. A Court of Silver Flames

A Court of Thorns and Roses first debuted in 2015, and follows the story of 19-year-old Feyre Archeron, a human huntress who is whisked away to the magical Fae world of Prythian after she kills a wolf who isn't just a wolf. The series has become increasingly popular over the years, especially amongst "booktok" creators on TikTok.

Near the beginning of February, Krafton gave an early-access release to PUBG: Blindspot, a spin-off from PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. However, Blindspot won't make it to its two-month anniversary as the game is scheduled to shut down in just a few days.

ARC Team's Sequoia Yang shared an announcement that PUBG: Blindspot will cease operations on March 30. "After careful consideration, we have come to the conclusion that we are no longer able to sustainably provide the level of experience we set out to deliver through Early Access," wrote Yang.

Yang went on to thank players for their support and added that, "The ARC Team will take some time to regroup, and we hope to return with new experiences in the future."

It's been a big week for bad news in gaming, and that included Sony announcing yet another price hike for the PlayStation 5, the second increase in less than a year.

When the new PS5 pricing goes into effect on April 2, the base digital edition of the PS5 will have gone up by a whopping $200 since the system arrived in 2020. What's driving up the price and what does it mean for the industry at large? Here's a breakdown of what Sony has said and deeper context from expert sources.

Sony's official explanation for the PS5 price hike is that "pressures in the global economic landscape" came together to make it "necessary" to raise prices once more. What the company is saying here is that the so-called "RAMageddon" situation has proven to be so much of an issue that Sony is taking steps to protect its profit margins, and passing along the increased costs to consumers in the form of a price hike.

It has been reported that Microsoft might further shake up Xbox Game Pass with new tiers of the service, and now one of them may have been revealed.

X user @redphx (via Windows Central) discovered references to something called "Triton," and it is said to be the name of a new tier of Game Pass that would only include first-party games from Xbox Game Studios. This could include games like Doom Eternal, Dishonored 2, Fallout 4, Halo 5, The Elder Scrolls Online, and State of Decay 2, among others. It's unclear if the supposed new Game Pass tier would include all first-party Xbox games or only some specific selection of them.

It's also possible Triton is an experiment and isn't planned for release at all. There is not much to go on at this stage, so the possible price, release timing, or other specifics are not available. GameSpot has contacted Microsoft seeking clarification.

There is no denying that the Switch 2 is crushing it. Its sales in the US are pacing 45% ahead of the original Switch over its first four months and most consoles in history. No data exists in a vacuum, though, and Switch 2 sales came in weaker than expected in certain overseas markets for the latest quarter, Nintendo said in February. Now, a report from Bloomberg claimed Nintendo is cutting Switch 2 production by 30% after weaker-than-expected demand during the holidays.

At the same time, the reporting said Nintendo remained on track to ship its forecasted 19 million Switch 2 units by the end of March, and in fact, the system is expected to reach the 20 million units that analysts are projecting. Nintendo, like other companies, is known to post intentionally conservative estimates in part so it can generate positive headlines when it exceeds them. As of December 31, Nintendo had sold 17.37 million Switch 2 consoles, so the 19 million forecast seems to be certainly on track.

He's the second-best astromech droid in the Star Wars galaxy--we all know Chopper from Rebels is the MVP--but there's still a lot to love about R2-D2. An icon of the Star Wars franchise, R2's tubular design has translated surprisingly well to Lego, and you can get a big discount on this cute and compact set. Normally $100, you can grab it for just $80 during the Amazon Spring Sale.

$80 (was $100)

Measuring over nine inches tall once it has been fully constructed, the Lego R2-D2 is equipped with a 360-degree rotating head, detachable third leg for mobility, an attachable periscope, and optional tools that can easily be attached to its chassis. Like several other figures from Lego, you'll get an information plaque and a stand decorated with the LEGO Star Wars 25th Anniversary symbol, plus a few minifigures.

Amazon's Big Spring Sale rolls on today with even more deals, including a nice discount on PDP's Riffmaster guitar, which can be used with Fortnite Festival and Rock Band 4. Epic Games just recently announced that Fortnite Festival's Battle Stage is shutting down, but the two other modes are staying online. The PDP Riffmaster is currently on sale for $100, which is 33% off its normal $150 price point.

The Riffmaster guitar was built specifically for Fortnite Festival and originally came out in 2024. The wireless guitar controller works with PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, but you need to buy a different model depending on your platform of choice, so be sure to double check that on Amazon.

It features a built-in, rechargeable battery that promises up to 36 hours of use per charge. The guitar also has a 3.5mm audio jack for playing with headphones, and PDP says it should work within a 30-foot area. Additionally, it has an analog stick on the back of the guitar's neck to help users navigate menus, and comes with a shoulder strap. It also has a collapsable design.

The final full week of March is coming to a close, and it has been a rollercoaster of emotions if you've been following the recent gaming news. Between showcases and turmoil in the industry, you never know what you're in for whenever you open your phone and start scrolling through your feed, but if you need a quick roundup, we're here to help. We've listed the biggest stories of the week below, so grab a fresh cup of your favorite hot beverage, settle down into a comfy seat, and take a quick dive into everything that happened this week.

• Epic is laying off more than 1,000 employees
• PlayStation is testing out dynamic pricing

This week had a lot of bad news, starting with Epic Games announcing that more than 1,000 people would be impacted by sweeping layoffs. CEO Tim Sweeney framed them as a necessary step to ensure sustainability, and the impact from losing hundreds of seasoned workers will see several Fortnite projects and games shut down or scaled back. Rocket Racing, Ballistic, and Festival Battle Stage will go offline later this year, while Horizon Chase and Horizon Chase Turbo will be removed from digital stores starting June 1. This comes in the wake of Epic hiking the price of Fortnite's in-game currency V-Bucks as player engagement has begun to dip as of late.

Rumors of Sony testing out dynamic pricing system have been circulating for years now, but it looks like it might be real after all. People browsing the PSN Store have reported seeing wildly different prices for games, but at least this week's PlayStation news can't get any worse…right?